Creative English Teacher — The Hero's Journey

Give Barbie a Mythic Makeover: A New Creative Project

August 28, 2025 • Heroes and Monsters • Mythology • Teaching Ideas • The Hero's Journey

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

The Enchanting History of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice": Teaching the Various Adaptations of This Famous Folktale by Integrating Poetry, Music, and Art

January 07, 2025 • British Literature • Heroes and Monsters • Mythology • Readers Theater Script-Stories • The Hero's Journey • World Literature

While many folktales have been adapted over the centuries, none has a richer (and varied) list of adaptations than "The Sorcerer's Apprentice." This post explores the classic folktale "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," its many adaptations (including a Reader's Theater script-story version), Paul Dukas's classical masterpiece based upon it, and Walt Disney's innovative masterpiece Fantasia (1940)—along with strategies for teaching these various adaptations in a classroom setting. You will see that "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" is perfect for a lesson integrating literature, folklore, poetry, music, and art.

Creative English Teacher — The Hero's Journey

Give Barbie a Mythic Makeover: A New Creative Project

The Enchanting History of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice": Teaching the Various Adaptations of This Famous Folktale by Integrating Poetry, Music, and Art

Five Reasons to Teach The Prince of Egypt (1998)

How To Write a Book for Kids

Why Young People Need Hero Stories Now More Than Ever