Project Description
The Myth and Legend Project developed as an offshoot of the Symmes Middle School's Pop Culture Project. Some teachers used this project to delve deeper into reading, writing and talk versus a media focus. Each class had a different focus within the myth-legend theme. Some groups looked a Greek myths and their oral traditions. Teachers Allison Mackenzie,Trista Hollweck and Sylvia Bretzloff prepared materials to carefully scaffold the learning process. English and Art teachers collaborated so that students created a mythical character to go with their own legend. The project was open-ended with many possible routes to follow.

Click here to access a teacher's guide for creating Myths and Legends

Project Focus
The project focussed on English Language Arts reading, writing and talk competencies of the Quebec Education Program. Students were expected to adopt effective work methods, to cooperate with each other and to communicate appropriately throughout the project.

The Story of a Myth in cartoon form

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Project Workings

• Students immersed themselves in myths and legends of all types using resources from school and home.
• They looked at the kinds of answers that myths provide for questions about
  • human behaviour
  • the natural world
  • spirituality
• They looked into their own questions about the modern world.
• They selected a question of their own about which to write a myth or legend.
• They designed the character that would be their hero - ex. Superman
• They went beyond the strict writing of a myth or legend by using the internet to investigate and learn about cartooning as a mode of presentation to tell their stories.