THE GORGON'S HEAD GREEK MYTHS KS3 MEDUSA PERSEUS & KS4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1 SKILLS

Using Anthony Horowitz’s retelling of this myth (copy not provided), there are several activities looking at the different sections of this myth. This is the tale of Perseus and how he slays Medusa. Please see my ‘shop’ for further resources. As an optional starter task, you could create a ‘Pandora’s Box’ of objects related to the Gorgon’s Head myth, for students to use to predict what will happen. I have used toy snakes, pebbles, Halloween eyeballs etc. Students then use inference skills to create an impression of King Polydectes, draw the gorgons using the given extract, list four things they have learned about them (in the style of Language Paper 1 Q1) with answers supplied for easy self assessment. After this, students can research Athena on computers or phones. Students then analyse the writer’s use of language to describe Medusa’s cave using an evidence table which supplies suggested answers for easy assessment. Finally, draw Athena’s shield to include Medusa’s head and play the interactive whiteboard game ‘Gorgon’s Head’ to sum up learning.