Розробка позакласного заходу на тему "Welcome to Greece"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Розробка позакласного заходу

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(intermediate level)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to Greece

Host 1: Dear ladies and gentlemen! We are glad to see you here at our party devoted to the country, where our ancestors lived and till now you can feel their spirits wandering through the magnificent traces left by the ancient civilization.

Host 2. The country where lived and taught the sage of the antiquity - Aristotle, Platon, Socrat and perfect athlete Hercules.

Host 1. The country of the numerous beautiful islands which were mentioned by Homer and remained unchanged until today.

Host 2. The country, that is remarkable by the big number of the monuments and the greatest historical place such as Acropolis, Parthenon and many more.

Host 1. The country, known as the place of birth of the Olympic Games.

Host 2. I think, you guessed already what we are speaking about. We are going to tell you about Greece.

Host 1. An old Greek legend says that when God created the world, he sifted all the soil onto the earth through a strainer. After every country had good soil, he tossed the stones left in the strainer over his shoulder and created Greece. Now we suggest you some more information about Gods and Goddesses in ancient Greek mythology.

 

(presentation about gods)

In the beginning, there was only chaos. Then appeared Erebus and Night. Everything was empty, silent, endless, darkness. Then somehow, Love was born bringing a start of order. From Love came Light and Day. Once there was Light and Day, Gaea, the earth appeared.

Zeus Roman name Jupiter

The supreme ruler of the Olympian gods. He is a lord of the sky and the rain. His weapon is a thunderbolt, which he hurls at those who displease him. He is married to Hera but is famous for his many affairs. He is also known to punish those that lie or break oaths.

Hades roman name Pluto

Hades is the brother of Zeus, the God of the dead and ruler of the Underworld, which was called Hades after the god. He is also the god of wealth. He has a helmet that makes him invisible. He rarely leaves the underworld. He is unpitying and terrible. His wife is Persephone whom Hades abducted.

Poseidon roman name Neptune

Poseidon is the brother of Zeus. The god of the sea, earthquakes, and horses. Although he was officially one of the supreme gods of Mount Olympus, he spent most of his time in his watery domain.

He was widely worshiped by seamen. He had a difficult quarrelsome personality. He was greedy. He had a series of disputes with other gods when he tried to take over their cities.

 

Hera roman name Juno

Hera is Zeus wife, sister and the Queen of the Olympians. She is the protector of marriage and takes special care of married women. Once, Hera convinced other gods to join her in a revolt. Her part in the revolt was to drug Zeus, and in this she was successful

He seized Hera and hung her from the sky with gold chains. The next morning he agreed to release her if she would swear never to rebel again.

Her sacred animals are the cow and the peacock. Her favorite city is Argos.

 

Ares roman name Mars

Ares is the son of Zeus and Hera. Both parents disliked him. He is the god of war.

He is considered murderous and bloodstained but a coward. His bird is the vulture. His animal is the dog.

 

Artemis roman name Diana

Artemis is the daughter of Zeus and Leto. She is the goddess of the hunt and the protector of the young. She helped women in childbirth, but also brought sudden death with her arrows. The cypress is her tree. All wild animals are scared of her, especially the deer.

 

Athena roman name Minerva

Athena is the daughter of Zeus. She sprang full grown in armour from his forehead, thus has no mother.  She is the goddess of the domestic arts, handicrafts, and agriculture. She invented the bridle, the trumpet, the flute, the pot, the rake, the plow, the yoke, the ship, and the chariot.

         Her tree is the olive. The owl is her bird. 

 

Hephaestus roman name Vulcan

Hephaestus is the son of Zeus and Hera. He is the lame god of fire and the forge. He is the patron god of both smiths and weavers. Physically ugly. Some say that Hera, upset by having an ugly child, flung him from Mount Olympus into the sea, breaking his legs.

         He is kind and peace -loving. His wife is Aphrodite.

Aphrodite roman name Venus

Aphrodite is the goddess of love, desire and beauty. She was also a protector of sailors. Aphrodite arose from the sea foam on a giant scallop and walked to shore in Cyprus. She is the wife of Hephaestus.  The myrtle is her tree. The dove, the swan, and the sparrow are her birds.

 

Hermes roman name Mercury

Hermes, the fastest of the gods, was the gods’ messenger and guide of dead souls to the Underworld. He wears winged sandals, a winged hat, and carries a magic wand. He is the god of thieves and god of commerce. He invented the lyre, the pipes, the musical scale, astronomy, weights and measures, boxing and gymnastics.

 

Apollo roman name Apollo

Apollo is the son of Zeus and Leto. He is the god of music, playing a golden lyre. The Archer, far shooting with a silver bow. The god of healing who taught man medicine. The god of light. The god of truth, who cannot speak a lie. One of Apollo's more important daily tasks is to harness his chariot with four horses and drive the Sun across the sky. His tree was the laurel. The crow his bird. The dolphin his animal.

 

Hestia

Hestia is a Zeus sister. She is a virgin goddess of the Hearth, the symbol of the house around which a newborn child is carried before it is received into the family. Each city had a public hearth sacred to Hestia, where the fire was never allowed to go out.

 

Host 2. You listened to some information about gods of ancient Greece, but to have clearer understanding of them we offer you a modern interpretation of the Greek myth “The Apple of Discord”.

The Apple of Discord

Hera: Where have you been? How could you fly without me? Erida has done such bad things! Oh, such a naughty girl! In a word she is a goddess of squabbles. And nobody can stand up for me.

Zeus: My dear Hera, will you yield to anyone in quarrels? I wouldn’t be Zeus if there were anyone on Earth better than you in quarrels.

Hera: What do you want to say? Am I a gossip? You are walking days and nights and I am alone without you.

Zeus: Oh, my dear Hera, stop shouting.

Hera: No, let people hear. I’ll not be silent any more.

Apollo: What is the matter, Dad? Is my mother quarrelling again?

Zeus: oh, that’s only an idle talk. Let her do it.

Afrodita: Have you heard? Have you heard? We are all invited to the wedding party. The king of the Earth is getting married to a goddess. My arrows still shoot very well.

Hera: Hush! Why are you talking so loudly? If this naughty girl hears, you’ll have much trouble.

Apollo: She is really such a girl.

Zeus: Children! Come here!

All: What? What has happened? A wedding party? We’ll have a lot of fun. Afrodita, you are really a good girl.

Erida: They think that I’m either deaf or silly. Hera, we’ll see who will laugh the last. And without the results.

Hermes: What’s this? How did this apple appear here? Oh, but there is something written on it. The…the best…the most beautiful.

All of goddesses: I am the most beautiful.

Hera: No, my dear daughters. I am the most beautiful. I’m the most important woman on the Olympus. I’m your father’s wife. That’s why the apple is mine, isn’t it, my dear?

Zeus: But I…I…I…

Hera: What I? What I? Tell me, please: who is the best and the most beautiful?

Zeus: Something is wrong with my eyes, I don’t see anything.

Hear: Uh, a coward.

Erida: It serves you right. It serves you right.

Muse 1: Look here, Erato! It’s a pity that Melpomena and Taliya didn’t go with us because there will be both a comedy and a tragedy here now.

Muse 2: Yes, I see. If goddesses quarrel, I’ll not be singing songs about love and you, Terpsichore, will not be dancing any more.

Muse 1: Yes, Erato, when gods quarrel, it is better for us, nymphs, to hide ourselves. Apollo, may we go away?

Muse 2. But why? We shall yield to none in our beauty, shan’t we?

Zeus: oh, Apollo! You are God, the appreciator of beauty. You must judge.

Apollo: Me? Well, you see, father, I’m not keen on woman’s beauty, I’m keen on poetry. Maybe it is possible for my uncle Poseidon?

Poseidon: I am keen only on nymphs and mermaids. Let Hermes do it.

Hermes: No, no. Thank you for such trust. But I’m only keen on trade.

Dionis: May I treat you to some wine? What are you talking about?

All: About the most beautiful lady.

Dionis: About the most beautiful lady? Oh, you take a great responsibility for doing it. You can’t do it. A detached-on looker can do it.

All: But who?

Dionis: The person who comes the first.

Erida: Everything has failed. You, you, winemaker, with all your goats you’ll see. You’ll know what’s what. Eureka Paris! I’ll give you a lesson. Hold on, winemaker!

Hera: Look here, young man! Do you want to be a king, a lord, a clever ruler?

Afina: Paris, if you give me this apple, you will never be defeated in the battle.

Afrodita: Paris, choose me, please. Why do you want all these things? Choose me, please, and the most beautiful woman in the world will love you.

Cupidon eats the apple.

Erida: Oh, my God! What have you done? What have you done?

All: No…

Cupidon: It was so tasty!

Erida: And who will rewrite the story again?

Host 2. There is no better way to experience and learn about a country than by traveling to its different regions, to gain first-hand observations of its geographic settings, culture, diversity, and generally, its way of life. We suggest you an imaginary journey around Greece, its most famous cities and historical places.

 

Presentation about Greece (places of myth).

Athens is the present capitol of Greece; the main city in Attica. It is named after its patron goddess, Athena. Athens is one of the oldest cities inhabited earlier then the Bronze Age (2000-1000 B.C.). It is home to the Acropolis, is and always was “the cultural center of the Greek world”.

Crete is an island southeast of (but part of) Greece. It was one of the earliest civilizations, and possibly the most spectacular. It was the birthplace of Zeus, and was the new home of Europa. Minos (Europa’s son) founded the first kingdom there.

Delphi is the most famous oracle in Greece, a sacred spot guarded by Python. It is situated on Mount Parnassus. Research dates it back to before 1600 B.C. Its ruins are still visible and are an awesome site. Its honor started declining at the same time ancient Greece did. It was attempted to resurrect the shrine but it was abolished in A.D. 385, by Emperor Theodorus (what a grouch).

Home of Odysseus, an island off the coast of Epirus. Famous for being headquarters of the Odyssey.

The highest mountain in Greece and home of the gods. It is located in the Olympus mountain range, between Thessaly and Macedonia.

An oracle was a spot where people could ask the resident god’s opinion or inquiry about an issue of theirs.

Troy was founded by Dardanus, a son of Zeus. It was later ruled by his descendant, Priam. During Priam’s rule his son, Paris abducted Helen of Sparta. The Trojan War occurred and Troy was sacked. It is located in modern Turkey.

 

There were three Cyclopes; Arges (Bright), Brontes (Thunderer), and Steropes (Lightner, Lightning). They had only one eye in their head, but were master craftsmen. They helped Zeus to defeat their brother, Cronus, by forging lightning bolts. They also made Poseidon’s trident and Hades invisibility cap.

The gorgons were three disgusting daughters of Phorcys and Ceto; sisters of the Graea. They had snakes for hair, and hands and teeth of bronze, but bodies of women. The two immortals were Euryale and Stheno. Medusa (mentioned later on this page) was the only mortal and was slayed by Perseus.

The Hydra was an offspring of Echidna and Typhon. When one head was severed two more grew in its place. Its death was in Heracles Second Labor. He would cut off a head and his brother Iolaus burned them, thus, they killed the monster. But its venomous blood was collected and killed many people including Heracles.

Pegasus was the winged horse, son of Poseidon and Medusa. He was born when Perseus cut off her head (he sprang from her severed neck). Bellerophon attemted to ride Pegasus up to the home of the gods, Olympus. Zeus sent a gadfly to sting Pegasus who threw Bellerophon off, the horse rode up alone to help Zeus launch his lightning bolts. He also created the fountain of Hippocrens when he clipped Mount Helicon with his hoof.

The Sirens were women faced birds that sang so beautifully they lured sailors off their ships and to them. If a man ever got to the Sirens, he was tortured and clawed to death. To prevent this from happening Odysseus plugged his men’s ears with wax. He wanted to hear the song himself so he had himself tied to the mast. Orpheus helped the Argonauts pass by singing more beautifully then the Sirens.

Cerbrus was the dread hound of Hades. His job was to devour any souls trying to escape from the Underworld. He is said to have 3-50 heads that dripped venom from his fangs. He is associated with Anubis in Egyptian mythology.

 

Host 1. Greek has been spoken for more than 3,000 years, making it one of the oldest languages in Europe. It is the language of many famous philosophers, scientists and, of course, writers.

Homer has been and still is Greece’s national poet. He is a very vague man because no one knows exactly where he was born or what he was like. Most thoughts on him are being a blind, old, crippled man, but this isn’t for sure. Homer wrote the “Iliad” and the “Odyssey”. His epic poems were used for elementary school teaching in ancient times.

Aristophanes was a comedy writer. He was born in Athens but grew up in Aegina. His first work, Daitalus gave him his fame, unfortunately it is now lost. He wrote comedies about the Peloponnesion Wars, which he lived through. They all reflected how ironic life was. Some of his works include “The Clouds” and “The Wasps”.

Euripides was a tradgedian. He believed that the gods and goddesses bickered and acted like children, so they couldn’t be responsible for creating the universe. The mortals were much more exciting in his eyes. Some of his intact plays are: The Bacchae, Electra, Hecuba, Heracles, Medea, and the Trojan Women.

 

One of the most famous of them is Aesop, the author of many fables, which teach us moral values of life. Let us listen to him.

Aesop: I lived during the sixth century BC. I was born a slave, and in my lifetime two different masters owned me before being granted my freedom. The slave masters named Xanthus and Iadmon gave me freedom as a reward for my wit and intelligence. As a freedman I became involved in public affairs and traveled a lot—telling my fables along the way. King Croesus of Lydia was so impressed with me that he offered me residency and a job at his court. While on a mission for King Croesus to distribute a certain amount of gold to the people of Delphi in Greece, there was a misunderstanding about how much gold each person was supposed to receive. The people of Delhi, who thought I was actively cheating them, tracked me down. I was found guilty of sacrilege against Apollo and condemned to death by being hurled off a cliff. But I left a very rich heritage of world-known fables, one of which I would like you to listen to.

Aesop’s fable

Host 1. There are as many as 63 different folk dances in Greece. The most famous of them is sirtaki. Let’s watch it.

Sirtaki.