This document provides instructions for a web quest on world mythology assigned by Mrs. Herring. Students are asked to: 1) Find an etiological myth about rainbows from a culture and note the explanation given. 2) Read and compare 3 etiological myths from different cultures, answering questions about each myth's phenomenon explained, approximate date, deities involved, origin story type, tone, and cultural insights. 3) Write their own original etiological myth explaining a natural phenomenon and email it to Mrs. Herring. 4) Present one of the myths they explored or wrote about through oral storytelling without electronics or props.

1. WEB QUEST FOR MRS. HERRING’S
WORLD MYTHOLOGY

2. Learn and Listen

3. are also known as “Explanation Myths or Porquoi stories.”

4. • Explain how a natural
phenomenon came to
exist
• Explain why a natural
phenomenon – animal,
plant, astrological, etc.
– possesses a particular
trait

7. Distinguish an etiological myth from
other types of myths

8. Click on the rainbow and
find one etiological myth
about rainbows. Not all the
stories are explanation
myths. Find one and note
the culture and
explanation.

9. Compare three different myths

10. • Read 3 etiological myths
from 3 different cultures
answer the questions on the
next slide about each.
• Use the links at right to get
started. *not all stories on
links are etiological.
• You are free to look at
other sites and cultures
Aboriginal Dreamtime
Australian Aborigine Myths
African
Folk Stories from Nigeria
Greek - Arachne
Greek – Echo & Narcissus
Greek – The Laurel Tree
Native American Legends
Native American Myths

11. • Phenomenon explained:
• Approximate date myth began to be told (if you can’t find this,
find out the earliest date for the culture itself):
• Deities involved:
• Was the origin of the phenomenon a gift, a punishment, a trick,
a consequence or motivated by some event or need?
• How would you describe the tone of the story (funny, sad,
cautionary, frightening).
• What conclusions can you draw from this myth about the
culture’s attitude toward deities/nature/mankind and their
relationship toward one another?
• How does this myth compare and contrast with the other two?

12. Write your own explanation myth

13. Pick out the natural phenomenon you want to write about.
It helps to know a thing well before trying to make up a story about it. The old
myths were created by poets and storytellers who were well-acquainted with
nature. Do some observation and research.
What are the smells, sights, and sounds connected to this natural phenomenon?
What social, psychological, and religious associations do people already have
concerning this phenomenon?
Imagine being a person with no scientific frame of reference viewing the
phenomenon.
Now write an explanation myth for this phenomenon. You can choose an
existing mythology and use characters from that mythology or you can make up
our own – be sure and identify the roles of the deities you use in your story.
Email your story with your name and title at the top to mherring@hp-
schools.org

14. Be a storyteller

15. Storytelling
Should be oral
Should not involve any
electronics or props an ancient
storytellerwould not have used
Should be one of the three
myths you read and compared
or the one you wrote