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DiHerentiated Instruction

Scandinavian Mythology Norse or Scandinavian mythology refers to the religious beliefs of the Scandinavian people before the arrival of Christianity. Much of what we know about Scandinavian mythology is contained in literature and narrated folktales called . There were two main groups of gods in Scandinavian mythology-the lEsir and the . The lEsir were concerned with power and war, and the Vanir were fertility and prosperity gods. The following table lists some of the more important gods and goddesses of Scandinavian mythology.

Name of Deity Role king of the gods; god of war and wisdom goddess of the home, marriage, motherhood, and love; wife of Odin god of innocence and beauty; son of Odin Vidar god of revenge; son of Odin god of thunder; protected humans and the other gods from giants goddess of the harvest; wife ofThor Frey god of prosperity Freya goddess of fertility; sister of Frey god of daytime Tyr god of battles and bravery god of poetry . Forseti god of justice Idun goddess of youth, fertility, and death Njord god of the sea, wind, fish, and wealth Skadi goddess of winter and the hunt; wife of Njord god of mischief; the trickster goddess of the dead; daughter of Loki

Source: Microsoft Encarta.

Directions: On a separate sheet of paper, answer the following questions. 1. Identifying Which of the above Scandinavian gods or goddesses might have been called upon by the following people: (a) a woman about to have a baby; (b) a man preparing for battle; (c) a hunter tracking antelope; and (d) someone unfairly accused of a crime? Explain. 2. Drawing Conclusions To which clan of deity do you think Tyr belonged: lEsir or Vanir? Why?

93 - Teaching Strategies for Different Learning Styles

, The following activities are ways the basic lesson can be modified to accommodate students' different learning styles.

Auditory/Musical English Learners (EL) Ask students to write a song, chant, or Have students (1) identify which Scandina­ cheer about the Scandinavian deity of their vian deities were male and which were female, choice. The content and overall tone of the and (2) pick one of the deities and give a spe­ song should be appropriate (e.g., a song to cific example of one way that god or goddess Odin would likely be more "macho" than might help a mortal (e.g., Sif might ensure a a song to Frigg). good harvest). Verbal/Linguistic; Intrapersonal Verbal/Linguistic; Visual/Spatial; Asatru is a recent religious movement I nterpersona I that seeks to revive the beliefs and practices Students should work with a partner to of Scandinavian mythology. It is an officially complete this assignment. Ask students to recognized religion in many Nordic countries. prepare an oral report on one of the Scandi­ Ask students to research this development and navian deities. The report should include: write a two-page paper about it. (1) the name of the deity; (2) alternate names Advanced Learners and spellings for the deity; (3) the deity's clan (e.g., iEsir, Vanir); (4) a family tree for the deity Our language, literature, and popular (parents, children, siblings); (5) an in-depth culture are full of allusions to Scandinavian description of the deity's role; (6) special myths. Have students find some examples attributes associated with the god (e.g., Odin's and report their findings in a two-page report. spear ); and (7) a portrait of the deity. Students might investigate stories or movies that refer to Scandinavian mythological char­ Logical/Mathematical acters (e.g., Lord of the Rings), common words Have students make a crossword puzzle that allude to these characters (e.g., several using the information in the table. Clues might days of the week), or even games (e.g., Dun­ include family relationships (e.g., "She called geons and Dragons). Loki father"; answer: Hel) or be related to one Below Grade Level of the deity's roles (e.g., "an important god to sailors"; answer: Njord): Carousel brainstorming generates back­ ground knowledge on a topic. Organize the Kinesthetic; Intra personal class into groups of three or four students. Organize the class into two groups, and ask Give each group paper, and give each student each to create a short skit involving some of a different-colored marker. Ask the groups: the gods and goddesses in the table. Students What do the Scandinavian deities tell us about the should conduct whatever research they think practice of daily life in pre-Christian Scandinavia? is necessary to develop an appropriate story Instruct one student in each group to write and dialogue. Encourage them to be creative down an idea or a thought about the topic. with costumes and props as well. When stu­ Then have the next student in the group add dents are ready, they can perform their skits another item, using a different-colored marker. in class. This process continues until each student in the group has listed two or three items. Display the sheets in the classroom.

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