Epic: The Musical Brings the Odyssey to Life for Ninth Graders by Brooke Johnson
Ninth graders at Melbourne High are studying The Odyssey in a whole new way this year — through Epic: The Musical. The modern adaptation of Homer’s classic story puts the adventures of Odysseus to music, helping students better understand and connect with the characters. Mrs. Monica Tam, head of the English department, explained that “People tend to remember and learn better when things are set to music, so it helps students to remember different characters and things that happen in the epic poem.”
Using the musical has made learning The Odyssey more fun and interactive. Instead of only reading and analyzing text, students can now listen to songs that bring the story to life. Mrs. Tam said the approach “just ups the interest, and it’s a break in traditional teaching and increases student engagement.” Many students agree that hearing the story sung makes it easier to follow and a lot more enjoyable.
Mrs. Tam also pointed out that not everyone learns the same way. “Every student has their own way of learning and the bigger variety of methods of presentation helps to reach all the different learning styles,” she said. By adding music into the lesson, teachers are finding new ways to help students stay interested while still learning the important lessons and themes behind Homer’s epic journey.
Caption: EPIC WAYS TO STUDY LITERATURE: Students at Melbourne High are diving into Epic: The Musical as a creative way to study The Odyssey. Using notebooks and colorful highlighters, they’re making connections between the ancient text and its modern retelling. “I think that because The Odyssey was written so long ago, it’s easier for kids to learn what is going on and remember and understand the events and characters better,” said Anastasia Mijotovic. She added that exploring modern interpretations makes learning more fun and engaging than just reading ancient Greek literature.