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e-learning - Myths and Legends
Myths and
Legends
A range of exciting online resources to help get your students
interested in the fantastical world of myths, legends, fairytales
and folklore.
Volume 3.4 n Creative Teaching & Learning
T
he Hobbit, Brave, Twilight, Jack the Giant Slayer, Percy Jackson and
the Olympians… With the recent increase in Hollywood hits, video
games and teen fiction inspired by myths, legends and fairytales,
students’ enthusiasm for all things mythological is at the highest
it’s ever been. Teaching mythology is a great way to develop a love of
reading and writing in students of all ages, to inspire in drama and art and
to cultivate a desire to research ancient history and other cultures.
Not all students will find myths and legends appealing, however.
Complicated, convoluted plotlines and long, seemingly unpronounceable
names are just a few of the features of many myths and legends that might
make teaching them difficult. The great thing about the world of mythology,
though, is that there’s always something that’ll interest everyone if
delivered in the right way, and that’s something I’ve tried to keep in mind
when putting together this compilation of websites and resources. There
are video clips, audio stories, animations, interactive maps and games,
extensive encyclopaedias – a whole range of resources to make myths,
legends and folktales accessible and enjoyable for all students, no matter
their preferred style of learning, ability or interests.
This issue’s cross curricular project is based around the Middle Ages – a
time shrouded in mystery, filled with fantastical tales of kings, castles and
monsters. You will find that some of the websites listed below fit perfectly
with the lesson plans detailed in this project – before your class creates
their own medieval bestiary, explore an enormous archive of legendary
creatures at Encyclopaedia Mythica or watch amazing CGI footage of
mythical monsters at history.com’s Monsterquest Monsterpedia. When
investigating the truth behind the legend of Robin Hood, listen to audio
stories of his adventures at Storynory.com, watch the animated tale of how
Robin became an outlaw at Myths and Legends, or return to history.com
to find out who historians believe Robin Hood really was.
The possibilities these sites provide are endless, and, whether you
choose to use their resources as part of this issue’s cross curricular
project or not, I am sure you and your students will enjoy exploring
them as much as I did.
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The Literacy Shed – http://www.literacyshed.com/
All Key Stages
Geared directly at teachers, the Literacy Shed is brimming with visual resources to
inspire and support creative writing, storytelling and the teaching of myths, legends
and fairytales. The site is divided into thematic ‘sheds’, and in each of these sheds, you’ll
find a whole host of videos, images and resources to use in the classroom.
Each video is accompanied with a brief summary, and in most cases, suggestions as
to how it could be used practically as a teaching tool or what discussions and activities
the video might inspire. The suggestions are generally aimed at primary level literacy
lessons, but most of the videos on the site could be used with older students, and I
believe, across a whole range of subjects.
There are many interesting sheds on this site, but sticking to the topic of myths and legends, there are a few in particular
I’d recommend – the myths and legends shed might be a good place to start! On this page, you’ll find among other
things, ‘Were dragons real?’ from Animal Planet (some fantastic CGI dragons in this), an animated version of King Midas
(along with a link to that brilliant ‘skittles touch’ advert), and ‘The saga of Biorn’ (an entertaining tale of an old Viking
who needs to die honourably in battle in order to gain entry to the warriors’ afterlife, Valhalla – something that proves
easier said than done). The other cultures shed, the fantasy shed and the fairy tale shed are also worth checking out for
more myth/legend inspired videos.
I would also suggest taking a look at the images shed, as this is full of intriguing pictures and photographs chosen
to inspire creative writing. Each image is accompanied by a short written stimulus – perhaps an opening sentence, or
a set of questions. Many of these pictures are fantastical in nature and would provide a brilliant stimulus for students
writing their own myths.
The Literacy Shed is the kind of site I’d recommend taking a bit of time to explore – there are so many visual resources
surrounding myths and legends that can be used to support a large range of lessons and to stimulate creative thinking
and writing.
Volume 3.4 n Creative Teaching & Learning
Mythology Teacher.com – http://www.mythologyteacher.com/
All Key Stages
72
Mythology Teacher.com’s creator, a teacher from the USA, clearly loves mythology,
and his enthusiasm is infectious. The site is bursting with myth and legend based
activities and resources for all age groups, and is still growing.
The free resources on this site cover a wide array of mythology – from Roman, Greek
and Norse myths to Arthurian legend, Russian fairytales and the bible as literature.
Resources for older students include worksheets on mythological allusions, a
collection of myth inspired poems, and two web quests based on Ancient Greece and
Ancient Rome – both of which require some high level research. Teachers of younger
students can make use of simpler activities such as designing your own Arthurian
style coat of arms or mythological Barbie/Action man figure. The site’s creator is also
an illustrator and has drawn up some brilliant, brightly coloured cartoons of 16 Greek gods and goddesses (check
out the gallery of the gods).
Another unique resource on this site is an interactive ‘Choose your own adventure’ style story based on the myth
of Theseus and the Minotaur. The story is somewhat dramatised, but is engaging throughout and a great way for
students to put themselves in the myth and get to know the characters and their motivations. A brilliant way to
make myths real.
Bringing myths to life in the classroom is clearly a high priority for this site’s creator. He has written a number of
Reader’s Theatre plays based on many different myths, all of which he has made available for download. You can
find scripts for the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche, the Roman legend of Aeneas’ escape from the burning city of Troy
and the Russian fairytale of the firebird and Princess Vassilissa. Witty, fast paced and entertaining, the site’s creator
describes how even his class of American high-schoolers enjoyed using these plays in the classroom, and how acting
out the myths inspired deep and thoughtful questions about character motivation and historical context.
There are plenty of imaginative and exciting teaching resources on this site, as well as some great practical tips
on how to put them to use. I’d recommend a visit.
Packed full of humorous audio stories, Storynory is great for introducing young
children to a number of different myths and legends. Audio versions of Greek myths,
legends of King Arthur, tales of Robin Hood and stories of various Saints are available
for free download in the ‘Educational stories’ section, while in ‘Fairytales’, you can find
recordings of Aesop’s fables, stories from the Brothers Grimm, as well as fairytales and
legends from around the world (a very interesting group of tales, well worth a look).
Each tale is told by a professional actor, and have all been adapted from the original
to appeal to young children. The majority of these audio stories are around ten to
fifteen minutes long, and the longer myths are generally split up into parts. Most are available as a transcript
also, and on the occasion of a more complicated myth (The Trojan war, for example, which confusingly appears
both in history and mythology), the Storynory team have put together some background information to help
kids understand both the fact and the fiction.
The auditory form of these stories means this site is brilliant for children who might struggle with reading myths
and legends in written form. The site’s homepage suggests using the audio stories with blind or autistic children,
or with those whose first language is not English. The site is also very simply laid out and easily navigable. This,
along with the bright colours and pictures, the cute mascot (a frog named Prince Bertie – once a human prince
of course!), and the simple wording of the stories, means young children will have no trouble exploring Storynory
on their own if they want to.
Clearly designed to develop a love of myths, legends and fairytales in young children, this is a really lovely site
to use both with the whole class and with individuals. It’s also a great tool to use when differentiating for children
with special education needs, as the auditory nature of this site means it’s accessible to all.
e-learning - Myths and Legends
Storynory - http://www.storynory.com/
Key Stages 1 and 2
Simple, attractively illustrated and easy to navigate, Mythweb is good solid research
tool for students of all ages researching Greek mythology.
The site is divided into four research areas, the first of which focuses on the
principal gods of the Greek pantheon. There’s some really good information here on
who these gods were, how they were portrayed in art and literature, and on some
occasions, their origins. The next section is all about heroes of Greek mythology
– Jason, Hercules, Theseus, Odysseus, Bellerophon and Perseus. Each hero’s story
is told in a comical, conversational tone, along with some brilliant cartoons, and
in the case of Bellerophon and Perseus, animations. As some of the Greek myths
are quite convoluted and complicated, this is an excellent simplification – none
of the major points are lost.
The section entitled ‘Today’ is also worth looking at, and could prove useful in
English lessons or when examining the influence myths have had on language and life today. It focuses on some
of the words or phrases we use today that originate from or reference Greek mythology, including ‘tantalise’,
‘herculean effort’, and ‘panic’. The myth behind the word is told in full, along with some more animations and
illustrations. The fourth section is a comprehensive searchable encyclopaedia, covering people, places, gods and
more. The search tool is pretty useful here – you can choose to view a brief definition or a longer, more detailed
entry from the encyclopaedia, along with an illustration or photo.
For teachers, there’s a separate section that’s definitely well worth a read. The teaching tips page is bursting with
ideas for using myths and legends to develop students’ broader skills across a range of subjects, including English,
art and drama. Linked from this page is the contest-winning tips page (tips teachers have sent in to Mythweb).
There are some fantastic ideas on here that other teachers have successfully implemented in the classroom, and
some really innovative ways to incorporate Greek myth into the wider curriculum. Most of the activities suggested
could be applied to mythology from other cultures too, according to an individual teacher’s needs.
Volume 3.4 n Creative Teaching & Learning
Mythweb - http://www.mythweb.com
Key Stages 2, 3 and 4
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Encyclopaedia Mythica - http://www.pantheon.org/
Key Stages 3, 4 and 5
Encyclopaedia Mythica – as the name suggests – is a comprehensive online
encyclopaedia for mythology, folklore and religion. Covering myths and
legends from all over the world – from the fairly ubiquitous Greek/Roman
pantheon, to Celtic, Mayan, Persian, even Haitian mythology – this online
resource is perfect for older students and teachers looking for a little extra
detail or for a more individual and unique research project.
Despite the vast amount of information available though, this site is very easy to navigate. All articles are
sorted into seven main headings, including Mythology, Folklore and Heroes, and a brief introduction to each
section lets you know what kind of information you can expect. The general mythology section is divided into
geographical regions, and then specific countries, which I think is a great idea and makes searching for a specific
culture/country’s myths and legends really simple.
What I like most about this site though, is how easy the articles are to understand – even if you know nothing
about the pantheon you’re researching. The information is detailed, but there’s generally not too much text to
plough through, and the multitude of internal links means any unfamiliar names or events are not a problem.
Other resources on this site include a bestiary, an image gallery full of searchable paintings and illustrations
for all kinds of mythology, and a useful pronunciation guide. The genealogy section is also worth a look, as,
although still under development, it provides a number of genealogy tables from various pantheons, including
Norse, Japanese and Greek. The Greek mythology tables include the principal gods of Greek mythology (This
gets complicated and frequently incestuous. Be prepared for appalled students!), the consorts and offspring of
Zeus (of which there are many), and the ancestors of Heracles/Hercules.
The sheer volume of information on this site may seem intimidating at first for a student, but its simplicity and
navigable layout means it’s the perfect resource for any research project.
Volume 3.4 n Creative Teaching & Learning
BBC Switch: Myths - http://www.bbc.co.uk/switch/myths/
Key Stages 3, 4 and 5
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One of my personal favourites, BBC Switch Myths is a collection of
Greek myths, retold as modern day teen dramas. The six myths are
‘Paris and the Goddesses’, ‘The sirens’ call’ (Girl band, The Saturdays,
makes an appearance in this one), ‘The fall of Icarus’, ‘Eye of the
Cyclops’, ‘The love of Narcissus’, and ‘Escape from the underworld’,
and all are accompanied by a brief summary of the original myth.
Each episode is around five minutes long, and while at times you
might find the acting a little cheesy, it’s an unusual and surprisingly
enjoyable approach to stories some students might have otherwise
found irrelevant.
A characters page provides further information on each of the
main characters from the six original myths, while the games section
includes a very tongue-in-cheek ‘God, mortal or monster?’ quiz,
downloadable top trumps cards for each character, and a cute arcade
style game based on the myth of Icarus.
There are plenty of ways for teachers to make use of this site, especially teachers of English or media. The myths
could provide the perfect inspiration for students writing their own modern day myths and legends, or even serve
as an interesting basis for analysis and discussion – students could examine how the mythological characters and
places have been adapted to fit into the ‘real world’, for example. Also, the stories themselves are quite ambiguous
at times, and raise questions that could be explored through creative writing or even drama – In ‘Escape from the
Underworld’, for example, why is Eurydice so terrified of Club Underworld’s creepy owner, Hades?
There are so many opportunities to explore characters, settings and story on this site, with the added bonus
of linking it all back to the original myths in a fun, interesting way. I highly recommend introducing this series to
older students.
(Note: An unfortunate glitch on the site means that once one episode has been selected, none of the others will
play. It’s a bit of a pain, but easy to get round – simply reopen BBC Switch Myths in a new tab or window.)
A great resource for developing a love of stories and storytelling, we recommended
this site at the beginning of last year as part of our storytelling websites reviews. Since
then, the site has continued to flourish, and there are now over 75 vibrantly animated
myths and legends from the British Isles and beyond to watch and explore.
With each myth set out like a storybook, readers can sit back and watch the animations
unfold, or manually click through at their own pace. The accompanying words are also
read aloud, along with realistic sound effects, which is great if working with children
with SEN in literacy or whose first language is not English. On each story homepage, there’s also a printable textonly version of the myth and an origins section, which is especially interesting as it explains real events the myth
could be based on or where the idea came from in the first place.
For teachers, there’s a wide variety of resources available for download. Some are specific to a certain myth,
but most are more general and could be adapted for a wide range of activities. Teachers can also register with the
site for free, which then allows their students to upload their own myths and legends (either as a written text, or
recorded file) for the teacher to review online. The site provides a whole range of free images and sounds students
can download and use when doing this.
For students who want to take their story one step further, there’s the StoryCreator tool, which allows you to
create your own storybook style animations, similar to those on the rest of the website. Anyone can access the tool
and create a story, but unfortunately, to save and upload your story to the site, your school must now subscribe.
Whole school access costs £59 a year. It is a fantastic tool though, and I believe worth at least considering. It’s a
lot of fun to play around with, but really encourages creativity. It would also be perfect for introducing students
to story structure and planning, as well as certain aspects of ICT.
Even if you don’t decide to subscribe, this site is definitely well worth a visit with your class. Students of all ages will
really enjoy the animated myths and legends, and the site’s emphasis on the importance of stories and imagination
should hopefully inspire them to create their own, whether they’re using the StoryCreator tool or not.
e-learning - Myths and Legends
Myths and Legends - http://myths.e2bn.org/
Key Stages 1, 2 and 3
Britain, it seems, is full of unsolved mysteries, and this site is dedicated
to them. If you fancy a more unusual approach to myths and legends
of the British Isles, then this is a great site to use, both as research and
as inspiration for creative writing.
The enormous collection of articles covers a wide variety of topics,
ranging from ancient sites, cryptozoology, ancient festivals, hauntings
and UFOs to more traditional British legends and folklore such as King
Arthur, Robin Hood, fairies and mermaids.
In each of the site’s main sections, you can either browse the list
of articles or select the mystery you would like to read about from
an interactive map. You can also search mysteries by county, which
will take you to a map of your region. Icons on this map represent
where and what kind of mysteries Mysterious Britain have had reported in your area - useful for learning about
local mysteries. Using this tool, I found that in 1901, a UFO – complete with small men in tin helmets – landed a
mere three miles from where I’m sat now, while six miles away, a ‘wine snob’ ghost named ‘Corky’ lurks deep in the
cellars of an old pub, smashing bottles of wine he doesn’t approve of. There are so many articles on this site, school
children from all over Britain can find some kind of ‘mystery’ near their school or home – a really fun activity to get
kids interested in learning more about their town’s history, as well as legends and folklore in general.
Navigation takes some getting used to, and some of the creepier tales might not be for younger or more sensitive
children, but on the whole, Mysterious Britain is a good website with lots of information about myths and legends
students might not have come across before. It’s perfect for individual research, but takes a bit of wading through
to find the real gems.
Volume 3.4 n Creative Teaching & Learning
Mysterious Britain - http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/
Key Stages 2, 3, 4 and 5
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Mythman - http://www.mythman.com/
Key Stages 3, 4 and 5
The Mythman greets visitors to his site with a wide grin, a lot of bicep flexing and the declaration
that the gods have guided you to the right place – and to his credit, this site is a great resource
for any student looking for information on Greek mythology.
Enter the homework help section and you’ll find over 200 pages of information, all nicely
separated into seven categories – Major Olympians, minor gods, Greek heroes, love stories,
beasts and creatures, modern allusions and assorted others. In each section, you’ll find detailed
information pages along with pictures and links to other pages within the site, or to other
websites the Mythman recommends visiting.
As well as the usual information on gods, heroes and beasts, there are quite a few pages that are just a little bit
different. For teachers, there’s an interesting introduction to mythology and its wider meaning, which might be
quite nice to use with older students. There’s also another really fascinating page on the end of Greek mythology,
with the ‘death’ of the Olympian gods and the birth of Christianity. The modern allusions page is also worth a look
– it demonstrates how mythology has had influence on words, expressions, company/group names, literature and
pop culture. In fact, the whole site makes it clear that mythology is still very relevant even today – this could be
a great way for teachers to persuade any students reluctant to believe stories from thousands of years ago have
relevance to our lives now.
Other resources on this site include a pronunciation guide, the Greek alphabet and the gods’ names in their
original Greek, a selection of myth trivia quizzes and a gallery of mythological images.
Students might also enjoy taking a look at the Myth of the Month section of this site. Every month, the Mythman
(who incidentally claims to be related to most of the Greek gods) uploads either a retelling of a Greek myth, or a
selection of myths surrounding a certain deity or hero. These are conversational in tone and amusing to read, but
rather long – the amount of text on the page, even with the nice accompanying images, is rather daunting.
Overall though, there’s some really good information on this site and the Mythman generally keeps it informal
and engaging. There are also some really great pictures, making this site an excellent resource for research projects
on any aspect of Greek mythology.
Volume 3.4 n Creative Teaching & Learning
History.com - http://www.history.com/topics/greek-mythology
Key Stages 3, 4 and 5
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A brilliant site for older students, the mythology section of History.com is all about
where history and legends collide. On the Greek mythology page (see link), you’ll
find a few relatively brief paragraphs on the sources of Greek mythology, the
Olympian gods, heroes and monsters, and mythology in the past and present.
It’s all very useful and informative, but compared to some of the other sites, a
little lack lustre. Luckily for teachers though, History.com has some outstanding
video and interactive resources that more than make up for it!
Highlights include a crash course in the main Greek gods (a brilliant animation
set to suitably dramatic music), the discovery of what archaeologists thought
could be the Minotaur’s labyrinth beneath the island of Crete, and the story of Hercules and his 12 labours. These
videos are all really interesting, and generally very engaging, but some at times, can be quite intense. I wouldn’t
suggest showing any except the Greek god crash course to younger children.
There are also plenty of videos and information pages on this site about legends such as Robin Hood and King
Arthur. There’s even a video about the truth behind vampire myths. You’ll need to use the search tool though, as
these pages are scattered across the whole site. Other interesting resources on this site include the myth versus
reality page, an interactive map tool which focuses on 17 myths/mysteries from around the world, including
Mexico’s crystal skulls, the lost city of Troy and South America’s legendary El dorado, and a section dedicated to
the American TV programme Monsterquest. This is a collection of CGI video clips and fact files investigating the
veracity of legendary monsters from around the world – perfect for more visual learners.
There’s a lot more to this site than originally meets the eye and some fantastic resources but it does take a bit
of a rummage as it’s not the easiest site to navigate.
Maisie Gould