How did the sun arrive in the sky? Learners watch a short film that describes the myth of Nanahuatl, a weak Aztec god who sacrificed himself to become the fifth sun for his people.

How did people from ancient civilizations make sense of the world around them? The second installment of the Crash Course World Mythology series explores the creation of the universe. Scholars learn about the creation myths associated...

Myths often have meaningful settings, from cities and temples to mountains and forests. The 32nd video of 41 in the Crash Course World Mythology series takes viewers on an interesting exploration of mythical caves and gardens. Scholars...

How did different historical cultures treat the subject of animals in their creation stories? The sixth installment in the 41-part Crash Course World Mythology series discusses the relationship between humans and animals from a...

How do myths help explain people's origins and relationships with one another? The fifth installment in the 41-part Crash Course World Mythology video series explores the topic. Viewers discover dualities in myths, including the...

Which came first: the chicken or the cosmic egg? With the third video of 41 in the Crash Course World Mythology series, pupils delve into the world of creation myths. Scholars learn about cultures throughout history that have used the...

What are myths, what purpose do they serve, and how do they differ from other types of stories? Scholars watch a 13-minute video to explore an interesting topic in-depth. The video, which is the first in the Crash Course World Mythology...

According to a Norse creation myth, an evil frost giant created humanity from his armpit sweat—and that's the normal part of the story. With the fourth video in the "Crash Course World Mythology: series, scholars explore the myth and...

What does it mean to love? Is true love possible? Transformative? The myth of Cupid and Psyche asks readers to ponder these questions as does a short video that retells the classic tale.

History is full of great empires rising to power—and falling into dust. But what does religion and a society's belief system have to do with a civilization's fate? A thorough explanation of the impact of world religions on their...

Thanksgiving doesn't occur only once a year for the Haudenosaunee. Weave a instructional activity about reading closely with an inspiring message about eternal gratitude for all of the elements of creation into a unit on Native American...

It's no myth: this packet on Greek mythology is an excellent addition to your social studies curriculum. With writing activities, such as short answer responses and biopoems, and reading activities, which include creation stories and...

Considering using Tolkien's The Hobbit for book circles or whole-class reading? Check out this packet that provides an overview of the novel, some interesting background materials, and links to additional resources.

Here you'll find a great collection of worksheets to supplement your instruction of Greek mythology, including informational texts on the Olympian gods and goddesses, a matching quiz, graphic organizers, and myth-writing activities.

Here's a fresh take on a mythology unit. Use the myths of the Mayan and Aztec peoples of Mesoamerica instead of the more traditional Greek and Roman stories. This abstract suggests possible approaches and resources that can be used to...

Potlaches? Totem Poles? Creation myths? Here's a great way to conclude a study of Native American beliefs and cultures. Speaking as the tribe storyteller, individuals develop a creation myth for their tribe that includes four animal...

In the beginning . . . To conclude a study of creation myths, individuals provide their own explanation for how it all began. They explain who or what did it, how it was done, and present their illustrated story to the class.

Explore the folklore of Asia and the South Pacific with this language arts activity series. Complementing a reading of Catching the Sun: Tales from Asia by Jan M. Mike, this resource supports learners with understanding cause and effect...

For thousands of years, people have been creating stories to explain their observations of the natural world. Explore this interesting literary form with this series of activities complementing the book Taming the Sun: Four Maori...

Tap into the imaginative minds of young learners with a creative writing activity. After reading the myth Giants and Mosquitoes, this student guide supports young writers as they brainstorm and develop their very own creation myths....

Here is a resource that introduces learners to how the stories from Greek mythology explain the workings of natural phenomena, movements of the seasons, and how the conflicts of the gods mimic our own daily difficulties. Learners...

Are your mythology students fans of Marvel Comics or the movies, Thor and The Avengers? Planning a unit on Norse Mythology? The Eddas, Asgard, Yggdrasil, and all the gods and goddesses of the Norse tradition are included in this...

If you are teaching Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound, you can't afford to miss this source. An extensive list of ideas outlines numerous discussion topics, writing prompts, comprehension questions, oral presentations, and projects. Have class...

The class creates and performs a movement performance of the creation story found in the Jewish tradition. This lesson begins with the research of Israeli culture and culminates in a performance of the narrated creation story....