The Iliad Project: A Five Day Ancient Greek History Camp
The weird and wonderful story of the Trojan War (great for Percy Jackson and Greek Myth fans) #academic
Jonny Walker (he/him) - MA (Uni of Cambridge)
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(612)
What's included
5 live meetings
4 hrs 35 mins in-class hoursHomework
There is no compulsory homework element to the project, but children typically enjoy developing some DIY armour for battle, ready for Lessons 3 and 4. This is entirely optional and the making would take place outside our five lessons. The supply list below is suggested if your child would enjoy crafting a costume, but I emphasise that this is not essential.Assessment
Should parents request it, I will write a short report about any children who take part in all five lessons. This will include my observations about their engagement, enthusiasm, confidence knowledge and questioning.Class Experience
US Grade 3 - 6
Come and discover one of the world's oldest and most exciting stories: The Iliad. ‘The Iliad’ tells the story of the Trojan War, when an enormous Greek army fought against the city of Troy. We still talk about this tale because really, it is about what makes us human - it is a story of war, love, prophecy, family, life and death. By the end, we will all be able to tell this awe-inspiring tale, and bring it to life with our deep questions and readings. Maybe you have heard of some of our characters, perhaps from Percy Jackson or other books about myths? We’ve got Zeus, Aphrodite, Athena, Ares, Chiron and Poseidon and Hephaestus. Our story focuses also on some names you may not know - the mighty young Achilles, his mysterious mother Thetis and the brutal leader of the Greeks, Agamemnon. This will probably be the most complicated story you’ve ever discovered! It will have the most characters and some of the most unbelievable twists and turns. What a delightful challenge for us! In this class, we will bring history and myth to life in a lively and exciting way - with storytelling, painting, humour, music and drama, as well as lots of questions and philosophical talk. It is interactive - whilst I have a lot of storytelling to do, in a way that will entertain as well as educate, there is lots of time in each session for children to share their ideas, read extracts, make predictions and ask questions of their own. Every member of my class is unique, and your child will be able to engage in our group storytelling in a way that works best for them - nobody will be 'forced' out of their comfort zone, and instead, we will work together to tell the story in a way that draws on all of our skills and interests, building us all up gradually. I am experienced at supporting all children to feel comfortable, supported, challenged and happy - my teaching style is light and funny, but intellectually ambitious. Kids can handle great stories with great questions! Lesson 1 - How did an apple start a war? Who was Achilles? Lesson 2 - Why did everyone want to marry Helen? How did war begin? Lesson 3 - Who was Agamemnon? How did the Gods interfere in battle? When is pride a bad thing? Lesson 4 - How did the battle end? Who survived? Who was to blame for what happened? Lesson 5 - Our reflections and creative responses to the story - the history of Homer's Iliad and the Odyssey? Is it all a lie? I love teaching this topic and every group of children I have done it with have enjoyed and obsessed over different elements of it.
Learning Goals
Have fun engaging with one of the most amazing stories ever told.
Learn about the tale of the Trojan War from Ancient Greece.
Learn about and read some of Homer’s ‘The Iliad’, an ancient poem that tells about the battle.
Think deeply about and discuss complex themes - fate, pride, strength and family.
Develop the ability to hold challenging story narratives in our heads.
Produce creative responses to the story, through art.
The best thing is that when the class is over, your child can pass the story on to the next generation!
Other Details
Parental Guidance
The theme of the story is the Trojan War - we will be discussing war and violence in this class.
All images I use are appropriate, with no visual depictions of violence or blood.
Supply List
Optional If your child would like to, they can craft some armour ready to go to battle in lessons 3 and 4 Children may wish to create helmets, swords, shields and body armour using basic crafting - pens, scrap cardboard, sellotape and scissors are all that would be required. If your child does not wish to do this, that is absolutely fine. If they do, that is also fine.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
Extracts from Homer's 'The Iliad' (translated by Ian Johnstone - available online)
Joined February, 2021
5.0
612reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
I have taught this project in UK primary schools since 2019, and am able to teach it in a way that is age-appropriate in terms of challenge and content.
Testimonial from a UK teacher whose students I taught:
'I was amazed at how, through Jonny's storytelling - which was both intricate and engaging - the children were able to internalise the complex narrative and use all of the new vocabulary.'
Reviews
Live Group Class
$113
for 5 classes1x per week, 5 weeks
55 min
Completed by 127 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 8-12
3-12 learners per class
This class is no longer offered
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