Have you ever heard someone say a person has “the Midas touch”? Most fourth graders have heard phrases like that without knowing where they come from. This worksheet shows them. It pairs a fresh retelling of one of the best-known Greek myths with a simple lesson on how ancient stories still live inside the words we use today.
Download the Grade 4 Greek Myth Worksheet
The printable Greek myth worksheet and its separate answer key are ready to download. It’s a memorable addition to your Grade 4 reading library, and it gives your child a story they’ll keep recognizing in conversations, books, and headlines for years to come.
Happy reading.
For More grade 4 worksheets, Visit Grade 4 Reading Comprehension Worksheets.
Why Greek Myths Belong in Grade 4 Reading Practice
Fourth grade is when many reading standards begin asking students to recognize references to mythology. A character in a novel might be described as having “Herculean strength,” or a newspaper might call a successful businessperson someone with “the Midas touch.” Readers who know the original myths understand these phrases instantly. Readers who don’t are left guessing.
Myths are also great stories on their own. They have big characters, clear problems, and dramatic consequences, which makes them easy for nine and ten year olds to follow and remember. And because most Greek myths carry a lesson about human behavior, they give students natural practice identifying theme, another key fourth grade skill.
King Midas is an ideal place to start. The story is short, the plot is easy to track, the lesson about greed is clear without being preachy, and the allusion it created is still used constantly today.
What Is an Allusion, and Why Should Fourth Graders Care?
An allusion is a quick reference to a well-known story, person, or event that the writer expects the reader to recognize. Instead of explaining an idea in a long sentence, the writer borrows the meaning of the famous story. Saying someone has “the Midas touch” is shorthand for “everything this person tries turns into success.”
It’s worth pointing out to your child that allusions are a little like inside jokes shared by everyone who knows the story. Once they learn the myth of King Midas, they’re in on the joke. That’s a surprisingly motivating idea for many kids, and it helps them see why reading classic stories pays off long after the worksheet is finished. You might even keep a running list at home of other myth-based phrases they discover, such as an “Achilles’ heel” or “opening Pandora’s box.”
Students who want more mythology can look ahead to The Weaver of Stars, a longer myth written for Grade 8.
What’s Inside This Worksheet
This worksheet features an original retelling of “King Midas and the Golden Touch.” King Midas loves gold more than almost anything. When he helps a lost friend of the god Dionysus, he’s rewarded with a single wish, and he chooses to have everything he touches turn to gold. At first the gift seems wonderful. Then his food turns to metal, his water hardens before he can drink, and his beloved daughter becomes a golden statue when she hugs him. Midas finally begs to have the wish removed, washes his hands in the river Pactolus, and learns that the people he loves matter far more than riches.
The worksheet includes four activities:
- Multiple Choice. Questions about the key events, from why Dionysus offered a wish to how Midas finally broke the spell.
- True or False. Quick checks on important details, including Dionysus’s warning and what happened to Midas’s daughter.
- Myth Words We Still Use. A short explanation of allusion, followed by a question asking students to interpret “the Midas touch” in a modern sentence and explain why the phrase is still used today.
- Think and Explain. Students identify the myth’s theme and support it with two details from the story.
The allusion section is what sets this worksheet apart. It connects a story from thousands of years ago to the way people talk right now, which helps fourth graders see reading as useful, not just something they do for school.
How to Use This Worksheet
Read the myth aloud together first. Pause after Midas makes his wish and ask your child to predict what might go wrong. Most kids guess quickly, and that prediction makes the turning point at dinner feel even more satisfying. After reading, let your child work through the questions on their own, then talk about the allusion section together.
For an easy extension, ask your child to write one sentence using “the Midas touch” about someone they know, such as a friend who is great at fixing things or a family member who grows amazing tomatoes. Using the phrase themselves is the fastest way to make it stick.
This worksheet fits naturally into a classroom mythology unit, a lesson on figurative language and word origins, or a homeschool reading block. It also pairs well with our other Grade 4 worksheets: “The Cleanup Crew” for realistic fiction, “How Monarch Butterflies Find Their Way Home” for nonfiction, “Big Sal and the Thirsty Creek” for tall tale, “The River’s Song” for poetry, and “The New Kid’s Secret” for drama. Big Sal makes an especially fun comparison, since both stories use larger-than-life events to teach something real.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of It
Ask your child to find the exact moment when Midas’s feelings change from joy to worry. Spotting a turning point like this is a key skill for understanding how a story builds toward its lesson. For the theme question, remind them that a theme is a lesson about life, not a summary of what happened. “Midas turned things into gold” is a summary. “Greed can hurt the people you love” is a theme. And if your child enjoys this myth, a short read-aloud of another Greek myth, like Pandora’s box, can launch a whole week of mythology exploration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the original Greek myth?
It’s a retelling written for fourth graders. The main events follow the traditional story of King Midas, Dionysus, and the river Pactolus, with simplified language to suit this grade level.
How is this different from the myth worksheet for Grade 8?
Our Grade 8 myth is an original story focused on symbolism and archetypes. This one is a classic Greek myth focused on plot, theme, and allusion, skills that match fourth grade standards.
How long does this worksheet take to complete?
Most fourth graders finish in about 20 to 25 minutes, including the allusion and theme questions.
Is an answer key included?
Yes, as a separate PDF, so you can print just the worksheet and keep the key handy for checking.
More Grade 4 Practice
Midas learned that greed can cost you what matters most. For a lighter story about wanting something too much, read the tall tale Big Sal and the Thirsty Creek, which is another old-style tale full of exaggeration. Students who enjoy stories about choices and kindness will also like The New Kid’s Secret. For a modern story, start with The Cleanup Crew.