A Story of Epic Proportions: What Makes a Poem an Epic?

The Odyssey is the core text in this unit study of the hero's journey motif. Along the way, kids research Greek and Roman history, mythology, art, and epic poetry. The 104-page packet is perfect for homeschool or classroom situations and...

Seventh graders have a golden opportunity to learn how to read poems and short stories with a unit that introduces them to the techniques writers use to craft their works. They examine poems by William Carlos Williams and Edgar Allen Poe...

Epics, like the Odyssey, were told over the span of several days and drew quite a crowd. Before starting the famous work with your class, review this presentation to gain some insight into the structure and history of epic poems. 

A murder scepter, banana beer, and a superhuman newborn. Welcome to the 29th installment of the 41-part Crash Course World Mythology series! Scholars explore the Mwindo epic, an oral tale from the Congo about Mwindo's journey to the...

Mythic heroes, gods and goddesses, and epic tales come alive as young artists craft their own graphic novel or mind map for classic epics, including The Odyssey, Beowulf, Harry Potter, and Star Wars, identifying the six elements of every...

"Ye who believe...List to a Tale of Love in Acadie." Longfellow's epic poem, "Evangeline," launches a study of tragic heroines, epic poetry, the expulsion of the Acadians from Canada, and their subsequent migration to Louisiana. The...

Arthur Sze's poem "Crisscross" launches a lesson plan that asks scholars to use their observation skills. They first draw an image that reflects what crisscross means to them. They then examine a photograph of a lightning strike and list...

In this lesson plan, middle schoolers will consider "A Story of Epic Proportions: What makes a Poem an Epic?." The plan includes worksheets and other student materials that can be found under the resource tab.