Ancient Mythology: Meet the Greek AND Roman Gods! Ages 9-14 (semester)

DESCRIPTION: In this course learners will dive deep into the world of Greek and Roman mythology. It will focus on the ancient Greek and Roman gods by reading the myths of Ancient Greece and Rome that originate from these cultures. Through a lecture and discussion format of classes, students will be introduced to the Titians, the twelve Olympian gods, other minor but well-known gods, and the famous myths that tell their stories. In addition, students will explore the nature of myth and the function it played in ancient Greek and Roman societies, especially how the Greeks and Romans themselves understood their own myths. Each week will focus on a specific myth and one or two gods in the myth. Students will learn how the events and lessons in myth applied to everyday life in ancient culture. 

LEARNING GOALS: This course is largely based on discussion and participation in order to foster students' critical reading and thinking skills. This is accomplished through discussion questions and journal entries. Participation is an important feature of this course. Students will also learn how to research a topic and write a short research paper (1-2 pages) in which they analyze and discuss their findings.

This class will use Google classroom for assignments, discussions, and other resources. Each class will have a theme and focus on either a selected piece of literature or a specific character in classical mythology. 


Class Outline (subject to small changes)

Week One: What is Myth?
- Defining myth 
- Modern myth
- Greek vs. Roman 

Week Two: Creation
- Where do the Titans come from?
- Students start their "Myth Family Tree"
- Ages of Man

Week Three: Meet The Titans
- The "other" children of Gaea
- Cronus  (Saturn) and his father
- The Golden Age begins

Week Four: Meet the Titans and other olympians
- Prometheus
- Dionysus (Bacchus)  

Week Five: Meet The Olympians
- The Silver Age
- Zeus (Jupiter) and his father
- Hephaestus (Vulcan)
- Update "Myth Family Tree"

Week Six: Meet The Olympians 
- Children of the Olympians
- Fates and Muses
- Hera (Juno)
- Poseidon (Neptune)

Week Seven: Meet The Olympians
- Demeter (Ceres)
- Hermes (Mercury)
- Introduce Final Project

Week Eight: Meet The Olympians 
- Apollo 
- Artemis (Diana)
- Update "Myth Family Tree"

Week Nine: Meet The Olympians
- Aphrodite (Venus)

Week Ten: Meet the Olympians 
- Ares (Mars)
- Athena (Minerva)

Week Eleven: Meet the Olympians
- Hestia (Vesta)
- Update "Myth Family Tree"

Week Twelve: Famous Part-Mortal Children of the Gods
- Achilles
- Aeneas 
- Hercules
- Calliope