LessonTopic:AncientGreekReligionandMythologyLessonTime:85minuteLessonVSOLAddressedStandards:WHI.5b- The student will demonstrate knowledge of

ancient Greece in terms of its impact on Western Civilization by describing Greek mythology and religion.

EssentialQuestions:

• How do ancient cultures influence our society today? • Where can I see the influence of ancient cultures in my everyday life?

Objectives:

• Students will understand: o How ancient civilizations influence modern culture.

• Students will know: o The different Greek gods and their significance in Greek Culture. o A Greek myth and its connections with modern society.

• Students will be able to do: o Describe the influence Greek mythology had in explaining everyday

occurrences. o Depict and explain a Greek myth through drawing. o Analyze Greek myths and make connections with to modern culture.

Assessments:• Diagnostic- Discussion: At the beginning of the Greek Religion PowerPoint the

teacher will ask a series of questions to determine what students already know about Greek Mythology, and to surface any misconceptions students may have.

• Formative- Student Worksheet and Drawing: The teacher will collect the student worksheet and drawing at the end of class to read how students interpreted their myths. This will inform the teacher of what students understood, know, and are able to do.

MaterialsandResources:

• Greek Religion handout • Greek Religion PowerPoint • Myths • Myth Worksheet • Colored Pencils • Blank paper

Procedures: 1) (10 mins) Greek Religion Induction: The teacher will pass out the Greek Religion

and Myth graphic organizer for students to fill out during the PowerPoint. The teacher will explain that the students will be learning about Greek religion and its impact on modern culture.

a) Slide 2: The teacher will start off the PowerPoint by asking students if they know anything about ancient Greek religion and if there are any Greek myths they know. The teacher will write student answers up on the board.

b) Slide 3: Ancient Greek Religion Polytheistic- More than one god Explanation for Nature, Humanity, and Life events

c) Slide 4: Ancient Greek Gods 12 Olympians: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Hermes, Ares, Athena, Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis, Dionysus, and Hephaestus Other Gods: Hades, Hestia, Hecate, Asclepius, Nemesis, Nike

d) Slide 5: Zeus: Lord of the Sky, King of the God Hera: Queen of the Gods, Goddess of Marriage, Family, and childbirth

e) Slide 6: The Twins Artemis: Goddess of the Hunt, Moon, and archery Apollo: God of Music, sun, poetry, oracles, and medicine

f) Slide 7: Athena: Goddess of wisdom and strategic war Aphrodite: Goddess of Love and Beauty

g) Slide 8: Ancient Greek Culture today Photo of Apollo 11, Nike Brand, and Medicine Symbol 2) (5 mins) Activity Instructions: The teacher will explain that the students will work

independently on a cartoon or drawing project. Each student will be given a myth to read. The student will fill out a worksheet about the myth and then the student will draw a cartoon or a scene from the myth. The teacher will explain that students will not be graded on the quality of their drawing, but on the thought and effort they put into their depiction.

3) (40 mins) Myth reading and drawing activity: Each student will be given a

separate myth to read and will be fill in a worksheet about the myth. The worksheet will ask who the main Characters in the myth are, what happened in the myth, and how the myth may be used to explain daily life. Next the students will draw a scene from the myth or draw a cartoon depicting the myth. While students are working on their myths, the teacher will be circulating the classroom, reviewing student work, asking questions to facilitate higher thinking, and giving feedback on student work.

4) (20 mins) Short Student Presentations: Once the students are done, they will

quickly present their assigned myth and cartoon/drawing to the class.

5) (5 mins) Exit Slip: In the last five minutes of class, the teacher will ask student to write down on their worksheet how Greek mythology impacts the culture they live in. At the end of class, students will turn in their worksheet and their cartoon/drawing for the teacher to review.

AncientGreekReligion

TheAncientGreekswere____________________________,meaningtheybelievedinmorethanoneGod.TheGreeksusedtheirreligiontoexplain: 1. 2. 3.The12godsonMountOlympusarecalledthe___________________________.

God/Goddess GodorGoddessofwhat?Zeus

Hera

Artemis

Apollo

Athena

Aphrodite

MythActivityDirections

PleasecarefullyreadthroughtheGreekmythyouhavebeengiven.Onceyouhavereadthroughthemyth,fillouttheyourworksheet.1. Who are the main Characters in your Myth? (Name both Gods and

Humans) 2. What do you think the purpose of your myth is? What is the point of

telling the story? (Think about what happens to the characters at the end) 3. How does your myth relate to American culture today? Have you ever

seen references to this myth in American culture? Onceyouhavefinishedyourworksheet,pleasedrawascenefromthemythoracartoonstripthattellsyourmythandthemeaningbehindit.Bereadytobrieflyexplainyourmythandshareyourdrawing.

Myth#1Prometheus

Prometheus and Epimetheus were spared imprisonment in Tartarus because they had not fought with their fellow Titans during the war with the Olympians. They were given the task of creating man. Prometheus shaped man out of mud, and Athena breathed life into his clay figure.

Prometheus had assigned Epimetheus the task of giving the creatures of the earth their various qualities, such as swiftness, cunning, strength, fur, and wings. Unfortunately, by the time he got to man Epimetheus had given all the good qualities out and there were none left for man. So Prometheus decided to make man stand upright as the gods did and to give him fire.

Prometheus loved man more then the Olympians, who had banished most of his family to Tartarus. So when Zeus decreed that man must present a portion of each animal he scarified to the gods, Prometheus decided to trick Zeus. He created two piles, one with the bones wrapped in juicy fat, the other with the good meat hidden in the hide. He then bade Zeus to pick. Zeus picked the bones. Since he had given his word, Zeus had to accept this pile as his share for future sacrifices. In his anger over the trick, he took fire away from man. However, Prometheus lit a torch from the sun and brought it back again to man. Zeus was enraged that man again had fire. He decided to inflict a terrible punishment on both man and Prometheus.

AtZeus’order,PrometheuswaschainedtoarockintheCaucasusMountainswherehistorturewastobecarriedout.EverydayagreatEaglewouldcometoPrometheusandeathisliver,leavingonlyatnightfallwhentheliverwouldbegintogrowbackoncemore.Atdaybreak,theeaglewouldreturntothechainedPrometheusandagainattackhisbody,eatinghisliver.Thedailyritualwouldrepeatitselfintoeternity.HeracleswouldonedayfreePrometheusatZeus’command.

Myth#2Pandora’sBox

WiththehelpofHephaestos,hecreatedawomanfromclay.ThegoddessAthenathenbreathedlifeintotheclay,AphroditemadeherverybeautifulandHermestaughtherhowtobebothcharminganddeceitful.ZeuscalledherPandoraandsentherasagifttoEpimetheus.HisbrotherPrometheushadwarnedhimnottoacceptanygiftsfromthegodsbutEpimetheuswascompletelycharmedbythewomanandthoughtPandorawassobeautifulthatshecouldnevercauseanyharm,soheagreedtomarryher.Zeus,pleasedthathistrapwasworking,gavePandoraaweddinggiftofabeautifulbox.Therewasonevery,veryimportantconditionhowever,thatshemustneveropenedthebox.Pandorawasverycuriousaboutthecontentsoftheboxbutshehadpromisedthatshewouldneveropenit.Allshecouldthinkaboutwas;whatcouldbeinthebox?Shecouldnotunderstandwhysomeonewouldsendheraboxifshecouldnotseewhatwasinit.Itseemedtomakenosenseatalltoherandshecouldthinkofnothingelsebutofopeningtheboxandunlockingitssecrets.ThiswasjustwhatZeushadplanned.Finally,Pandoracouldstanditnolonger.WhensheknewEpimetheuswasoutofsight,shecreptuptothebox,tookthekey,sliditintothelockandturnedit.Shetookadeepbreath,closedhereyesandslowlyliftedthelidofthebox.Sheopenedhereyesandlookedintothebox,expectingtoseefinesilks,gownsorgoldbraceletsandnecklacesorevenpilesofgoldcoins.Buttherewasnogleamofgoldortreasure.Therewerenoshiningbraceletsandnotonebeautifuldress!Thelookofexcitementonherfacequicklyturnedtooneofdisappointmentandthenhorror.ForZeushadpackedtheboxfullofalltheterribleevilshecouldthinkof.Outoftheboxpoureddisease,poverty,misery,outcamedeath,outcamesadness-allshapedliketinybuzzingmoths.AllthatremainedintheboxwasHope.

Myth#3AthenaandArachne

In a small town of Ledia, in Northern Greece, there once lived a beautiful maid with the name Arachne. Arachne was famous in town for being a very skillful weaver and spinner and every day many girls and nymphs were stopping by to see her weave. However, Arachne was a very vain girl and couldn’t stop boasting about her talent. She claimed that she had learned the skill all by herself and that there was no one else in the world who could weave as delicately as her... she even felt that she could compete against Athena, the goddess of skill, and win her with ease. When Athena heard these words, she got disappointed and decided to disguise as an old lady and appear in front of Arachne. "My dear", she told Arachne, "I am old and have much experience from life, so let me give you one advice: don’t ever mess up with a goddess! No mortal can compete against Athena. Take back your words and kindly ask for forgiveness..."

Arachne got furious and threw the thread against the old woman, telling her: "I don’t need your advice, I know best what I can do! If Athena really dares, then she should come here and compete against me!"

At that moment, the old woman transformed herself into the radiant goddess Athena. On her sight, everybody in the room kneeled down in awe... not so Arachne, who couldn't wait to compete against her.

Soon the competition started and both contestants were doing really well. Athena was weaving the Parthenon and her contest with god Poseidon. Arachne, on the other hand, was making fun of the gods by weaving scenes of gods full of weaknesses and fears. Arachne’s work seemed to be perfect technically, yet it was not beautiful because it was showing disregard of the gods. When she saw this, Athena became very offended and told Arachne: "You may be foolish and stubborn, but you seem to love your work. So why don’t you go ahead and spin forever!"

Immediately, Athena sprinkled her with the juice of magical herbs and the body of Arachne transformed into a small and ugly animal, which nowadays is known as the spider. Since then, the spider is cursed to be trapped inside her own web, weaving constantly and endlessly... but having finally all her works destroyed by man!

Myth#4TheFeastofLycaon

InthenorthernpartofGreece,inArcadia,thetyrantLycaonrefusedtoworshipthegodsandmockedhispeopleforbelievinginthem.ZeusdisguisedhimselfasamortalmanandtraveledtoArcadiatofindoutforhimselfhowbadlyLycaoncouldbehave.Whenthekingofthegodstoldpeasantsandtownsfolkthatwasnomortalmanbutagod,theybelievedhimandstartedtoworshiphimashedeserved.ButLycaonwouldnotlistentothetravelerandbegantomockhispeoplefortheirinnocence.Heevenwentsofarastopromisehispeoplethathewouldputthis“god”toatest,atesthefeltwouldnotfail.“Everyoneknowsthatgodsareimmortal,”Lycaonsaid.“AllIhavetodoistokillthisfellowandyouwillallseehowfoolishyouhavebeen.”Lycaonplannedtokillhisguestinthemiddleofthenight.ButfirstLycaonwantedhisguesttoeatforbiddenfood.Lycaonhadacaptiveinhisprisoncells,soheslitthethroatofhishostage.Heputpartsofthebodyonaroastingspitandotherpartsinameatstew.Heservedhisguestwiththefoodaswellasfreshbreadandwine.Zeusimmediatelystruckthemeatformthetableinanger,andsenthisthunderboltflyingagainstthewallsofthepalace.Thepalacecollapsedinflames,butLycaonwasquickenoughtoescape.ThevengeanceofZeusfollowedhimashefledintothecountryside.Hebeggedforhelp,butslowlyhispleassoundedmorelikesnarlsandhowls.Hisclothesfellawayashisbodybegantochangeshape.Lycaoncouldnolongerrunlikeaman,butfoundhimselfonallfours,hisarmschangingintothinlegs,hisskingrowingcoarsehairs,hisearslengthening,andhismouthstretchingforwardintoasnout.ZeushadtransformedLycaonintoawolf.However,evenasawolf,hestillwasthesamebloodthirstyLycaon.HecontinuedtopreyonthesheepandgoatsofArcadia.

Myth#5EchoandNarcissus

One day Echo enabled the escape of the goddess Hera’s adulterous husband (Zeus) by engaging Hera in conversation. On finding out Echo's treachery Hera cursed Echo by removing her voice with the exception that she could only speak that which was spoken to her.

Echo often waited in the woods to see Narcissus hoping for a chance to be noticed. One day as she lingered in the bushes he heard her footsteps and called out “Who's here?” Echo replied “Here!” Narcissus called again "Come", Echo replied "Come!". Narcissus called once more “Why do you shun me?... Let us join one another.” Echo was overjoyed that Narcissus had asked her to join him. She longed to tell him who she was and of all the love she had for him in her heart but she could not speak. She ran towards him and threw herself upon him.

Narcissus became angry “Hands off! I would rather die than you should have me!” and threw Echo to the ground. Echo left the woods a ruin, her heart broken. Ashamed she ran away to live in the mountains yearning for a love that would never be returned. The grief killed her. Her body became one with the mountain stone. All that remained was her voice which replied in kind when others spoke.

Narcissus continued to attract many nymphs all of whom he briefly entertained before scorning and refusing them. The gods grew tired of his behaviour and cursed Narcissus. They wanted him to know what it felt like to love and never be loved. They made it so there was only one whom he would love, someone who was not real and could never love him back.

One day whilst out enjoying the sunshine Narcissus came upon a pool of water. As he gazed into it he caught a glimpse of what he thought was a beautiful water spirit. He did not recognise his own reflection and was immediately enamoured. Narcissus bent down his head to kiss the vision. As he did so the reflection mimicked his actions. Taking this as a sign of reciprocation Narcissus reached into the pool to draw the water spirit to him. The water displaced and the vision was gone. He panicked, where had his love gone? When the water became calm the water spirit returned. “Why, beautiful being, do you shun me? Surely my face is not one to repel you. The nymphs love me, and you yourself look not indifferent upon me. When I stretch forth my arms you do the same; and you smile upon me and answer my beckonings with the like.” Again he reached out and again his love disappeared. Frightened to touch the water Narcissus lay still by the pool gazing in to the eyes of his vision.

He cried in frustration. As he did so Echo also cried. He did not move, he did not eat or drink, he only suffered. As he pined he became gaunt loosing his beauty. The nymphs that loved him pleaded with him to come away from the pool. As they did so Echo also pleaded with him. He was transfixed; he wanted to stay there forever. Narcissus like Echo died with grief. His body disappeared and where his body once lay a flower grew in it's place. The nymphs mourned his death and as they mourned Echo also mourned.

Myth#6StartoftheTrojanWar

Zeus chose the hero Peleus, son of Aeacus, as the most worthy of mortals. All the gods and goddesses were invited to her wedding except Eris, goddess of discord. Furious of this slight, Eris threw a golden apple, inscribed "For the fairest", in the midst of the guests. The wedding was marred, when three powerful goddesses wished to claim the prize as the fairest: Hera, Athena and Aphrodite.

The three goddesses asked Zeus to be their judge. Wishing to have nothing to with the contest, Zeus directed Hermes to refer the arbitration to Paris, a Trojan prince, the young son of Priam and Hecuba.

Eachgoddessofferedtorewardhimifhechoseher.Athenaofferedtomakehimbecomeagreatheroorgeneral;Heraofferedtomakehimruleroftherichestandpowerfulkingdom;whileAphroditeofferedhimthemostbeautifulwomanintheworldinmarriage:HelenofSparta.ParisfoolishlydecidedinAphrodite'sfavourandawardedherthegoldenappleasthefairestofthemall.Troywastosuffertheenmityofthetwomostpowerfulgoddesses.ThedirectcauseofthiswarwasthebeautyofHelenofTroy,daughteroftheGreekgodZeusandLeda,theQueenofSparta.HelenwasmuchcovetedbyallofthemeninTroy,sowhenshechoseahusband,theKingofSpartamadeallmenswearthattheywouldacceptHelen'schoiceofahusbandandthattheywouldalsodefendherifanyonetriedtotakeherawayfromthatman.

ParisthentravelledtoSparta,wherehestayedwithHelenandherhusband,KingMenelausofSparta.Helen,themostbeautifulwomanknowntomanwasParis'sobjectofdesireandheaskedAphroditeforher.Helen,soonfellundertheinfluenceofAphroditeandagreedtoelopewithParistoTroy.Menelaus,extremelyangeredbythecourseofactionscalledupontheGreekstohelphimreturnhiswifebacktoSparta,sincetheTrojansrefusedtoreturnHelen.TheGreekwarriorsassembled1,000shipsandsailedofftoTroy.

Myth#7PersephoneandHades

Hades,godoftheUnderworld,fellinlovewithPersephoneandwantedherashisbride.HisbrotherZeusconsentedtothemarriage—oratleastrefusedtoopposeit.YethewarnedHadesthatDemeterwouldneverapprovethiscoupling,forshewouldnotwantherdaughterspiritedofftoasunlessworld.AtZeus'ssuggestion—orwithhistacitunderstanding—Hadesresolvedtoabductthemaiden.

PersephonewasgatheringflowersonedayonaplaininSicily.Hadessuddenlyappeared,thunderingacrosstheplaininhisfour-horsechariot.ThegodswoopeddownuponPersephone,scoopedherupwithonearm.Theappearance,abduction,anddisappearancehappenedsoswiftlythatnoneofPersephone'scompanionswitnessedthekidnapping.Andthoughshecalledouttothem—andplaintivelycalledforhermother—nooneheardherpleas.TheearthopenedupbeforeHades'chariotandthegoddrovethejet-blackhorsesdownintothechasm.AsHadesandPersephonedisappearedintothedepths,theholeclosedupbehindthem.

Demetersooncametocollectherdaughter,butcouldnotfindatraceofPersephone.Distraughtanddesperate,Demetersearchedhighandlowforherdaughter.Shetraveledtothefarthestcornersoftheearth,searchingforninefulldaysandnightswithouteverstoppingtoeat,drink,bathe,orrest.Demeterwasinafury.Shedestroyedlands,crops,andlivestockasshebewailedthelossofherdaughter.

ShethreatenedtomaketheearthbarrenforeverandthusdestroyallofhumankindifshedidnotfindPersephone.Finally,onthetenthday,thegoddessHecatetoldDemeterthatPersephonehadbeencarriedaway,butshedidnotknowbywhom.ThetwogoddesseswenttoHelius,thegodofthesun,whosaweverythingthathappenedonEarth.Heliusdidtellherwhathadhappened,butalsotriedtopersuadeDemeterthatHades—asZeus'sbrotherandrulerofonethirdoftheuniverse—wasnotanunfithusbandforPersephone.

DemeterrefusedtoacceptHadesasasuitablemateforherpreciousdaughter.EnragedbythenewsofPersephone'sabduction(andZeus'spossiblecomplicity),sherefusedtoreturntoMountOlympus.Instead

sheroamedtheearthintheguiseofamortal,forbiddingthetreestobearfruitandtheearthtonurturevegetablesandherbs.

Afterafullyearoffaminehadplaguedtheearth,ZeusrealizedthatifheallowedDemetertopersist,allofhumankindwouldstarve—leavingnoonetohonorandmakeofferingstothegods.ZeussentaparadeofgodsandgoddessestoDemetertobeghertocomebacktoOlympusandtorestorefertilitytotheearth.

ButDemeterrefusedtobudgeuntilherdaughterstoodbyherside.Zeushadnochoice:Herelented,promisingtobringPersephonebacktohermother.

Hermes,summonedbyZeus,raceddowntoHadestofetchPersephone.Hadesshruggedcompliantlyandagreedtolethergo.Persephonehadnoteatenasinglething—whetherfromsorrow,lossofappetite,orstubbornness—sinceherarrivalintheUnderworld.Butbeforesheleft,HadesurgedPersephonetoappeaseherterriblehungerbyeatingasinglepomegranateseed.Sadly,thisapparentactofkindnesswasatrick:AnyonewhotastesthefoodofHadesmustremainintheUnderworld.Thedeedhavingbeendone,Rhea—themotherofZeus,Demeter,andHades—proposedacompromisethatherchildrenreluctantlyaccepted:SincePersephonehadeatenthere,shehadtodwellatleastpartofeveryyearintheUnderworld.RheasuggestedthatPersephonespendsixmonths(or,accordingtosome,threeorfourmonths)asQueenoftheUnderworldandtherestoftheyearwithDemeter.

Afteragreeingtothedeal,DemeterrestoredEarth'sfertilityandreturnedtoOlympuswithPersephone.ButwhenthetimecameforPersephonetoreturntotheUnderworld,theearthbecamecolderandlessfertileuntilherreemergencemonthslater.

Myth#8PoseidonandAthena

There once came a time in Ancient Greece when the first king of Athens, Cecrops, who was half person and half snake, had to find a patron deity for the city state of Athens. The two Olympian gods who were particularly interested in the patronage were Poseidon, the god of the Seas and Athena, the goddess of Wisdom and Skill. They presented themselves in front of Cecrops and Cecrops asked from them to offer a gift truly valuable for Athens. Poseidon came first: he struck the earth powerfully and created a well with his trident. Immediately, streaming water shot forth, but the water turned out to be salty and not very useful for the population.

Next, it was the turn of goddess Athena. Athena stepped forward, struck her spear into the ground and then she kneeled and planted an olive branch in it. This way she created an olive tree, as a symbolization of peace and prosperity on earth.

The people were very impressed by Athena’s gift. So they chose Athena to lay claim of the city of Athens and the city was named after her. God Poseidon, however, was not pleased with the decision of Cecrops and cursed the city of Athens to never have enough water from then on. After that, it is said that a major problem of water shortage started in Athens.