Google classroom is used on a daily basis for discussion purposes and sharing opportunities. Gifted and talented students across the district have elaborate discussions on google classroom involving philosophical topics related to our unit of study. This provides a peer group for the students.

• Greek Mythology: One of the hidden benefits of studying Greek myths is to explore virtues. With these classic stories, the lines between righteous and immoral behavior are clear-cut, so that even young children can recognize examples of the 4 cardinal virtues: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. Also, we used Greek Myths to find heroes and villains. In Greek mythology, the lines between good and evil are VERY clear cut. Monsters are monsters, while heroes are heroes. When you take a look at Heracles (Hercules is his Roman name), there' s no doubt in children' s mind that he' s a good guy, performing noble deeds. Medusa, on the other hand, is definitely a monster, poised to wreck havoc on anyone who crosses her path. Lastly, Greek Mythology helped us connect the dots in the world around us. Embarking on a study of astronomy? Many constellations and celestial bodies have their basis in Greek myths, while the US space program is named after Apollo. In chemistry, the element niobium is named after Niobe, daughter of King Tantalus. Examining the ocean? Famous researcher Jacques Cousteau named his vessel Calypso, a nymph, thought to be the daughter of the Titan Atlas. Visiting Yellowstone National Park? Iris Falls is named for Iris, the mythological Greek goddess of the rainbow. Without a knowledge of Greek myths, terms like Pandora' s box, Achilles' heel, Herculean feat, the Midas touch, and nemesis don' t make much sense at all. Students will be given the opportunity to create their own Greek Gods, mythology stories & plays.

• Topics We Cover:

  The Nature of the Gods

  The Power of Music

  Teamwork

  Heart and Soul

  Self-Love (Vanity)

  Wisdom vs. Intelligence

  Greed

  Mind over Matter

  Fathers and Sons

• Greek Mythology is the focus for many of our topics but we also implement targeted readings from short stories, poetry, and nonfiction sources. Students engage in an inquiry process that moves from lower order to higher order thinking skills. Starting with basic literary understanding, students learn to critically analyze texts by determining implications and consequences, generalizations, main ideas, and/or creative synthesis.