Download Greek Mythology Group Project

Greek Mythology Group Project
Group Members:
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Email: ___________________________
Email: ___________________________
Email: ___________________________
Email: ___________________________
Assignment:
In all the history of mother earth, few cultures still influence us today as much as the ancient Greeks. In
comparison to our lives today, they lived a Spartan lifestyle, but they left titanic myths behind. In this project, you will be
exploring many of those myths. With your group, you will be researching many people, places, and things associated
with Greek Mythology. Your research is not limited to the internet; use a dictionary or consult an atlas if you want to. If
you get stuck, don't let your frustration echo through the library or classroom, just ask your teacher for help. But be
careful--if she catches you goofing around on the internet (like visiting Amazon.com or playing games) she'll shriek like a
harpy.
You've really opened Pandora's Box, here. This is a big project and it will take Herculean effort on your part to
get it done on time. But don't let time become your Achilles' heel--tighten the laces on your Nikes and work hard until
you hear the sirens’ song of the bell. By the time you finish your odyssey, maybe you'll have been hit by Cupid's arrow
and you'll love Greek Mythology!
Project Guidelines:
As a group, you must research your assigned gods/goddesses/Greek topic. The required information for each
group will be provided on a separate sheet of paper. When submitting your work, you must email me all aspects of the
project so that I can post your findings on the blog.
You must then organize your information and complete the following:
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Create Power Point presentation
o You should have pictures on each slide.
Create a bio poem for each god/goddess (see guidelines below)
Find a modern reference to each god/goddess
o Ex: Nike is the goddess of strength, speed, and victory. It is not a coincidence that Phil
Knight, creator/owner of Nike, selected this goddess as the name of his company
o Explain how the name of the god/goddess relates to this business or company
An MLA Works Cited page. This should be included in the presentatiom on the due date with the
rest of the project.
If you elect to complete the above extra credit, then please complete that on a separate sheet of
paper in the proper typed format.
You will present your findings to the class as a group. While each group presents, the class will copy notes onto a
chart I will provide.
Tips for Group Work:
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Divide work and conquer by assigning roles. (Organizer, Secretary, etc.)
Helpful Websites for Research:
http://www.pantheon.org/
http://www.mythweb.com/
http://www.gods-heros-myth.com/
http://www.greekmythology.com/
http://www.theoi.com/
NO WIKIPEDIA!!!!
Format for Bio Poems:
1) Greek Name.
2) Four Traits of Character.
3) Relative of ____ (1-3 people).
4) Lover of _____ (1-3 things or people).
5) Who feels _____ (1-3 things).
6) Who needs ____ (1-3 things).
7) Who fears ____ (1-3 things).
8) Who gives _____ (1-3 things).
9) Who would like to see ____ (1-3 things).
10) Resident of ______.
11) Roman Name.
Due Date: _____________________________
The Olympians
And you thought your family had problems! You can’t get more dysfunctional than the three generations of
beings that make up the family of the Greek Gods and Goddesses. These people had all the normal family dramas:
births, marriages, etc, but when you add child-eating, mutilation, and infidelity to the mix, your family reunions
definitely turn into a soap opera of Olympic proportions. So who are these fascinating people?
You are in charge of getting to know some of the gods and goddesses of Greek myth. To do this you will have to
find out as much as you can about them, their specific roles in the pantheon, their relationships to each other, and what
kind of mischief they got up to during their long lives. You will find that like the mortals they rules over, some of them
were good and some others… not so much.
You must research the following gods/goddesses:
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Zeus
Poseidon
Hades
Hera
Hestia
Demeter
You must find the following information for each god/goddess:
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Roman name or other names this god/goddess goes by
Symbol
o There can be more than one.
God/Goddess of ____________
Summary of myth/brief episode
o There are many myths about each god/goddess. Select the one that you find most significant.
Who he/she is related to
3 Fun Facts
Other Olympians
And you thought your family had problems! You can’t get more dysfunctional than the three generations of
beings that make up the family of the Greek Gods and Goddesses. These people had all the normal family dramas:
births, marriages, etc, but when you add child-eating, mutilation, and infidelity to the mix, your family reunions
definitely turn into a soap opera of Olympic proportions. So who are these fascinating people?
You are in charge of getting to know some of the gods and goddesses of Greek myth. To do this you will have to
find out as much as you can about them, their specific roles in the pantheon, their relationships to each other, and what
kind of mischief they got up to during their long lives. You will find that like the mortals they rules over, some of them
were good and some others… not so much.
You must research the following gods/goddesses:
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Athena
Ares
Hebe
Hephaestus
Apollo
Artemis
Hermes
Iris
You must find the following information for each god/goddess:
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Roman name or other names this god/goddess goes by
Symbol
o There can be more than one.
God/Goddess of ____________
Summary of myth/brief episode
o There are many myths about each god/goddess. Select the one that you find most significant.
Who he/she is related to
3 Fun Facts
Other Olympians
And you thought your family had problems! You can’t get more dysfunctional than the three
generations of beings that make up the family of the Greek Gods and Goddesses. These people had all the normal family
dramas: births, marriages, etc, but when you add child-eating, mutilation, and infidelity to the mix, your family reunions
definitely turn into a soap opera of Olympic proportions. So who are these fascinating people?
You are in charge of getting to know some of the gods and goddesses of Greek myth. To do this you will have to
find out as much as you can about them, their specific roles in the pantheon, their relationships to each other, and what
kind of mischief they got up to during their long lives. You will find that like the mortals they rules over, some of them
were good and some others… not so much.
You must research the following gods/goddesses:
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Aphrodite
Dionysus
Persephone
Eros
Hercules
Hestia
Atlas
Prometheus
You must find the following information for each god/goddess:
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Roman name or other names this god/goddess goes by
Symbol
o There can be more than one.
God/Goddess of ____________
Summary of myth/brief episode
o There are many myths about each god/goddess. Select the one that you find most significant.
Who he/she is related to
3 Fun Facts
Monsters
Greetings, Brave One! You have chosen to tackle the Monsters of Greek Mythology.
"Monsters peer and prowl, roar and ravage in myths and legends the world over. They are the stuff of
nightmares, the looming presences outside the comforting circle of firelight, the menacing shapes glimpsed moving
through the shadows of trees or in deep water. Monsters are creatures that represent everything that is fearful about
the natural world and the darker corners of human nature. Mythological monsters inspire dread and embody evil. They
challenge heroes and heroines to prove their worth in order to advance in their quests or simply to survive" (from
www.mythencyclopedia.com).
You are in charge of "slaying" some of the greatest monsters of Greek myth. To do this you will have to first find
each one, and then find out as much as you can about it so you will know how to defeat it. Along the way you may find
out that some of these creatures have already been slain by others, and some of them started their lives as something
very different than what they are now. Just remember--Knowledge is Power!
[**NOTE: Specific monsters are capitalized (e.g., Argus) while types of creatures are in lower-case (e.g., centaurs). You
may find that some of the monsters are specific types (e.g., Medusa is a gorgon)**]
You must research the following monsters:
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centaurs
The Furies
cyclopes
gorgons
harpies
Medusa
satyrs
Cerberus
You must find the following information for each monster. (Remember: some of this information might not be available
for each monster. Do your best to give a depiction that is accurate and thorough):
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Roman name or other names this god/goddess goes by
Symbol
o There can be more than one.
God/Goddess of ____________
Summary of myth/brief episode
o There are many myths about each god/goddess. Select the one that you find most significant.
Who he/she is related to
3 Fun Facts
Others
Did you ever meet someone who was just "different"?
Well, this group is definitely different. Some are good and some are bad, some are human and some are...not.
For the most part, they simply fill their space in the cosmos. The one thing that binds them together, though, is that
everyone who is anyone knows who these people are. Need some advice? Someone to blame? Someone to tell you
something you REALLY don't want to hear? Well, you've come to the right place.
Your job is to delve into the mysteries of some of the most notorious figures in Greek mythology. To do this you
will have to find out as much as you can about them, who they are, where they come from, and what they do to/for
those that come in contact with them. You may find that a person's reputation is not always deserved.
You must research the following “others”:
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The Graces
The Moirae (The Fates)
The Muses
King Midas
Pandora
Narcissus & Echo
Tieresias
Achilles
You must find the following information for each “other.” (Remember: some of this information might not be available
for each monster. Do your best to give a depiction that is accurate and thorough):
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Roman name or other names this god/goddess goes by
Symbol
o There can be more than one.
God/Goddess of ____________
Summary of myth/brief episode
o There are many myths about each god/goddess. Select the one that you find most significant.
Who he/she is related to
3 Fun Facts
Homer, The Iliad, and The Odyssey
In order to understand The Odyssey, we have to first understand the background story, which is The Iliad. A blind
poet named Homer is said to have created both of these epic poems.
Your group project will be different than the others. (*Please see me for project alterations.)
You must answer/discuss the following aspects of Homer, The Iliad, and The Odyssey.
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Who is Homer? What is interesting about him?
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What is a minstrel? What are some other names for a minstrel? How did they recite their
stories?
From where do minstrels borrow their material?
When were these stories written? In what time period do these stories take place?
What is The Iliad? Give a summary.
What was the Trojan War? What started it? How long did it last?
How did the Greeks win the Trojan War? Explain in detail.
What does this mean: “the face that launched a thousand ships”?
What is The Odyssey about?
What did Greeks use The Iliad and The Odyssey for?
What gods tried to help and hinder Odysseus’s journey home?
What is the food and drink of the gods?
What is an invocation?
What is a muse?
Who is the muse of epic poetry?
What is xenia? Explain the 3 rules, as well as its importance.
Explain the exchange between a bard and the host.
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Group Evaluation
Answer all questions with COMPLETE SENTENCES and lots of explanation. This is part of your final grade--ANY
assignment turned in without a completed Group Evaluation will receive a ZERO!
1. Name(s) of partner(s):
2. Name of Group:
3. What is the most interesting bit of Greek mythology you learned?
4. What did you like about doing this project? Explain.
5. What did you NOT like about this project? What, for you, was the hardest part? If you had to do this project
again, what would you like to be different? Explain.
6. Do you feel like you and your partner(s) participated equally to complete this project? Do you feel like you had
to do more work than your partner(s)?
7. Are you satisfied with the way your project turned out? What do you think you could have done to make your
final product turn out better? Explain.