Classical Mythology & More: A Reader Workbook

Classical Outlook, Summer 2007 Volume 84, Number 4 CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGYAND MORE Most Latin teachers are constantly on the lookout to find ancillary materials to help them incorporate more mythological and cultural material into their classrooms, but many find it a challenge to teach these important contextual aspects as thoroughly as they would like. Most Latin teachers have multiple preps and sometimes even multi-level classes. It is not uncommon for a Latin teacher to teach additional subjects as well. Finding the time to create really good mythology and cultural units can be a serious problem. Bolchazy-Carducci has just published a new workbook which will take an enormous burden off the shoulders of busy teachers. (It is really about time!) There is just no other resource out there that is as comprehensive and useful for junior and senior high students of Latin and the Classics. Classical Mythology and More: A Reader Workbook, written by Marianthe Colakis and Mary Joan Masello, is an incredible ancillary resource for middle and high school Latin students. (TMRC B477) The authors have based their highly readable retellings on authentic primary sources, including Homer, Hesiod, Vergil, Ovid, and other Classical authors. The 19 chapters cover the Creation myths, the Muses, Olympian deities, adventures, love stories, hero tales, the houses of Atreus, Oedipus, Metamorphoses, the Trojans, Odysseus, Aeneas, and the Roman kings. Each chapter includes objective review exercises, "musings" intended to stimulate higher level thinking, word derivation studies, and interesting facts linking mythology to real life. Students will appreciate the side-bar summaries, and I think they will also like the vintage black and white illustrations. Books do not have to be illustrated in color to have visual interest. Latin teachers who collect vintage school texts will certainly recognize both the side-bar concept and the line art taken from late 19th and early 20th century Latin and mythology books. The format and artwork seem very appropriate for the subject matter. To facilitate student learning, the appendices include a large number of genealogical charts, chapter-by-chapter glossaries, and a pronunciation guide. There is also a bibliography. A teacher's guide is available separately from the publisher. Teachers can choose to follow the book in sequence or select chapters suitable for their students core Latin textbook. Some teachers may choose to have students work through the material independently, while others will probably want to have their classes work in small groups to complete the exercises and activities. The authors were mindful of teachers preparing students for national examinations, competitions, and certamina in writing this book. Parents who are basing their children's course of study on the Classical Homeschooling model and cultural literacy will no doubt find Classical Mythology and More invaluable. I have a very minor criticism about their inclusion of websites related to the content, only because internet addresses change so often. The authors themselves admit their misgivings. Many textbook publishers now have companion websites for their materials, and I think that this book is a definite candidate for one, although I realize that it takes time and effort to keep such a website properly updated. One word of warning: you might want to hide this book from the English and Language Arts department! They will probably want to use it too! Sharon Kazmierski, The Clearing House, Classical Outlook