The History Herald: Myths & Legends Club- World Cultures Stories & Discussion

In this ongoing class, students will be introduced to world cultures through reading the myths and legends of days of old. From Creation Myths to Heroes - Come join us for a literacy adventure around the world. 

If you are into reading stories about gods and goddesses, monsters and heroes, and tales of how things came to be, then this is the class for you! Come learn about the "real" heroes and monsters from the myths of the past!

Students will be introduced via story and lesson about world cultures by bringing the tales of old myths and legends to life. Brief introductions about a country/culture will be given via presentation.  Then we will do an "Immortal Scoop" highlighting one god, goddess, or hero from the mythology of this culture. Students will learn about this figure, their importance, purpose, and powers. 

Students are encouraged to use the handout to keep track of the fascinating deities and heroes that are covered!

Then short myths (1-3 depending on length of myth) will be read to the student from one culture, while visuals and activities are presented. 

Then the class will engage in class discussion to talk about the culture of the people who created the story. This discussion will activate creative thinking processes and historical connections that the child is familiar with. 

We will end each class with a group discussion to solidify the information gained. 

Students are encouraged to takes notes, draw, and create their own Immortal Scoop Handout  provided upon enrollment. Students are encouraged to share their work if they would like to do so at the end of class. 

This is going to be a literary adventure around the world- grab your magic carpet and join us for a ride!

Predicted Schedule:

Week of October 7- Ancient Mesopotamia: The Queen of Everything, Inanna Goes the Underworld, The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Week of October 14 -  Norse: The Eye of Odin, Thor Goes Fishing

Week of October 21 - TBA

Week of October 28 - TBA

Week of November 4- TBA

Week of November 11-  TBA

Week of November 18-  TBA

Week of November 25- NO CLASS - FALL BREAK

Week of December 2-  TBA

Week of December 9- TBA

Week of December 16-TBA

Week of December 23- NO CLASS - WINTER BREAK

Week of December 30- NO CLASS - WINTER BREAK



Below are the detailed rounds 1-3 for further information. These will repeat and go back to the beginning after the 60 lesson are all covered.  

Round One:
Week 1  - Egypt: The Secret Name of Ra from Egypt, & Isis, Osiris & Set
Week 2 - China: How the World Began and Pangu 
Week 3-  Greece: The Adventures of Perseus
Week 4 - Norse: Loki and the deadly mistletoe, Loki and the master builder, How Thor got his hammer
Week 5-  Oceania: The Legends of Maui
Week 6- Mesopotamia: Gilgamesh, Enkidu and Humbaba 
Week 7 - Africa: The Legends of Anansi
Week 8 - Japan- The Creation of Japan, How the Moon Became Beautiful, The Wooden Bowl
Week 9 - Native Americans : Miochin and Shakok from the Laguna and Acoma 
Week 10 - Ireland:  The Legends of Finn McCool
Week 11 - India: Hinduism Creation and Sita
Week 12 - Anglo- Saxons: Beowulf
Week 13-  The Maya - Creation and the Hero Twins
Week 14 - The Romans - Romulus and Remus, Jupiter & the Bee, The Cat Maiden
Week 15- West Africa Kingdom of Benin- Creation
Week 16 - Greece and the 12 Labor of Hercules (Labors 1-6)
Week 17 - China and the Goddess of the Moon
Week 18 - Wales and King Arthur & Lady of the Lake
Week 19 - New Zealand and the Maori- Creation and the 7 Fish
Week 20- Australia Aboriginal- Dreamtime…The Creation of the Uluru, Wuriunpranilli the Sun Woman,  & the Story of Ngalindi


Round Two

Week One- Ancient Egypt: Creation and Rhodopis
Week Two- Buddhism: The Story of Buddha, Buddha and the Injured Swan, & The Wind and the Moon
Week Three-  Ancient Greece:  Icarus, Theseus and the Minotaur, & Odysseus and the Cyclops
Week Four-  Australia Aboriginal: Dreamtime- Why the Koala has a Stumpy Tail, The Rainbow Serpent, &  How the Turtle Got Its Shell, 
Week Five- China: The Magic Paintbrush, The Monkey King, & The Cowheard and the Weaver Girl
Week Six-  Ireland: The King with Donkey’s Ears, Diarmuid & Graacuteinne, & the Hunt of Slieve Gullion
Week Seven- Ancient Greece: Pandora's Box, The City of Atlantis, The Story of Persephone
Week Eight- Islam: Creation, Irsa & Meraj,  and the Crying Camel 
Week Nine-  Japan: The Trickster Raccoon,  The Selfish Scholar
Week Ten- South Africa: Why the Clouds Sit on Top of the Hills, When Uncle Lion Could Fly
Week Eleven- Ancient Norse: Thor and the Giants, Sif’s Golden Hair, Odin’s Quest
Week Twelve- Native Americans of N.A.: Old Qanah's Gift, The Guardian of Yosemite, & Hiawatha's Childhood
Week Thirteen-  Australia Aboriginal : Dreamtime… Bamapama Chases  the Kangaroo,  How the Kangaroo got its Tail, How the Birds Got its Colours, Tiddalick the Frog
Week Fourteen- Kenya: The Sun, the Wind, and the Cloud, and Boukie the Hyena
Week Fifteen- The Aztecs: The Feathered Serpent God, The Creation of the Sun, The Creation of the Moon
Week Sixteen- India and Hinduism: The Deer and the Crow, & The Story of Holika and Prahlad, The Tale of Tulsi, Mahishasura and Durga
Week Seventeen- Ancient Greece- The Trojan War, The Battle of Marathon, & Kind Midas
Week Eighteen- The Inca: The Creation Story, The Golden Staff
Week Nineteen- Inuit: Sedna the Sea Goddess, The Polar Bear Son
Week Twenty- Oceania: The Battle of the Mountains, Ruaumoko, God of Earthquakes, & The Sea King

Round Three: 
Week One- Russia: Baba Yaga and Babushaka
Week Two- Australia Dreamtime: How the Sun Came to Be,  The Kangaroos Pouch
Week Three- Wales: The Battles of the Dragons, Sir Gawain & the Green Knight, The Three Sisters
Week Four- Greece: The Contest of the Gods, Pegasus the Winged Horse, & Pan
Week Five- Native Americans from N.A.: The First Strawberry, Redhorn and the Great Race, & How Rabbit Got Long Ears
Week Six- Egypt: Bastet Goes Missing, The Secret Sphinx
Week Seven- Polynesia:  Voyage to Easter Island, Pele and the Poi, & The Volcano Goddess
Week Eight- Ireland: The Dream of Oengus, The Legend of Knockgrafton, & Yellow Lily
Week Nine- Greece: Echo & Narcissus, Arachne the Spiderwoman, Persephone and the Seasons
Week 10- Rome: Cupid and Psyche, The Peacock's Feathers, & Hercules and the Lion
Week 11- Middle East: Zal and the Magic Bird, The Phoenix, The Second Voyage of Sinbad
Week 12- Scandinavia: The Song of the Wind, Audun & the Bean, The Sampo, Per Gynt
Week 13- Africa- Nigeria and Uganda: How Stories Began, Thunder & Lightning, Kintu & Nambi
Week 14- Greece: Helios and Clytie, King Midas, & The Dragon's Teeth
Week 15- Norse: The Mighty Viking, Freya's Golden Necklace, Brunhilde and Sigurd
Week 16- Eastern Europe: Dawn & Dusk, The Dragon Queen, The Twelve Months
Week 17- Japan: Urashima Taro, Momataro the Peach Boy, Kintaro the Golden Boy
Week 18- Australia Dreamtime: The Echidna and the Shade Tree, Warrawanna Corinna, the Tasmanian Tiger
Week 19- Ireland: Deirde of the Sorrows, Tir na Nog,  & The Children of Lir
Week 20- Greece and the 12 Labor of Hercules (Labors 7-12), Jason and the Argonauts


Round Four: 
Week One- Indigenous America: Nanabush and the Thunderbird, 
The Good Giant

Week Two- Ancient Mesopotamia: Inanna Goes the Underworld, The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Week Three- Norse: The Eye of Odin, Thor Goes Fishing

Week Four- TBA

Week Five- TBA

Week Six- West Africa

Week Seven- Japan

Week Eight- Mesoamerica

Week Nine- Egypt

Week 10-TBA

Week 11- China

Week 12- Greece

Week 13- Scotland

Week 14- TBA

Week 15- TBA

Week 16- TBA

Week 17- TBA

Week 18- TBA

Week 19- Greece

Week 20- TBA





Note regarding rounds, we will continue to cycle through these 3 rounds so students could technically join at any point in a section and stay 60 weeks without repeating. Any questions, please let me know!


Students do not need any prior knowledge as this is a beginner class to myths and cultures.