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Europe Today

DiHerentiated Instruction

Scandinavian Mythology Norse or Scandinavian mythology refers to the religious beliefs of

the Scandinavian people before the arrival of Christianity. Much of what we know about Scandinavian mythology is contained in Old Norse literature and narrated folktales called Eddas. There were two main groups of gods in Scandinavian mythology-the lEsir and the Vanir. The lEsir were concerned with power and war, and the Vanir were fertility and prosperity gods. The following table lists some of the more important gods and goddesses of Scandinavian mythology.

Name of Deity Role

Odin king of the gods; god of war and wisdom

Frigg goddess of the home, marriage, motherhood, and love; wife of Odin

Baldr god of innocence and beauty; son of Odin

Vidar god of revenge; son of Odin

Thor god of thunder; protected humans and the other gods from giants

Sif goddess of the harvest; wife ofThor

Frey god of prosperity

Freya goddess of fertility; sister of Frey

Dagr god of daytime

Tyr god of battles and bravery

Bragi god of poetry . Forseti god of justice

Idun goddess of youth, fertility, and death

Njord god of the sea, wind, fish, and wealth

Skadi goddess of winter and the hunt; wife of Njord

Loki god of mischief; the trickster

Hel goddess of the dead; daughter of Loki

Source: Microsoft Encarta.

Directions: On a separate sheet of paper, answer the following questions.

1. Identifying Which of the above Scandinavian gods or goddesses might have been called upon by the following people: (a) a woman about to have a baby; (b) a man preparing for battle; (c) a hunter tracking antelope; and (d) someone unfairly accused of a crime? Explain.

2. Drawing Conclusions To which clan of deity do you think Tyr belonged: lEsir or Vanir? Why?

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-Teaching Strategies for Different Learning Styles

, The following activities are ways the basic lesson can be modified to accommodate students' different learning styles.

English Learners (EL)

Have students (1) identify which Scandina­vian deities were male and which were female, and (2) pick one of the deities and give a spe­cific example of one way that god or goddess might help a mortal (e.g., Sif might ensure a good harvest).

Verbal/Linguistic; Visual/Spatial; I nterpersona I

Students should work with a partner to complete this assignment. Ask students to prepare an oral report on one of the Scandi­navian deities. The report should include: (1) the name of the deity; (2) alternate names and spellings for the deity; (3) the deity's clan (e.g., iEsir, Vanir); (4) a family tree for the deity (parents, children, siblings); (5) an in-depth description of the deity's role; (6) special attributes associated with the god (e.g., Odin's spear Gungnir); and (7) a portrait of the deity.

Logical/Mathematical Have students make a crossword puzzle

using the information in the table. Clues might include family relationships (e.g., "She called Loki father"; answer: Hel) or be related to one of the deity's roles (e.g., "an important god to sailors"; answer: Njord):

Kinesthetic; Intra personal Organize the class into two groups, and ask

each to create a short skit involving some of the gods and goddesses in the table. Students should conduct whatever research they think is necessary to develop an appropriate story and dialogue. Encourage them to be creative with costumes and props as well. When stu­dents are ready, they can perform their skits in class.

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Auditory/Musical

Ask students to write a song, chant, or cheer about the Scandinavian deity of their choice. The content and overall tone of the song should be appropriate (e.g., a song to Odin would likely be more "macho" than a song to Frigg).

Verbal/Linguistic; Intrapersonal

Asatru is a recent religious movement that seeks to revive the beliefs and practices of Scandinavian mythology. It is an officially recognized religion in many Nordic countries. Ask students to research this development and write a two-page paper about it.

Advanced Learners

Our language, literature, and popular culture are full of allusions to Scandinavian myths. Have students find some examples and report their findings in a two-page report. Students might investigate stories or movies that refer to Scandinavian mythological char­acters (e.g., Lord of the Rings), common words that allude to these characters (e.g., several days of the week), or even games (e.g., Dun­geons and Dragons).

Below Grade Level

Carousel brainstorming generates back­ground knowledge on a topic. Organize the class into groups of three or four students. Give each group paper, and give each student a different-colored marker. Ask the groups: What do the Scandinavian deities tell us about the practice of daily life in pre-Christian Scandinavia? Instruct one student in each group to write down an idea or a thought about the topic. Then have the next student in the group add another item, using a different-colored marker. This process continues until each student in the group has listed two or three items. Display the sheets in the classroom.