What Do You Know about What Do You Know about Myths?Myths?

Write: What do you think of Write: What do you think of when you hear the following when you hear the following names.names.

•ZeusZeus

•VenusVenus

•CupidCupid

•HerculesHercules

•AchillesAchilles

Brainstorm and Discuss: Brainstorm and Discuss: What myths do you know?What myths do you know?

(sample responses)(sample responses)

• The Twelve Labors of HerculesThe Twelve Labors of Hercules

• White Buffalo WomanWhite Buffalo Woman

• The CyclopsThe Cyclops

• ArachneArachne

• Theseus and the MinotaurTheseus and the Minotaur• The OdysseyThe Odyssey• PygmalionPygmalion• The Tortoise and the HareThe Tortoise and the Hare• Pandora’s BoxPandora’s Box• Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet• The Trojan HorseThe Trojan Horse• Paul BunyanPaul Bunyan• The CoyoteThe Coyote

Which of the following stories Which of the following stories are myths? What makes them are myths? What makes them a myth?a myth?

Make a Venn Diagram: What Make a Venn Diagram: What are the characteristics of each are the characteristics of each of the kinds of stories below?of the kinds of stories below?

Myths

Fables

Tall Tales

Old Stories

Have gods and goddesses

Explain nature

Have a moral

Have animal

s

Have supernatural events

Handed down over time

Have folk heroes

Often written by a specific person

Think about These Think about These QuestionsQuestions

• Why do people have Why do people have myths?myths?

• Why do different Why do different cultures have similar cultures have similar myths?myths?

• Are myths important?Are myths important?