Greek mythology

How to learn the Greek gods and goddesses

We are reaching one of my favorite parts of Ancient history, Greek and Greek mythology.  I was blessed enough to go to Europe in high school, and while there I found the most awesome book about Greek mythology and read it over and over again. I may or may not have used it in my high school history lessons.

learn the Greek Gods and Goddesses

 

Getting ready for this introduction to Greek mythology

Life has been a little screwy, we’re a bit behind in our history lessons for where I’d like to be, so this Greek mythology lesson served as our introduction to Ancient Greece.

Supplies needed: printout, a couple of good books about Greek gods and goddesses, OR a smart phone

I set the kids to doing this with our friends from the E family while I got groceries, so the pictures are all taken by the kids.

Greek mythology lesson research

 

{as related to me by the kids}

Setting the kids to the task of finding out about Greek Mythology

They started off going through the books I’d set out to find the answers: D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths, Greek Myths, and one other book I can’t find right now because the kids cleaned it up {these are all affiliate links}.

But they very quickly discovered the answers weren’t easy to find in the books.  You had to actually read and search through them, especially because the “Greek Myths” book was just stories told in comic format.  The D’Aulaires had all of the information, but it was in text format where you might have to read a page or two for each god.

I had also told them they could look the information up on S’s phone, so they took to researching the Greek mythology that way.

filling out greek mythology lesson

 

And working together they got the whole thing filled out.

So, why did I start them out with this for a Greek mythology lesson?

  1. The Greek gods and goddesses are integral to who the Greeks were, and much of their life and philosophy.
  2. I plan to read them Tales from the Odyssey, Part 1{affiliate link}, and it will be helpful to already have some knowledge of the gods. [Confession, I have never made it through the Odyssey because it’s poetry, I have read several summaries, but it’s POETRY, POETRY, I’m hoping to rectify that this year, I don’t hold much hope.  I’m gonna get a couple of bits in and give up again] -Future Ticia here, I still have not recitified this problem, it’s still poetry.
  3. I also want them to have a background in mythology because many of our words come from Greek mythology (that’s a high school or junior high level activity, that I can’t wait to do with them)
  4. I want them to be able to identify Greek gods and goddesses when they see them in statues [that’s today’s acitvity]

Creation to Christ 3

I’m taking this picture from the Parthenon in Tennessee and having them try to identify the figures on it (currently this is my Creation to Christ board cover)

 

 

I’ve got a few other posts I’d done on Greek mythology previously:

10 Books to Hook your kids on mythology

Hands on Minoan lessons

Minoan history

On Thursday I’m rounding up all the activities linked to the history/geography linkie from Thursday to put together into a giant resource for Ancient Greece.


Comments

14 responses to “How to learn the Greek gods and goddesses”

  1. Looks like a fun lesson, and I like how you made them responsible for taking the pictures for the blog. I don’t think mine would have done it! On a side note, your blog header is super exciting to Eli. he saw it and ran over yelling, “Batman, Batman!”

    1. My kids love when I leave them the camera to use, and it always gets me unusual pictures.

      🙂 nice about Eli.

  2. I love how you approached this! The idea of setting them the challenge and letting them take the reins is terrific!

    1. Thanks! I’ve been slowly training them on being able to do the project by themselves, and this time it paid off in dividends. I’ll have to restart once the E family moves because my kids aren’t quite old enough to do this alone, but this lets me see it’s possible.

  3. I love that you let them research on the phone..my daughter would think that is the coolest ever!

    1. They certainly all enjoyed working on the phone.

  4. maryanne @ mama smiles Avatar
    maryanne @ mama smiles

    Love your printable for this! Will have to remember to do this with Emma this summer, when we aren’t so busy with school.

    1. I bet Emma will love it.

  5. I am curious to give Smarty this challenge – my thought that she will be able to do it without consulting any books, but the “symbol” part might trip her. Now I am thinking of what would be the symbol for Hades or Hephaestus…

  6. What a great lesson! And I agree, how wonderful that they were able to do it whilst you weren’t there. Way to go, mum!!

  7. Great lesson 🙂 It is always great to see the core of subjects being studied. Too many times we teach what we want to instead of what we need to before getting to what we want to.

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