Odyssey Webquest

Purpose:Building background knowledge is one of the keys to reading comprehension.When you have more knowledge to make connections to while you read, you are more likely to understand and remember that information you have read. This activity will help with this.

Directions:Go to the website odyssey-webquest.weebly.comto access all of the resources necessary for this activity. On your handout, please write all of the answers in complete sentences. You will need to explore several different websites to find all of the information. You do not need to copy down every last fact, but you should demonstrate a basic understanding of the material.

Part One: Who is Homer?

  1. Who was Homer?
  1. Where did he live?
  1. When were these epic works composed?
  1. Why does Homeric literature still survive today?

Part Two: Terms and Conventions

Define the following…

  1. Epic =
  1. Epic hero =
  1. Epithets =

Continued other side

Part Three: Odyssey Online: Greece

For each section, answer the following questions…

  1. Epics and Actors: Where does the word theater come from? What did theaters look like at the time?
  1. Epics and Actors: Which god’s festival was the cause for developing dramatic performances?
  1. Geography: What three seas surround Greece?
  1. Geography: What is Troy?
  1. Geography: What is Ithaca?
  1. Victory and Conquest: Where does the word “athletics” come from?
  1. Victory and Conquest: What athletic events were included in ancient pentathlons?
  1. Victory and Conquest: What was the crowning prize for a winning athlete?
  1. Victory and Conquest: How old were soldiers trained in Athens? How old were soldiers trained in Sparta?
  1. American Cities/Greek Names: What are the four cities in Michigan whose names have Greek roots?

Part Four: Themes

  1. Create a list of topics from this website to keep in mind while you read…

Continued next page

Part Five: Encyclopedia Mythica

Describe the following characters/gods/goddesses from “The Odyssey” by Homer…

If you cannot find the name, go to and type in the name.

People:

  1. Odysseus
  1. Penelope
  1. Telemachus
  1. Laertes
  1. Eurycleia
  1. Menelaus
  1. Helen
  1. Agamemnon
  1. Hermione
  1. Antinuous
  1. Eurymachus
  1. Alcinuous
  1. Arete

Gods/Goddesses:

  1. Zeus
  1. Poseidon
  1. Athena
  1. Aeolus
  1. Helios

Other:

  1. Cycylopes
  1. Polyphemus
  1. Circe
  1. Tiresias
  1. Calypso
  1. 9 Muses
  1. Siren
  1. Scylla
  1. Charybdis

MISC – Find on your own:

  1. How many books make up “The Odyssey”?
  1. Define Odyssey =
  1. Describe Olympus =
  1. How many gods/goddesses make up the Olympic Council (The “Olympians”) =
  1. What was the prequel to “The Odyssey”?

***BONUS: Draw and explain the relation of the Starbucks logo to Greek Mythology: