BASIC INFORMATION

Michaela LaCroix
Designer(s)

Title Greek Mythological Creatures Lesson

In this lesson, students will create their own mythological being by collaging different
*Summary of performance task
animals/creatures from magazines into one, cohesive being. Using what they learned
about Greek mythology and the creatures that come from that culture, students will
create a hybrid animal that stems from a short myth of their own. Students will be asked
to develop a short myth that explains their creature’s existence, sharing their powers,
whether they are good or bad, and what their purpose is as a being.
Grades 2-5
*Grade/Level

Time Frame 1-2, 40-minute class periods

Standard 8.2: Identify characteristic features of the visual arts of world civilizations such as
*Standards styles of ancient Egypt and Africa, China, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome, and the Medieval
period in Europe

Lesson Concept/Big Idea In this lesson, students will learn how culture influences art by investigating Grecian myths
and the importance of storytelling.

Students will be able to…

Lesson Objectives
1. Recognize characteristics/features of Greek Myths
2. Describe ways in which Greek culture has impacted their artwork
3. Create their own creature by collaging photos from magazines.
4. Answer questions that explain the purpose/functionality of their creature.
1. How does culture effect the formation of art?
Essential Questions 2. How do artists influence culture?

Guiding Questions 1. What is culture?

2. What is a mythological creature?

3. How are these myths/stories passed down from generation to generation? How did they
get to us today?

4. What qualities do certain animals symbolize? What adjectives can you use to describe
them?

5. How does story telling influence the artwork being produced during this time?

6. What animals will you incorporate into your creature and why?

7. What powers will your creature have and why?

Knowledge and Skills Students will

 use scissors and glue to collage their work cohesively.

 learn about collaging as a form of combining images

  will be shown how to cut and paste different images together to make one,
readable image

 develop a short story using a worksheet that explains the myth behind their
creature

 view and be able to identify some commonly known Greek Mythology creatures,
such as Hydra, Chimera, and the Griffin

The preliminary activity will be an introduction to Greek Mythology and Ancient Greece
through a Google Slideshow.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1K3XpnwO9H6tngllNz1kPRNPWGtjt4WzXX9h--
Motivation CG6wV0/edit?usp=sharing

Prep Time:
1. Prior to the start of this activity, the instructor will collect pages from magazines
and organize them into separate folders for each student. Inside of the folders will
be images of animals and environments that students will use to create their
creature and the world it lives in. This will be a COVID-19 adjustment to restrict
Sequence of Activities
students from sharing magazines.
2. If no restrictions are in place, prior to class, the instructor will still collect pages
(sensor content) from magazines, but instead, will dedicate a table/surface space
to laying them out. Students will be allowed to go up to the table to collect
whichever pieces they desire.

Class 1:
3. At the start of class, instructor will present the preliminary/motivational activity to
the students in a slideshow, following through the slides and sparking
discussions.
4. At the end of the slideshow, instructor will show a slide that gives students a look
at the activity they will be starting. This slide will also introduce them to collaging,
explaining what this technique consists of as well as examples of famous artists
who use this technique in their own work
5. Once the slideshow has ended, the instructor will ask students to get out scissors
if they have them: WAIT to ask students to retrieve glue sticks so they learn to lay
out the clippings and arrange them first instead of using glue immediately. This
will help avoid conflict from making premature mistakes.
6. Next, instructor will give a short live demo of how to cut around the magazine
images to get the desired portion/clipping of the animal, showing how to use
scissors properly and place on the paper without glue to make sure they like the
placement before making any permanent changes.
7. Instructor will then distribute manila folders with pages that each student can use
for their work (see prep time for explanation of these folders). Students will write
names on these folders and keep them.
8. An emphasis on the purpose/functionality of the creature and how it is reflected
through the animals and environment included will be stressed prior to worktime
to keep students on track.
9. Once students get their manila folders, the instructor will ask them to sift through
to find and begin to cut images of animals they want to include in their work.
10. Depending on COVID-19 restrictions, some sharing or trading of pages may/may
not be allowed.
11. Instructor will play focus music while students work.
12. Instructor will announce plans for the following class. Students will begin to put
their materials into their manila folders and put them off to the side for the
 instructor to collect back.

Class 2:
1. At the start of class, instructor will briefly review the preliminary/motivational
activity with the students asking them to recall what was discussed and started in
the previous class.
2. Instructor will also present the final worksheet and self-assessment sheet to
students, explaining the purpose and importance of both.
3. An emphasis on the purpose/functionality of the creature and how it is reflected
through the animals and environment included will be stressed prior to worktime to
keep students on track.
4. Instructor will leave the teacher sample as a reference on the board.
5. Instructor will ask students to get out their scissors, in which their manila folders
will be redistributed for them. They will be asked to resume cutting images and
planning out their creature.
6. As students work on cutting images, the instructor will pass out 8x11 construction
paper for students to glue images onto. There will be options for different colors
depending on what environment students want to create for their creature.
7. Instructor will play focus music while students work.
8. Instructor will announce that once students feel ready for glue, they will raise hand
and confer with the instructor. Once given the go-ahead, students will begin to
glue down their creature and move onto creating an environment for it to live in.
9. As students work, the instructor will circulate around to assist and assess the
class.
10. Students will be allowed to use extra materials such as colored pencils, markers,
and crayons to add to their environments and backgrounds.
11. As students complete their creature collages, instructor will distribute prompt
worksheets that ask students questions about their creature, defining its function,
environment, form, and why they created the creature.
12. Then, the instructor will distribute the self-assessment. Students will fill this out
and set aside for collection.
13. When all is completed, instructor will collect the final work and the worksheet
together in the manila folder and students will recycle the clippings, return the glue
sticks and scissors, and clean up.
*Assessment/ Rubrics Students will be assessed on the worksheet that they complete which asks students to
define their creature’s name, figure, powers, habitat, and a fun fact about the creature. If
answered relevantly and to their best ability, they will receive credit for the assignment.
There will also be a self-assessment administered for students to assess their own work.
(see appendices)

Classroom Routines (with COVID-19 regulations):

Stated in Google Slides (motivational activity)

1. Stay in workspace
2. Raise hands
Routines 3. Wear masks
4. Instructor will pass out materials
5. ART Acronym (A-aim for your best and to do right, R- respect yourself, your friends,
and the art room, T- Trust in yourself and your ability to learn)
 ELL students: when completing the worksheet, they will be appropriately held to
their own reading/writing proficiency level standards.
  Students with limited motor functionality: students who have limited mobility will
Differentiated Instruction and
have the magazines cut for them if need be. If using glue sticks is an issue, other
Accommodations
materials such as Elmer’s glue can be used as a substitution

Class size of 10 Students:

 Assortment of magazines (preferably national geographic or anything associated
Materials
with nature)
 Manilla folders for each student (10+)
 Construction paper (assorted colors/nature colors)
 Glue sticks
 Scissors
 Crayons
 Markers
 Pencils
 erasers

Myth: a traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of people or explaining
some natural or social phenomenon, and typically involving supernatural beings or events
Key Words / Vocabulary
Mythology: a collection of myths, especially one belonging to a particular religious or
cultural tradition

Culture: the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation,
people, or other social group

Collage: a piece of art made by sticking various different materials such as photographs
and pieces of paper or fabric on to a backing

Belief: trust, faith, or confidence in someone or something

Hybrid: something composed of mixed parts

Mythological Creature Rubric:

 Student will… Almost Meets the Meets the Exceeds the
Requirement (1pts) Requirement (2pts) Requirement (3pts)
Students demonstrate Student combines Student demonstrates Student creates an
knowledge of elements in a way that an understanding of area of emphasis,
composition by does not create an combining elements using line, shape, and
combining elements area of interest, and principles to texture to move the
and principles to demonstrating a create an area of eye around the
create an area of misunderstanding of emphasis. picture plane.
emphasis. composition.
Create a creature that Student creates a Student creates a Student goes above
consists of at least creature that either creature through and beyond by
two different animals does not use at least combining at least two creating a creature,
combined together in two different animals, different animals that combined using at
a way that shows an OR the creature does show an intentional least two different
intentional sense of not create a sense of use of balance in the animals, that shows
balance. balance in the body’s overall body an intentional use of
overall composition. composition. balance in the flow
seamlessly from one
body part to the next.
Justify their creatures Student does not Student justifies their Student goes above
and their creative justify their work and creature and creative and beyond by
choices within the explain why they choices by answering justifying their
creatures by made certain artistic the questions on the creatures and
answering questions decisions. artist statement creative decisions by
in their artist worksheet. providing a detailed
statement explanation of their
worksheets. thought process.