Introduction
It seems the people of today do not understand the Greek gods and goddesses and their importance to Greek society of the past. You must become familiar with these deities and share how they were, and still are, important today! In order to do this, you will research Greek mythology and complete a series of investigative tasks.
Investigate Greek Mythology and their importance in the Ancient Greek world as well as their impact on the literature of today.
Task
Investigate Gods, heroes and monsters through a variety of activities of your choosing. Each task is listed in the process. Use the resources here to assist in beginning your study.
Process
1. Greek Gods Tic Tac Toe.
MYTHOLOGY TIC TAC TOE
Choose 3 activities to complete about the god you are researching. (Like the game, you need three in a row.)
Name of your God:
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Write an acrostic poem for your god. Use the god’s full name and title.
Example: Zeus, King of the Gods |
Create a poster of a movie trailer for your god’s myth. Make sure you have characters and a brief plot description. |
Write a diary entry for your god about a time he/she was particularly angry or frustrated. The point of view should be first person. |
Draw a cartoon including your god in a situation with another god or a mortal. |
Write another myth involving your god. They myth should explain something in nature or something about daily life. |
Write a rap song about your god. Be sure to include things about their life, personality, and actions. |
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Suppose your god wanted to apply for a job. Write a resume stating his/her qualifications for a specific job. Then, write a paragraph saying why they would be good at this position. |
Write a haiku http://www.poetry4kids.com/blog/lessons/how-to-write-a-haiku/ and cinquain http://bioregion.ucdavis.edu/salmoned/learning/lee%20unit/Poetry%20Station1.htm poem about your god. |
Create a family crest for your god. Make sure the personality and background of the god comes through.http://www.familytreesandcrests.com/heraldry-symbols.htm |
http://www.greekmythology.com/
http://greece.mrdonn.org/greekgods/
http://quatr.us/greeks/religion/gods.htm
http://www.ancientgreece.co.uk/gods/explore/exp_set.html
2. Creation Myths
Investigate 3 creation myths from various cultures. Complete the comparison chart.
http://www.gly.uga.edu/railsback/CS/CSIndex.html
https://docs.google.com/a/janesville.k12.wi.us/document/d/1wthHs9uTAm5i…
http://www.nga.gov/education/classroom/interactive/arcade.htm
3. Mythology in Advertising
Explain how our modern society has adopted much of mythological symbolism into company logos and advertisements.
https://docs.google.com/a/janesville.k12.wi.us/document/d/1Y7o8Dv6RKHPG…
https://docs.google.com/a/janesville.k12.wi.us/document/d/1bUQWmTzJR6Gs…
Web Information:
http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/greek-mythology/articles/13438/title/produc…
4. Heroes in Greek Mythology
The Pattern of Hero Myths Most myths have a hero who is brave, clever or strong. Some examples are Perseus, Maui, Sigurd, Jason and Beowulf.
The hero brings important gifts to his people (e.g. fire). He is a role model of right behavior and is greatly admired.
The life story of a mythical hero usually follows this pattern:
• He has a special birth.
• He has unusual skills as a child.
• He is tested as a young man.
• He goes on a journey or quest to find something.
• He has difficult tasks to do.
• He has one weakness.
• He is rewarded for his effort.
• He dies a special death.
Read a hero myth and see if you can find examples of each main event listed above
List of Heroes and other important mythical characters:
http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/names/greek-mythology.htm
Invent your own mythical hero. Write a biography of your hero. Include all the main events in his life and draw a portrait of the hero. Use the ideas in the chart to help create your hero.
https://docs.google.com/a/janesville.k12.wi.us/document/d/1rKjGagzQ7Mua…
5. Monsters in Mythology
Heroes have to fight against evil, usually in the form of powerful monsters or supernatural creatures. For example, the hero Gilgamesh had to kill the monster Humbaba in his quest for life everlasting. Find out about the following creatures and write a brief description of each one on the chart:
https://docs.google.com/a/janesville.k12.wi.us/document/d/1kG7FV9aVff8S…
http://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Creatures/creatures.html
Evaluation
Extensions:
The following activities are designed to extend your knowledge of mythology:
1. Find myths from different countries that explain the origins of death. How common is the idea of a soul or an afterlife in mythology?
2. Find out the mythological origins of these English words and sayings: * Achilles Heel * Labyrinth * Titanic *Panic *Tantalize * The Midas Touch
3. Find a nature myth that explains the formation of some geographical feature (for example, an island) and then find out the scientific explanation.
4. Create a Who's Who of mythical characters and creatures.
5. Look for patterns in creation myths. For example, creation myths often begin with the world in chaos, covered in water, or inside an egg. Divide the myths into categories.
6. Debate this statement: 'Part of a myth is true.'
7. Read news reports to identify real life heroes and heroines. Why do these people inspire us? 8. Study the culture or religion behind a favorite myth.
9. Research the legends of Joan of Arc or Robin Hood. In what ways are their stories like myths? What are the historical elements of these stories?