Curated OER
Beowulf: Songs of Ancient Heroes
Introduce your class to epic heroes with these activities for Beowulf. After watching a video clip, taking notes on heroes, and tracking characteristics of heroism throughout Beowulf, class members retell an episode of Beowulf using a...
Curated OER
Beowulf
Students read the epic, Beowulf and examine the nature of good and evil. They compile a list of questions about loyalty tests and take turns asking and answering them. they create Beowulf comic strips and research other epic tales.
Curated OER
What is a Hero? Heroism in Greek Mythology
Students explore the tales of Greek mythology and discuss what it means to be a hero. They associate acts of epic heroism with philanthropy noting that these characters acted in a larger than life manner to secure the common good.
Curated OER
Emerging Heroes
Twelfth graders define what a hero is and watch a video. In this hero lesson, 12th graders discuss the characteristics of a hero and list heroes and their attributes. Students read the poem Beowulf and identify...
Curated OER
Multi-Media Hero Analysis
Learners consider how the attributes of heroes have evolved. In this character traits instructional activity, students define heroism in their culture and research the epic heroes of literature. Learners select heroes to write about and...
Curated OER
The Odyssey Plan
Ninth graders read and analyze The Odyssey. They apply note-taking skills to identify enemy, type of enemy, and traits demonstrated throughout the book. Students create a storyboard that illustrates the selected episode from the book...
Curated OER
The Hobbit
Students list W.H Auden's six characteristics of a quest story. They say what is meant by a "metaphorical quest." Pupils discuss some differences between symbolism and allegory. Students indicate how Bilbo Baggins's adventures changed...
Curated OER
Spiders, Man!
Young scholars conduct online research to learn more information about spiders. They take a current issue of their local newspaper and add spiders to the pictures where spiders might live.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: A Prelude to Beowulf
Before reading the Anglo-Saxon epic poem, "Beowulf," students should explore the Dark Ages through researching the fundamental characteristics of the art and literature produced during this period. This website provides links for doing...