Spin the Wheel of Fortune: A 2-Day Tyche & Nemesis Mythology Lesson for Grades 6-10 (Print + Google Ready)

Engage grades 6-10 with a two-day ELA myth lesson on Tyche & Nemesis—printable, Google-friendly, CCSS-aligned, and packed with visuals.

Why Teach Tyche & Nemesis Now?

In every literature class, recurring themes—tropes—spark student curiosity. Few are richer than the paired figures of Tyche (Fortuna), goddess of fortune and chance, and Nemesis, guardian of justice and conscience. Their stories echo from Wheel of Fortune to modern fantasy novels, giving your middle and high schoolers an instant real-world hook.

Lesson Snapshot

• Grade Bands 6–10 (easily adapted up or down)
• Duration Two 50-minute class periods, plus extensions
• Formats PDF for print • Google Workspace™ for digital • Easel™ activities on TpT
• Standards Fully aligned to CCSS RL/L/W/SL, TEKS, and Virginia SOL

What’s Inside the Resource?

• 🔖 6 Illustrated Reading Cards—public-domain art, succinct text, perfect for carousel or gallery walks
• 🗺 2 Map Activities—locate temples at Praeneste & Pompeii to ground myth in place
• 🗂 Anchor Chart + Vocabulary Frayer Models—visual tools for quick reference and retention
• ✍️ 20-Question Bank & Exit Tickets—ready-to-use for quizzes or bell-ringers
• 📝 Note-Taking Sheets—three-box Cornell format fosters evidence collection
• ✅ Answer Keys & 2-Point Writing Rubric—transparent grading and sample responses

How Students Benefit

1. Compare Versions: Analyze Tyche and Nemesis across Hamilton, Apollodorus, and pop culture.
2. Build Vocabulary: Master terms like nemesis, fortune, and fate in context.
3. Think Critically: Debate whether chance or conscience drives human action.
4. Collaborate: Engage in “speed-dating” discussions and trivia showdowns.
5. Write Analytically: Respond to prompts with textual evidence—CCSS W.9-10.9 ready!

Teacher-Friendly Features

• Print or Digital: Seamless in-person, hybrid, or remote.
• No Prep Needed: Download, assign, teach.
• Extendable: Connect to my other mythology sets—Furies, Fates, Titans, Iliad.
• Assessment Ready: Exit tickets + rubric give you instant data.

Classroom Idea: Spin Your Own Wheel

Create a cardboard “Wheel of Fortune” with pockets labeled Reward or Rebuke. After reading, students spin and justify—using evidence—whether Tyche’s gift or Nemesis’s judgment fits a mythic scenario. Instant engagement!

Grab the Lesson

➡️ Download on Stones of Erasmus @ TpT

Let’s Keep the Conversation Rolling

Have a classroom story or a question? Drop a comment below or email me at support@stonesoferasmus.com. I love hearing how teachers spin mythology into gold!

What Three People Said About Using My Humanities Resources in the Classroom with Actual Students

Discover what educators are saying about my engaging, classroom-tested Humanities and ELA resources for middle and high school teachers and students.

Stones of Erasmus is more than just a blog; it is where I go to create fun, engaging humanities resources that spark meaningful conversations and inspire students from grades 6-12.

Teachers, parents, and administrators love my resources! Rebekah shared that she used them “first with adult ESL students and then with my teenage sons as a conversation game,” adding that “the hook and realness of the issues” resonated with both her sons and her students. Frances, who had never taught philosophy before, said, “My students were engaged while reading and discussing the different philosophers. Thanks for putting it all together for us!”

I create fun, engaging Middle and High School ELA activities loved by teachers, perfect for philosophy, mythology, and diverse, growth-minded classrooms.

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Interpreting William Blake’s ‘London’: A Deep Dive into 18th Century British Society

In this post, we’re delving into the depths of the London scene portrayed by William Blake, the renowned 18th-century British romantic poet. His evocative poem, “London”, paints a stark picture of urban life at the onset of the Industrial Revolution, a time when the agrarian society was fading into history, making way for the hustle and bustle of city life.

Original Print of Blake's "London"

Blake’s poem is a potent social critique, where the language is economical, yet the power of his word choice is profound. He makes use of repeated phrases and words, drawing attention to the dichotomy of city life and nature, the man-made versus the natural, the stark reality versus the fairy tale expectation.

“London” is not a mere depiction of city life. Rather, it presents a narrator wandering through its streets, observing and internalizing the miseries of humanity he encounters. There’s an aura of loneliness and unhappiness, a sense of disconnect despite being surrounded by others, which resonates with anyone who has ever experienced the anonymity of urban life.

Blake’s narrator points to the marks of weakness and exhaustion on the faces of those coming from factories, critiquing the exploitative labor conditions of the time. The poet also highlights societal apathy towards the suffering of young chimney sweepers, a tragic reminder of the city’s dark secrets. The chimney sweepers, who were often children, worked in deplorable conditions, their plight remaining unnoticed or ignored by the very society that benefitted from their labor.

Blake doesn’t hold back in his critique of institutional indifference. The Church and the State, he argues, are indifferent to human suffering and injustice. The poem illustrates the plight of soldiers shedding blood for the interests of the state and the harlots who were often inflicted with diseases, only to pass them onto their customers who would unknowingly bring them back home.

The poem doesn’t offer a solution. Instead, it acts as a protest, crying out against societal ills and apathy. Blake presents a vivid picture of a society manacled by its own despair, bound by the chains of its inaction. By voicing out these atrocities, the poet forces us to confront our own complacency and challenges us to question what we would do in the face of such human misery.

Blake, who was also a skilled printmaker, often supplemented his poems with visual imagery. For “London”, he illustrates a young boy leading an old man and a child warming up by a fire, which further highlights the pervasiveness of suffering in the city.

In essence, Blake’s “London” is not just a depiction of city life, but a thought-provoking critique of society and a plea for empathy and action. Although it doesn’t end on a note of hope, it prompts us to reflect on our role in society and to consider how we can alleviate the suffering around us.

Hey, Teachers!

Teach the poem "London" to students in middle and high school with a jam-packed teacher resource on William Blake's London and the Industrial Revolution.

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Portfolio: Mr. Roselli's Teaching Career in a Visually Appealing Presentation

Teaching Statement

Everything I do revolves around Arts and Letters. As a kid, I haunted my local public library and connected with teachers and coaches. As an adult, I’ve worked with learners aged ten to eighteen and thrive when students share stories, thoughts, writing, drawings, and future ambitions.

I teach ethical thinking within Humanities and ELA, adapting instruction to engage each class and collaborating with colleagues when units align. Instruction evolves to meet students’ needs, hooking and sustaining their curiosity through co-planning and shared resources.

I design learning spaces with maps, anchor charts, and reading materials that spark inquiry. I love when students exclaim, “Mr. Roselli—look what I read!” because they see me as a fellow learner in our shared journey.

Active Teacher: Celebrating Diversity, Values, Clubs & Student Groups

I engage in school life by celebrating our community’s diversity, upholding traditions, facilitating after-school clubs, and helping students find affinity groups. My commitment extends beyond the classroom into every corner of school culture.

Collaboration in the High School English Language Arts Classroom

I spearheaded an empathy initiative, bringing lower- and upper-school students together in planned enrichment activities. I also debriefed with students afterward and emphasized empathy not as an academic concept but as something we practice through action. When I saw one of my teens interact with a first-grader with patience and kindness, it opened up a later conversation that year when they were struggling with a peer. I said, “Do you remember when you were so patient with that first-grader? I’m trying to help you get out of your head and think of every interaction as an opportunity to grow—not an easy task, I know.”

Bringing Octavia Butler’s Kindred to life, my eleventh graders dramatized profiles of social justice, historical resistance, and time travel between modern Los Angeles and antebellum Maryland.

Writing Strategies

Sixth Graders in My Humanities Class Create a Mind Map—a useful brainstorming technique for Writing and Idea Sharing.

Independent Reading Initiatives

Are you tired of Netflix? Every summer, I spearhead a themed reading initiative featuring voices like Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds. During the year, students select books, read in class, and share reviews to foster lifelong reading habits.

Field Trips

I took my Sixth grade class to the Brooklyn Museum to see Egyptian artifacts as part of our unit on Egyptian mythology. I have taken students to many different places—including the Tenement Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Philadelphia, Nantucket, China, and France and the United Kingdom.

Community Involvement

I invite my class to participate in volunteering; I have taken students to the Brooklyn Book Bodega, a non-profit that has as its mission to provide one hundred books for every New Yorker. I have also partnered with Street Lab and other organizations.

I am in search of a community of high-achieving students. I work best with students from eighth to tenth grade; however, I have experience teaching students as young as fifth grade and as old as college-aged. I consider myself an all-around teacher with one foot in English Language Arts and the other in the Humanities.

If you are seeking a dynamic, warm, witty, and engaging teacher, one whom students often praise by saying, 'We love Mr. Roselli. He does make us do a lot of work, but he has a way of making it fun,' then look no further.

Contact me. I'd love to hear from you.

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Language Meets Art: Exploring 'Amor' and 'Caritas' in Augustus-Saint-Gaudens’ Work at The Met 🌟🖼️

Explore the captivating intersection of language and art in Augustus Saint-Gaudens' masterpiece, Amor and Caritas, at The Met. A linguistic and artistic journey awaits, unveiling the roots of love and charity in this gilt bronze treasure. Perfect for educators and art enthusiasts.

Hey, y’all! 🌟 Hey, y’all! I’m at the Metropolitan Museum of Art today. I’m looking at Augustus-Saint-Gaudens’ gilt bronze piece from 1918 in the American wing. As a high school and middle school English and humanities teacher, I’m thrilled to share a bit of word power knowledge with you.

This piece beautifully intertwines language and art, featuring the words ‘amor’ and ‘caritas.’ 📚 ‘Amor,’ the Latin for love, is the root of the English word ‘amorous.’ And ‘caritas’? It signifies love and charity, a reminder of generosity and virtue. 💖

What makes this even more special is the angelic figure presenting these powerful words – a perfect blend of linguistic heritage and artistic expression. 🌈 So, here’s to finding love and language in art!

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Medieval Majesty: Exploring the Intricacies of 11th Century Ivory Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Journey through the Metropolitan Museum's medieval wing with an insightful look at a unique 11th-century ivory carving of Christ 'The Door' and a plaque featuring the Four Evangelists, unveiling the rich tapestry of Byzantine, Islamic, and Norman art influences.

Christ the Door

I find myself in the medieval wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, standing before an exquisite ivory carving of Christ. This piece, likely intended as a book plate for an illuminated manuscript, originates from the 11th century CE. During this period, particularly in Southern Italy, there was a flourishing of art influenced by a confluence of diverse cultures — Byzantine, Islamic, and Norman, to name a few.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has interesting artifacts—like this ivory object depicting Christ surrounded by symbols of the four Evangelists.

Such ivory works were integral to the trade networks linking the Islamic world and other regions across the Arab world, serving as a testament to the cultural intersections at the Mediterranean crossroads. This is evident in the variety of objects within this display case, all crafted from ivory, symbolizing this rich cultural exchange.

Interestingly, this particular depiction of Christ is unique. He is shown holding the gospel book, referencing a passage from the Gospel of John, Chapter 10: ‘I Am the Door.’ It’s a fascinating symbolic choice, as Christ is not commonly portrayed as a door, despite the theological significance of the metaphor — representing the doorway to salvation. This element adds a distinctive layer to this already remarkable artifact.

The Four Evangelists

In the same display of ivory works, I stumbled upon another mesmerizing piece of history - an ivory plaque dating back to around 1050 CE. By the way — in the following video, I apologize for the audio quality; the museum is busy today!

Exploring Ancient Herms: A Visit to the Met Museum and Discovering Timeless Symbols

Join me on a journey through the Met Museum, exploring ancient herms and uncovering the enduring influence of these fascinating artifacts.

🏛️ Spent the day exploring the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and guess what caught my eye? Herms! These ancient pillars featured the busts of gods like Hermes and marked roads, entrances, and even doorways in the ancient world. Swipe left to see the striking example I found!

🚶‍♂️Why Hermes? He’s not just any god; he’s the patron saint of travelers and the psychopomp ferrying souls to the afterlife. Talk about multitasking! Hermes is also the god of commerce. These pillars were more than just art; they were divine guideposts for ancient society.

🚄 Flashback to earlier this summer when I was admiring the statue of Hermes perched atop Grand Central Station. Mind. Blown. 🤯 I suddenly realized that Grand Central is like a modern-day herm! It’s a transit hub guiding travelers and bustling with shops and eateries, making it a center of commerce, too.

🔁 The ancient and the modern worlds aren’t as far apart as we often think. It’s awe-inspiring to see that the symbolism of herms and Hermes has traveled through time, just like the travelers they protect and guide.

🌟 So next time you pass through Grand Central or another bustling hub, maybe take a moment to appreciate the millennia of human history that continue to resonate in our daily lives. Who knows what other timeless symbols are around us, quietly shaping our world?

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Find My TpT Store! Stones of Erasmus

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Athena Resources are Abundant on Stones of Erasmus: Plus, A Free Coloring Book (Just Click the Link!)

Greetings, dear readers!

Download a free PDF of an Athena-Inspired coloring book.

As part of our ongoing journey to make learning both engaging and fun, Stones of Erasmus is thrilled to announce a unique offering – a free, Athena-inspired coloring book! This isn't your ordinary coloring book; it's a piece of art, designed with dedication and love, intended to bring the mesmerizing world of Greek mythology closer to you and your students.

Meet Athena: The Goddess of Wisdom

For those who are new to Greek mythology, Athena, also known as Minerva in Roman mythology, is the goddess of wisdom. She is often depicted as a perpetual virgin and is symbolized by the owl. This powerful and wise goddess is the star of our coloring book. Each coloring book page displays Athena in myriad ways, ranging from serious to whimsical interpretations. We've applied our creative license, delivering unique depictions of the goddess to inspire your imagination. To deepen the learning experience, we've also included a "Further Reading Guide" with links to mythology-related books and websites where you can discover more about Athena and her fascinating stories.

Use the Coloring Book in the Classroom

This Athena-inspired coloring book is an excellent resource to supplement a mythology unit for middle or high school students. Each student could be assigned a different 'Athena' and invited to develop their creative writing skills by crafting a backstory, detailing the goddess's character traits, or elaborating on a specific myth.

And of course, the book can also serve its traditional purpose: providing hours of coloring fun!

Let's Respect Copyright

We feel it's important to mention that this coloring book is protected by U.S. copyright law. It is intended for educational purposes in a classroom setting and not for wider distribution. If you know a fellow teacher or educator who might benefit from this resource, we encourage you to share the link to this post. Let's respect creativity and the hard work of creating these resources.

Get Your Free Coloring Book Today

Our Athena coloring book is more than just a book; it's an invitation to explore, learn, and have fun. So why wait? Click the link, download your free Athena-inspired coloring book, and embark on a fascinating journey into the world of Greek mythology!

(Note: This blog post is subject to copyright. Please ensure you adhere to the terms mentioned above. For the premium version of the coloring book, click here!)

Happy coloring!

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