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During this class, students will be taught about the gods, goddesses, heroes, and villains of Greek Mythology. They will also learn about earlier mythologies that influenced Greek Mythology as well as later mythologies that were influenced by the Greeks. Students will also discover the relevance of mythology in our world today. 

Using Edith Hamilton's Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes as our guide, we will explore the worlds of Greek, Roman, Norse, Egyptian, and Middle Eastern Mythologies. Greek Mythology will be our main study; however, I will also be teaching students some things about the other mythologies previously mentioned and about how different cultures borrowed or incorporated the myths of others. Students will also learn how and why some myths changed over time or had variations. 

Students will need to purchase Edith Hamilton's Mythology. The link to purchase this book will be provided in the supply list section and the sources section of this listing. Students will read the book outside of class. Each week during class, students will discuss the assigned reading, share thoughts, and ask questions. I will share information not contained in the book with students, too. 

Here is the reading schedule:
*I am posting the schedule as sections rather than page numbers because students may have different editions of the book. When students have the books in their hands, this schedule will make more sense; however, please feel free to ask me any questions you may have. Also, a pdf file of this reading schedule will be made available upon enrollment. 

Prior to our first class (Week 1), students need to read the following *sections of Edith Hamilton's Mythology: 
Introduction to Classical Mythology - The Mythology of the Greeks; The Greek and Roman Writers of Mythology; PART ONE: (1)The Gods - The Titans and the Twelve Great Olympians myth through The Underworld myth

For Week 2: PART ONE (1) The Lesser Gods of Earth; The Roman Gods (2)The Two Great Gods of Earth - Demeter; Dionysus/Bacchus; (3)How The World and Mankind Were Created

For Week 3: PART ONE (4)The Earliest Heroes - Prometheus and Io; Europa; The Cyclops Polyphemus; Flower-Myths and PART TWO (5)Cupid and Psyche; (6)Eight Brief Tales of Lovers - Pyramus and Thisbe; Orpheus and Eurydice

For Week 4: PART TWO (6)Ceyx and Alcyone; Pygmalion and Galatea; Baucis and Philemon; Endymion; Daphne; Alphaeus and Arethusa (7)The Quest for the Golden Fleece (8)Four Great Adventures - Phaethon; Pegasus and Bellerophon; Otus and Ephialtes; Daedulus

For Week 5: PART THREE: The Great Heroes Before the Trojan War - (9) Perseus; (10)Theseus; (11)Hercules (Herakles);
(12) Atalanta

For Week 6: PART FOUR: The Heroes of the Trojan War - (13)The Trojan War; (14)The Fall of Troy; (15)The Adventures of Odysseus

For Week 7: PART FOUR (CONT.) - (16)The Adventures of Aeneas -- Parts One, Two, and Three

For Week 8: PART FIVE: The Great Families of Mythology (17)The House of Atreus; (18)The Royal House of Thebes

For Week 9: PART FIVE (CONT) - (19)The Royal House of Athens

For Week 10: PART SIX: The Less Important Myths (20)Midas--and Others; (21)Brief Myths Arranged By Alphabetical Reader

For Week 11: PART SEVEN: Introduction to Norse Mythology - (22)The Stories of Signy and Sigurd; (23)The Norse Gods

For Week 12: Choose some snacks fit for a god/goddess, whip up some ambrosia (nectar of the gods), and prepare for the Ultimate Mythology Trivia Game. More details will be added as we get closer to the last class session.

Our class sessions will consist of lectures, discussions, and slides. Since the students will be reading the book outside of class, I am looking forward to hearing their thoughts and ideas about the content. I want our class to be interactive and I want to see the students engaged in their learning. I believe in igniting the flame of curiosity in learners in order to see them get excited about the subject and take charge of their own learning. 

Students do not need any prior knowledge of mythology. They should, however, be prepared to undertake a fair amount of reading during this class. This is usually not a problem, as I find most students thoroughly enjoy reading and learning about mythology.