Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

LESSON PLAN

Teacher’s Name:

School: Grade Level: 9

Title/Theme: Heroes in Mythology

Project Description:

The lesson is on the concept of hero in Greek mythology and how it relates to Greek culture,
which will last 5-6 days (depends on presentations). It is part of a larger unit on mythology
(mostly Greek) that takes up half a semester. Mythology is important because of how it has
affected civilizations throughout the ages. For out purposes, we will focus on how it has affected
the Greek civilization by looking at its heroes.

Lesson/Unit Outcomes State Learning Standards Addressed

Major:
• Learn the major Greek gods and
goddesses and their Roman
counterparts
• Learn the major Greek gods and
goddesses and their functions
• Explore the function of mythology in
civilization
• Explore the concept of hero and how it
played into mythology
• Understand the hero model and how it
characterizes myths and epics
• Understand how the hero model is
important to self-reflection, both for the
hero, the civilization, and themselves
• Explore how mythology is important to
self-reflection
• Explore how mythology was important
to the Greek civilization
• Become familiar with the Odyssey,
• 1.B.4a
Preview reading materials, clarify
meaning, analyze information from
other sources.
• 1.C.4c
Use questions and predictions to guide
readings.
• 2.B.4b
Analyze form, content, purpose and
major themes of American literature
and literature of other countries in their
historical perspective
• 2.B.4c
Discuss and evaluate motive, resulting
behavior, and consequences
demonstrated in literature
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Odysseus, and the concept of hero in

the epic Other Correlations:
• Become familiar with short stories that
epitomize Greek mythology • 2.B.4a
• Become familiar with Hercules, his 12 • 4.A.4d
labors, his other adventures, and the • 3.C.4b
concept of him as a hero • 4.B.5a
• Keep a daily journal for notes and
reflections
• Practice multimedia and word
processing skills
• Be exposed to peer review

ILS Applications of Learning Technology Utilization

Solving Problems X Word processors
X Communicating Spreadsheets
X Using Technology Database
Working on Teams Telecommunications
X Making Connections X Multimedia presentations
X Web searches
Imaging (e.g. cameras, scanners)
X Presentation
Other (please list)

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Lesson Overview/Activities:

Introductory Activity:

The students will look at some provided popular sayings that originate in Greek
mythology then will go into the library and use the computers to find other references that
originate in mythology. The students can look up the stories that those saying came from and for
extra credit write a one-page paper including the saying, a brief description of the story, why the
saying originates from the story, and how it is now used in society due the following day.

Daily Activities and Timeframe: (follows PowerPoint presentation)

Day 1 (87 mins): While in the library, we will discuss the AAM website, how to find its
true links, and expectations for its use in the PowerPoint presentations.
We will then go back to the classroom for an overview of the hero unit, including a
review the major Greek gods and goddesses, their functions, their place in mythology, and their
Roman counterparts. I will use the PowerPoint presentation as an overview.
We will then discuss mythology, its definition, and begin to discuss its importance in
ancient Greek civilization. Students will begin their journals.
Students will be given a mini-syllabus with expectations and grading standards, a unit
organizer, and an abbreviated unit schedule. They will also be given several short stories
including those about Icarus, Orpheus and Persephone, Medusa, Atlas, Pegasus, Pandora, Jason
and the Argonauts, and Echo to read before the next class period.

Day 2 (87 mins): We will continue our discussion of mythology in Greek civilization.
Students will discuss the cultural implications of some of the short stories they read the night
before. If time permits, they will read another short myth in class.
We will also begin discussing the concept of hero. Student will be given copies of the
hero development model (pictorial representation), which outlines the personal journey of a hero
as he or she completes their adventure(s). Students will continue their journals.

Day 3 (87 mins): Students will read the Odyssey in class and discuss Odysseus as a
hero. They will apply the hero development model to his personal journey back from Troy.
They will also discuss the themes and other major/minor characters in the epic.

Day 4 (87 mins): Students will read the 12 labors of Hercules and other short stories in
class. They will apply the hero development model to Hercules and discuss the concept of hero
in the stories. Students will discuss how the heroes they have read about played into Greek
culture.

Day 5 and 6 (87 mins each): Students will give PowerPoint presentations. They will be
given a critiquing sheet and complete a peer review of the three presentations before/after their
own.

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 Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

Enabling Skills

• Students should be familiar with the Library of Congress website and using AAM as a
tool.
• Students should be reading at or above grade level.
• Students should be able to recognize major themes and major/minor characters in a
literary work.
• Students should be able to recognize broader purposes in a literary work (i.e. how it
relates to something else, what aspect of culture it reflects, etc).
• Students should be familiar with PowerPoint presentations.
• Students should be comfortable speaking in front of a class.
• Students should have word processing skills.

Method of Student Assessment (such as rubric, observation, performance assessment, or

paper/pencil):
For this particular lesson plan, the students will be assessed on their PowerPoint
presentations. The presentation will be worth 100 points and must include the following:

• Reference to AAM website (10 points)

• No more than 15 slides (5 points)
• Correct spelling/grammar (10 points, docked ½ point for each error)
• Story synopsis (10 points)
• List of main characters (5 points)
• How story relates to hero development model (25 points)
• How story plays into Greek culture/civilization (10 points)
• Self-reflection aspect (10 points)
• Oral presentation, no more than 8 minutes (10 points)
• Professional appearance of both PowerPoint and student (5 points)

Students will also be graded on the quality of their journals. They will be expected to
keep a daily journal and include at least a paragraph on each of the stories discussed in class.
The journals will allow students to reflect on the lesson and hopefully relate the theme to their
own lives.
Students will complete three peer reviews, worth 5 points each upon completion (and
when handed in). The reviews are more to help the students analyze their own work. Students
will then be expected to write a 2-3 page review of their oral presentations, using those peer
reviews.
They will also be given an opportunity for extra credit in the form of a one-page paper.
Completion of the paper with all requirements will earn 10 points added to their final grade.

Student Artifacts
Brochure/Newsletter

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 Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

X Notebooks/Journals
Models (physical or graphical)
Posters
X Debates
X Multimedia (e.g. PowerPoint)
X Classroom Presentation
Web Pages
X Other (please list)
Peer Review form, self-review paper, extra credit paper

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 Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

Pre-identified Web Sites

• http://www.loc.gov/index.html

• http://www.crystalinks.com/mythology1.html

• http://www.lths.org/Teacherpages/SAZAMA-English/page3.html

• http://ancienthistory.about.com/library/bl/bl_myth_table_romangods.htm

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_gods#Olympian_deities

• http://projects.pisd.edu/webmastering/pesh/greek_mythology/heroes.htm

• http://www.pantheon.org/articles/o/odysseus.html

• http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Hercules/

• http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9110628

Resources Materials & Supplies Needed

(museums, experts, print material etc.)
Teacher Resources: • Peer evaluation form
• See above Websites • Blank journals (students could provide
• Book of mythological stories their own)
• Copies of Odyssey
Student Resources: • Copies of short mythology stories
• Library of Congress • Copies of hero development model
• Odyssey (the epic) • Mini-syllabus/grading standards
• Book of mythological stories • Unit organizer
• Abbreviated unit schedule
• Access to PowerPoint application
• PowerPoint presentation
materials/projector hookup
• Access to overhead projector,
blackboard, or other lesson
presentation means

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 Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

Comments or Other Information Regarding Your Unit

• Copyright permission needs to be obtained to use copies of the short stories and epic in
class unless there is an actual book for each student.
• Do not forget to hyperlink any pictures used from the Library of Congress.
• Remind your students that they must cite their references.
• Although this lesson plan centers on class discussion, it can be used as a lecture class.
• Students can also be broken into groups for their own discussions about the day’s topics.
• They could also be asked to do jigsaw, becoming experts on their own story and then
going back to discuss with other students.
• Another evaluation could center not on individual PowerPoint presentations, but on group
presentations of what they discussed during the class periods about their stories.

Contact Information:

Name:

Address:

City: State: IL Zip:

Email:

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