Course title

Pre-requisite

Course description

(updated as deferred)

This course provides an overview of mythology and its relationship to ancient and current cultures. The course covers the purposes and types of myths; the development of myths and mythological characters; the common elements of mythological structures; the predominant characteristics of deities and sacred places in myth; contemporary theories of myths and mythology; and how myths and mythic structures shape contemporary culture.

Potential Units
1. Introduction to Mythology
2. Myths of Creation: Titans through Olympians
3. The Origins of Roman Mythology: Roman History and Roman Heroes
4. Background to Norse Mythology: Common Themes
• Norse Gods; Part 1
• Norse Gods; Part 2
• Thor and Loki
• Slavic and Finnish Myths; Part 1
• Slavic and Finnish Myths; Part 2

5. Celtic Mythology: Origins: Celtic Mythology
• The Mabinogion; Part 1
• The Mabinogion; Part 2

6. The Real World of Arthurian Myth: The Legendary Heroes
• The Round Table and the Grail Quest; Part 1
• The Round Table and the Grail Quest; Part 2
7. Indian Mythology: Origins/Mahabharata
• Bhagavad Gita
• Damayanti

https://www.amazon.com/World-Mythology-Donna-Rosenberg/dp/0844257672

Some titles include:
Greek
• The Creation of the Titans and the Gods
• The Ages of Man
• The Flood Cycle
Roman
• The Aeneid
Egyptian
• Osiris; Isis; and Horus
Babylonian
• Gilgamesh
Northern European
• The Creation; Death; and Rebirth of the Universe
• The Theft of Thor’s Hammer
The British Isles
• The Ages of the World
• Dagda the Good
The Far East and the Pacific Islands
India
• The Creation; Death; and Rebirth of the Universe
• The Ramayana
China
• The Creation of the Universe
• The Quest for the Sun
Japan
• The Creation of the Universe and Japan
New Zealand
• The Creation Cycle
Hawaii
• The Taming of the Sun
African
Nigeria
• The Creation of the Universe and Ife (Yoruba)
Mali
• Sunjata

The Americas
Bolivian
• The Creation
• The Children of the Sun
Guatemalan
• The Creation (Mayan)
Mexican
• The Creation Cycle
United States and Canada
• Raven and the Sources of Light
• Sedna
• Caught by a Hair-String

Compositions

1) Comparison Essay: Compare the creation stories of two different nations from the studied works. Incorporate both textual evidence and researched evidence (2 informational texts/one from each region).
2) Literary Research Analysis: Research the time period and the historical background of a mythological piece; and write an essay analyzing the “science” behind the story. How did people depend on their stories as an explanation of life before the time of science?
3) Narrative Writing: Narrative from first person point of view telling a mythology that would incorporate symbols; characters; plot events; etc…from our contemporary time period.

School country

School state

School city

School / district Address

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Requested competency code

Date submitted

Approved

Approved competency code

• ENGL
• 4 years of English

Approved date

Online / Virtual