Activities to Introduce Greek Mythology

The stories of Homer provide an excellent introduction to Greek mythology.

Greek mythology has provided inspiration for writers, artists and musicians for thousands of years. The poems of Homer date as some of the oldest recorded stories in Western literature. The Romans were so captivated by the Greek gods, they renamed and assimilated them into their own society. To educate students about Greek mythology, a teacher can use several entertaining activities that will engage the class.

Literature

"The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" are two of the earliest adventure stories in Western literature. "The Iliad" tells the story of the Trojan War, while "The Odyssey" tells the story of Odysseus and his perilous journey returning home from the war. As a classroom activity, read aloud selections of "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" to your class. Create a multimedia presentation that assembles images of the cyclops, Circe, Achilles and Poseidon to compliment the reading of each story.

Greek Family Tree

Starting with the Titans, assign your students the task of creating a family tree for the different Greek gods. Cronus, the father of Zeus, Poseidon and Hades, would sit atop of the tree, with different branches diverging off for his three sons and their offspring. Zeus, the king of the gods, was known in Greek mythology as the progenitor of many lines of gods and demi-gods. Focusing on his branch of the tree, you could then begin studying some of Zeus' famous offspring such as Hercules, Perseus and Pandora.

Plays

The Greek playwright Aristophanes wrote early comedies that lampooned the gods and Greek culture. In "The Frogs," Aristophanes pokes fun at the patron god of theater, Dionysus, who enlists the help of his half-brother, Hercules, for advice on how to travel to Hades in order to bring Euripides back from the dead. (Reference 2) Stage a reading of the play as a classroom activity and assign the different roles to your students. Students without a role could be assigned the task of creating props and backgrounds for the class production.

Film

Dozens of films depict the tales of Greek heroes. From "Clash of the Titans" to "Percy Jackson and the Olympians," Hollywood has frequently brought the compelling action of Greek mythology to the screen. Contrast the Hollywood representation of Greek mythology with the depiction of Greek gods in stories you read in class. Ask your students to describe how the gods in the stories differ from those depicted in film. Assign a paper that asks your students to contrast the different themes each medium presents about Greek mythology.

References

• Greek Mythology: Zeus
• Theater History: "The Frogs" Summary