We’re excited to share a new set of free classroom lesson plans for The Tales of Odysseus by James Zager—designed for high school ELA, theatre, and humanities classrooms.
This Classroom Companion helps students engage with The Odyssey not just as an epic adventure, but as a story about leadership, endurance, temptation, and the cost of survival.Â
What’s Included in the Free Lesson Plan Set
- Pre- and post-reading discussion questions that center choice, responsibility, and moral consequence
- Character analysis activities that examine Odysseus as a leader under pressure—and the agency of his crew
- Creative and design-based projects, including playlists, symbolic artwork, and production concepts
- Cultural and historical context activities exploring Greek mythology, hospitality (xenia), oral storytelling, and post-war trauma
- Text connections to novels, plays, and films commonly taught in secondary classrooms
- Multiple assessment options, from analytical essays to creative portfolios and seminar-style discussions
The activities are written in direct, student-facing language, making them easy to use for independent work, small groups, or full-class discussion. Teachers can pick and choose what fits their time, curriculum, and students.
Whether you’re teaching The Odyssey for the first time or looking for a fresh, theatrical way to approach it, these lesson plans are designed to help students think critically about what it really means to survive—and what it costs to get home.
👉 Download the free lesson plans for Tales of Odysseus now
As always, these materials are completely free to use in educational settings. We hope they support thoughtful discussion, creative exploration, and meaningful connections in your classroom.