Odyssey of the Mind Curriculum Activity: Making of a Monster

Over the course of a week, the class will study how monsters are portrayed throughout literature. But why? Monsters in science fiction or horror often depict the darker side of human nature; they are described for their horrific physical characteristics that act as metaphorical realizations of their maladjusted human character traits. The class is split into four groups, each group will create a play based on the monsters they create, the plays are performed and then one of the monsters will be put on trial and judged for his crimes. Note: Kids tend to get out of hand and silly when creating fictitious or fantastic characters, this lesson will help ground them in the need for complex character development.