GREEK MYTHOLOGY

Greek Mythology Research

History: grades 6-8
Melissa Hathaway

The people of ancient Greece were deeply religious and their beliefs were a part of how the Greek culture developed. Ancient Greek history is divided into five major time periods; Mythical, Homeric, Archaic, Classical, adn Hellenistic. Throughout each of these eras, the Greek people held strongly to their ideas about religion. Greek mythology combines weak human characteristics with supernatrual power. The combination of these traits provides very dynamic stories that are characteristic of Greek mythology. Through this project, students can better understand the religion of ancient Greece.

How the gods influenced the Greek way of Life

The people of Ancient Greece recognized 12 major gods and goddesses. Each deity had a purpose in the daily life of the Greek culture. The mythology that surrounded the gods, was used to teach people a moral lesson about human attributes.

From the information on this web cite, answer the following questions.

Did the Greek gods have human characteristics?
In what way did the people try to honor the gods?
What was the purpose of athletic competition in ancient Greece?
What were the standard olympic events?
Where were athletic events held?

Research an ancient Greek god

Zeus is probably the most well know Greek god. He is the youngest son of TItans Chronos and Rhea. He defeated his father Chronos, to become the most powerful of all the Greek Olympian gods. He is the god of the sky and his image is often accompanied by a lightning bolt.

Pick a god you would like to learn more about and click on that image.

Write down the characteristics and purpose of the god you chose.

Draw a picture of one of the legends described about the god or goddess your chose.

Discuss and compare your god with a group of two or three other students.

Create your own Myth

This web cite explains the characteristics Greek myths follow. The Greek myths usually told a story that involved a human attribute leading to complications for the god or goddess. Read a few examples of Greek mythology and imagine a myth you would like to create.

1. Read about how the Greek myths began and the traditions surrounding them.

2. Create a myth of your own that would fit the traditions of Greek mythology.

The Greek empire was vast, long lasting, and left many wonderful contributions to our society today. Homer contibuted extensively to literature, Pythagorus to math, Plato to philosophy, and Mesomides to musical composition. The Greek religion has also stood the test of time and still is an intriguing subject. Mythology is a wonderful insight to the complexities of Greek society and for that reason it is revered and studied today.