It Came From Greek Mythology

Monsters, gods, and heroes ... all surefire favorites in the classroom and the stuff of Greek mythology. But Greek mythology offers so much more: inspiration for many works of art (both written and visual), insight into the human condition, a glimpse at an ancient people trying to make sense of phenomena they could not explain, and the source for many names and terms we use today. The lessons in this unit provide you with an opportunity to use online resources to further enliven your students' encounter with Greek mythology, to deepen their understanding of what myths meant to the ancient Greeks, and to help them appreciate the meanings that Greek myths have for us today. In the lessons, students will learn about Greek conceptions of the hero, the function of myths as explanatory accounts, the presence of mythological terms in contemporary culture, and the ways in which mythology has inspired later artists and poets. This unit plan delves into plot and themes of myths.  It also looks at current words that are rooted in Greek mythology and looks at various media representations of myths for comparison and connection to the text.

Standards & Objectives

Learning objectives: 
  • Describe the basic plots of several Greek myths.
  • Discuss three types of themes in Greek myths: stories about heroes, stories about "how it came to be," and stories about the consequences of unwise behavior.
  • Cite examples of contemporary use of terms from Greek mythology.
  • Analyze artistic and literary works based on or inspired by Greek myths.
Essential and guiding questions: 

What meanings did myths about gods, goddesses, and heroes have for the ancient Greeks?

What meanings do the Greek myths have for us today?

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Understanding

References

Contributors: