Summer SAVY Session 4, Day 3, Mythology
Day 3: What a wonder-filled Wednesday (Thanks to Woden)! We began the day by sitting outside near one of our beautiful Peabody Campus buildings, Wyatt, and identified the architectural elements we had studied the previous day. The students sketched what they observed and labeled the elements with their newly acquired vocabulary. Why do some buildings have so many elements of ancient Greek incorporated into their design? What values are these elements symbolic of? Strength? Balance and symmetry? Students worked toward accuracy and detail in their drawings. What connections can we make to other buildings in our culture? How can we use this activity to bring more accuracy and detail to our writing?
If ancient Greeks pioneered advances in politics, science, arts, and philosophy what influences did the Romans borrow from Greek mythology and culture when they conquered Greece? What connections can we observe between similar mythological characters such as Jupiter and Zeus or Neptune and Poseidon? Vulan and Hephaestus? What about Heracles and Hercules? What does our society borrow from the symbols we use in buildings in our nation’s Captial? We took a look at many building designs and even some of the sculptures in pediments. What values do we borrow from Greek and Roman mythology that go with democracy such as freedom, war, peace, justice, etc.? What about other cultures? Did the Norse borrow from the Greeks or were there other reasons for similarities (thunder and lightning)? Who borrowed from the Norse?
Tomorrow, we will continue to study and research different gods and goddesses in preparation for our own project presentation on Friday – especially heroes and monsters! Students are now developing or creating their own gods/goddesses that relate to a certain culture we have studied. They are identifying relatives, personal strengths and weaknesses, and other characteristics of the fictitious characters. What tools or symbols can be a part of the story? They will be using storyboards to tell a new story in a mythological style to their friends. What will be their reason for telling this story?
Hang on! Tomorrow, we take on the Medusa, a minotaur, hydras, and much more!
Mrs. Byrd