Over the years, I’ve discovered some lessons fall by the wayside while others become tried-and-true classics. One of my classics is the Mythological Barbie assignment.

When I first started teaching Mythology, I had the wacky idea of asking students to design a Barbie doll based on a female character from Greek mythology. Something about it seemed funny–contrasting the sugary sweetness of Barbie with the dark, unsettling world of myth. I gave my students the parameters: Create a doll with special features (things Barbie can do), accessories (the little, choking-hazard plastic pieces that come with Barbie), a vehicle (modern or ancient), and some sort of “Also Collect” item–maybe a “Ken,” a Malibu dream house, or pampered pet. I prefaced the assignment with a brief discussion of how Barbie has evolved alongside society’s ideas about gender roles. Today Barbie is no longer limited to cooking and shopping. She is living out her catchphrase of “You can be anything!”

The initial results were hilarious–and have been ever since. Every year, I add a few new Barbies to my collection of “keepers" when students go above and beyond my expectations. They always seem to sense the humor of the project (especially the boys) and come up with some outlandish ideas. I’ve seen everything from the typical goddesses of Olympus to an eyeless-old-hag Barbie and a Charybdis (the man-eating whirlpool from the Odyssey) Barbie.

For this project, I provide the students a template that requires only limited drawing, but I also allow them to create their own from scratch. Some of them really go all-out (see the example below). Even though not every student is an artist, every student can be creative. My only artistic stipulation is that the end result be neat and colorful! As they design their doll, students must use details from the text to back up the features they choose.

For the first time, this classroom-tested project is available for sale on our website! I encourage you to give it a try and see what your students can dream up. Apparently, it’s true–Barbie can be anything! Click here to find out more about the Mythological Barbie project