The Norse Mythology Blocks

BLOCK 1

To prepare for future lessons: carve apples into faces (one with only one eye), set aside to dry and wrinkle up.

Week 1

1.1 The First Gods and Goddesses; The Creation of the World p 9-20 The Creation of Man p 26-30 Carve, tie, glue, and otherwise create the first man and first woman out of branches, twigs, leaves.
1.2 Yggdrasil, the World Tree p 31-35 make a weaving of the strands of life, with an old embroidery hoop, several grey threads, some brightly colored ones, and one shining gold thread, with a cutout of watercolor painted tree of life woven into the center

1.3 make the runes with sticks, then woodburn them into a wooden plaque, and write them in the lesson book

Week 2
2.1 Asgard and the Aesir Gods; Odin the All-Father p 36-39 Start creating a "family album" of the Gods and Goddesses, with a drawing, name in runes, intricate border-frames, a sentence or two about each one, maybe symbols of their natures; make a model of Asgard with silver and gold buildings

2.2 Thor the Thundergod p 40 A page about types of lightning might be nice.
2.3 Loki the God of the Jotun race; Sif's Golden Hair; Loki's Brood p 42-53 Create a moving picture of Loki, with flames, and his different appearances dancing out of the flames.

Week 3
3.1 Balder the God of Light; Heimdall the Watchman of Asgard p 54-57 Try making trumpets out of different recycled materials- plastic, tubing, cardboard. Which would be the best watchman's trumpet?
3.2 Njord, Frey and Freya p 58-63 Decorate Njord's portrait with wind, sails; Frey's with a golden boat and golden grains; Freya's with hearts and golden tears.
3.3 Bragi God of Poetry; Odin's Eight legged Steed p 64-71 Build a stone wall around the model of Asgard.

Week 4
4.1 The Valkyries and Valhalla p 72-79 Make a supper of pork, honey soda, potatoes, have a sword fight.
4.2 Frigg and the Goddesses p 80-83 Look on the map to find Copenhagen.
4.3 Freya's Wonderful Necklace p 84-86 Make a necklace for one of the Grandmas with red jewels (garnet?) and gold teardrops.

BLOCK 2

Plant wheat berries in soil, cover with ice cubes, and put away. Water when Children are not in sight. Also make a papier mache hammer like Thor's to decorate later.

Week 1

1.1 Idunn's Apples of Youth p 87-90 Make baked apples or apple dumplings, decorate the previously dried carved apples as the Gods.
1.2 Skade the Ski-Goddess p 91-95 Buy & eat ski-queen cheese, make a "moving picture" of Skade skiiing, with the aurora borealis, animals, etc..
1.3 Frey and Gerd the Jotun Maiden p 96-99 Bring out the wheat-grass planted a week ago. Decorate with figures of Frey and Gerd.

Week 2
2.1 The theft of Thor's Hammer; Thor and the Jotun Geirrod p 100-107 Decorate Thor's hammer; think of the three magic things that helped him with the Jotun Geirrod- if you could have any three magic things to help you on a perilous journey, what would you choose?
2.2 Thor and the Jotun Utgardsloki p 108-116 Copy in lesson book " No man can eat as much as wild fire, run so fast as a single thought, nor beat old age."
2.3 Thor and the Jotun Rungnir; Thor and the Jotun Aegir p 117-127 Make a water globe from a little jar, with a tiny boat, gold glitter and beads, maybe little fish.

Week 3
3.1 The Death of Balder p 128-136 Make a gold paper boat, set it afloat and afire.
3.2 Loki's Punishment;Ragnarokk the Destiny of the Gods p 137-150 Macrame a small fish net. Paint a page of the lesson book black or grey, with a muted green field, and write "Ax-time, sword-time, ere the world fall; wind-time, wolf-time! Do you know more now or not?"
3.3 A New World p 151-154 Create a diorama of the first man and woman, of the new world.

D'Aulaire's Book of Norse Myths for story and image inspiration

In the Days of Giants for interpretations of the stories

Children of Odin for interpretations of the stories