Anita Yasuda - Explore Greek Myths!: With 25 Great Projects

Recent language arts and social studies titles in the Explore Your World! Series Check out more titles at www.nomadpress.net Nomad Press A division of Nomad Communications 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Copyright 2016 by Nomad Press. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review or for limited educational use. The trademark Nomad Press and the Nomad Press logo are trademarks of Nomad Communications, Inc. Educational Consultant, Marla Conn Questions regarding the ordering of this book should be addressed to Nomad Press 2456 Christian St. White River Junction, VT 05001 www.nomadpress.net CONTENTSIntroduction
The World of Greek Myths Chapter 1
The Greek World Chapter 2
Monsters and Mayhem Chapter 3
Heros and Impossible Tasks Chapter 4
Gods and Grandeur Chapter 5
Ancient Greece in Todays World! Chapter 6
Similar Stories Interested in primary sources? Look for this icon. Use a smartphone or tablet app to scan the QR code and explore more! You can find a list of URLs on the Resources page.

If the QR code doesnt work, try searching the Internet with the Keyword Prompts to find other helpful sources. KEYWORD PROMPTS Greek myths These dates are approximate. 2000 BCE: The Minoans build large palace complexes on Crete, including one at Knossos that some believe may have belonged to legendary King Minos. 1600 BCE: The Minoan civilization collapses after the Santorini volcano erupts. 1600 BCE: The Mycenaean culture develops on mainland Greece, known as Hellas. 1250 BCE: According to legend, the Greeks use the Trojan Horse to defeat the city of Troy after a 10-year siege. 750 BCE: The first Greek alphabet develops. 700 BCE: Homer composes the epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey. 700 BCE: Hesiod writes Theogony and Works and Days. 650 BCE: Sparta becomes the most powerful citystate in Greece. 534 BCE: Theater begins to thrive in Greece. 510 BCE: Democracy begins in Athens. 500 BCE: The Classical Period begins in Greece. 500 BCE: Pindar writes poems set to music called odes. 490-480 BCE: Greek citystates defeat invaders from the Persian Empire. 460 BCE: The First Peloponnesian War between forces led by Sparta and Athens begins. 432 BCE: The Parthenon, a large temple to Athena on the Acropolis in Athens, is finished. 431 BCE: The Peloponnesian War breaks out again. 404 BCE: Sparta defeats Athens. 380 BCE: Plato begins teaching philosophy, mathematics, and astronomy in a grove near Athens. 338 BCE: King Philip II of Macedon (now northern Greece) conquers Greece. 336 BCE: Alexander the Great, son of King Philip II, becomes king. 332 BCE: Alexander the Great dies at the age of 32. 260 BCE: Archimedes describes how a lever works. 146 BCE: Rome conquers Greece. 146 BCE: Rome conquers Greece.

For many years, Romans have adopted the Greek gods and goddesses and renamed them. Imagine a world filled with gods and goddesses, heroes and heroines. In this world, there are battles for control of the universe. There are awesome adventures in labyrinths and one-eyed monsters forging thunderbolts. What is this incredible land? It is the world of Greek myths , stories that express the beliefs of the ancient Greek people. More than 3,000 years ago, the Greeks developed a rich culture . culture: the beliefs and way of life of a group of people. Explore Greek Myths! will take you on a journey from Mount Olympus to the underworld. Explore Greek Myths! will take you on a journey from Mount Olympus to the underworld.

You will read myths about King Midas, Medusa, and the Trojan Horse. Youll discover the daring adventures of heroes such as Heracles and Odysseus. Learning about Greek myths also means learning about science, astronomy , and geography . The experiments and projects in this book will help you understand how the Greeks used myths to explain their world. They will also help you discover how the culture of ancient Greece continues to influence our world today. WHAT ARE MYTHS? Have you ever wondered why the earth shakes or why we have seasons? The ancient Greeks wondered about these things, too.

But science could not yet provide them with answers. They created stories called myths with a pantheon of gods and other supernatural creatures to explain natural events. WORDS TO KNOW Mount Olympus: the home of the Greek gods. astronomy: the study of the sun, moon, stars, planets, and space. geography: the study of the earth and its features, especially the shape of the land and the effect of human activity on the earth. supernatural: something that cannot be explained using the laws of science. Many of the names in this book are hard to say, but you can hear them spoken online. Go to Merriam-Webster.com, search for the word, and press the symbol next to your word to hear it spoken. KEYWORD PROMPTS Merriam-Webster The Greeks added gods and goddesses to every part of their lives. KEYWORD PROMPTS Merriam-Webster The Greeks added gods and goddesses to every part of their lives.

No matter who you were in Greek society , from a noble to a thief, there was a god for you. The 12 greatest gods were the Olympians and they lived on Mount Olympus. Gods looked and acted like people. Unlike people, the Greek gods had superpowers and lived forever without growing old. No one had X-ray vision, but there were gods who could control the air, land, and sea. Zeus was the most important god.

He ruled over the heavens and the earth. SYMBOLS OF THE GODS When ancient Greeks painted, drew, and sculpted the gods and goddesses, they used different symbols for each one so viewers would know who was who! Here are some of the symbols of the ancient gods and goddesses. WORDS TO KNOW society: an organized community of people with shared laws, traditions, and values. prophecy: a prediction of the future.