THE LAND OF GODS A Sicilian Experience Organized by The Italian High School “Mario Rapisardi” - Italy

PROJECT CATERED TO: Fifteen to Twenty English Students + Two Teachers hosted by Italian families

ISTITUTO SUPERIORE “M. RAPISARDI” An Italian High School with a particular emphasis on Classical Languages

Cultural Tour Of Sicily

PROJECT CATERED TO: Fifteen to Twenty English Students + Two Teachers hosted by Italian families

CONTENT GREEK MYTHS ABOUT: -Love (Aci and Galathea) -Metamorphosis (Aci and Galathea, Arethusa) -Sin and Punishment (The Titans, Ephestus)

AIMS To promote a cultural exchange in which students and teachers learn from each other ways of learning/teaching. To encourage an educative process in which Italian and English students actively share ideas and opinions on themes coming out from myths and legends related to the places they are going to visit To solicit foreign students’ interest in mythology and Sicilian history gaining a brief but effective insight into it. To understand why Greek mythology and legends deeply influenced English literature and art.

COSTS A ROUNDTRIP AIR FARE THE COACH RENTAL FOR THE TRIPS (ABOUT 40 EUROS PER STUDENT) MEALS AND ACCOMODATIONS ARE PROVIDED

BEFORE ARRIVAL A couple of explicative web lessons given by: Prof. Paolo Cipolla Prof. Rosario Scalia (Department of Classics, University of Catania )

DURING THE STAY PROGRAM DESCRIPTION THREE TOURS - Aci Castello - Syracuse - Mount Aetna TEN HOURS OF PREPARATORY LESSONS

I st DAY: LET’S INTRODUCE OURSELVES Morning: Headmaster’s welcome, tour of the school, coffee break, powerpoint presentation of the myth of Aci and Galatea. Brunch at school: Interactive activities on the myth of Aci and Galatea (web quest, creative writing,video activities) Evening/night: Dinner with the host families

2 nd DAY: LIVING THE MYTH OF ACI AND GALATEA Morning/ afternoon: Aci Castello – the Faraglioni “thrown” by the Cyclop – the Island Lachea “visited” by Ulysses – the Norman castle – the Museum

3 rd Day: Hephaestus and Mount Aetna “THE FIRE IN THE CAVERN OF ETNA CONCEALED…” L.Byron “Hours of Idleness” Morning: Powerpoint presentation of the Greek God of the Volcano (Efesto) Interactive activities (web quest, reading texts and producing a written report) Afternoon: Tour of Catania with the students’ families Evening/night: Time with the host families

4 th Day: ETNA: “The pillar of Heaven” A still—Volcano—Life— That flickered in the night… From “Emily Dickinson’s volcanic punctuation” FULL DAY EXCURSION ON MOUNT AETNA

5 th Day : Looking for Arethusa, “The Peerless Nymph ” “Oh save me! Oh guide me! And bid the deep hide me, for he grasps me now by the hair!”—SHELLEY Morning at school: Working on the legend of Arethusa. Interactive activities (LIM, computer lab)

6 th DAY : FULL DAY IN SYRACUSE ORTYGIA Morning/ afternoon: – the typical little roads – the Greek theatre – the temple of Apollo – the fountain of Aretusa – the cathedral built on Athena’s Temple Evening/night: with the host families

7 th day Farewell Dinner With typical Sicilian dishes and wine

CONTACT US WEBSITE: CONTACT US: (Project Manager)