Materials for the lesson

12 Cards with the names   and a short information   of   gods/goddesses of Olympus. Each card contains only one god/goddess.

Hard paper
Pencil
Scissors
Paper tape
Pieces of textiles

Layout of the classroom

Free space to move is needed. The theater room is recommended, otherwise the school furniture is placed in that way to free space in the middle of the classroom.

Phase 1

The students are divided into pairs. Each pair is given a card containing the name of one god or goddess  of Olympus and a title that reveals his/her action domain. For example: Apollo, god of music.

Each pair draws  the god’s /goddess’s symbol on a hard paper and with scissors cuts the shape.

 For example: a lyre for Apollo.

 Phase 2

 One of each pair sticks the card with tape paper on his /her chest and holds the symbol of his/her god/goddess  in hand.

So, the 12 gods and goddesses of Olympus stand side by side in a row.

If there are pieces of textiles in school material, students may tie them around their body  representing ancient Greek gods.

The rest of the students form a semi-circle in front of 12 gods’/goddesses’/ row. They represent the chorus as in   ancient theater.

  12 Gods/goddesses

 Chorus

In turn, each god/goddess   moves two-three steps forward and presents himself/herself showing his/her symbol. For example:

-I am Apollo, the god of music. Here is my lyre!

The chorus in the semi-circle with teacher’s signal, greets god/goddess slowly and rhythmically.

For example:

-Ηonnor to you Great Apollo, god of music!

Phase 3

 The gods/goddesses become chorus and the chorus takes the place and the role of gods/goddesses. They exchange also the cards and the symbols.

Phase 4

All gods’ /goddesses’ symbols are placed mixed, on the floor, in the center of the semi-circle.

 The teacher says that the 12 gods and goddesses lost their symbols and humans (the students of the chorus) have to bring them back to gods/goddesses.

So, in turn, each student of chorus goes and picks a symbol, looks at it carefully, with curiosity, trying to identify the object and its owner.

Suppose, a student picks a lyre, he/she may say for example:

-Oh! A lyre! Apollo’s lyre?

Then he/she goes to Apollo and gives the lyre back to god.

If the student -human gives the right symbol to the right god/goddess, then the god/goddess  takes it looking satisfied and the chorus says unanimous after teacher’s signal :

-God/goddess  is happy!

The human returns to his/her first position.

Otherwise, if the student can not identify the right owner of the symbol, the god/goddess refuses to take the wrong symbol, looks angry and the chorus says after teacher’s signal:

-God/goddess  is angry!

The student-human frightened, leaves the symbol on the floor upon the other symbols and runs quickly back into his/her first position.

Phase 5

Humans become gods/goddesses and vice-versa. The same procedure is repeated so all the children get the chance to match symbols and gods/goddesses.

Phase 6

More information is provided to each pair separately (same pairs as in phase 1) about the god/goddess.

In turn, each pair imagine and plays a representative scene of his/her god’s/goddess ‘s life in front of the class. They may also add speech, gestures, movements.