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Greek Mythology Activities

By  MARISSA DESPINS  Updated April 09, 2024

I am back with another fun post on Interactive Notebooks! In this post, I am excited to talk about another fun way to use Interactive Notebooks in your Social Studies classroom. In my previous posts, I talked about using Interactive Notebooks for different Ancient Civilizations. These included Mesopotamia , Greece, and Egypt . Today I am going to dive a little bit deeper into Ancient Greece, and focus specifically on Greek Mythology.

Greek Mythology has always been one of my favorite topics to teach. I fell in love with Greek Mythology in university. While there, I had an incredibly engaging professor would regale us with stories of the gods and goddesses. I love how they feel a bit like fairy tales. The magic and monsters make these stories super engaging for young (and old!) learners.

I have a wide variety of different ready to teach Greek Mythology activities available in my TPT shop that you can download and use right away – see them all by clicking on the button below!

(This post contain affiliate links which means I make a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!)

What are some fun ways to teach Greek Mythology?

Read on for a roundup of different ways to bring these engaging stories to life with your learners!

Videos for Teaching About Greek Mythology

Those of you who have been following me for a while, know that I am a huge fan of the Crash Course History series on YouTube. This series packs a lot of information into short clips. They also manage to keep things entertaining while still being really educational. This clip is a great one to start with. It introduces the concept of Mythology in a kid friendly way.

Another series I really love to show my students that relates to Greek Mythology is the Jim Henson “Storyteller” series. This is an old TV series from way back in the day. If you can get a hold of an old school DVD compellation, hold onto it like it is gold! Thankfully, you can also watch the individual episodes on YouTube. Each episode tells the story of a different Greek myth. I like to put these on after we read and do some activities with each myth. They make excellent review tools. The retellings of Orpheus and Eurydice and Daedalus and Icarus are definitely my favorites.

Word of warning, however. These are not your typical “Kermit the Frog” or “Muppet Show” type Jim Henson productions. These versions are much darker than your typical Jim Henson. You are going to want to make sure you watch them beforehand to make sure that they are not too scary if you have younger learners. I watch them every year with my middle school kiddos, with no issues whatsoever. I actually really like that they are less disney-fied than some of the other retellings out there. They manage to retain the magical creepiness of the original myths.

Greek Myth Read Alouds

Over the years, I have found that some of the Greek myths can be a bit complicated and have more complex vocabulary; reading the myths aloud the class provides access points for all learners, as students are actually able to comprehend text at a higher level than they can typically read. This is especially true for our younger and more vulnerable learners. I think reading aloud about the magic and wonder prevalent in these myths also helps build class community and provides excellent opportunities for class discussion. Also, reading and writing Greek Myths is a great way to tie some literacy into your Social Studies curriculum!

Some of my favourite read aloud collections include:

D’Aulaires Book of Greek Myths – If you purchase only one book to teach about Greek Mythology, let this be it. It has great images and text that is easily accessible to all learners. It is probably the most used mythology book that I have in my collection, and a class favorite for sure.

The Children’s Book of Myths and Legends – This one is worth the purchase simply for the gorgeous illustrations. It contains myths from around the world, so it is perfect if you are planning to teach about the gods and goddesses from different cultures.

The McElderry Book of Greek Myths – Another classic. This one has quick and engaging versions of pretty much all of the popular myths, and makes a fantastic read aloud. This one is great if you are wanting to teach mini units on some of the individual myths, as you can pick and choose the ones you want to include.

Mythlopedia – This is a series of mini reference books about the different gods, goddesses, and monsters of Ancient Greece. I love using these as reference tools for research on the characters.

Looking for ways to keep students accountable during your read aloud time? Check out our post on read aloud accountability!

Allusions from Greek Mythology

Mythical Allusions are words and phrases that many of your students will have heard and used in everyday life, often without knowing where they came from. When watching TV, they may have heard ads for Midas Tires. On Valentine’s day, they may have heard people talking about a friend being hit by “ Cupid’s Arrow “. They may even own a pair of Nike shoes, or have a pack of Trident gum in their back pocket. Mythical Allusions are all around us!

An understanding of these allusions helps to give context. For example, when you know the story of Nike, you can better understand why a running shoe manufacturer would choose that name for their shoes. This short video clip does a great job of explaining allusions in a kid friendly way.

The resource below contains a variety of short reading passages explaining different allusions from Ancient Greece. Students can read the passages, fill in the fact gathering graphic organizer, and use the included templates to make a fun foldable for their Interactive Notebooks. You can snag a copy of this resource for yourself by clicking here , on the image below, or on the product cover at the bottom of this post.

To learn more about using allusions in your classroom, check out our post on mythical allusions to build vocabulary!

Greek Mythology One Pagers

If you have read my previous posts , you already know that I am a huge fan of One Pagers . They are a fantastic way to have students gather and present information in a way that is powerful and engaging.

I really like the versatility of One Pager projects, as they can be used in so many ways. I like to have my students use them as fact gathering templates to help them process and present information from reading passages and class notes.

Alternately, they work great for independent research projects. Students can research a god or goddess of their choice, and present the information they uncover in a One Pager format. One Pagers also make great review tools before a final assessment. If you are interested in trying out my collection of Greek Mythology One Pager templates with your class, you can click here , on the image below, or on the product cover at the bottom of this post.

I hope this post gives you some ideas to help you get started with teaching all about the gods, heroes, and monsters of Greek Mythology with your own class! Is Mythology a topic covered in your curriculum? Let me know about your experiences with teaching about Greek Mythology in the comment section – I am always looking to learn from you!

Looking for some of the resources mentioned in this post?

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Looking for more information on these resources?

Check out the video below for a detailed overview!

Looking for more information and FREE resources for teaching Ancient Greece?

Check out the related blog posts below!

Interactive Notebooks: Ancient Greece

9 Essential Topics for your next Ancient Greece Unit

History Stations: What are they and how can I use them in my classroom?

The Importance of Teaching About Ancient History

5 Tips for Engaging History Lessons

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22 Ancient Greece Activities for Middle School

Ancient greece activities, ancient greece lesson plans.

If you’re an Ancient Civilizations teacher and need some Ancient Greece activities, you’re in the right place! We’ve compiled our top free and paid resources to help you have a successful Ancient Greece unit. We want to help you succeed, whether you use these as an outline or to help supplement your existing unit! All links and resources below are what we personally use in our Ancient Greece unit.

Ancient Greece Activities for Middle School

Ancient greece word wall.

When starting off a new ancient civilizations unit, we’re big on vocabulary activities as there is a lot to cover. With that, we always find that word walls are a great tool! This resource includes 26 Ancient Greece vocabulary words that are ready to print and display on your bulletin board. Because images are included on every card, they’re also helpful for your visual learners!

Never used an ancient civilization word wall before? This blog post will teach you how to set up, organize, and use them effectively in your classroom!

Introductory Vocabulary Activities

Just like all of our units, we also like to have vocabulary-based activities. These vocabulary activities for Google Drive are fun ways for students to practice the Ancient Greece vocabulary words in a variety of ways. There’s 8 activities ranging from matching, fill-in-the-blank, Frayer Model, quizlet links, everything you would need for vocabulary! Because they are digital, it’s very easy to have students jump into one of these activities if there’s extra time.

Ancient Greece Unit Introduction

One thing we try to do is make our lessons relevant to students, so connecting present-day Greece to Ancient Greece is something we find important. To do that, we take a more modern approach to our unit and have students complete this unit introduction activity . Students research key details about modern Greece, and when we shift back to ancient times, that prior knowledge makes it easier.

Ancient Greece Slideshow + Note Sheet

We find it helpful to share background information at the start of the unit, so students can make connections during other activities. With this  Ancient Greece Slideshow for Google Slides , teach your students about the GRAPES of Ancient Greece! This 54-slide Google Slideshow provides a detailed overview of Ancient Greece, including geography, the Olympics, philosophers, and much more! This no-prep resource also includes both printable and digital note sheets!

Ancient Greece Bell Ringers

If you’re looking to improve your classroom management and help students review material,  these bell ringers are perfect! This set includes 20 Ancient Greece Bell Ringers for Google Drive that are 100% editable and ready to use. These warm-up prompts cover a variety of topics that come up in an Ancient Greece unit while also building helpful skills! Topics covered in this resource include Greek mythology, philosophers, democracy, Athens, Sparta, Hellenistic Kingdoms, and more!

Ancient Greece Map Activity

Geography is another starting topic we find important, but unlike other ancient civilizations, Greece’s geography is a bit different. Our Ancient Greece Geography Activity has three parts; a graphic organizer, map labeling, and an inquiry question at the end. Students will research specific geography terms, label them on a map, and then explain how geography relates to the development of civilization.

Engineering an Empire Video on Ancient Greece

While you’re in the process of introducing Ancient Greece, we found a great video from the History Channel’s Engineering and Empire Series . They have the full 45-minute video up on YouTube, packed with tons of information and nice visuals. This could be used as a full introduction for your unit, use it as a movie day, or as an emergency sub plan.

Minoans and Mycenaeans Inquiry Activity

One of the first historical topics you’re going to cover is the Minoans and Mycenaeans. With that, we find an inquiry activity to be a great approach. In this inquiry activity , students examine photographs from the Minoans and Mycenaeans and make predictions based on those images. They then share those predictions with the class and discussion begins on what we can infer about these early societies.

Ancient Greece Government Simulation and Google Slideshow

Ancient Greece is an excellent civilization to showcase major types of government. Ancient Greece has gone through monarchy, oligarchy, tyranny, and democracy. We’ve created an Ancient Greece Government Simulation activity that goes through each one individually, and then students act them out. Afterwards, you can go over the pros and cons of each government together. It connects not only to Greece, but to other civilizations throughout history!

Ancient Greece Timeline

If you’re looking to make your Ancient Greece Unit more hands-on and engaging, this printable Ancient Greece Timeline is the resource you need! In this interactive timeline project, students construct a timeline that features reading passages, maps, and images. The information included in these features covers the Minoans, Mycenaeans, Dark Age, Archaic Greece, Classical Greece, and Hellenistic Civilization. Not only will this activity give students the chance to physically build a timeline, but it will also become a learning tool that they can refer back to throughout the unit!

Panhellenic Games Simulation

This no-prep, game-based Ancient Greece Olympics Simulation will be the highlight of your Ancient Greece unit! In this simulation with printable and digital options, students will “compete” in 8 popular events from the Panhellenic Games and answer trivia questions about the Greeks and Ancient Olympics! In each round, students will learn about a different event from the Panhellenic Games and participate in a classroom-friendly version of the event!

SHEG Athenian Democracy

A free resource we highly recommend related to government in Ancient Greece is from SHEG . The main topic of discussion is whether or not Athens was truly democratic. It’s a DBQ-style resource with lots of great documents to have your students practice analyzing primary resources.  This activity also pairs well as a follow-up to our simulation activity.

Acropolis of Athens Activities

This no-prep reading passage and activity set is perfect for teaching about the Acropolis of Athens and the Parthenon! Whether you use the printable or digital versions, have your students read the passage about the Acropolis of Athens and how its use evolved over time before they complete two creative activities about what they learned! The activities included are a reading comprehension puzzle and short answer questions.

Historical Wife Swap Video from Horrible Histories

It’s not an Ancient Greece Unit without discussing the differences between Athens and Sparta. One resource we like to use as an introduction is a video from Horrible Histories . The 5-minute video does a nice job at showcasing the cultural differences of the two societies through a reality-style wife swap. It’s quick, well done, and the students have a few laughs. Please note however that the link provided is a compilation of their videos, so for Ancient Greece you’ll start at the 8-minute mark. 

Peloponnesian Strangers Comic Video

Another great Sparta and Athens resource we recommend is this comic strip video . The original comic was made by McGraw-Hill but we’ve found this video narrates it very well . It covers the story of two friends, one from Sparta and one from Athens, discussing their cultural differences. They cover topics such as home life, activities they grew up participating in, etc. 

Athens vs Sparta Statistics Sorting Activity

One of our favorite Athens and Sparta activities is our Athens vs. Sparta Statistics Sorting activity ! Students are presented a variety of shuffled statistics on either Athens or Sparta, and match which statistic goes with the proper location. It’s a great way for students to get invested in the topic and maybe even get a little competitive. It works as an intro or review activity and helps students understand how these differences affected each city-state’s way of life.

Athens vs Sparta Rap Battle

A very interactive resource that our students have enjoyed is our Athens vs. Sparta Rap Battle . There are full reading passages on each city-state included, and students conduct research to prepare a rap, song, or poem. This activity allows students to shine and get creative while being able to identify those differences. Any time we’ve used this activity, it’s always been a blast in class!

Persian Wars and Peloponnesian War

If you are looking for an effortless, step-by-step approach to teaching your students about the Persian Wars or Peloponnesian War, you are in the right place! This lesson and overview activity will guide students through the many twists and turns of the Persian Wars and Peloponnesian War in an organized and thorough way. With both a printable and digital version, this resource divides the events of these wars into eight different sections. Some of the topics covered in these sections include: What happened during the First Greco-Persian War? Why did tensions grow between Athens and Sparta? Who won the Second Greco-Persian War? And more!

Gods and Goddesses of Greek Mythology Overview Slideshow

No Ancient Greece unit is complete without discussing some Greek Mythology. While every teacher is going to be different, we like to give at least an overview of the major Greek Gods and Goddesses. With that, we start with an overview slideshow introducing the Olympians.

Greek God Rap

We’ve also found a helpful review of the Greek gods and goddesses through this Greek God Rap Video . It’s a bit cringy, but it helps reinforce and retain the info in a fun and silly way for your students. And honestly the song is pretty catchy once you listen to it.

TED-Ed Greek Mythology Videos

If you want to take your Greek mythology section further, TED-Ed has wonderful videos on some of the different myths. Two of our favorites are the Myth of Prometheus and Pandora’s Box . They’re both very well-made, students enjoy them, and you can even turn them into EdPuzzles.

Greek Mythology Instagram Activity

If you’re looking for a fun review activity of Greek gods and goddesses, we do have a very engaging Instagram activity . Students take different gods and goddesses and create Instagram profiles for them, including identifying photos and writing captions. It’s great for review, and students really get into it.

Greek Mythology Activity Sheet

An easy, low-prep activity option we always recommend are our Early Finisher or Emergency Sub Plan activities. We’ve created one specifically pertaining to Greek Mythology with three activities, including mystery lockers, word search, and password game! These games are perfect to have on hand when students fly through an assignment or something that comes up last minute.

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief”

Another easy activity that students enjoy is watching The Lightning Thief from Disney. It’s a great way to wrap up your Greece unit or right before spring break, especially if you need an activity to finish up the unit. It’s a very convenient activity as it’s available on Disney+.

Alexander the Great Gallery Walk

Looking to give your students a museum experience about Alexander the Great ? This gallery walk activity will be a meaningful way to teach your students about Alexander the Great and his empire! This activity highlights 13 different artifacts, paintings, and passages, along with corresponding information that provides an overview of what is known about Alexander the Great. With printable, digital, and editable options and an answer key, you have everything you need for a successful activity!

DBQ Project: How Great Was Alexander the Great?

Another topic we like to bring up during Ancient Greece is Alexander the Great and the Macedonians. We’ve found a very good DBQ resource from the DBQ Project that discusses whether Alexander was actually deserving of the Great title. The resource includes a map showing how much land Alexander conquered and discusses how it affected the people of each continent. It’s also a good primary and secondary source analysis activity. 

Ancient Greece Job Fair

An engaging activity we’ve created for students to learn about key leaders and philosophers is our Ancient Greece Job Fair . It includes resumes for Pericles, Socrates, Aristotle, and Alexander the Great. Students analyze their resumes and decide which various jobs to hire them for. Not only does this activity reinforce unit information, but it promotes job skills that many students would otherwise not get.

We’re The Thinkers

Another video from Horrible Histories that we’ve enjoyed is “ We’re the Thinkers ”. It’s a parody of a Monkees’ theme song that covers Socrates, Aristotle, Plato, and Diogenes, and it can be a fun addition to the job fair activity.

Ancient Greece Research Project

Looking for a creative way to teach your students about the many significant philosophers, writers, scientists, mathematicians, historians, doctors, and leaders of ancient Greece? If so, you and your students will enjoy this research project ! In this no-prep activity, each student will select one of the historical figures from ancient Greece, research them, and prepare a short speech that they will present to their classmates from the perspective of that historical figure. The speech will highlight the accomplishments of their historical figure, and then students can vote on the most impactful Greek leaders and scholars after everyone has presented their speeches. Historical figures include Aristarchus, Philip II of Macedon, Thucydides, and more!

Ancient Greece Test

Save yourself time at the end of your Ancient Greece Unit with this Ancient Greece Test and Study Guide ! This ready-made test has printable and digital options, and all text is 100% editable. Each version includes 2 different testing options for Google Docs and for Google Forms, so you have the flexibility to use whichever version works best for you! To help your students prepare for the test, this resource also includes an editable Ancient Greece Study Guide for Google Docs!

Ancient Greece Agenda Slides

Need a way to stay more organized during your Ancient Greece Unit? These Ancient Greece Daily Agenda Slides Templates will help you save time and better immerse your students in the unit! These slides for Google Drive are editable and each template features a photograph of Ancient Greece in the background, as well as Ancient Greece clipart. They can be used to share your daily agenda, bell ringers, and more!

Ancient Greece Bulletin Board Kit

Connect your bulletin boards to your course content in just five minutes with this effortless, ready-to-print Ancient Greece Bulletin Board Kit ! With this bulletin board kit, students have the opportunity to view artifacts used by those living in Greece thousands of years ago! If you want to incorporate more primary sources into your classroom but don’t know where to start, this is an easy way! The 25 artifact posters include the titles of the artifacts, when they were created or used, where they were found, and where they’re currently located.

Ancient Greece Bookmarks

These printable Ancient Greece Bookmarks are a fun addition to your Ancient Greece unit! This set includes four different designs that feature images and clipart that are related to Ancient Greece. The bookmarks are 100% black and white so that students can color in the images or personalize them as they wish! These coloring bookmarks make a great prize, a short early finisher activity, or can even help students save time when using their textbooks!

Ancient Greece Early Finisher Activity or Emergency Sub Plan

A final easy, no-prep activity is another of our Early Finisher activities for Ancient Greece. It includes a matching puzzle about the leaders from the golden age of Athens, and a vocabulary crossword puzzle. This activity sheet is an additional worksheet to have on hand in emergencies or students need something extra to work on.

Teaching Ancient Greece

When teaching any ancient civilization, it’s always important to have activities that make the content fun and engaging for students. If you liked any of our Ancient Greece activities, you’ll love our Ancient Greece Unit Bundle ! This bundle contains 15  resources and is a great way to supplement your textbook or curriculum materials about Ancient Greece! We’ve had great success with these resources, and our students had a blast!

As of 2024, we now have all of our Ancient Civilizations unit bundles available on our own website, which you can check out here. We believe the organization to be even better than how you can receive the files on TPT, and it also helps if your school district blocks Google Drive files from TPT!

Looking for ideas and inspiration when planning your Ancient Greece unit? If so, this free Ancient Greece resource guide   can help! It showcases each of our Ancient Greece resources to help you decide which options will be best for your students. For more details about how we put fit these resources together and how long we spend on each activity, you can also download our free Ancient Greece unit plan !

If you liked this list of 22 Ancient Greece Activities for Middle School, consider watching the corresponding video here !

Are you looking for some new teaching ideas to engage your students in your social studies class? If so, you’ll love our FREE guide: 5 Creative Projects to Ignite Student Engagement in Your Social Studies Class . These activities have both printable and digital options and can work for any social studies subject!

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Greek Mythology & the 12 Olympians

Have you ever wondered where sayings like "He has the Midas touch", "You have to find their Achilles heel", or "Don't be fooled by a Trojan horse!" came from? Well, these sayings and many more come from ancient Greek myths.

Ancient Greek is the root of many English words and phrases, and their culture has famous portrayals of themes and stories that are still relevant today. No matter how much time has passed, the lessons of these literary works remain important in today's world, and are iterated on and alluded to almost everywhere.

Students will love our Greek mythology activities such as: important symbols in Greek mythology, list of deities and their signs, hero’s journey, Greek God and Goddesses, and more! These myth projects and ideas are creative, engaging, and easy to customize. Check out the Greek mythology lesson plans below:

Student Activities for Greek Mythology

Essential Questions for a Mythology Unit

• What role can myths and beliefs from the past have in today’s world?
• How does the definition of a hero change? Why? What is the definition of a hero in Greek mythology? What is the definition of a hero today?
• How do we use stories to explain the world around us? How did the ancient Greeks use stories to explain things they didn't understand?
• What lessons can we learn from Greek mythology?
• Who are the 12 gods and goddesses of Olympus and what are their symbols?
• How are the personalities of the Olympians reflected in their powers, domain, and the Greek mythological symbols?
• What role do Greek myths, or myths from other civilizations, play in our lives today?

More About Our Pre-Made Activities

Greek mythology is a vast collection of stories, history, and individuals that can be overwhelming and difficult to keep track of. Storyboard That’s team of teachers have created several assignments to help you and your students gain a better understanding of Greek mythology, and have come up with some really cool activities for students to show what they know in engaging and creative ways. Read more below!

• Olympian Symbols: Greek god symbols are extremely important in Greek mythology. All gods, minor and major, had symbols and physical features that set them apart and identified them. For this activity, students will create a storyboard of the symbols of Greek gods. This is an excellent way to keep track of what represents whom!
• Myth Plot Diagram: Each story within Greek mythology is filled with twists and turns. For this activity, students can create a plot diagram of the myth of their choice, or one that is assigned to them by their teacher.
• Themes: If you take a good look at Olympus Greek mythology, you will surely notice that there are recurring themes surrounding the stories and history.
• Greek Gods and Goddesses: Have students keep track of the gods and goddesses by making a list of deities and their signs, domains, symbols, and more! Our Storyboard That artists have created characters for the main gods, can you find them in our art library?
• Olympian Poster: Having students research and spotlight an Olympian god or goddess is one of our most popular myth projects. Using the poster layout or a biography poster template as a starting off point, students can create a biography poster for the god or goddess of their choice.
• Symbols, Themes, and Motifs: Themes, symbols, and motifs add color and richness to stories. In chart format, students can identify and compare the different themes, symbols, and motifs in two or more stories. Some of the recurring ideas throughout several myths include: human flaws, war, temptation, payback and reward, love, fate, and beauty. Students will be engaged as they explore these areas in a colorful storyboard!
• Vocabulary: The vocabulary in Greek mythology can be very difficult to keep track of. Not only the terms, but also the Greek names versus the Roman names of the gods and goddesses. There are so many ways to use storyboards to explore Greek vocabulary. For this activity, we have given the example of how some Greek names have been transformed into English words such as martial (Mars, god of war), volcano (Vulcan, god of fire and forge), and cereal (Ceres, goddess of harvest).
• Create Your Own Greek God: A really fun way to engage students is to have them create their own Greek god. After learning about the elements of Greek gods and goddesses (domain, power, weakness, symbol, connection with the real world, etc.), they can create a spider map that includes the name, attributes, and back story, or a poster of their own individual!
• Hero’s Journey: The hero’s journey is a recurring pattern of stages that many heroes go through over the course of their journey. Some of the most popular hero journeys include Hercules, Theseus, and Odysseus, but our outline can really be used with a number of Greek gods and goddesses.
• TP-CASTT Analysis: The TP-CASTT method of poetry analysis is a very useful way to dissect a poem. Much like the order of operations in mathematics, TP-CASTT asks students to uncover deeper meanings of the poem in a sequential way in order to understand its parts. Students can dissect poems that are related to Greek myths in order to help them understand the larger scale stories!
• Social Media: Social media is a very popular form of connection and communication for middle and high school students. An exciting and engaging way to incorporate student interest into education is by having kids create a social media page for one or more Greek gods or goddesses. What would Medusa post about on Instagram? Would Loki post his tricks on Twitter? Check out our social media poster templates or our social media page worksheet templates for inspiration!
• Modern God Poster: An alternative to the spider map activity above is to create your own Greek god poster! Be sure to include all of the same attributes (domain, power, weakness, symbol, etc.), but expand your creativity by using a colorful biography poster template to get your creative juices flowing!

What is Mythology?

Mythology is, first and foremost, a collection of stories that describe the lives and exploits of the gods and preternatural forces before the time of recorded history. As a genre , mythology typically explains unknown origins, the reason for natural occurrences, or human nature. The stories reflect the values and issues of communities and to some extent, of society as a whole. Greek mythology is not the only type in the genre; many cultures from around the world have exquisite mythologies.

Greek mythology consists of the ancient Greeks' polytheistic beliefs. It begins with a creation myth, explaining how the earth was formed. Other myths deal with the origins and life of Greek heroes, and explanations of the natural world. Many are familiar with the particular Greek gods as they pertain to domains such as love, war, and trade, but may not know the origins of these gods. Together, these gods make up the Greek Pantheon.

Why Do We Study Greek Myths?

Greek myths have endured for thousands of years. Many of the Greek gods, heroes , and monsters represent ideals or certain traits. Mythical characters were the subjects of various art: sculpture adorning architecture, wall paintings, mosaics, free-standing sculpture, pottery, and so much more. The stories persisted partly because there were physical reminders of the stories in stone everywhere. Beyond the various physical remnants, Greek myths are old tales rich in plot, character, theme, and symbolism.

Romans appropriated many Greek myths as their own, but made significant alterations to them. The Roman Empire was a dominant force for hundreds of years and brought Roman culture to conquered lands throughout Europe and parts of Asia and Africa. The Renaissance and the Neoclassical eras in history saw a resurgence of Greco-Roman influences in art, literature, and science. As Western Civilization expanded across the world, the Greek stories remained! For an interesting take on this idea, be sure to check out The Lightning Thief and the rest of the Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan.

Greek mythology has a great deal of variation, because the stories were traditionally told and retold orally. Even ancient sources differ on the order of events and characters! When stories are passed down through the generations and translated into other languages, some of the details do not always stay the same. "Pandora's Box" is an excellent example of how details can morph from one thing to another. Pandora actually had a jar and not a box, but the popular use of Pandora's Box has remained.

Greek myths have pervaded our culture and literature. Many English words come from Greek roots, but there are also words that evolved directly from Greek mythology, such as narcissist , herculean , echo, and nemesis . Authors and artists have referred to Greek mythology for hundreds of years, either as direct subject matter or to represent something symbolically. In order to understand these various allusions , students need exposure to important characters and important symbols in Greek mythology. Check out our Greek mythology activities above!

12 Gods of Olympus

Greek mythology is centered around the powerful group of gods who lived on Mount Olympus, the tallest mountain in Greece. It is believed that these gods and goddesses ruled all aspects of life, and met as a council to discuss important things such as punishments, war, and the way of life in general. The twelve gods and goddesses are: Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite, Apollo, Ares, Artemis, Athena, Demeter, Dionysus, Hephaestus, Hermes, and Poseidon. Other gods and goddesses who were sometimes included as Olympians are Hades (god of the Underworld), Hestia (goddess of home and family), and Eros (god of love and also known as Cupid).

These important gods and goddesses looked like average men and women, but they could change their forms to look like animals and other things. For the most part, they remained on Mount Olympus, but Posiedon preferred to live in his palace under the sea.

The Olympians are also important influences to various heroes on their quests. Some influences may be positive, like Athena guiding Hercules or Odysseus, but some can also be major obstacles for heroes. Poseidon inhibits Odysseus from making it home to Ithaca, Hera tries to foil Hercules' Labors whenever she can, and Zeus sends the Argo way off course on its way home. Learning more about the personalities, areas of influence, and symbols of the Greek gods and goddesses is beneficial for understanding various allusions in literature, music, art, architecture, astronomy, marketing, and more. Students will love analyzing the various Greek mythological symbols and how the Greek gods' and goddesses' powers were said to be related to events and natural disasters.

The influence of the ancient Greek myths remains after many centuries in art, architecture, language, literature, and modern television and film. The stories in Greek mythology have universal themes and archetypes that are applicable across cultures, but are also memorable narratives by themselves. The Olympians often take a center role in these Greek myths because they are the twelve major gods of the Greek pantheon.

Who Are the 12 Olympian Gods?

• Zeus , also known as “The King of all Gods”, or “Father of Gods and men”, Zeus was the most powerful god who controlled the sky, storms, thunder, and lightning. He was also known as the god of justice. He is represented by a lightning bolt and eagles. Zeus was the youngest son of Cronos and Rhea, and when he was old enough, he and his siblings and uncles overthrew his father and gained control of the different realms. Zeus married Hera and together they had three children: Ares, Eris, and Hephaestus.
• Hera is the queen of the gods, and the goddess of marriage and childbirth. She is often represented by peacocks and wedding rings. Daughter of Cronos and Rhea, Hera is also known for her hatred of Troy, and tries to help the Greeks win against the Trojans whenever she can. Hera had three children with Zeus: Ares, Eris, and Hephaestus.
• Aphrodite is the goddess of love and beauty. She is often represented by a mirror, rose, or a dove. Aphrodite was the daughter of Uranus and Dione, but sometimes she was also said to be the daughter of Zeus and Thalassa or Dione. Aphrodite’s beauty was so stunning that men who catch a glimpse of her fall into a puddle of incoherent mutterings.
• Apollo , the god of sun and music, is represented by a golden lyre and a golden bow and arrow. He is the twin brother of Artemis, and the son of Zeus and the nymph Leto. The Greeks prayed to Apollo for good health, and feared him when a plague or other illness hit.
• Ares is the god of war, and he is represented by a spear and a shield which were often used in violent conflicts. Son of Zeus and Hera and brother of Athena, Ares is often defeated in stories that involve war. Ares is also known for being Aphrodite’s lover.
• Artemis is the goddess of the moon and the hunt, and carries a silver bow with arrows. Apollo and Artemis were the twin children of Zeus and the nymph Leto, but Artemis was the apple of Zeus’ eye. For Artemis’ third birthday, Zeus gave her a silver bow and arrows, wood nymphs, and hounds to hunt with. He also gave her the gift of chastity, which was part of her wish. She became known as a fierce huntress, and she was also very protective of her nymphs.
• Athena , known as the goddess of strategy and wisdom, is represented by a helmet and scroll, to be used for strategy in times of war. Daughter of Zeus and Metis, Athena used her skill and intuition to outwit others in battle.
• Demeter is the goddess of harvest and is represented by sheaves of wheat. During times of famine or poor crop yields, the Greek people came to Demeter for help. She had two children with Poseidon, Arion and Despoena, and one child with Zeus, Persephone.
• Dionysus , the god of wine, pleasure, and festivity, was typically represented by a cup and grapevines or vineyards. He was also a demigod, which means he was the son of a god and a mortal; his father was Zeus, and his mother’s name was Semele. Dionysus is perhaps most well-known for granting King Midas the power to turn everything he touched into gold.
• Hephaestus is the blacksmith god, as well as the god of fire and the forge. He is represented by a hammer and anvil. Son of Zeus and Hera, Hephaestus was flung off of Olympus by his mother when he was born: she thought he was so ugly that he would not win his father’s affection.
• Hermes , who is known as the messenger god, was the son of Zeus and Maia, is represented by winged sandals and his Caduceus staff. Hermes had many responsibilities including being the god of trade and thieves. He often was the messenger for his father, going back and forth from Olympus to Earth to the Underworld.
• Poseidon , also known as the god of the sea, earthquakes, and horses, is represented by his three-pronged trident and horses. Son of Rhea and Cronos, and brother of Zeus, Hades, Hera, Hestia, and Demeter, Poseidon and other family members worked together to overthrow his father. After the battle ended, Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon chose which realm each god would rule; Poseidon chose the sea.

There are so many interesting and entertaining stories about these gods and goddesses, and it is truly incredible how they are all intertwined. Storyboard That makes it simple to keep track of the myths and adventures that these gods and goddesses are a part of!

Other Greek Mythology Project Ideas

• Storyboard the life of your favorite Greek god or goddess.
• Create a family tree and list the Greek gods and goddesses along with their signs and symbols!
• Complete a storyboard showing Zeus being overthrown like Cronus or Uranus before him! Choose a god who will defeat Zeus, and tell how it happens.
• Research Greek gods and their symbols, and create a biography for your favorite!
• Make a presentation of all of the different Greek mythology symbols.
• Teachers can take their Greek mythology lesson plans offline by printing out colorful Greek mythology worksheets and graphic organizers related to the activities above such as social media page worksheets , character map worksheets , biography worksheets , vocabulary worksheets , plot diagram worksheets , and more!

For more information about Greek mythology and its influences, be sure to check out the following Teacher Resources.

• Ancient Greece
• Types of Heroes
• The Hero's Journey
• Elements of an Epic
• The Creation of the World
• Explanation Myths
• 12 Labors of Hercules
• Jason and the Golden Fleece
• The Odyssey
• Oedipus the King
• The Lightning Thief
• " The One Eyed Giant "
• Theseus and the Minotaur
• "Icarus and Daedalus"

Purchase The Complete World of Greek Mythology by Richard Buxton or D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths by Ingri and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire on Amazon to use as resources for Greek myths!

How to Use Greek Mythology Activities

Introduce essential questions.

Begin your mythology unit by discussing essential questions that explore the relevance of myths in today's world. Encourage students to think about the changing definitions of heroes, the use of stories to explain the unknown, lessons from Greek mythology and the role of myths in modern life.

Engage with Pre-Made Activities

Utilize pre-made activities from Storyboard That to enhance students' understanding of Greek mythology. These activities include creating storyboards of Olympian symbols, plot diagrams of myths, exploring themes, listing deities and their signs, designing posters, analyzing symbols and motifs, examining vocabulary, and more. Choose activities that align with your lesson objectives and student interests.

Explore the 12 Olympian Gods and Goddesses

Introduce the 12 gods and goddesses of Olympus, their personalities, domains, and Greek mythological symbols. Discuss their influence on heroes and their representation in various aspects of life, such as art, architecture, literature, and marketing. Help students make connections between these mythological figures and their presence in today's world.

Encourage Creativity and Research

Encourage students to engage in creative projects that deepen their understanding of Greek mythology. Assign tasks such as creating their own Greek god or goddess, conducting research on the hero's journey, analyzing poems related to myths using the TP-CASTT method, designing social media pages for mythological characters, and making posters or spider maps of individual gods

Incorporate Greek Mythology Worksheets

Print out colorful Greek mythology worksheets and graphic organizers to support offline learning. Utilize worksheets related to social media pages, character maps, biographies, vocabulary, plot diagrams, and more. These resources provide opportunities for students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of Greek myths.

Further Exploration and Resources

Encourage further exploration of Greek mythology by providing additional teacher resources and recommending books such as "The Complete World of Greek Mythology" by Richard Buxton or "D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths" by Ingri and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire. These resources can deepen students' knowledge of archetypes, allusions, ancient Greece, types of heroes, the hero's journey, and specific myths like "The Odyssey" or "Jason and the Golden Fleece."

Frequently Asked Questions about Greek Mythology & the 12 Olympians

Who is the most powerful god in greek mythology.

Zeus , who is known as “The King of all Gods” is the most powerful of all the gods and goddesses. He controlled the sky, storms, thunder, and lightning. Zeus married Hera and they had three children together.

What are the different types of mythology?

The most well known types of mythology are Norse , Egyptian , and Greek. However, there are many other types of mythology from different countries and religions around the world.

What is a myth?

A myth is a story that is about how the world came to be, and why certain events happened. While some may think that myths are not accurate, they were, at one point, believed to be real.

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Teach Greek Mythology With This Fun Research Project for Middle School Students

• Kellie Hayden
• Categories : English lesson plans for middle school
• Tags : Teaching middle school grades 6 8

Greek Mythology Project

Greek mythology intrigues most middle school students. Use this topic as a springboard for a research paper. Students then work

together to create their own myths.

Greek Mythology Research Paper

Step 1 – Students need to select a research paper topic. Start with the principal Olympian Greek gods , such as Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Hestia, Demeter, Dionysus, and Hades. There are others to choose from as well.

Step 2 – After students have chosen their god, they need to write a research paper . Students should follow the MLA format or a style or a format selected by the teacher. It is important that students cite their sources properly. In addition, students need to learn how to paraphrase so they do not copy and paste information from the Internet.

Creating a Myth

Step 3 – Collect many children’s books that tell about myths. These can include myths from any culture; however, there should be several from the Greek culture.

Step 4 – After students have completed their research paper, they need to be placed in pairs. Ask students to select a book and to read it together.

Step 5 – Tell students to create their own myth. This myth should be written together as a team. The team should use the book they selected and their research for ideas.

Step 6 – When students have completed the writing of their myth, they must present it to the class. The myth can be acted out by the pair of students or it can be presented as an informational presentation. The presentation should have a visual aid or costumes.

To assess the myth, use a rubric. For the criteria of the rubric, tell students that they will be graded on creativity, organization and teamwork. The presentation should be entertaining as well.

This post is part of the series: Mythology Project

For the middle school classroom, these lessons about mythology are fun yet educational.

• Middle School Research Project on Greek Mythology
• Mythology Choice Project
• A Lesson Plan on Turning a Myth Into a Play
• Review of Mythology for Teens by Zachary Hamby

EL Education Curriculum

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• ELA 2019 G6:M1
• Greek Mythology

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Guiding questions and big ideas, content connections, independent research reading, technology and multimedia, optional: community, experts, fieldwork, service, and extensions, performance task, texts and resources to buy, module-at-a-glance, you are here:.

• ELA 2019 Grade 6

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Why do Greek myths continue to be relevant and popular today? In this module, students meet figures from ancient Greek mythology who are placed in a contemporary setting and evaluate how stories from a different time and place continue to resonate.

Students begin Unit 1 by launching their reading of The Lightning Thief . Students analyze how the author develops the point of view of the narrator, and then strategize to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words and phrases, including figurative language. In the second half of Unit 1, students prepare for a Socratic Seminar discussion by analyzing how Percy, the main character, responds to challenges. They create discussion norms to have productive text-based discourse about the novel. Theme is also introduced in the second half of the unit in preparation for Unit 2.

In Unit 2, students continue to read The Lightning Thief , some parts in class and others for homework. They analyze the Greek myths highlighted in the novel and compare themes and topics in the Greek myths with those evident in The Lightning Thief . In the second half of the unit, students write a literary analysis essay using the Painted Essay® structure, comparing and contrasting the treatment of events in the movie The Lightning Thief with the same events in the novel.

In Unit 3, students reimagine a scene from The Lightning Thief , writing themselves into the action as a different demigod from Camp Half-Blood. They research a Greek god of their choosing (or another traditional figure for those who don’t feel comfortable imagining themselves as a child of a Greek god) and use their research to create a new character, the child of that figure. Students develop the attributes of that character and strategically insert the character into a scene from the novel, editing carefully so as not to change the outcome of the story. At the end of the module, students create a presentation outlining their choices and reasoning for the performance task.

Notes from the Designer

The Lightning Thief incorporates many figures from Greek mythology into the plot, including gods, goddesses, and monsters. Be mindful about issues and characterizations that may be sensitive for students or with which some students may connect personally or deeply. Students may be surprised or offended by the relationship depicted between gods and humans. They may also be disturbed by the description of battles between demigods and monsters. Allow time and space for students to reflect on and speak about their reactions.

During lessons, students read excerpts from the anchor text rather than complete chapters to ensure sufficient time for students to think and respond to the text. Invite students who would like to read the rest of the chapter to do so for homework. If there is extended time for language arts, reading the entire chapter might be an option.

In Unit 3, students research a Greek god or goddess in preparation for the end of unit assessment, in which they rewrite a scene of The Lightning Thief , inserting a new character of their own creation. To maintain the first person point of view, students rewrite the scene as if they are their new character, a child of a Greek god or goddess of their choosing. Some students and their families may find this exercise in conflict with their religious views. Create a safe space for students’ concerns, and be prepared with alternative ways for students to complete the assessment.

What is mythology, and what is the value of studying mythology from other cultures?

• A collection of stories featuring traditional figures that explain natural phenomena and convey the values of the culture.
• Studying stories from other cultures introduces alternative perspectives and amplifies one's worldview.

Why have stories from Greek mythology remained popular?

• They teach themes that are still relevant.
• They contain figures whose attributes are valued across time.
• They ask questions about the human condition.
• They remain relatable because they can be reimagined to fit different environments and time periods.

How does point of view change with experience?

• A narrator's or character's understanding of an experience changes depending on one's point of view.
• Examining multiple points of view supports a more complex understanding of our own and others' choices and beliefs.

This module is designed to address English Language Arts standards and to be taught during the literacy block. But the module intentionally incorporates Social Studies content that may align to additional teaching during other parts of the day. These intentional connections are described below.

College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards

• D2.Geo.10.6-8. Analyze the ways in which cultural and environmental characteristics vary among various regions of the world.
• D2.His.4.6-8. Analyze multiple factors that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras.
• D2.His.6.6-8. Analyze how people's perspectives influenced what information is available in the historical sources they created.
• D4.1.6-8. Construct arguments using claims and evidence from multiple sources, while acknowledging the strengths and limitations of the arguments.
• D4.3.6-8. Present adaptations of arguments and explanations on topics of interest to others to reach audiences and venues outside the classroom using print and oral technologies (e.g., posters, essays, letters, debates, speeches, reports, and maps) and digital technologies (e.g., Internet, social media, and digital documentary).
• The ability to read and comprehend texts is the heart of literacy instruction. Comprehension is taught, reinforced, and assessed in the module lessons.
• In this module, students read research texts independently for homework and engage in frequent research reading shares during the module lesson for accountability. They will share their learning and connections to the module topic in Unit 3, Lesson 1.
• Online word processing : Complete note-catchers. Increase collaboration and manage materials by completing note-catchers and composing essays.
• Speech-to-text/text-to-speech : Compose essays. Increase writing fluency by allowing students to fill in note-catchers and compose essays using this function.
• Many newer devices already have this capability; there are also free apps for this purpose.
• Online parent communication tool : Create student learning portfolios. Video/audio record students reading aloud their revised narratives to share with families and other students.
• Additional information about Greek figures: Additional reading and research. Students read more about the Greek figures featured in the novel.
• Meet the Greek Gods
• Greek Gods and Goddesses 
• Historical information about Greek mythology : Additional reading and research. Students read more about the purpose of myths and the Greek figures featured in the novel.
• Myths from around the world:  A flash-based site of interactive myths from around the world. Students compare and contrast myths from different cultures.
• Interactive digital graphic organizer : Helps students develop an outline for a comparison essay. Students draft their ideas for their informative essays in which they compare and contrast the same scene in the novel and film version of The Lightning Thief .
• Interactive digital graphic organizer : Assist students in prewriting and post-reading activities. Students draft ideas for their narratives in which they re-imagine themselves as a new character in a scene from The Lightning Thief (Unit 3).

 Refer to each Unit Overview for more details, including information about what to prepare in advance.

• Invite members of the community (parents, administrators, other students, etc.) in to view the students' performance tasks. Students could also record their presentations or a reading of their revised narratives using an app like Seesaw to then share with an outside audience at a different time.
• Pair students with students from a younger grade. Perform brief, age-appropriate retellings of some of students' favorite Greek myths to share with the younger students. Encourage students to incorporate props and change their voices for a more dramatic and engaging performance.
• Invite storytellers into the classroom to present early stories from diverse cultures. Note the narrative techniques the storyteller uses to engage the audience, and listen for common themes across stories.
• Support students' ability to complete the visual portion of the performance task by collaborating with an art teacher or introducing students to digital resources for royalty-free graphics and photographs (e.g., http://eled.org/0147 and http://eled.org/0181 ).
• An area of focus in this module is writing a summary without personal judgment or bias. Invite a local journalist into the classroom, and discuss how they avoid personal judgment and bias when reporting the news. Discuss when it is and is not appropriate to include judgment or bias in different sections of a newspaper.
• A local museum may offer exhibits or programs on Greek mythology or mythology from other cultures. Look for ways to leverage a museum's current exhibits while also offering hands-on activities, workshops, guided tours and live presentations.
• The Lightning Thief describes several ways in which Greek mythology is present in American culture. Locate local places where these influences are clear (through architecture, statues, location names, etc.), and arrange a fieldwork to see them in person. If a fieldwork is not an option, a slideshow in class could also make this connection for students.
• An area of focus in this module is about how authors develop a character's point of view, and how that character's point of view can change over time. Consider engaging in a service experience in which students interact with others with whom they may have preconceived notions (e.g., people of a different socioeconomic status, age, or ethnicit y). Direct students to write about their perception of this group before and after engaging in the service experience. Ask them to pay particular attention to the ways in which their point of view changed as a result of the experience.
• The Lightning Thief , like many Greek myths, follows the archetype of the Hero's Journey. Read about the stages of the Hero's Journey as described by Joseph Campbell, and apply the archetype to The Lightning Thief as well as many other well-known stories ( Star Wars , the Harry Potter series, The Lion Kin g, etc.).

Each unit file includes supporting materials for teachers and students, including guidance for supporting English language learners throughout this unit.

ELA 2019 G6:M1:U1

Build background knowledge: greek mythology, ela 2019 g6:m1:u2, write to inform: compare and contrast text and film of the lightning thief, ela 2019 g6:m1:u3, research to create a new character and write a narrative.

Each unit in the 6-8 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize students' understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Presentation: Revised Scene of The Lightning Thief

Throughout Unit 3, students plan, write, and revise a scene from The Lightning Thief written from the perspective of a new character who is the child of a Greek god, or another figure from a traditional story, and therefore has some of the powers of that chosen character. For the performance task, students create a multimedia presentation explaining their narrative choices: choice of Greek god (or a character from another traditional story), new character choices, choice of scene from The Lightning Thief to revise, and how and why they revised that scene. Students present to a live audience, such as members of the school community or parents, including reading aloud their revised scene.

Texts and resources that need to be procured. Please download the Required Trade Books and Resources Procurement List for procurement guidance.

Each module is approximately 6-8 weeks of instruction, broken into 3 units. The Module-at-a-Glance charts, available on the grade level landing pages, provide a big picture view of the module, breaking down the module into a week-by-week outline. It shows how the module unfolds, the focus of each week of instruction, and where the six assessments and the performance task occur.

View the module-at-a-glance chart

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An Introduction to Greek Mythology

Greek mythology is not only interesting, but it is also the foundation of allusion and character genesis in literature. In this lesson plan, students will gain an understanding of Greek mythology and the Olympian gods and goddesses.

Learning Objectives After completing the lessons in this unit, students will be able to:

• Understand the Greek view of creation.
• Understand the terms Chaos, Gaia, Uranus, Cronus, Zeus, Rhea, Hyperboreans, Ethiopia, Mediterranean, and Elysian Fields.
• Describe the Greek view of the world’s geography.
• Identify the names and key features of the Olympian gods/goddesses.
• Create their own god/goddess.
• Create their own myth explaining a natural phenomenon.
• D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths by Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire
• The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus by Aliki
• The Mighty 12: Superheroes of Greek Myths by Charles Smith
• Greek Myths and Legends by Cheryl Evans
• Mythology by Edith Hamilton (which served as a source for this lesson plan)
• A paper plate for each student
• Internet access to look up relevant sites

Note: Do not give student(s) the filled-in copy of the Gods/Goddesses chart. That is your answer key.

Lesson 1: Greek Creation Mythology

Although when we think of mythology we think of a collection of stories, there is a beginning to them. Understanding the beginning of the story, the creation of the world, gives us a framework to build upon as we learn about the different myths.

The short answer to how the Greeks viewed the creation of the world is this: Scary old gods came first; they got stomped down by their kids, who were better looking, younger gods. These gods created humans. Humans and gods fought for supremacy, and the humans won a few rounds but eventually got trounced and became more and more miserable.

Now, the longer answer: In the beginning, the universe was without form. It was not nothing; there was matter, but it was unorganized, shapeless, mixed up and dark. This was called Chaos.

After Chaos, more divinities, or gods, came into being.

Gaia, the Earth, held up Uranus, the sky. Gaia and Uranus had a bunch of kids. First they had a bunch of monsters including the Cyclops, and then they created the Titans as the second generation. Uranus hated all the Titans and was actually quite ugly about it — but there are only a couple of Titans that you need to remember: first, Oceanus, the god of the sea, and then Cronus, the strongest and best one of all. Gaia was pretty ticked at Uranus for being a jerk, so she helped Cronus overthrow him.

So, let’s keep this straight. Cronus is Uranus’s son. Cronus became the king (bye-bye Uranus), and married his sister, Rhea — another Titan. It’s like a soap opera. This was called the Golden Age because men, who had been made by a Titan named Prometheus, were living in harmony. Everything was hunky dory.

It didn’t last, though, because Cronus heard a prophecy that one of his sons would dethrone him, so every time his wife, Rhea, had a baby, he swallowed it. Rhea got a little sick of seeing all of her children swallowed alive, so she tricked Cronus when her sixth child, Zeus, was born; she wrapped up a rock to look like a baby and had Cronus swallow that instead. Zeus rescued his previously swallowed siblings, and all was right with the world.

The Greek view of the world was a little different than ours. The Greeks believed that the world was flat, but circular, like a paper plate. At the center of the Universe was Greece.

Their world was divided by the Mediterranean, which means "Middle of the Lands" in Latin. The river Ocean flowed around the world in a clockwise motion.

In the north lived the Hyperboreans — an extremely happy people for whom life was sweet. When the old people became tired of living, they threw themselves into the sea. This was a land of constant vacation where people were said to live for 1,000 years. In the south lived the Ethiopians. In Greek drama, mention is often made of various gods being in Ethiopia, meaning really far away. So, if I say I parked in Ethiopia this morning, would that mean I’m close to my office or far away? The Ethiopians were said to be on good terms with the gods and liked to entertain them. To the west were the Elysian Fields. This was the closest the Greeks got to the idea of heaven; only the best and brightest of the dead people got to go there.

• Read The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus by Aliki.
• Draw your own representation of the Greek view of the world on the paper plate using colored pencils and the map on the previous page as a guideline. Be sure to include the Ethiopians, the Hyperboreans and the Elysian Fields on your map.
• Directions for Paragraph: Begin with a topic sentence. Here is an example: The Greek view of the world both resembles and differs from the contemporary view.
• Next, list two ways the views are similar. Here are examples: The Greek view resembles the contemporary view in that: Additionally, the views are similar because:
• Next, list two ways the views are different. Here are examples: However, the Greek view is not the same as the contemporary view because the Greeks believed The Greeks also thought
• Last, you will state a conclusion. Here’s an example: Therefore, even though the views have similarities, they differ in important ways.

Lesson 2: The Olympian gods

Use the information in this lesson to begin to fill in the gods and goddesses chart at the end of this lesson; you will also need to do your own research to complete it. Now that you understand the way that the Greeks viewed the beginning of the world, you are ready to learn about the Olympian gods.

First, we have to explore exactly what we mean by "Olympian gods." Mount Olympus is a real mountain in the north of Greece. Gradually, it became associated less and less with an actual mountain and more with an imaginary place high above the earth. According to the ancient Greeks, the gate to Olympus was made of clouds and it was guarded by four goddesses, the Seasons. Each god had his or her own dwelling place, but Olympus was home base.

There were up to 14 gods considered Olympian gods. Seven of them were Zeus and his siblings, and seven others were children of Zeus. Sometimes only 12 will be listed. The Greeks and Romans shared mythology, so you will find two names for most gods.

Zeus was the king of the hill. He was dominating, powerful and had a soft spot for pretty women. He could be terrifying when angry. His symbols were the thunderbolts, or lightning bolts made for him by the Cyclopes (his uncles); the eagle; and the scepter, or rod. Please copy this information onto your chart.

Hades, or Pluto, was the god of the underworld and of the dead. He was called the same names by the Romans, but they also sometimes called him Dis or Dis Pater. He was Zeus’s brother and married Persephone after kidnapping her against her will. He was gloomy and frightening.

Next, we have Poseidon, or Neptune, as the Romans called him. He was Zeus’s brother, and he was the god of the sea and also earthquakes. He often is shown with a three-pronged spear called a trident that was made for him by his nephew, Hephaestus, and/or a fish.

Our first goddess is Hera. She sits on the right side of Zeus and is his wife. Of course, she’s his sister, too, but that’s the way it was on Olympus. Hera’s Roman name is Juno, and she is the queen of the gods. She is the guardian of marriage and was well-loved by the Greeks; it’s kind of sad that she’s the goddess of marriage but her own marriage was so bad. She was often jealous of her husband’s girlfriends and did mean things to them, even the ones who didn’t want anything to do with him, but she could be tender and loving as well. The peacock was her symbol. In fact, the circles in a peacock’s tail are said to be the eyes of her 100-eyed servant, Argus.

Next is Athena, or Minerva, the daughter who sprang fully formed from the head of Zeus after a major headache. She is the goddess of wisdom and war and also the protector and namesake of the city of Athens. She preferred reason to violence unless she was pushed. She turned Arachne into a spider for bragging that she could spin better than Athena. She was very competitive and is often pictured with her helmet and a spear. She carried Zeus’s shield, called the aegis. The owl was her bird. Can you see it in her hand?

Apollo was a twin. His Roman name was the same as his Greek name. He was the god of the sun or light, poetry, music and medicine and was famous for his oracles (wise women to whom he gave his power to predict and interpret the future). He was very proud and also protective of his mother and sister. His symbols were the gold bow and arrows, and he often appears golden and shining. He wears a laurel wreath in memory of Daphne, who didn’t want to be his lover and prayed to Mother Earth for help escaping him; she was turned into a laurel tree.

Artemis was Apollo’s twin. Her Roman name was Diana, and she was the goddess of hunting, chastity and the moon. She protects women and small children, is fiercely independent and particularly dislikes men. In pictures, she is seen accompanied by three hunting hounds, a bow and a fawn.

Ares or, as he is known by his Roman name, Mars, was the god of war. He would fight on both sides, if possible. He was young, strong and handsome, and liked to dress in battle clothes even when he wasn’t fighting.

Hephaestus, or Vulcan, was born lame and was further crippled when he was thrown from Olympus by his mother, Hera, in a rage. He was the only Olympian with a disability. He was unhappily married to Aphrodite and worked as a blacksmith in the gods’ forge.

Hephaestus’s wife, Aphrodite, whose Roman name was Venus, was the goddess of love and beauty. She was born out of sea foam when the blood of Uranus dropped into the ocean. She was the mother of Eros and was irresistibly charming, fickle, vain and competitive. Her symbol was a cestus, or magic belt, that made everyone fall in love with the wearer; sometimes she would lend it to humans. This is a famous painting of the birth of Venus, or Aphrodite, by Botticelli.

Dionysus was the partier of the mountain retreat. He was Zeus’s son by another woman, who was driven crazy by Hera and her jealousy. Dionysus went all around teaching people how to make wine and having a good time. Eventually, Hestia gave up her throne for him, and he lived on Olympus. He was the god of wine, of course, and also vegetation.

Hermes, or Mercury, was the god of science and invention, but he is best known as the messenger of the gods. He is often pictured with a winged helmet and sandals. He is said to have invented the alphabet, boxing and gymnastics! In this painting by Goltzius, you can see his helmet with wings; he’s not wearing his famous sandals, though.

Demeter was the goddess of the crops and the harvest. She is also known as Ceres (Roman) and sometimes Deo. Her symbols include a torch, a crown, a scepter and stalks of grain. She is often portrayed with her daughter, Persephone, who was kidnapped by Hades and taken to the underworld. By the time she was rescued, she’d eaten six pomegranate seeds, so she couldn’t escape the underworld entirely. Her mother was so frantic that winter draped the land and no crops would grow. A deal was struck, and Persephone was allowed to return to her mother for half of the year. So each year, when she returns to the underworld, fall comes, then winter — but when she returns to her mother, spring and summer come again.

Hestia was Zeus’s sister and the goddess and protectress of hearth and home. She is also known by her Roman name, Vesta. She was gentle and kind and was very popular with the Greeks. She didn’t have a lot of adventures, so she’s rarely pictured in art.

Now, use at least two sources in addition to what you read here to fill in your chart (next page) completely. Write down the sources you used on the back of the chart.

Book suggestions

• (If your library doesn’t have these, check around Dewey Decimal No. 398.2. That’s where Greek mythology is.)

Web references

• Some Great Greek Myths
• Mythography
• Encyclopedia Mythica

Lesson 3: Mythology biographical poem

A biographical poem, or biopoem, uses a simple but specific structure to describe the most important facts about someone. Your assignment is to write a biopoem about one of the gods or goddesses you have studied. You may choose any god or goddess (except Aphrodite, because she’s the example below). The blanks bewlow are for your rough draft. When you’re done, copy your final version onto a separate sheet of paper and, if you would like, decorate it.

Follow this format exactly, please:

Example (you may not use this goddess):

Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, Desire, Beauty and Fertility. A daughter of Zeus and Dione; wife of Hephaestus. Lover of sons Aeneas and Cupid and brother Ares. Who protects sailors. Who needs a chariot. Who fears War, Athena and Hera. Who gives Helen to Paris, a magic belt to Hera, and Medea to Jason. Resident of Mt. Olympus. Venus.

Lesson 4: Olympians quiz

Time to test yourself — and beware, answers may be used more than once!

• If you could have dinner with one god or goddess, who would it be and why?
• Which god or goddess do you think would make the best president and why?
• Imagine that Zeus has come to you and said that Olympus is lacking a god or goddess, and he needs you to help. Invent a new Olympian and describe him or her below.

Lesson 5: Putting it all together

Myths are a way of understanding the world. This lesson has been about Greek mythology, but every culture has myths. Myths define social customs and beliefs, explain natural and psychological phenomena, and provide a way for people to discuss things that cause anxiety.

Mythology is all around us. Here are just a few examples of places we find myths today:

• Days of the week — Wednesday (Woden or Odin — Norse god); Thursday (Thor — Norse god); Friday (Freya — Norse goddess); Saturday (Saturn — Roman god who ruled before Jove)
• Cars — Toyota Avalon and Cressida, Cadillac El Dorado, Honda Odyssey, Mercury
• Shoes — Nike
• Tires — Midas
• Astronomy — Constellations like Orion, the Argo, all of the planets and the Pleiades. The Milky Way itself was supposedly the road over which the stars traveled to Jupiter’s palace.
• NASA — The first part of U.S. space program was Project Mercury, named after the messenger of the gods because the project’s purpose was to send a message to the Soviets that America was in the space race. The Gemini Project was next; Gemini is Latin for "twins," and the project was called this because the capsule held two astronauts. Apollo astronauts rode on Saturn rockets.

Myths also make great stories. They come up in literature all over the place, from really serious stuff like Dante to comic strips. Myths inspire music; actually the word music comes from the mythological muses who inspired art of all kinds. Painters such as Michelangelo and Botticelli were inspired by myths. Even children’s movies are a good place to look for myths; you will find them everywhere, including Snow White, Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings. Can you find at least three examples of mythology connections in the world?

Lesson 6: Create your own myth

Hopefully myths inspire you, too, because you are about to create your own myth! As you know, myths were often used to explain natural phenomena. Your challenge is to create your own myth to explain some natural phenomenon or land formation. It could be anything from the origin of hurricanes to how the Grand Canyon or a mountain range was created. You will tell this myth in a story format.

Here are the guidelines:

• Your story must involve at least two Olympian gods or goddesses. It may contain other gods or goddesses as well.
• Your story must explain some natural phenomenon (such as a weather event) or some geological feature (a mountain range, a large valley, a sea, an ocean, a polar ice cap, etc.).
• Your story should be at least 350 words.
• Your story must have a clear beginning, middle and end.
• Your story should clearly show that you know something about Greek mythology. You will do this by including details about the Olympian gods and goddesses that show you know their powers, symbols and personalities.

Here are some ideas to get you thinking:

• Where did the Rocky Mountains come from?
• Where did the Mississippi River come from?
• What made the North and/or South Pole(s)?
• Why is Earth the third planet from the sun?
• Why is it dark at night?
• What is in the middle of the earth?

This series of lessons was designed to meet the needs of gifted children for extension beyond the standard curriculum with the greatest ease of use for the educator. The lessons may be given to the students for individual self-guided work, or they may be taught in a classroom or a home-school setting. Assessment strategies and rubrics are included at the end of each section. The rubrics often include a column for "scholar points," which are invitations for students to extend their efforts beyond that which is required, incorporating creativity or higher level technical skills.

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