Pop Culture Recent blockbuster films drawn from popular books
such as Lord of the Rings and Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The
Lightning Thief and video games like the God of War series have
piqued interest in traditional Greek and European mythologywhile
other films such as Princess Mononoke and Prince of Persia, not to
mention the Manga craze, lead young adults toward an interest in
lesser-known mythologies such as Japanese and Middle Eastern.
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History Mythology in high school is becoming a great way to
become interested in reading, writing, and researching ancient
history. You will come in contact with a variety of world cultures
while comparing those cultures to your own Mythology also teaches
history by examining ancient times and their effect on the modern
world.
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Literacy The study of Greco-Roman and Norse mythology also
strengthens students' understanding of language since many English
words are derived from characters and events found within. It can
also increase students' appreciation for Literature and art by
understanding the many mythological allusions.
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High Level of Thinking By studying ancient mythologies,
students start thinking analytically about modern culture,
analyzing the traces of ancient mythology left behind and the
legends that have been created in their own day.
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Multifaceted Because of its multifaceted nature, mythology is
hard to categorize into one single subject area. Some schools teach
mythology as a history or sociology course. Others emphasize the
literary importance and teach mythology as an English or
Communication Arts course. Teachers of Latin often teach
mythological stories to supplement the study of language.
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The Best Part Mythology combines many different facets of
learning into one object of study. Mythological stories are often
interesting and fun! A Mythology course can be simultaneously
educational and entertaining. Mrs. Madden is the teacher
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ARTHURIAN LEGENDS The legends associated with King Arthur and
his legendary court of Camelot have delighted generations of
readers. Modern concepts of chivalry and valor find their roots in
these medieval tales of gallantry. By studying these legends,
students can better understand the way real events can inspire
legends and how a society's values can redefine the ways in which
legends are told.
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GREEK MYTHOLOGY Out of all the mythologies of the world, Greek
mythology has had the most influence on Western culture. Literally
thousands of artists and writers have used Greek mythology as their
muse--bringing the ancient stories to life through sculpture,
painting, poetry, and song
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ROMAN MYTHOLOGY The ancient Romans appropriated (a nice word
for "stole") their culture from the Greeks, whose creativity they
greatly admired. Along with other facets of Greek culture, the
Romans adopted the Greek myths as well-- making sure they changed
the names from Greek to Latin.
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NORSE MYTHOLOGY The myths of the Norsemen are some of the most
rousing tales ever told. Not only do they entertain, but hey
perfectly illustrate the Viking ideal of unflinching bravery and
courage in spite of inevitable doom. As far as modern-day
connections, the Norse gods Odin, Thor, Tyr, and Frigga (along with
the Sun and the Moon) are the inspiration for the days of the week:
Sun-day, Moon-day, Tyr's day, Woden's (Odin) day, Thor's day, and
Frigga's day.
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THE HERO'S JOURNEY A hero is someone who has given his or her
life to something bigger than oneself. Joseph Campbell Years of
research lead Campbell to discover several basic stages that almost
every hero- quest goes through (no matter what culture the myth is
a part of). He calls this common structure the monomyth. It is
commonly referred to as "The Hero's Journey." George Lucas, the
creator of Star Wars, claims that Campbells monomyth was the
inspiration for his groundbreaking films.
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JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY Izanagi and Izanami According to Shinto
belief, Izanagi and Izanami were the eighth pair of deities to
appear after the heaven and earth had been formed out of chaos.
They were ordered to create the islands of Japan, and did so by
standing on the bridge of Heaven and lowering a spear into the sea
and stirring. When Izanagi removed his spear, a droplet fell from
its tip and became the first island.
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FAIRY TALES AND FOLKLORE The Firebird and Princess Vassilissa:
A Russian Folktale In this humorous take on the traditional tale, a
young archer must capture the magical creature called the Firebird
for his Czar. In the process he also wins the hand of the beautiful
princess, Vassilissa. He accomplishes his mission with the help of
a magical talking horse.
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Class Structure and Project Readers Theatre Many of the Myths
that we will study will be read in the form of Readers Theatre You
are required to participate Volunteers will have first choice for
parts, other roles will be assigned After reading the script some
form of assessment will be given either orally or in writing Local
Legend Project Complete a semester project based on a local legend.
Students search out the history behind the legend and form a thesis
as to how the legend originated. At the end of the semester, make a
presentation, turn in a folder filled with collected research, and
write an informative paper.