The next lesson plans and activities are made to build such skills as creative writing, observing, vocabulary development and art appreciation. They may be used individually of one another and aren’t meant for use within any particular sequence. You may choose those activities which are most suitable for the curriculum.

– What is simpler than fighting the numerous-headed Hydra, stealing the Golden Fleece from the fire-breathing dragon, getting away from the labyrinth or flying with wings of wax and down? Students can demonstrate how easy it’s by writing “How You CanInch compositions according to these tasks.

– Students may use their understanding from the myths like a foundation for writing character sketches. What were Hera, Pan, Athena and yet another gods and goddesses enjoy? Students can disclose around the world the reality regarding these figures within the sketches they write.

– Students may also make use of the myths like a grounds for writing opinion essays. Should mortals be permitted on Mt. Olympus? This notable subject never was moved in Ancient A holiday in greece. It can be your students to solve the problem by developing persuasive argumentative essays. Other topics to think about: why (or why don’t you) were the Labors of Hercules sufficient to absolve him from the crime of killing his children? Should you be the judge, what punishment can you have administered to Tantalus for stealing the nectar from the gods? After studying the storyline of King Midas, what is your opinion is much more important — wealth or knowledge?

B. Letter Writing

– Finding out how to write letters doesn’t have to become drudgery. Ask your students to pick a popular Greek god, goddess, hero or heroine. Listed here are a number of assignments that provide students practice on paper application letters, order letters, request letters and friendly letters:

– Tell students their most favorite mythological character just upon the market. Zeus, the daddy from the gods, has become accepting applications for any substitute. Ask your students to create letters of application along with a brief resume or biographical sketch.

– Students, becoming their most favorite hero or heroine, is going to be leading an expedition on the harmful journey (e.g. Jason questing following the Golden Fleece, Perseus seeking Medusa’s mind or Theseus trying to defeat the Minotaur). Before they are able to go, students must order the required supplies. Letters can be handled to Heroic Discount Supplies, 744 Olympian Way, Athens, A holiday in greece.

– Every ambitious hero or heroine must get the proper instruction and training. Fortunately, there’s a couple of openings within the most distinguished college in ancient A holiday in greece. For your students to have a space, they ought to write to have an application, a catalog and educational funding information. Demands can be delivered to: College from the Muses, 300 Aphrodite Way, Laconia, A holiday in greece.

– Because the closest friend of the mythological character, students write instructions offering support, encouragement or guidance. For instance, students might email the next figures: Orpheus after failing to recover Eurydice from Hades (sympathy and advice), Polyphemus after being tricked by Odysseus (empathy and concern), Ariadne after being jilted by Jason (commiseration).

C. Designing A Mythology Game

Designing a mythology game provides students by having an ideal chance to place their creative imaginations to operate. Permit them to use their expertise and enthusiasm to produce a game in line with the famous adventures from the Greek heros and heroines. Tales wealthy in details and adventures include: Jason’s pursuit of the Golden Fleece, the Labors of Hercules, the adventures of Theseus, or Odysseus and also the Cyclops. Students select a favorite story and note the facts they would like to include hanging around. They write a guide book and style and convey the required accessories: board, cards, dice, spinners, etc. Invite your students to switch their games and supply feedback to one another on the simplicity and playability of the creations.

D. How Myths Have Influenced Our Language

Mythology’s influence is apparent within our language. It’s difficult to imagine studying or writing without drawing upon myth-oriented adjectives or idioms. In your everyday curriculum or included in another word-study unit, ask your students to check out the histories of words that range from Greek myths. For example, question them what it really means with an “Achilles heel”. Because they do their research, they’ll discover that Achilles would be a Greek hero whose mother applied him with ambrosia and set him inside a fire (or dipped him within the river Styx) as he would be a baby so his body couldn’t be pierced by weapons. Since he occured through the heel along the way, his heel wasn’t protected. Paris found this out and shot Achilles within the heel by having an arrow. Out of this, let pupils speculate around the concept of the current-day expression after which allow them to check their definition with dictionaries. Students might record words inside a notebook or compile a mythological dictionary.

The next partial listing of mythological references and a few words they’ve inspired can get you began.

Atlas: A mythical giant who supported the celebs on his shoulders. (It of maps referred to as an atlas is known as following a legendary African king, sometimes regarded as descended in the Atlas of Greek myth.)

Hercules: Also referred to as Heracles, the finest hero of A holiday in greece. (An especially great effort is stated to become a Herculean effort.)

Labyrinth: A harmful maze designed for King Minos. Sacrificial victims were sent in to the Labyrinth that it had been nearly impossible to flee. In the center was the monstrous Minotaur. (The British words labyrinth and labyrinthine may be a consequence of certain double-headed axes, archaeological types of that have been located on the Greek island of The island, site from the kingdom of mythological King Minos and also the Labyrinth.)

Midas: A king who’d the ability to alter all he touched to gold. This blessing grew to become a curse. (The Midas touch.)

Pan: Shepherd god, boy of Hermes, with legs and horns of the goat. (Pan was thought to be the reason for the sudden fear that typically comes never ever, particularly in lonely places. This is exactly why it’s known as “panic”. )

Procrustes: Man who offered his “one-size-fits-all” bed to passing travelers, modifying his visitors towards the bed by stretching or chopping them as appropriate. (Articles within the New You are able to Occasions describes art historians who attempt to pressure the famous painter Pablo Picasso into “the Procrustean bed of theories.”)

Sisyphus: Sinner condemned to roll a rock uphill for eternity. (A Sisyphean task.)

Tantalus: A king permitted to partake from the nectar from the gods. He mistreated this privilege by stealing the divine beverage to see his human buddies. With this crime he was condemned towards the Underworld, where he was in freshwater that receded whenever he attempted to consume and within tree full of ripe fruit always just beyond achieve. (tantalize)

Titans: An old race of giants who have been overcome by Zeus inside a struggle that shook the planet. (titanic)

E. Values Discussion Around The Nature Of Gallantry

Tales in the past generally equate gallantry with physical strength and raw courage when confronted with danger (begin to see the tales of Hercules, Theseus and Bellerophon). Lately, however, new definitions of gallantry and new types of heroes emerged. To a lot of, research researcher Jonas Salk, astronaut John Glenn and civil legal rights leader Martin Luther King are contemporary heroic types around the American scene. They don’t slay monsters or participate in bloody battles, however they have taken the imagination of numerous Americans. What characteristics of gallantry, redefined, will they possess? It’s possible that they’ll at some point find their devote the myths our generation leaves like a legacy to future ages?

In another sense, POWs, athletes, actresses and actors and a few holders of high office are considered heroes. Ask your students to create a paper in line with the question, “Who’s your hero. and why?” These extra questions will aid your students in developing their essay: What are the traits which make this individual quite the hero for you? Are these heroic traits parallel in some manner towards the traits from the ancient heroes you’ve discovered in the Greek myths?

F. Greek Mythology And Also The Arts

The Traditional Greeks used the myths in most types of their artwork. Architecture, sculpture, painting, pottery, metalwork, jewellery, weaving and embroidery demonstrated how important the myths were within the lives of those. The following are many activities that will permit your students to grow their understanding of Greek mythology and humanities. Appointments with libraries and museums in addition to use of reference books you might curently have inside your classroom will aid your students within the following projects.

– Visit a skill museum. Begin to see the sculpture, pottery, jewellery and coins of ancient A holiday in greece. Record the myths that inspired them. Draw sketches of a number of your preferred products.

– Find photographs from the famous structures of ancient A holiday in greece (Parthenon, Knossos, Delphi). Make a short report about a couple of of these.

– Find sketches from the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian styles utilized in classical architecture. Write a brief paper that you find out the variations between your styles.

– Find images of Greek vases. List the myths that were utilized in the decoration from the vases.

– Model an amount from clay of among the heroes or gods in the myths.

– Help make your own design in writing for use for among the following: a vase, a shield for any hero or perhaps a robe for any goddess.

– Produce a panel mural depicting your favorite myths.

G. Your Students Could Be Mythmakers

There are a number of different ways that the students could work creatively with myths. Those activities described below could be adapted to be used at any level.

– An invaluable experience for the students is writing, telling and illustrating their very own myths. These may be recorded in little booklets and compiled inside a class anthology. Your students can write a myth explaining an all natural phenomenon or produce a story having a moral lesson. Some students might want to consider a feeling (love, envy, fear or jealousy) and write a journey by using their emotion because the theme. Following the myths happen to be written, invite your students to see their myths towards the class.

– Assign each student or set of students a personality in the Greek myths (Daedalus, Persephone, Athena, Pan, etc.). Keep these things discover who their character is and just what significance she or he plays within the myths. When completed of the research, have each student or pair present a brief dental are accountable to the category.

– Impromptu role playing offers your students an chance to interpret the Greek myths. Ask your class to brainstorm a summary of figures as well as their corresponding adventures. Start with an impressive incident for example Odysseus being held captive by Polyphemus the Cyclops and allow your students build in just as much action and dialogue what ever they want. Medea reacting to being abandoned by Jason after aiding him in the quest provides the grounds for a fascinating monologue. Your students might want to refine their role-playing if you attempt many versions, discussing them and taping the very best. They are able to combine their episodes right into a dramatic collage or present one-act plays filled with props and costumes according to specific episodes.

– Every single day we encounter references to myths, particularly in advertising. Encourage your students to look out for these and produce in examples for discussion. So why do florists use Mercury (the Greek Hermes) like a symbol for his or her delivery service? Do not know magazine from the arts known as Daedalus? And so forth. Ask your students to produce their very own advertising campaign (utilizing a real or imaginary product) that has among the gods or heroes in the Greek myths.

– Have your students choose a character in the Greek myths and make up a “family tree” in line with the information possible concerning the various gods, goddesses and heroes who’ve undergone their figures existence. In case your student picks Medea, she or he would most likely wish to include Jason, Theseus and King Aetes in the household tree. Genealogy could be highlighted with pictures and supported by short descriptions of every individual’s particular importance within the character’s existence.

H. Asking Minds: Mythology Helps Make The Tabloids

Recommended by Gloria Manley at Georgetown Senior High School. According to her article in British Journal, April 1990. ( 1990 through the National Council of Teachers of British. Printed with permission.)

Anybody that has stayed within their local supermarket has witnessed the most recent tabloid headlines: “Rabbit-Faced Baby Born to Buck-Toothed Mother” or “Aliens Abduct Man and Return Him to Earth a century Later.” These absurd articles can really create a fascinating mythology assignment, since the Greek myths your students happen to be studying provide bizarre tales for such newspaper license: “Three-headed Dog Pads Portal to Underworld”, “Flying Horse Helps Hero.” An enjoyable group project involves getting your students be a newspaper staff to make a paper in design for a tabloid.

Going for a couple of afternoons to understand more about various areas of the newspaper through prewriting can help your students uncover story ideas and sow the seeds for potential articles.

Start with a test and discussion of actual tabloids. Hands out copies and get the category to see the leading page. Brainstorm using the class: so how exactly does the leading page sell the paper? After studying the different headlines, select one like a class and browse the content inside. When the article is read, discuss the variations with what the headline promises and just what the content really states.

Headlines and Articles

When your students are comfy using the style and format from the tabloids, question them how mythology leads to this sort of journalism. The category can brainstorm a summary of possible headlines which you’ll copy around the blackboard. Ask each student to select among the headlines and write for 5 minutes. This prewriting becomes the origin of articles with headlines like “Mysterious Rocks Destroy Ships at Ocean” or “Baby Strangles Snake with Bare Hands.”

Another prewriting idea to assist students invent tales for articles needs a prompt for 5 minutes of writing. “You’re a famous reporter and also have received a unique interview with _________. What juicy information would your potential customers need to know?Inch They are able to choose any mythological character to complete the blank, or even the class can brainstorm a summary of names like Medusa, Orpheus, Daedalus, King Minos, etc.

Made to inspire quotes in interviews, this activity may also generate dialogue for tales. Place the names of mythological figures on strips of paper and also have students draw one inch a hat. Keep these things write as numerous direct quotes as you possibly can for your character. For instance, the Cyclops may be overhead saying, “I have had my attention on Odysseus for some time.Inch 5 minutes of prewriting can generate a number of quotes.

This 15-minute activity groups three students who collaborate on the story. Given 5 minutes each, students alternate writing. The very first student might begin, “A king once switched his daughter right into a golden statue.” Offering details to build up the storyline, the 2nd student uses 5 minutes to create your body, and also the last person ends the storyline. If each student begins a tale throughout the first 5 minutes, the 3 have the opportunity to write a newbie, middle and finish.

Before getting your students prewrite the advertisements, keep these things bring an advert from the newspaper which satisfies this: “What product would a particular mythological character advertise?” The very next day, tape the ads around the blackboard. Popular ads may include beauty items, florists, automobiles, fast services, clothes or canned water. Selecting among the ads, students prewrite for 10 mins. Offer them colored markers if they would like to illustrate. Keep your promotions for the board to inspire further writing.

Once students create a feeling for design for writing utilized in tabloids, provide them with a choice of by using their style to create pieces present in other newspapers. “Dear Aphrodite” letters, filled with solutions in the love goddess, in design for “Dear Abby,” provide more prewriting practice for his or her newspaper. Students write a “Dear Aphrodite” letter, exchange it with someone else, after which write an answer.

Letters towards the Editor

Because letters towards the editor derive from current topics, ask your class that will help you list a couple of around the board. After you have a listing, students can brainstorm specific myths that match the themes. A few examples of topics and myths are thievery (Jason and also the Golden Fleece), consuming (Polyphemus and Odysseus), marital problems (Zeus and Hera) and kidnapping (Hades and Persephone). For that ten-minute prewriting, students pick one and express their opinions in letters towards the editor.

The issue, “What can a mythological character need to sell?” supplies a prompt for any five-minute prewriting. Students make their very own lists that might include thunderbolts, archery training, love potions, online dating services, marriage counseling or muscle fitness. Having a combined listing of suggestions, each individual chooses one in the list and writes for 5 to 10 minutes.

A newspaper isnt complete with no obituary column. With this activity, the category brainstorms a summary of heroes in mythology that may include Odysseus, Hercules, Achilles or Jason. They write for 5 minutes about among the heroes. Allowing the information on the heros existence can point students in direction of the next piece for that newspaper.

Each prewriting activity could be adopted with a voluntary discussing by studying towards the class. Once beyond the prewriting phase, students will continue to choose individuals pieces that they would like to draft. In the drafting phase, they proceed to shaping, revising and editing all articles. To facilitate the creating process, group, peer and teacher conferences are utilized. If there’s time, conduct a small-lesson on writing interesting leads and taking advantage of a journalists questions. Class time may be used to assemble the paper. It’s amazing how one in every group is definitely an artist while another includes a computer to print the paper.

Students will require great pride within their creativeness when you may take greater pride within their use of ability as a copywriter to a different subject.