Make The Odyssey Epic: Before, During, and After Reading Activities to Engage Your Students

The Odyssey is a mix of action, fantastical adventure, rich characters, moral dilemmas, ancient culture, and lessons about perseverance and the essence of humanity. This classic text will always be a part of our curriculums as the discussions around character motivation, symbolism, and themes are endless. The connections to texts today are undeniable. Let’s take an epic journey of The Odyssey with all of the before, during, and after reading activities needed to make this a powerful and engaging unit! 

Part 1: Build Background

Before diving into the epic tale of The Odyssey, I like to take the time to build the background knowledge necessary to understand all of the events that lead up to this epic journey. Starting with an introduction to Greek mythology with a reading provides students with the key characteristics of Greek myths, providing them with a guided version for students needing more support. 

Next, I use the 2004 movie Troy, which is a depiction of The Iliad, to give that much-needed visual understanding to students. I use clips, not the whole movie, as it is rated R, but the clips are impactful. Students are introduced to Achilles, Odysseus, the Trojan War, the Trojan Horse, Odysseus’ part in that war, and the difficult journeys surrounding the Trojan War. Students are always engrossed in this before reading activity. You can find both of these before reading activities here.

Additionally, another background-building activity is a digital breakout activity where students engage in an interactive adventure and must solve 6 codes correctly to win the game! Working together and thinking outside the box as they are introduced to Odysseus’s tale will bring out the competitive spirit of the students. The engagement on this is exceptional and I know the kids love a good challenge! If I choose not to use this activity at the start of our unit, it is just as fun to use it at the end as a review of students' reading. You can find this before or after reading activity here.

Part 2: During Reading

The Odyssey is an exceptional story, but honestly can be overwhelming. During reading, try using the graphic novel version which gives students more accessibility and visual cues to help with comprehension. The Odyssey has mythical creatures and battles and the visuals will aid students through any difficult narration. Engagement increases with graphic novels providing more relatability and accessibility to struggling readers. 

Another terrific activity for during reading is using my web quest with adapted readings (one even includes audio for students who would benefit from that accommodation). Allow students to choose a part of the epic tale to become experts on, prepare a presentation, and teach the plot and their analysis to their classmates. An active listening document is the perfect companion for the student audience to continue engaging in the presentations. You can find this during reading activity here.

Part 3: After Reading

After students have finished Odysseus' long journey home, I like to give a few different options for students to demonstrate their ultimate understanding of the epic poem. The presentation students were preparing during reading is the perfect ending to the unit on The Odyssey. 

An argument essay deciding if Odysseus is actually a hero or not is always an engaging topic for students. Using brainstorming, an outline, and a rubric will guide the students through an analytical argumentative essay. Students return to the text and examine Odysseus’s actions to determine if they fit students’ definitions of what it means to be a hero. You can find this after reading activity here.

Projects are also a fun way to end a unit. I love giving students a choice to show their learning and working on a project like a travel brochure revealing locations from the epic poem is exceptional for the artistic, hands-on learners. Creative thinkers can build a board game, or reflective thinkers can create a personal odyssey map. Another option is creating character trading cards for the key characters in The Odyssey. Don’t hesitate to ask for student ideas also. Some of the best projects are the ones students create themselves! 

Lastly, a final project includes students designing a hero and writing their own myth. This activity aids students in synthesizing everything they have learned about Greek mythology and the epic tale of Odysseus. Students will do some research, and even play with genetics to create parents for their hero. Students will give their hero characteristics, powers, and more. I provide a variety of character design websites to help bring the students’ characters to life. 

Using a graphic organizer web to brainstorm ideas, students will then create the origin myth of their new hero. What challenges did they face? What adventures? What conflicts did they face? The new myth and heroes are intriguing to create and learn about. You can find all of the projects for after reading here.

The Odyssey can be a critical text for growth for students. Using these engaging activities will ensure the students are improving as readers, thinkers, writers, and humans. Following the path of these before, during, and after reading activities will lead to a successful unit!

You can find all of my resources for teaching The Odyssey here.