An exciting twist on the study of the classical hero and the heroic quest! Using film to explore modern-day tales of heroes, the resource contains complete, ready-to-use lesson plans for as many as twelve days of instruction. Throughout...

Once the class learns about the hero's journey, they'll find it in every story and movie they see! Take characters from their humble beginnings to their atonement and apotheosis with a set of lessons about the hero's journey...

That was heroic!  Scholars quickly look over What is a Hero to determine and discuss the structure of the text. They then read the introduction and Act 1 closely to find the gist and annotate the text. They circle unfamiliar words...

Looking for a fresh approach to an end-of-unit project for The Odyssey? Check out a resource that has class members write their own hero's journey short story and then craft an illustration that depicts their tale. Apollonio di...

High schoolers compare and contrast the flawed families in two plays. In this American drama lesson, students read Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Long Day's Journey into Night. High schoolers research information about the playrights and...

What do Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and The Odyssey have in common? Why, they are all epics, of course, and are presented here as examples of the literary term. If you are beginning a study of epics, consider previewing the terms included...

Students recognize that "heroes" and "role models" are not synonymous terms. By analyzing heroes of other cultures and periods, they determine that many heroic figures, mythic or historical, rather than providing a model of a societal...

Students create a photo-biography of someone they consider a real life hero.  In this character sketch instructional activity, students define a hero and identify heroic characteristics in short stories.  Students use...

Students compare and contrast the main character in Monkey with the main character in Curious George.

Students think about the characteristics of a hero so they can later evaluate which historical figures on the heroes chart meet the criteria.

Young scholars list W.H Auden's six characteristics of a quest story. They say what is meant by a "metaphorical quest." Pupils discuss some differences between symbolism and allegory. Students indicate how Bilbo Baggins's adventures...

Students examine The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. In this visual arts lesson, students study the historical significance of the event as they examine the Grant Wood painting and primary sources regarding the event.

In this Coming Home from the life of Langston Hughes worksheet, learners read the book Coming Home from the life of Langston Hughes and answer short answer questions about it. Students complete 10 questions total.

Use this resource to learn why Beowulf, of epic poetry fame, is viewed as a heroic character.

These teaching notes for Beowulf provide a model for your own lesson plan and as a basic resource to study Beowulf. These notes can help you remember the pertinent points of Anglo-Saxon epic poem and help to deepen your understanding.