AP English
Becker
Mythology Project
Although the Advanced Placement Exam in Literature covers literature written
from the 16th Century to the present, we will begin with a study of Greek &
Roman Mythology. It is important to have a basic introduction to mythology in
order to understand the many allusions that appear throughout literature. We
will use Edith Hamilton’s Mythology as a basis for our study. This book
provides a condensed collection of the most famous myths presented in such
classics written by Homer, Pindar, Hesiod, Sophocles, Euripides, Aeschylus,
Aristophanes, Ovid, and Virgil. Hamilton’s book is not always read linearly
because it often refers back and forth in time and between different gods,
goddesses, heroes, heroines, and other mortals. It is best to use the index and
flip back and forth when you do not recognize a name or need more
information about something.
Group Presentation of Lesson
You will work in groups on a certain section of Hamilton’s book, and you will
be responsible for teaching the class a lesson about your section. After
choosing your section and your group, you should read, take notes, and
answer the questions given on the corresponding study guide. Be sure to
decide how you want to present the information to the class. You need to cover
your section so that the class learns this material for the reading quizzes and
final test, which may include any of the questions on the study guide. You
should encourage the class to take notes, and you should provide your own
handout to help them review. You will have approximately 20 –25 minutes to
present your lesson. Everyone in your group should be involved in both the
preparation and the presentation of the lesson. Your lesson may be in the form
of a lecture, a skit, interview show, puppet show, Power Point presentation, or
any other appropriate format.
Visual Aids: Your group presentation should include visual aids. A few
suggestions are posters, the overhead projector, a video, costumes and props,
puppets, a game show board, or Power Point slides.
Student Handout: You should also prepare some kind of handout for students
to keep. An outline of your chapters or your presentation would be helpful or a
chart of the gods/goddesses, heroes/heroines, or the house you have chosen.
Drawings or images from the Internet may also be used.
Study Guide Handout: Your group is responsible for addressing the topics and
questions that appear in your study guide. Although you do not need to turn
your answers in, you do need to make sure that your presentation covers the
material. You should not simply read questions and answers for your
presentation. You need to be more creative than this.
Edith Hamilton’s Mythology: Section Choices
Chapters
Chapters
Chapters
Chapters
Chapters
Chapters
Chapters
Chapters
Chapters
1 & 2 The Gods / The Two Great Gods of Earth
3 & 4 How the World and Mankind Were Created / The Earliest Heroes
5 & 6 Cupid and Psyche / Eight Brief Tales of Lovers
7 & 8 The Quest of the Golden Fleece / Four Great Adventures
9 & 10 Perseus / Theseus
11 & 12 Hercules / Atalanta
13 & 14 The Trojan War / The Fall of Troy
15 & 16 The Adventures of Odysseus & The Adventures of Aeneas
17, 18, & 19 The House of Atreus / Thebes / Athens
Project Evaluation
Name: ______________________________________________________________________
Hamilton Section: __________________________________________________________
Group Members: _____________________________________________________________
Your
Score
Group Presentation of
Lesson
Possible
Points
Content (Hamilton info)
40
Creativity & Organization
10
Student Handout
20
Visual aid
40
Peer evaluation
10
Final Score
Due Date: _________________________________
120