Launch of Stones of Erasmus Store: Free Greek Myth Genealogy Charts & $3 Tyche/Nemesis Lesson Plan – 300th Digital Download

🎉 New Storefront + 300th Digital Download!

Since 2015 I’ve been running Stones of Erasmus, a home for education, art, literature, and creative sparks. Today I’m thrilled to unveil my brand-new storefront and celebrate my 300th digital resource with two featured downloads.

Free Greek-Mythology Genealogy Charts (15 pages)

Tyche and Nemesis Lesson Activity ($3)

What's Inside?

• Tyche & Nemesis Lesson Plan – explores Fortune, fate, and moral balance; Common Core, VA SOL, and TEKS aligned; includes question banks, writing tasks, and flexible pacing (only $3).
• Greek-Mythology Genealogy Charts – 15 beautifully designed family trees clarifying divine and heroic lineages. Ideal for anchor charts, posters, or LMS uploads – free for life.

Why Download?

These resources save prep time, deepen myth comprehension, and look great on classroom walls or digital slides. Add them to your toolkit now—future you (and your students) will thank you!

▶ Visit Stones of Erasmus for TpT, Made By Teachers, and The Stones of Erasmus Storefront

PDF Copy for Printing 

The Wheel of Fortune, Tyche & Fortuna: Why Luck Still Spins Our Lives

The Real Meaning Behind The Wheel of Fortune

Hey, y’all! Ever blurt out “the wheel of fortune” or tune in as Pat Sajak and Vanna White stand beside that squeaky, nerve-racking game-show wheel? That cliff-hanger moment—big prize or Bankrupt—isn’t just television drama. It’s pure mythology.

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Meet Tyche & Fortuna: Goddesses of Chance

Tyche (Greek) and her Roman twin Fortuna personify luck, fate, and glorious randomness. Artists usually show them brandishing …

• 🌽 Cornucopia – overflowing abundance
• 🛶 Rudder – steering the course of life
• 🌍 Globe or Wheel – the dizzy spin of destiny

Unlike the three Fates, who measure and clip fixed life-threads, Tyche and Fortuna swoop in as the wild cards. One spin can shower you with gifts—or toss you into chaos.

Quick art history dive: Tyche & Fortuna through the ages ↑

Modern Spin: Job Hunts & Game Shows

I’m currently pitching résumés for next school year. Every application feels like a wager on Tyche’s wheel—talent ✔️, timing ✔️, and a dash of sheer luck. Sound familiar?

Spot the Goddess IRL

Next time you see a statue or painting of a woman with a cornucopia, rudder, or spinning wheel, remember: she’s the original spinner of fortune, quietly shaping the idioms we toss around today.

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Classroom Bonus: Buy Me a Coffee and Get a Two-Day Lesson Plan

Ready to let students spin their own wheel of fate? Download my Tyche & Nemesis lesson — complete with illustrated reading cards, discussion prompts, exit tickets, and an anchor chart that’s both print-and-digital-ready.

⬇️ Grab the Lesson on Tyche & Nemesis

P.S. If this resource saves you planning time, consider buying me a much-needed bodega coffee ☕️—and may Tyche steer both of us toward good fortune!

— Greig @ Stones of Erasmus

PDF Copy for Printing

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 
• 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

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!

PDF Copy for Printing

Unearthing Mysteries: An Encounter with Fortuna at The Metropolitan Museum of Art

A Byzantine Tale of Civilization and Fate at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Where history meets artistry.

I am standing amidst the breathtaking expanse of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Amid the myriad of artifacts and art pieces, I find myself drawn to an object of particular intrigue. At first glance it may not command your immediate attention, but its narrative is as grand as any. It’s a captivating statuette hailing from the Byzantine era, bearing the likeness of the Roman goddess Fortuna—also known as Tyche.

Fortuna (Tyche), Late Roman or Byzantine, ca. 300–500 C.E.

Fortuna’s sculptural headdress resembles a walled city, complete with gate and battlements—an emblem of civic power. In her hand she holds a cornucopia, the timeless sign of abundance. Together these details weave a story about the interplay of prosperity, urban life, and the capricious hand of fate. Far from being “just a cool little statuette,” this bronze is a compact lesson in how chance shapes civilizations.

PDF copy for printing