We have really enjoyed diving into the fascinating world of Ancient Greek mythology this week as part of our History learning. Thanks to our Shared Reading sessions exploring Mythologica, we already had a strong understanding of some of the most famous gods and goddesses, and a few of us were already true experts!
We learned that the Ancient Greeks believed in many gods and goddesses, each with their own powers and responsibilities. These beliefs helped them explain events in the world around them, such as storms, illness and natural disasters. Although we now know these stories were myths, the Ancient Greeks truly believed in them. They built temples, held festivals and offered prayers to honour their gods because religion was an important part of everyday life in Ancient Greece.
After this, we worked in groups to research different Olympian gods using books and iPads. Once we had gathered enough information, one person from each group stepped into character and took part in a class press conference! Complete with name labels and plenty of confidence, the gods and goddesses answered interview questions about their powers, personalities, symbols and legendary stories.
It was brilliant to see such confident role play, thoughtful questioning and plenty of humour and imagination. The press conferences helped us understand why the Ancient Greeks respected and feared their gods, and how these beliefs shaped their daily lives.
What do Ancient Greek myths teach us about what people believed and feared in the past?
