Was there really a guy named Homer? Was the Odyssey written by one man or many? Are the stories original or a retelling of well-known myths? It may not contain all the information that viewers need to know about The Odyssey but this entertaining video certainly does provide enough facts to engage class members in a study of Homer's famous epic. 

Concepts

the odyssey, greek epics, greek mythology, epic poetry, legends, heroism

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Flip the lesson, asking class members to view the video, complete the comprehension check, and research some of the links out of class before returning for discussion
• Provide viewers with a vocabulary list (hubris, rhapsodes, xenia, etc.) and have them determine the meaning of these words before watching the video
• Use the video to launch a study of The Odyssey

Classroom Considerations

• The video provides a justification for reading the episodes out of order or for assigning groups to prepare a presentation about just one episode

Pros

• The video models how traditional Greek values are represented in the various episodes of the tale

Cons

• None