Greek Mythology Research Project and Presentation

Name:

Period:

Date:

Assignment: For this assignment, you will research a character from Greek or Norse mythology. Once you have collected and organized your research, you will create a PowerPoint and present your findings to the class in a 7-10 minute presentation.

Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to improve your research and presentation skills.

Parts: Below are the parts of the assignment and the pages for examples and instructions.

· Important Figures Page 2

· Research Page 3

· Source cards Page 4

· Fact cards Page 4

· Topic outline – example Page 5

· Topic outline – student draft Page 6

· Works Cited page Page 7

· PowerPoint information Page 8

· Presenting tips Page 9

· Project & Presentation rubric Page 10

Due Dates: The following due dates are checkpoints along the way to help you with your project. You will receive a grade for completing each checkpoint and the points will go in the 50% Writing section of your grade. If you miss any of these checkpoints, you will not be able to present, and therefore earn a 0 on the project. You may turn-in a checkpoint after the due date, thus making you eligible to give the final presentation, but you will not earn any points for the checkpoint.

First 10 Fact cards 10 writing points Due: ______

First 2 Source Cards 2 writing points Due: ______

Next 15 Fact cards 15 writing points Due: ______

Next 3 Source Cards 3 writing points Due: ______

Final 15 Fact cards 15 writing points Due: ______

Typed Topic Outline 10 writing points Due: ______

Typed Works Cited Page 10 writing points Due: ______

Final Presentation 150 project points Due: ______

Important Figures

in Greek/Roman, and Norse Mythology

MAJOR GODS AND GODDESSES

1. Zeus

2. Poseidon

3. Hades

4. Hera (no Echo story)

5. Demeter & Persephone

6. Aphrodite

7. Athena

8. Apollo

9. Artemis

10. Hephaestus

11. Ares

12. Dionysus

13. Hermes

OTHER/LESSER DIVINITIES

14. The Fates & the Grey Sisters

15. The Muses

TITANS

16. Prometheus (not Pandora story)

My Mythological Character is:

HEROES

17. Hercules/Heracles

18. Perseus (& Medusa)

19. Theseus (& the Minotaur)

20. Achilles

21. Jason

22. Aeneas

OTHER FIGURES

23. Helen of Sparta/Troy & Paris

24. Odysseus (& Penelope)

25. Pandora

26. Daedalus (and Icarus)

27. Agamemnon

28. Echo & Narcissus

29. Cupid & Psyche

30. Midas

31. Hektor/Hector (Trojan Prince)

NORSE GODS

32. Odin

33. Thor

34. Freyja

35. Loki

______

Research

Content & Information: Below is the information you need to collect as you research. You will write the information you find on your fact cards. These are also the labels you’ll use to categorize and title your fact cards. Once you find the information, check it off!

ð Name(s): Greek and Roman (other)

ð Purpose/duties: What is your character known for?

ð Myth #1 (Birth myth): You must tell the story of how they were born or created and to whom, so make sure you have several notecards for this!

ð Myth #2: What is this story about? Do you have enough notecards to tell the WHOLE story?

ð Myth #3: What is this story about? Do you have enough notecards to tell the WHOLE story?

ð Family relationships: Parents, brothers, sisters, spouse, children, etc.

ð Modern-day relevance: The only area you may use the web/internet.

ð Symbol: Include a picture and reasoning

Appropriate Sources: You need FIVE sources for this project. Below is a list of appropriate sources. See your yellow packet for more information about how to use and cite these sources.

· The mythology textbook

· Library books about mythology

· Online databases:

ProQuest
Literature Student Resources in Context
Worldbook Online Reference Center

· Library eBooks

· The only section you can use a Google search for is the “Modern Relevance” section

How to access eBooks:

· Open the Library Launcher in your browser.

· Select eBooks from the Launcher screen.

· Select the category: Literature or History.

· Select a book from the list:

· History: Ancient Greece and Rome: an encyclopedia for students

· Literature: Greek and Roman mythology

· Literature: UXL Encyclopedia of World Mythology

· Select “Index.”

· Use the search box above the indexed list or select the letter of the alphabet corresponding to the character.

Source and Fact Cards

As you research, you need to keep information on two types of notecards. The instructions for making these cards are found below.

Source Cards: Source cards are for you to write down what sources you use (like ProQuest). The example below explains the different parts of these cards.

A Source Card 1/5
Blaisdell, Bob. “Hercules.” Favorite Greek Myths. Ed. Thomas Crofts. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1995. 13-23.

Fact Cards: Fact cards are for you to write down the information you want to use in you presentation (like the names of Hercules’ parents). The example below explains the different parts of these cards.

A Relationships 1/40
Born to Alcmene, a mortal, and fathered by Zeus, ruler of the gods
(Blaisdell 13)

Topic Outline – Example

The topic outline will help you sort the facts you’ve collected in an organized way so that you can present them. Below is an example of what your outline should look like. Complete your outline on the following page.

ADONIS

(a model)

I. Name

a. Greek – Adonis

b. Roman - Adonis

II. Purpose/Duties

a. Human lover for Aphrodite

b. Human lover for Persephone

c. Hunter/sportsman

III. Birth Myth

a. Mother and father tricked

b. Born from a myrrh tree

c. Most beautiful infant, Aphrodite fell in love

d. Given to Persephone to raise

IV. Other Myths/Personality

a. Vigorous and lively

b. Manly and bold

i. Bold, brave, brazen man who likes to hunt

ii. Aphrodite warns to hunt only less dangerous animals

iii. Adonis decides to hunt wild boar

iv. Wild boar mauls him

v. Aphrodite holds him as he dies

vi. Aphrodite creates anemone (red wild flower) from drops of his blood

c. Handsome/gorgeous

i. Aphrodite falls in love with the child Adonis

ii. Child given to Persephone to raise

iii. Aphrodite falls in love with man Adonis

iv. Persephone falls in love with man Adonis

v. Zeus decides that Adonis must split the year between them

vi. Along with Persephone’s myth, emphasizes seasons

V. Relationships

a. Mother – Smyrna (Myrrha)

b. Father – Theias, King of Assyria (also Smyrna’ father)

c. Lovers – Aphrodite & Persephone

d. Child – Beroe by Aphrodite

VI. Symbols

a. Anemone – red, wild flower; perennial; blooms in early spring

VII. Modern Day Relevance

a. Adonis Complex – term associate to men with body image issues

b. Adonis Grooming – name of company that sells men’s grooming products

Adonis Effect – a workout plan developed to sculpt the perfect male body

Topic Outline – Student Draft

Directions: This is a form for you to draft your outline. The final outline needs to be typed in this format. As you fill-in the information, don’t forget to include the Parenthetical Documentation for each fact!

(Creative Title)

· Hook:

· Thesis: (The main idea you will demonstrate in your PowerPoint)

I. Name(s) (The name(s) and what you will say. Include PD)

A. Greek –

B. Roman –

II. Purpose/Duties (What the character is known for. Include the information and how you will explain it. Include PD)

III. Birth Myth (Break the facts into several slides and include PD)

IV. Other Myths (Elaborate on attitude, personality, and traits. Break facts into a “children’s book” level. Include PD)

A. Other Myth #1

ii.

iii. iv.

B. Other Myth #2

ii.

iii.

iv.

V. Relationships (Include information on family, friends, enemies, and how you will explain them. Include PD)

VI. Modern Day Relevance

A. Example and explanation that ties back to character

B. Second example and explanation that ties back to the character

VII. Symbol (What will you say about the symbol and how will you explain its relevance. Include PD)

A. What is it?

B. Why?

VIII. Conclusion (On one closing slide reiterate the following)

A. Thesis

B. Names

C. What he/she is known for

D. Symbol

E. 1 fun fact (optional)

Works Cited Page

After you’ve created Source Cards for all 5 of your sources, you will compile them on a one page typed paper. Below is a checklist of things to keep in mind and an example.

Checklist:

☐ Alphabetical order by first word, unless first word is an article (a, an, the) – then put the article at the end, and alphabetize by the next word.

☐ Numbers in titles come before letters alphabetically

☐ Entire page should be double spaced. (No larger spaces between entries, and no double-double or return 2x after heading and first entry.)

☐ Use a hanging indent for each entry

☐ The title WORKS CITED should be centered at the top of the page in the same size and type of font as the rest of the paper (12 point TIMES NEW ROMAN).

☐ There is a period at the end of EVERY entry.

☐ URL’s are not necessary

☐ No period after the date. AND look at the way the date is written.

☐ All titles: Books, Magazines, Newspapers, and Database titles should be in italics, not underlined.

☐ “Articles”, “Essays in a book” should be in quotation marks.

☐ ONLY the sources cited in your paper or PowerPoint can by on the works cited page, and you must have a minimum of 5.

Example:

Works Cited

Evslin, Bernard. Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths. New York: Dell Laurel Leaf. 2005. 4-41. Print.

Graves, Robert. Greek Gods and Heroes. New York: Dell Laurel-Leaf. 1965. 3-26. Print.

Graves, Robert. The Greek Myths. London: Penguin Books. 2005. 11-45. Print.

Hamilton, Edith. Mythology. New York: Grand Central Publishing. 1999. 4-6. Print.

Royuse, W.H. D. Gods, Heroes, and Men of Ancient Greece. New York: American Library. 2005. 2-51. Print.

PowerPoint

Slides: To present your research, you need to create a PowerPoint. Each bullet point below represents 1 slide. The exception to this is the “Birth Myth and 2+ Myths” bullet; those stories should take multiple slides. Make sure to balance each slide with a picture and words.

· Intriguing Title. Include your name and class period.

· Attention-getting Introduction (Hook) that relates to your character.

· Thesis: What main idea you are going to convey about your character?

· Name(s): Greek and Roman (other)

· Purpose/Duties: What is your character known for?

· Birth Myth: Using multiple slides, tell how your character was born. Use “picture book” form – each slide will have a picture and one statement/sentence.

· Other Myth #1: Using multiple slides, tell another story about your character. Use “picture book” form – each slide will have a picture and one statement/sentence.

· Other Myth #2: Using multiple slides, tell another story about your character. Use “picture book” form – each slide will have a picture and one statement/sentence.

· Family Relationships: Show the parentage, siblings, and offspring of your character.

· Modern Day Relevance: In what form(s) do we see the character today?

· Symbol: Include picture and reasoning

· Summarizing conclusion: clearly reiterate thesis and main ideas; provide a sense of closure.

Other Requirements: Make sure you keep the following in mind:

· You must create a minimum of 30 slides

· You must use all 5+ sources in your presentation

· Parenthetically document all facts

· For each fact (CD), you need two commentary (CM) – explanation and thoughts

· Type the fact (CD) on the slide; speak your commentary (CM) – do not type it on the slide.

· Try to have a picture for each fact

· Be creative! It makes your presentation more interesting!

Grading: You will be graded on the following:

· Organization: Is information presented in an orderly fashion? Are the visuals and the text arranged so that they are easy to read and see? Are corresponding text and visuals arranged near each other?

· Content: Is the information significant? Is it accurate and thorough? Did you use 5 documented sources?

· Aesthetics: Can the text be read? Is the font large enough and written neatly/legibly? Are the visuals relevant and of good quality?

· Balance: Is there a balance in the amount of text vs. the amount of visuals?

· Visuals: Are visuals smoothly integrated, attractive and creative?

Presenting

The final step is to present! Before you present, review the requirements and tips below.

Requirements:

· You must wear formal presentation attire

· Your presentation must be 7-10 minutes long

Tips: Good presenters do the following:

· Practice, practice, practice! Practice by yourself, practice in front of a mirror; more importantly, practice with someone else watching you – friends, parents, siblings, girl/boyfriend, etc. This will 1) give you the experience of speaking in front of people, 2) allow you the opportunity for immediate feedback about your organization, word choice, etc., and 3) help you become more knowledgeable about how to convey your information.

· Keep your eyes on the audience, not the slide. Eye contact is the most important connection to your audience. When you read your notes or continuously look at your visuals, you break that connection. You also speed up your pace, lower your volume, and use less expression in your vocal delivery. This is where practice becomes your best weapon.

· Use professional presenting body language. Incorporating gestures and deliberate movement into your presentation can add emphasis and meaning. Move to the other side of the screen when transitioning from main point to main point. Move toward the audience when you want to emphasize a certain phrase or idea. Use gestures when you want to stress a particular concept. Interact with your visual aid: point out what the blue line means, the difference in the two bars, etc. Don’t fidget, sway, bounce, etc. that may distract from your message.