Creating your own Mythical Beast

Are you fascinated by dragons, unicorns, griffins or other imaginary mythical beasts?  Even though these creatures exist only in imagination and myth, at some time they were considered real and others were based on real creatures originating from travelers' tales.  They appear in fantasy fiction, folklore and literature and sometimes explain ancient daily life. 

The dragon is serpent-like creature with large wings and the ability to breath fire.  In many stories, dragons are extremely intelligent creatures with the ability to use magic.  In Ancient China, the dragon was the sign of the emperors. 

Chinese Dragon

A unicorn is shaped like a horse but with a single, spiral horn growing out of its forehead.  They are a common symbol of purity with magical qualities or powers. 

Unicorn

Griffin (or gryphon) has the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle.  It usually has 4 legs, wings and a beak with eagle-like talons in place of the lions forearms.  This animal watched over gold mines and hidden treasures and the griffin is often seen in heraldry and architectural decorations. 

Gryphon

Activities:
Mythic Creatures:  American Museum of Natural History
Top 10 Mythical Animals on Animal Planet
Kids Encyclopedia:  Mythical Beast
The Middle Ages for Kids:  Mythical Beasts
Fantasy and Medieval Colouring Pages

Art Lesson: 
Make a Mythical Beast Relief Sculpture

The Art of Myths, Legends and Stories

For centuries, humans attempt to explain the origins of the sun, moon and stars.  Although the terms legend and folktale are used interchangeably with myth, each is distinct and has a specific purpose.  

Myth - is a sacred story from the past.  It may explain the origin of the universe or moral values in human terms.  Myths describe the powers who control the human world and the relationship between those powers and human beings.  Although myths are usually religious in their origin, they may also explain historical, scientific, or philosophical ideas about our world.  

Selene - Greek Goddess of the Moon

Folktale - is a story that is purely fictional and has no particular location in time or space.  Folklore is used to symbolically present the different ways humans explain the world they live in.  Folktales are about people (royalty or common) or animals who speak and act like people.   

The Sun and the Moon - A Korean Folktale

 

Legend - is a historical story about a subject from the past.  Legends concern people, places and events.  Usually the subject is a saint, king, hero, a famous person or a war.  Legends are always associated with a particular place and time in history.  

 

 

 

The legend of Raven in Native American Art

Activities & Information:
Standford Solar Center - Activities for Students
Solar Folklore
Moon Mythology

Just for Kids:
Science Games for Kids:  Earth, Sun & Moon

Earth, Moon & Sun - Interactive Game
Kids Astronomy - Interactive Site
Nasa Kids' Club


Lesson Plans:  
Celestial Characters @ crayola.com