Download Greek Mythology

Unit of Study - Building Blocks of Western Literature
Essential Questions
What aspects of Greek myths are universal or timeless?
How does knowledge of the Greek myths and their characters help our
understanding of literature, art, and popular culture?
In what ways have the myths influenced modern Western civilization/culture?
Unit Outcomes (what you need to be able to do, show, understand):
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You will read a selection of myths and other material
You will learn the names of a the principal Greek gods and their Roman
counterparts
By reading and understanding creation stories, you will examine the
need for our ancestors to bring order to the chaos of their world
You will revisit “The Hero’s Journey” and apply it to classical literature
You will understand and apply the terms: legend; myth; fable; epic;
parable; allegory, as well as many other literary terms
You will study allusion (biblical and mythical)
You will research a mythological character to present to the class
You will develop an awareness of the contemporary relevance of the
material you study
You will write reflectively and analytically
Activities will include:
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Reading a variety of stories from different sources
Read Odyssey, Books: 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 21, 22, 23
Reading independently, in small groups, or as a class
Analyzing literature and non-fiction to understand its allegorical, or
symbolic meaning
Writing reflective responses to literature
Practicing the steps towards writing analytically
Researching, using library and technological skills
Presenting a mythological character/creature to the class
Assessments will include (but are not limited to):
- various written homework assignments
- journal responses
- Socratic Seminar and/or other graded oral discussions
- quizzes, tests, and reading checks
- pieces of writing that have gone through the Writing Process
- class participation
Why Study Greek Mythology?
The height of the Ancient Greek civilization ended over 2000 years ago. So
why are you studying it in school now? Well, some reasons include:
- it is the building blocks of so much of English/Western Literature. Without a
solid knowledge of Classical (Ancient Greek and Roman) myths/literature,
you completely miss out on SO MANY references and allusions
- it is fun and interesting---and you can’t always say that about everything
you study in school!
- it is practically impossible to speak/read the English language without using
words that are Classical (Greek and/or Latin) in origin; knowing where the
words come from helps you to use them more precisely
- All kinds of movies and TV shows are built upon these same building blocks.
In order to be an educated and aware viewer, you need a solid foundation in
Greek Mythology
- the stories are full of violence, sex, betrayal, murder, retribution, love, desire,
deception, passion, revenge---who wouldn’t want to read this stuff! 