National Endowment for the Humanities
Elements of the Epic Hero Cycle
Here's a handy worksheet applicable to any study of epic heroes, including those in epic poetry. Readers record examples from their text that identify the quest, the tests, helpers and companions, as well as the low point, the...
National Endowment for the Humanities
A Story of Epic Proportions: What Makes a Poem an Epic?
Learners analyze the epic poem form and its roots in oral tradition. For this epic poetry lesson, students research the epic hero cycle and recognize the pattern of events and elements. Learners analyze the patterns embedded in the stories.
Annenberg Foundation
Masculine Heroes
What were the driving forces behind American expansion in the nineteenth century, and what were its effects? Scholars watch a video, read biographies, engage in discussion, write journals and poetry, draw, and create a multimedia...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: A Host of Heroes
What can some of literature's most famous heroes teach us? From the epic hero to the tragic hero, each has something distinctive to share. April Gudenrath describes the many faces of the fictional hero--and shows how they can inspire...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Odyssey" by Homer
Selected (6) reading passages (grades 8-11) to pair with the epic poem "The Odyssey" by Homer. Odysseus, an ancient Greek war hero and leader of Ithaca, embarks on a twenty-year long return to his homeland after the fall of Troy. It is...
ABCya
Ab Cya: Bow and Angle
Join the heroes Loxley, Arrowyn, Busido, and Mockingbird in this epic adventure of Bows and Angles! Practice measuring and reading angles while you defend yourself from treacherous shadow ninjas.
Ducksters
Ducksters: Ancient Greece for Kids: Homer's Iliad
Kids learn about Homer's Iliad from Ancient Greece on this site. Explore an epic poem about the Trojan War and the hero Achilles.
Ducksters
Ducksters: Ancient Greece for Kids: Homer's Odyssey
Learn about an epic poem about the hero Odysseus and his journey home on this site. Read more information about Homer's Odyssey here.