P R E P A R A T I O N F O R T H E
PEGASUS NATIONAL MYTHOLOGY EXAM
K e n d a l R O g l e s
Kendal Ogles ( kogles @ stjohnseagles . org ) has primarily taught middle school students for nearly 10 years , first in Alabama , and currently in Florida . She uses a mix of reading comprehension and project based learning as her main way of teaching the
" fun " of Latin .
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Salvēte , omnēs ! I work at St . John ’ s Episcopal Parish Day School , a private school in Tampa , Florida . For a tiny private school , we spend a great deal of time studying the classics !
In 5th grade English , the teacher starts preparing for the National Mythology Exam during the second semester when students begin to read D ’ Aulaires ’ Book of Greek Mythology . Students read and complete activities based on one story every week . We use this book for both its beautiful illustrations and enjoyable stories . In 5th grade Latin , we translate simple passages about the gods and goddesses , and answer any questions they dream up !
As they read a story , they create a new piece of art . The youngest classicists create so many artifacts — including a family tree of the Olympians , an original musical instrument , a map of Hercules ’ adventures , a coloring book of their favorite heroes or deities , and more .
In a special Latin / English partnership , they make a zoo dedicated to a Greek deity with their favorite animals .
During subsequent years , students revisit mythology in their English classes , using more advanced material and activities . In their Latin coursework , they spend time going through previous exam questions using Kahoot , Quizlet , and other review games . We write and illustrate stories about the deities in Latin . The Odyssey is part of the 7th grade curriculum , and students are able to explore the material in a detailed manner . As 8th graders , students examine mythological stories in January and devote time in February toward the grade-specific focus material of the National Mythology Exam . In each grade , the students are able to reinforce what they have learned by creating imaginative projects — storyboards , original art , and even faux social media profiles .