Unveiling Ancient Stories with the "Leda and the Swan": Educational Resource for Middle and High School Students

One of the greatest charms of teaching is the opportunity to transport students back in time and space to explore the grand narratives that have shaped our civilization. With my latest educational resource - "Leda and the Swan," - we journey to ancient Greece, where gods, mortals, and mythical creatures intertwine in tales of love, power, and transformation.

Leda, the Swan, Zeus, and even the infamous Helen of Troy play critical roles in this captivating narrative. If these names spark your curiosity, this resource is your roadmap into their world.

Educational Digital Downloads Like This One are Available from Stones of Erasmus.

Multifaceted Learning Experience

This comprehensive digital download is designed to provide a robust, enriching learning experience. It includes a well-structured three-day lesson calendar with teacher's notes to help you smoothly navigate through the materials. A detailed anchor chart of key characters and locations sets the backdrop of the narrative, inviting students to visualize the surroundings of Sparta and the broader Mediterranean region through a map activity.

Engaging Content, Packed with Features

Dive deeper into the myth with our reading cards, focusing on different variations of the "Leda and the Swan" myth and its connections to art and literature. The student-friendly reading protocol simplifies the process, making the narrative more accessible to learners.

The resource includes a 15-count question bank and a custom note-taking template to enhance understanding and encourage active participation. This method encourages accountability and reinforces the lesson content.

Vocabulary Learning Made Fun

Frayer Model Vocabulary Cards are another highlight. Students can enrich their understanding of terms, geography, and challenging words that fit into the story context by visualizing vocabulary in a four-section square- for meaning, examples, non-examples, and a sketch.

Comprehension and Critical Analysis

A half-sheet exit ticket system allows you to measure student understanding towards the end of the lesson, providing valuable feedback. The resource also includes a writing activity and a summative assessment that involves students tracing the myth's variations and delivering a literary analysis, complete with a grading rubric and sample answer set.

In-Depth Exploration

The further reading list offers a wealth of additional resources for students who wish to explore the myth more comprehensively. Use these resources for additional assignments, independent studies, or group projects, encouraging a deeper dive into the narrative.

The resource provides answer keys for all student-facing documents for teacher convenience, offering guidance on expected student responses.

Integrating into the Curriculum

Designed with high school students in mind, the "Leda and the Swan" resource fits perfectly into an English Language Arts Mythology unit. It provides an opportunity to discuss animals in literature, metamorphoses, gender roles, relationships, and the syncretic nature of myths.

The resource can serve as a stand-alone lesson or pair nicely with a larger unit on early Greek myths, primordial stories, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, Robert Graves's Greek Myths, or Edith Hamilton's Mythology.

Explore More Myths

For more mythology-related resources, explore the stories of The 12 Olympians, Cupid and Psyche, Zeus and Metis & The Birth of Athena, Europa and the Bull, and many more lessons included in the Middle and High School Mythology Series.

In conclusion, I sincerely thank the New York Public Library Digital Collections for their immense contribution to public domain materials. Join me in this journey through the timeless narratives that have shaped human history and thought, only at Stones of Erasmus, © 2023 stonesoferasmus.com.

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Clip Art: New York City Food Truck

Are you hungry on a Saturday night in Queens? You can find any number of food trucks on Northern Boulevard or Roosevelt Avenue to sate your late-night craving. My favorite is hot, steamy birrias, a Mexican dish of stewed meats seasoned especially with chili peppers. 

Source: Created by Stones of Erasmus, coloring page (with digital elements added by open-source artificial intelligence). This image is created and made with love by Stones of Erasmus (stonesoferasmus.com).

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The Importance of Academic Honesty: More Than Just Avoiding Plagiarism

Once upon a time, the academic world was synonymous with trust, respect, and integrity. Each scholar and student knew they were part of a community built on the exchange of ideas, original thought, and depth-filled debate. But over time, this commitment to honesty was eroded by shortcuts, temptations, and, sadly, plagiarism. In fact, the term "plagiarism" itself is derived from the Latin word "plagiarius," which means "kidnapper" or "thief."

I have developed worksheets educators can use
with students to promote academic honesty
and integrity in the classroom.

Educate. Set Expectations

As an educator, it's time to renew our commitment to academic integrity and end the cycle of plagiarism. Teaching our students about intellectual honesty isn't just about deterring them from theft—it's about preparing them for the challenge of creating academic work, both for college and while in high school, and equipping them with the tools to navigate complex intellectual landscapes.

The first step to overcoming plagiarism is understanding it. You'd be surprised to find out that your students have a lot of preconceived notions of what constitutes "original" work. Open up the conversation. And then set expectations. That's why I've developed a comprehensive guide on Academic Honesty and Integrity, designed especially for high school students (it also works for middle school students).

Comprehensive Guide on Academic Honesty and Integrity

This resource includes an Anchor Chart and a Student Worksheet, each geared towards engaging students in deep, meaningful discussions on plagiarism, academic honesty, intellectual freedom, and understanding opposing viewpoints. The included teacher's note offers guidance for implementing this resource effectively.

As a bonus, I've made our guide available in print and digital versions, with an editable Google Document to help you seamlessly fit this critical topic into your existing curriculum.

In teaching our students to be honest scholars, we discourage plagiarism and encourage intellectual growth, respect for others' ideas, and a stronger academic community. Reinforce the importance of academic honesty in your classroom with this resource, and let's start building a future of original thinkers and respectful scholars.

Learn More. Follow Stones of Erasmus

Browse more educational resources at Stones of Erasmus, and join us on our journey to inspire integrity in education. © 2023 stonesoferasmus.com.

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Celebrating 1,000 Posts: Reflecting on My Blogging Journey on Stones of Erasmus (Is it a Milestone Worth Celebrating? Yes! I Think it Is.)

Celebrating 1,000 posts on Stones of Erasmus! From poetry to lesson plans, join me in reflecting on my journey as a writer and educator.

1,000 Blog Posts Later

Writing my 1,000th post for my blog, Stones of Erasmus, is a milestone that I find challenging to write about. I started this blog when I was still a Benedictine monk, and it has stayed with me through various life changes, including my stint as a high school English teacher in New Orleans, my time at the New School for Social Research, and my New York City sojourn.

Initially, my blog was a mishmash of embarrassing pieces of poetry and ersatz literary criticism, sprinkled in with some theology and movie reviews. Over time, my blog has evolved and become more focused. Although it still includes some of those early elements, such as movie reviews and records of my visits to random art museums, it now features a lot of educational content related to my teaching career.

One of my earliest obsessions was making things up, and my journey as a teacher has allowed me to indulge that passion. I create digital educational resources such as clip art and lesson plans that I share on my blog. I also write about my creations, sharing my experiences with my readers.

A Writer's Blog As An Excuse To Journal

Writing on my blog has also allowed me to indulge in another childhood obsession: keeping a journal. I still have my first spiral notebook, which contains my first journal entries from the end of my fifth-grade year through the monotony of sixth grade. As an adult, I have only read it once. However, I am considering adding it to my blog, which would be a fun and nostalgic experience.

Answering Questions from My Students

Some of my high school students have asked me about my blog, such as whether I make any money. The answer is yes and no. I used to use AdWords from Google, but I stopped using it. My blog does make money, but it is minimal, around one hundred dollars a year. The income comes from people clicking on a link to one of the digital educational resources I sell, such as my popular lesson plan on teaching Plato's Allegory of the Cave to middle and high school kids.

The Future of Blogging
Another student asked me why I continue to write my blog when long-form writing appears dead. My blog is more permanent than other forms of social media, and I enjoy the idea that more people are likely to stumble upon it, whether through a Google search or a link somewhere. I am always surprised when old posts receive a resurgence, such as a post I wrote years ago about words from Greek mythology or a post I wrote about The Iliad, which has remained popular for some reason. The difference between long-form blogging and other types of content on the internet is that blog writers offer a unique perspective on things. I enjoy reading other blogs, such as those written by nannies or teachers, because they share their personal experiences, which is powerful.

As my blog has evolved, I have also learned some important lessons about writing. One of the most important lessons is to keep writing, even when I do not like it. I easily get discouraged when I get few views or comments on my blog. However, I have learned that if I keep writing, eventually, people will discover my work, and it will find an audience.

Another lesson I have learned is the importance of editing. Writing is a process that takes time to craft a well-written post. I often write several drafts before I am happy with the final version. It is also essential to proofread my work carefully, looking for spelling and grammatical errors. Reading my work out loud is helpful, as this helps me catch mistakes I might have missed otherwise.

Finally, I have learned that blogging is a community activity. Blogging is not just about writing for myself but also about connecting with others with similar interests.

Drum roll, please.

Here are my favorite selections from Stones of Erasmus (in no particular order):

• Grandson and Grandfather: Birthday Portrait
• Story from the Classroom: A Severe Whooshing Sound
• Top Ten Movies in Black & White
• Blaise Pascal On The Contradictory Nature of Human Beings
• Repost from Kurt Vonnegut: Liberal Crap I Don't Want to Hear Anymore
• Book Review: Repulsion as Metaphor
• Travel Postcard: That Time I Visited a Public Library in Saltillo, Mexico
• On Writer's Block — A Journal & Rant
• Thinking About the Roman God Janus On New Year’s Eve
• On St. Ann and Bourbon: A Story of a Mardi Gras Day

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Clip Art: A Boy Akimbo Pondering Dasein

A portrait of an adolescent boy looking askance at the camera, discussing the beauty of wonder and being against the backdrop of dasein.

Source: Created by Stones of Erasmus, claymation (with digital elements added by open-source artificial intelligence). This image is created and made with love by Stones of Erasmus (stonesoferasmus.com).

Update: I created a remix.

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189+ Listings — Let's Celebrate! With the Release of the Stones of Erasmus Educational Digital Download Catalog (as of Summer 2023)

In this post, I reveal how well-organized I am, and as a result, you now have a bird's eye view of every educational digital download available in my TpT store.

Hello, Teachers and Friends,

One thing I love about Teachers Pay Teachers is that it has forced me to become more organized. I am not naturally an organized person. In Kindergarten, my teachers bewailed my lunchroom messiness; in middle school, I barely kept my Trapper Keeper intact. However, flash forward to 2023 — and I have at least become more organized on TpT and in my own teaching practice.

Remember when you used to receive the Sears catalog as a kid, and you would circle in red marker the items you wanted and hoped mom or dad would notice? You are an adult with a bank account, so you don't have to beg Mom or Dad. But you can click the link and add to your wish list any of the items listed. Not going to brag, but you will be delighted. As recent buyers have said:

"Thank you for scaffolding the reading into manageable reading chunks and providing writing opportunities."

- Margie 

"Love [your] products! Very thought-provoking. I used [it for] distance learning with students in zoom class."

- Aron 

So, there you go.

Here is the complete catalog for the Stones of Erasmus store. Feast your eyes.

Stones of Erasmus Catalog 

as of Summer

2023

Note: This catalog does not include bundles (except for a few exceptions). Listings with an asterisk * are free.

Map & Geography Skills resources

• Geography Skills Lesson: Ready-to-Use Worksheet with Blank World Map
• Map Activity: Complete a Day in the Life of Socrates in Athens (411 B.C.E.).
• *Map Skills Lesson: Use Census Data about Ethnic Communities in NYC
• Map Skills Lesson: Using Census Data about the Changing Racial Makeup of the U.S.
• * New York, New York / It's a Wonderful Town: Navigating NYC In One Day

Poetry Lessons and Activities

• Ancient Hebrew Poetry
• Psalm 104: Ancient Hebrew Literature
• Ancient Egyptian Poetry

• “The Great Hymn to the Aten”
• New Kingdom Love Lyrics
• “Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley
• Visualizing the Industrial Revolution Through Poetry
• William Blake's "London" & “The Chimney Sweeper” Poems

Literary Terms & Vocabulary Instruction, Et Cetera

• Theme and Character Study Analysis
• Crafting Resolutions
• *Paradoxes, Contradictions, and Oxymorons
• Frayer Model Templates
• Four Digital and Print Exit Slips for English Language Arts

Complete Philosophy in the Classroom Series

• Discuss the Marshmallow Test: Minilesson
• "What is Philosophy?" Task Card Set
• Freedom: Task Card Set
• Empiricism versus Rationalism
• Discuss any Moral Dilemma!
• Socrates on the Examined Life: The Apology of Plato
• Socrates at the Piraeus: Introductory lesson on Plato's Republic
• The Ring of Gyges (Glaucon's Argument from Republic)
• The Noble Lie in Plato's Republic
• Plato's Allegory of the Cave Base Lesson (from Republic) —
• Allegory of the Cave Quiz Bowl & Activity Pack
• Plato's Myth of Er (from Republic)
• Plato's Origin of Love (from Symposium)
• Plato's Origin of Virtue (from Protagoras)
• The Problem of Evil (Theodicy lesson)
• Nietzsche's Eternal Recurrence and the Movie Groundhog Day
• Nietzsche's Parable of the Madman (Philosophy of Religion)

Complete Mythology in the Classroom Series

• *10 Everyday Phrases from Greek Mythology
• What is Myth?: Introductory Lesson
• 101 Greco-Roman Mythology Reading Cards
• Hebrew Myths of Creation
• Greek Myths of Creation
• Myths of Creation from Ancient India (Hinduism)
• The Five Ages of Man (Ancient Greece)
• The Four Yugas of Man (Ancient India)
• The Hebrew Myth of Adam and Eve
• The Fates
• The Furies
• Uranus and Gaia
• Kronos and Rhea
• Atlas
• Other Titan Gods and Goddesses
• Pandora's Box (Or. Jar)
• Prometheus and Epimetheus
• Deucalion and Pyrrha (Ancient Greek Flood Myth)
• Noah's Ark (Hebrew Flood Myth)
• The Four Disgracers: Art and Mythology Mini-Unit
• Perseus
• Theseus and the Minotaur
• Icarus and Daedalus
• Tantalus
• Niobe and Her Children
• Bellerophon and Pegasus
• Orion the Hunter
• Sisyphus
• Phaëthon
• Ixion
• King Midas
• Endymion
• Apollo and Daphne
• Orpheus and Eurydice
• Pygmalion and Galatea
• Narcissus and Echo
• Pyramus and Thisbe (Babylonian Myth)
• Cupid and Psyche
• Europa and the Bull
• The Foundations of Ancient Troy
• Leda and the Swan
• The Judgment of Paris
• The Assembly at Aulis

Gods and Goddesses

• The Birth of Venus (Aphrodite)
• Zeus and Metis
• Athena Introductory Lesson
• The Goddess Athena Coloring Book
• The Owl of Minerva
• The Birth of the Goddess Athena (Parthenogenesis)
• Athena and Arachne
• Athena and Marsyas
• Athena as Mentor in The Odyssey
• Nature and Deeds of Zeus
• Nature and Deeds of Apollo
• The Birth of the Twins
• Nature and Deeds of Poseidon
• Dispute: Athena and Poseidon
• Artemis (Diana)
• Hestia (Vesta)
• Dionysus (Bacchus)
• Hades (Pluto)
• Ares (Mars)
• Hephaestus (Vulcan)
• Hermes (Mercury)
• Hera (Juno)
• Demeter and Persephone

Movie-Tie Ins

• Labyrinth (1986): Classroom Film Guide
• Eternals (2021) and Myth Film Guide: Question Bank and Lesson Activity
• Eternals Olympic Myth Mini-Unit: with Icarus & Prometheus

Mythology Graphic Organizers and Charts (& Assessments)

• Five Myth Charts for the Comparative Study of Mythology
• Compare and Contrast Myths (Graphic Organizer and Tracker)
• Mythology-Themed Writing Paper, Mythology Clip Art
• Myth-Related Activities for Writers: 50+ Writing Prompts
• * Greek Mythology Unit Tests
• * World Literature Pre-Test Assessment
• Hinduism Summative Assessment (Unit Test)

Writing Graphic Organizers and Skills Practice

• Academic Honesty & Integrity Student Guide
• Cornell Note-Taking Templates
• * Generic 3-Box Note-Taking Templates
• Imagining: Concrete Writing Skills Practice
• * Choose from Various Forms of Writing Anchor Chart
• Writing a Thesis Statement and Topic Sentences
• Organizing Main Ideas and Supporting Details
• * The Writing Process: Six Stages of Writing
• Analyzing as a Writing Skill: Skills Practice
• Discussion Protocol with Any Literary Work (for Writers)
• Role Playing Activity for Persuasive Writing
• Peer Evaluation Form for Speaking, Listening & Writing
• How to Write a Quatrain: Writing Skills Practice
• * Keeping a Writer’s Journal: Anchor Chart & Student Exercise
• How to Use Freewriting as a Brainstorming Strategy
• * Observing Details & Finding Telling Details Exercise
• The Pre-Writing, Drafting, and Revising Cycle
• The Revision Process
• Using Print & Non-Print Resources
• Integrating Quotations
• Using Questions to Organize Ideas
• Using Interviewing to Gather Ideas
• Methods of Organization (for Writing)
• Modes of Writing: Identifying the Four Modes
• * Purpose and Mode: Writing Anchor Chart
• Choosing a Purpose or Aim for Writing
• Choosing and Focusing on a Topic
• Sensory Details Anchor Chart for Writing
• Choosing & Analyzing an Audience
• Drafts
• Venn Diagrams
• Proofreading Checklist with Standard Proofreading Marks
• Keeping a Writer’s Portfolio: Student Work Tracker
• Finalizing Your Document: Anchor Chart & Writing Exercise
• Sharing and Presenting Student Writing: Idea Toolbox
• Using Computers & Devices in the Writing Classroom
• Diagnostic Essay Writing Assessment (for ESL&)
• * General English Language Exams: Long and *Short Versions (for ESL)

Short Story Discussion Guides

• "Araby" by James Joyce
• *"A Good Man is Hard is to Find" by Flannery O'Connor
• "The Garden Party" by Katherine Mansfield
• St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell
• Literary Quote Posters

Non-Fiction Study Unit

• Stamped: Racism, Antiracism & You by Ibram Kendi and Jason Reynolds: Stamped Discussion Guide and Reading Protocol
• Stamped 115+ Question Bank

Other Non-Fiction Resources:

• *Bobby the Math Whiz (Non-Fiction Reading Passage)
• Apology: Teach the Entire Book!

Reading Campaigns for Teens

• Culturally Responsive Summer Reading Campaign (2021)
• Doing and Being Well Summer Reading Campaign (2022)
• Teen Book List (2023)

Animated Short Film Viewing Guide

• Peter and the Wolf © 2006 Oscar-Winning Short Film
• Writing a Movie Review

First Day of School Resources

• First Day of School English Language Arts Student Survey
• First Day of School English Language Arts Parent Survey
• Student Photo Release Forms
• * 3-Box Note-Taking Template

Bonus Resources

• Art History Exam: from Pre-History to the Renaissance
• Facilitated Discussion on Empathy for Teachers and Staff
• Help Students Cope with Stress: Activity and Guide
• * Tutorial: Create Worksheets with "Forced Copy" (with Google Apps)
• Think About Any Quote! Graphic Organize

Thank you for following me on my journey. Leave a comment, drop a line, and visit me on my website at stonesoferasmus.com.

© 2017-2023

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