Monsters! From ancient mythology and religion to modern movies, from the deep seas to outer space, an interdisciplinary unit on the theme of Monsters can carry your curriculum standards:  incorporate literature, history, geography, philosophy, ethics, medicine, the media culture, economics, advertising and marketing, law and more!    Photo from:  http://www.doctormacro.com/Previous%20News/News%20(2005-01).htm

 

Monster defined

Project Ideas

Connecting the Disciplines/Standards

Resources:

Films

Literature

Web Sites

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Monster defined:   (from Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)          
1 a : an animal or plant of abnormal form or structure b : one who deviates from normal or acceptable behavior or character
2 : a threatening force
3 a : an animal of strange or terrifying shape b : one unusually large for its kind
4 : something monstrous; especially : a person of unnatural or extreme ugliness, deformity, wickedness, or cruelty
5 : one that is highly successful                  

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Resources for Monster Theme:

Films

Frankenstein Films
Vampire Films
Werewolf Films
Mummy Films
Jekyll and Hyde Films

 

Literature

• Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. NY: Signet Classics, 2000. ISBN 0-451-527712.

• Stoker, Bram. Dracula. NY: Oxford University Press, 1998. ISBN 0-19-2833863.

• Stevenson, R.L. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. NY: Signet Classics, 1994. ISBN 0-451-52393-8.

• Wells, H.G. The Island of Dr. Moreau. NY: Dover Publications, 1998. ISBN 0-486290271.

• Doyle, Arthur Conan. The Lost World. NY: Dover Publications, 1998. ISBN: 0-486400603.

   

 

Web Sites

Monsters - web site created by Dr. Michael A. Delahoyde of Washington State University.  Here you will find many resources organized into categories such as General Resources, Early Monsters, Classic Monsters, Animals and Insects, and Other Monstrosities.

Strangescience.com - links with info on dinosaurs, monsters, sea monsters, dragons, and more.

Stone age man's terrors still stalk modern nightmares - did you know that werewolves and vampires are as old as art? Article from The Observer, UK.

Monsters and Imaginary Beasts through all cultures and through time.

Menacing Monster Guide

Folklore

Mythology

Monsters in Children's' Literature

 

Research Project Ideas (for individuals or groups)

• The "monster" through history

• Civilization, monsters and the monstrous

• Children, childhood, stories and monsters

• Comedy: funny monsters and/or making fun of monsters (e.g. Monsters Inc, the Addams Family)

• Making monsters; monstrous births

• Mutants and mutations

• Technologies of the monstrous

• Horror, fear and scare

• Do monsters kill because they are monstrous or are they monstrous because they kill?

• How critical to the definition of "monster" is death or the threat of death?

• Revolution and monsters

• Enemies (political/social/military) and monsters

• Iconography of the monstrous

• The popularity of the modern monsters; the Mummy, Dracula, Frankenstein, Vampires

• The monster in literature

• The monster in media (television, cinema, radio)

• Religious depictions of the monstrous

• Metaphors and the monstrous

 

Project Ideas -  Some exciting projects to produce and present upon the completion of your unit on Monsters:

1.  Historical and Multicultural Timeline of Monsters - create a "monster" timeline with several tracks (for each continent or each culture studied).  Include drawings of monsters from each culture, along with some brief information about the monster.  Also include on the timeline important advances in science and other major socio-historical events.  For example,

• prehistoric art in Africa, Australia, Europe, etc.; 

• Ancient Cultures such as Greek, Roman, Chinese, Egyptian, etc.; 

• Indigenous cultures, past and present, such as Native American, African, South America, Australian, etc.; 

2.  Monster Film Fest -  have students present a night (or days) of student-produced multimedia products such as documentaries, monster films, animations, as well as comparisons using classic horror films, etc.

3.  Cooking Show -  have students create or find recipes, then produce a cooking show (similar to Alton Brown's show, Good Eats)

4.  Monster Dinner Theatre - have student design and deliver an actual dinner theatre experience.  They would have to research everything from "dinner theatres" to health department laws on serving and selling food, to drama, budgets, advertising and marketing, and more.  Get the community involved by asking for assistance with printing bills to advertise, and consultants such as chefs, radio and television stations, local university drama, theatre, RTF (Radio, Television and Film) departments, and more.

5. Mock Trial of Victor Frankenstein - use a real courtroom and judge if you can!

 

Disciplines and Standards - the following disciplines/courses may be taught through a project-based, interdisciplinary thematic unit on Monsters.  This list is not all-inclusive.  What other standards can you think of that can be taught through this theme?

Arts

• Art

• Music

• Drama

• Television

• Radio

• Film

Sciences:

• Bio-engineering

• Stem Cell Research

• Chemistry

• Biology

Social Studies

• Geography

• History (Local and State, American, World, Ancient)  (an interesting resource for local and state ideas are books such as Weird U.S., Weird Texas (and other states), and the television show, Weird U.S. on the History Channel)

• Economics

• Civics

Ethics

Philosophy

Business

• Business Planning

• Budgets

• Marketing and Advertising

• Web Site Design

• Resume Writing

• Interviewing

Language Arts

• Writing

• Literature

  • Poetry - from The Iliad and The Odsesy to . . . ?

  • Novels

  • Short Stories

• Writing - fictional to research

• Speech

• Debate

• Multimedia Production

• Drama

Mathematics

• Economics (for example, the monster/horror multimedia industry - from comics to movies to music, and related jobs in the field)

• Statistics