Joyce Sullivan

Final Project : a series of mythology lessons with a focus on Delphi

Current study Grade Gree! "ythology:
#$ #% &lympian gods and goddesses Gree! and 'oman names and their
identities(powers
%$ Gree! alpha)et * write your own name in Gree! learning to associate sounds with
letters
+$ Common myths: creation of the world from Chaos through Gaia(Chronus(,eus-
creations of man- animals- and Pandora ./pimetheus0Prometheus- Pandora1s
2o3- 4ing "idas- Daedalus and 5carus- 6talanta1s 'ace 7
8$ Student selected myths )ased on prior !nowledge$ 9ovice myth readers will
focus on stories featuring the &lympians$ Students with prior !nowledge may
read a)out the heroes and(or myths from another culture$
:nit compliments study of 6ncient Greece in social studies and prepares them for
Sha!espeare1s 6 "idsummer 9ight1s Dream.gr$;<
New Ideas based on field work @Delphi
#$ Continue with =# a)ove with a focus on Apollo- ,eus- Dionysus- Athena- Hera
and Demeter using Dephi as the primary site for photos- video- and perhaps
audio from our guides$
%$ Gree! alpha)et will )e used for names of the gods and student projects .see
culminating activity )elow<$
+$ "yths in common may remain the same or )e e3panded$ Stories including the
featured gods in the new =# may shift the original list$ >he myth of Omphalos
will )e added along with images from the Delphi museum and site images$
8$ 6s we study the myths in common- lessons will include opportunities for students
to ask the oracle ?uestions from the point of view of a variety of gods- goddesses
and mortals )efore the story is completed$ "odeling will come first- followed )y
practice in pairs(groups- )efore independent ?uestioning$
@$ Student selected myths will include tragedies and comedies in !eeping with the
myths performed in the theater to honor 6pollo A Delphi$
B$ >hroughout the reading of myths- lessons will )e presented on the Oracle-
theater contests- and the Pythian games .details to )e determined$ 6udio- video-
and images will )e shown to accompany these lessons$
$ Students will )e as!ed to follow up these lessons with some independent
research on two of the + site foci$ Some suggested ?uestions to answer will )e
provided for students to answer$
;$ Culminating 6ctivity: A Festival in Honor of Apollo @ Delphi:
Oracle: 6s!ing and answering ?uestions from ancient and modern times$ 9ot all
?uestions need to )e mythological$ Some may )e political- trade- or agrarian
?uestions$ 51ll wor! with my social studies colleague to select categories that match
students1 current research or areas of study(
heater contest: scenes from myths in play form e3: Daedalus and 5carus or
Persephone and the Pomegranate Seeds- narrative poems telling the story of an event
from a myth- a flute contestC
Pythian games: running- jumping- and discus.Fris)ee< events- awarding of a Dlaurel
wreathE for each winner$
/ach festival activity will include programs and advertisement placards in Gree! and
/nglish$
9otes: >here may )e more in here than can )e accomplished$ /ach time 5 try to
refocus it- some new idea pops up$ >he myths are naturally engaging for students of
this age$ 5 thin! having a simulation of a festival will add a new layer of engagement
and learning$
5 want to )e sure to drive home the ideas that the Gree!s today spea! a)out the
mythology$ 5t is a huge part of their culture and not just a study of an ancient religion
or history$ Gree!s have a lot of pride in their culture and there is so much in their
culture that influences our language- literature- history- and poetry$
5 may also e3tract pieces from the lessons 5 wrote prior to the trip$ 51m not sure how 5
will do that yet- )ut 5 do !now that 5 will use some of the same common core
standards$
6ssessment pieces will still need to )e determined$