Ancient Greek Myths

Curriculum Area

Subject: History
Key Stage: KS2
Year Group: Year 3
National Curriculum Objective:

• Historical Enquiry: Select and combine information from different sources.
• Interpretations of History: Understand that aspects of the past have been represented and interpreted in different ways.
• Cultural Understanding: Explore myths and legends and assess their importance in Ancient Greece.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils will be able to:

1. Define the terms ‘myth’ and ‘legend’ and explain their role in Ancient Greek society.
2. Identify how different sources depict Ancient Greek myths.
3. Analyse a Greek myth to infer what it tells us about Ancient Greek beliefs and daily life.

Lesson Duration

60 minutes

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

Hook Activity: "Whispers of the Past"

• Display images of famous Greek mythological figures (e.g., Zeus, Athena, Minotaur) on the board.
• Ask students: “Who do you think these are? What do you think they might be famous for?”
• Encourage students to share ideas with a partner before discussing as a class.

Explicit Teaching

• Define the terms ‘myth’ and ‘legend’.

  • Myth: A traditional story involving gods, heroes or magical beings, often explaining a natural or social phenomenon.
  • Legend: A story that might be based on truth but has been exaggerated over time.

• Ask: Why do you think Ancient Greek people told myths?

  • Explain that myths were used to explain events, teach values, and entertain.

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2. Main Activity (35 Minutes)

Part 1: Investigating Ancient Greek Myths (15 Minutes)

• Group Activity: Provide each table with a different source related to Greek mythology:

  • An excerpt from a myth
  • An ancient Greek vase painting
  • A modern retelling of a myth
  • A statue or artefact
  • A film still from a mythological adaptation

• Discussion Questions:

  1. What does your source show?
  2. Do you think it is an old or new representation?
  3. What does it tell us about Ancient Greek life or beliefs?

• Class Share: Groups present their findings to the class. Discuss how different sources tell the same stories in different ways.

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Part 2: Analyzing the Myth of Theseus and the Minotaur (20 Minutes)

• Read aloud (or act out in small groups) a child-friendly version of Theseus and the Minotaur.

• Discussion Questions:

  • What does this myth tell us about Greek heroes?
  • Why do you think the Greeks created this story?
  • What does it tell us about their fears or values? (E.g., bravery, intelligence)

• Creative Task: Pupils draw and annotate one scene from the myth, illustrating key details that show Ancient Greek life. Encourage them to include:

  • Clothing styles
  • Architecture (e.g., the Labyrinth)
  • Characters’ emotions

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3. Plenary (15 minutes)

Class Debate: "Are Myths Just Stories?"

Pose the question:

“Do myths only entertain, or do they teach important lessons?”

• Think-Pair-Share:

  • Pupils discuss with a partner, then share ideas.
  • Prompt with examples from daily life (e.g., are there modern myths that teach us values?).

• Conclude by explaining how myths shaped Ancient Greek culture and continue to influence literature and films today.

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Differentiation & Support

• For Lower Ability Learners: Provide illustrated myth summaries and sentence starters for discussions.
• For Higher Ability Learners: Challenge students to rewrite part of the myth from another character’s perspective.

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Assessment for Learning

• Questioning: Targeted questions during group discussions.
• Creative Assessment: Annotated drawings demonstrate understanding.
• Exit Question: On a sticky note, write one new thing they learned about Ancient Greece today.

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Resources Needed

• Printed sources (images, text excerpts)
• Whiteboard & markers
• Art supplies (paper, pens, pencils)

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Teacher Reflection

• Were students engaged in using different sources?
• Did they grasp how myths teach values?
• How well did they interpret historical information?

This lesson allows pupils to explore, evaluate, and create—deepening their understanding of Ancient Greece in an exciting and thought-provoking way!