Year 5 had fun working on myths and legends in Literacy last week.  We particularly enjoyed working in groups to act out one of Hercules’ challenges.  First the children decided upon characters and wrote a plan of their script.  Then they performed in groups with brilliant expression!  We enjoyed watching each other perform and then suggested ways we could improve for next time.

To link in with our work in Greek myths, we have been doing drama based on the labours of Herakles.

Each group was given a labor of Herakles and they had to work together to think of how he could solve that particular problem set to him by King Eurystheus.

Here are snap shots of their dramatizations of his labors – descriptions given to each are below.

Labour Number 3 – Capture the Cerynian Hind

Labour Number 4 – Kill the Stymphalian Birds

Labour Number 8 – Take the Girdle of the Amazon Queen Hippolyte

Labour Number 9 – Capture the Cattle of Geryon

Labour Number 3 – Capture the Cerynian Hind

The goddess Artemis loved and protected this stubborn little deer, which had gold horns. Hercules found it a challenge to capture the delicate hind without hurting it (and making Artemis angry).

Labour Number 4 – Kill the Stymphalian Birds

These murderous birds lived around Lake Stymphalos. Their claws and beaks were sharp as metal and their feathers flew like darts.

Labour Number 8 – Take the Girdle of the Amazon Queen Hippolyte

Hercules went to the land of the Amazons, where the queen welcomed him and agreed to give him her girdle for Eurystheus’s daughter. But Hera spread the rumor that Hercules came as an enemy.

Labour Number 9 – Capture the Cattle of Geryon

Geryon, a winged monster with three human bodies, had a herd of beautiful red cattle. He guarded his prized herd with the help of a giant and a vicious two-headed dog.