Characters
Choose the character you will play.
For more Greek myths, read “The Snake-Haired Monster,” a Play about the brave hero Perseus. Then dive into the Background Builder, “Hero Myths,” to learn more about this genre.
Art by Sebastia Serra
Play,
The Mighty Hercules
Hercules is the strongest man alive. But can strength alone make him a god—and a true hero?
By Sari Bodi and Karen Trott
From the March/April 2025 Issue
Learning Objective: Students will identify what character traits make Hercules worthy of becoming a god and true hero in this dramatic retelling of the Greek myth.
Complexity Factors
Featured Skill:
Character Traits,
Other Key Skills: how a character changes, main idea, text features, visual literacy, plot, cause and effect, character’s motivation, opinion writing, explanatory writing, narrative writing, speaking, listening, vocabulary, read with accuracy and fluency to support comprehension
Standards
Content-Area Connections
Storytellers 1, 2, 3 (S1, S2, S3)
Crowd (to be read by a group)
Hera (HIHR-uh), queen of the gods
Zeus (zooss), king of the gods
Chiron (KY-rahn), Hercules’s teacher
Hercules (HER-kew-leez), Zeus’s son
Eury (YUHR-ee), Hera’s cousin
Hades (HAY-deez), king of the underworld
Cerberus (SUHR-buh-ruhs),
a three-headed dog
Scene 1
S1: The strongest man who ever lived was born long ago in ancient Greece.
S2: What was his name?
Crowd: Hercules!
S3: His father was Zeus, king of the gods.
S1: Zeus loved his son.
S2: But Hercules’s stepmom, Hera . . . not so much.
Hera (rolling her eyes): Zeus, when your son picks apples, he pulls the entire tree out of the ground.
Zeus (proudly): Isn’t he amazing?
Hera: He is ruining our home, Mount Olympus! He must be sent away.
Zeus (shocked): He’s my son!
Hera: He’s not my son. His mother is a human, which makes him only half a god.
S3: Just then, Hercules’s teacher, Chiron, gallops in.
S1: He’s a centaur—half human and half horse.
Chiron: Baby Hercules has brought a tiger home. He’s playing with it like it’s a kitten!
Hera: He’s putting everyone in danger!
Zeus (sadly): Chiron, take Hercules to the mountains. Train him until he’s ready to return as a god.
Chiron: You got it, boss!
Scene 2
S2: Hercules grows into a powerful young man.
S3: His strength keeps surprising Chiron.
Chiron: Hercules, what happened to that arrow you shot?
Hercules: It hit the moon!
Chiron (jaw dropping): So it did. Well, go kill those vicious monsters that are about to attack us!
S1: In the coming years, Hercules clears the countryside of dangerous monsters.
Crowd: Hurrah for Hercules!
S2: He is admired far and wide.
S3: Finally, he returns to his father’s palace.
Hercules: I am ready to return home. I want to become a god and live forever, like you, Dad!
Hera: Ha! So you beat a few monsters. Big deal.
Zeus: I miss you, Herc, but Hera is right. You are not ready yet.
Hercules: But I’ve shown my strength!
Zeus: It takes more than just strength to become a god.
Hera: Why don’t we ask my cousin King Eury to find tasks that really challenge you?
Hercules: I’m ready!
S1: But Hera has an evil plan . . .
Nemean Lion
Scene 3
Hera: Eury, you must help me get rid of Hercules.
Eury: We’ll come up with 12 tasks for him.
Hera: What if Hercules proves he’s a god by completing them?
Eury: We’ll make them impossible. I’ll start by sending him to kill the Nemean (NEE-mee-uhn) lion.
Hera (excitedly): Its fur is so thick, no spear can pierce through it!
S2: Hercules is terrified. But he courageously takes on the challenge.
S3: He returns to Eury wearing the lion’s skin.
Hercules: Ta-da!
Eury (surprised): Oh my! Now you must destroy the nine-headed snake, Hydra.
S1: Hercules dashes off.
Hera: Ha! When you cut one head off that monstrous snake,
two grow back!
S2: Faster than you can say “Greek yogurt,” Hercules is back.
Hercules: Done! What’s next?
Eury: Let’s see if you can find the bloodthirsty wild pig!
Hera: It has tusks as sharp as swords.
Eury and Hera: Bring it back alive!
Hercules: No problem!
S3: Hercules outsmarts the wild pig.
S1: He chases it until it is too tired to run.
S2: Then he carries it back to the palace.
Hercules: That was easy!
Crowd: Hurrah for Hercules!
Wild Pig
Scene 4
Geryon
Hera: What about a challenge so disgusting he’ll refuse to do it?
S3: They call Hercules to the throne room.
Eury: You must remove the mountains of manure from the stables of King Augeas (aw-JEE-us).
Hercules: Manure?! Like animal poop?
Hera and Eury: If you don’t think that’s a task worthy of a hero . . .
Hercules: I’ll do it!
S1: Hercules sets off for the stables.
S2: The smell alone nearly kills him.
Hercules (holding his nose): This royal manure royally stinks! But if I toss boulders into this nearby river, the water will flood the stables.
S3: The river water washes the stables clean.
Crowd: Hurrah for Hercules!
Hera (furiously): We must make the tasks harder! Have Hercules bring me the golden belt from the deadly queen of the Amazons.
Eury: Yes! And Hercules must capture that man-eating warrior.
Hera (excitedly): Then make him defeat the monster Geryon (JEHR-ee-uhn)! It has three bodies joined into one!
S1: Again and again, they send Hercules off to meet his death.
S2: Again and again, he comes back.
Queen of the Amazons
Scene 5
S3: Hera’s blood is boiling.
Hera: How is he still alive? We have only one task left!
Eury: Don’t worry. We’ll send him to catch Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guards the underworld.
Hera: Perfect. No human has ever returned from there alive.
S1: Hercules travels down a dark cave, across a river, and through fiery tunnels.
S2: He finally reaches Hades, king of the underworld.
Hades: What’s the matter, Herc? Tired of all the tests?
Hercules: Nope! I am here to find Cerberus.
Hades: Check by that mountain of bones. I hope he isn’t hungry!
S3: Hercules gently approaches Cerberus.
Hercules: Who’s a good doggy?
Cerberus: Grrr!
S1: Hercules speaks to each of the three heads.
Hercules: You are, and you are, and you are!
S2: Cerberus wags his tail.
Hercules: You’re not the monster everyone says you are! You just need some love.
S3: He scratches behind the dog’s six ears.
Cerberus: Arf! Arf!
S1: Hercules puts collars around all three necks and walks Cerberus to Eury’s palace.
Hera: Nooo!
Eury: Get that dog out of here! And you get out too, Hercules!
Cerberus
Scene 6
S2: Word spreads of Hercules’s amazing accomplishments.
S3: Zeus and Hera welcome Hercules to Mount Olympus.
Hera (glumly): You are now a god for all ages.
Zeus: And a true hero! You learned that heroes are not measured by their strength alone.
Hercules: But by their courage, smarts, and heart as well.
S1: To this day, Hercules is remembered as one of the most famous Greek heroes.
Crowd: Hurrah for Hercules! Hurrah for Hercules!
Think and Write
Write a letter to Hera explaining why Hercules deserves to live on Mount Olympus. Include the character traits that helped Hercules become a god and a hero.
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Can't Miss Teaching Extras
Keep the Greek myths going and read “Pandora’s Box,” a Play about the famous box that was opened—and changed the world forever.
Do your students love meeting legendary Greek heroes like Hercules? Meet another one in “The Monster in the Cave,” a Play about Odysseus, a famous Greek warrior who fights a monster.
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Table of Contents
4. Differentiate and Customize
Striving Readers, Multilingual Learners, Advanced Readers
1. Preparing to Read
Build Background Knowledge
Help students build background knowledge on Greek Mythology by watching the video “Into the World of Greek Mythology.”
Ask students what they know about the Greek hero Hercules. If needed, explain that he is a character from Greek mythology who is celebrated for his great strength.
Help students build background knowledge on Greek Mythology by watching the video “Into the World of Greek Mythology.”
Ask students what they know about the Greek hero Hercules. If needed, explain that he is a character from Greek mythology who is celebrated for his great strength.
Introduce the Text and Preview Text Features
- Ask students to predict what this play will be about based on the title, subtitle, and illustration on pages 20-21. Review the predictions after reading.
Set a Purpose for Reading
Call on volunteers to read aloud the Think and Read box on page 21 and the Think and Write box on page 25.
Remind students to keep these prompts in mind while reading the play.
Call on volunteers to read aloud the Think and Read box on page 21 and the Think and Write box on page 25.
Remind students to keep these prompts in mind while reading the play.
Introduce Featured Skill
Build on the Think and Read prompt by explaining the play’s featured skill: Character Traits. Encourage students to describe what traits allow Hercules to become a god.
Build on the Think and Read prompt by explaining the play’s featured skill: Character Traits. Encourage students to describe what traits allow Hercules to become a god.
Introduce Vocabulary
- Show or assign the Vocabulary Slideshow to preview challenging words. Then assign the Vocabulary Skill Builder before or after reading.
2. Close Reading
Focus on Fluency
Storyworks 3 plays provide a perfect opportunity for students to build fluency.
Perform the play as a class or have students follow along as they listen to the audio Read-Aloud.
- Project or assign the Close-Reading and Critical-Thinking Questions.
Storyworks 3 plays provide a perfect opportunity for students to build fluency.
Perform the play as a class or have students follow along as they listen to the audio Read-Aloud.
Close-Reading Questions
- Read Scene 1. Why does Zeus send Hercules away to the mountains with Chiron? Zeus sends Hercules away to the mountains with Chiron because he wants Chiron to train him until he’s ready to return as a god. (cause and effect)
- Read Scene 2. Why does Zeus believe Hercules isn’t ready to become a god? Zeus believes Hercules isn’t ready because it takes more than just strength to become a god. (main idea)
- Read Scene 3. Why does King Eury come up with impossible tasks for Hercules to complete? Eury is helping his cousin, Hera, get rid of Hercules so he won’t become a god. (character’s motivation)
- Read Scene 4. What character trait helps Hercules remove the manure from the stables of King Augeas? Hercules is clever. He comes up with a smart plan to clean the stables. He tosses boulders into a nearby river, so the rising water floods the stables and washes them clean. (character traits)
- Read Scene 5. How does Hercules catch Cerberus, the three-headed dog? Hercules catches Cerberus by speaking kindly to each of its three heads. Then he scratches behind his six ears. Finally, he puts collars around all three necks and walks Cerberus to King Eury’s palace. (plot)
- Read Scene 6. Why does Zeus tell Hercules that he is a true hero? Hercules has learned that it takes more than strength to be a hero. Heroes must have courage, brains, and kindness. (theme)
Critical-Thinking Questions
- How would Hercules describe himself at the beginning of the play? How would he describe himself at the end? Support your answers with text evidence. Answers will vary. Students should include details from the play in their responses. (connecting to text)
- What character traits do you think are important for a hero to have? Think about what character traits Hercules shows to prove he is a true hero. Answers will vary. (making connections)
3. Skill Building and Writing
Featured Skill: Character Traits
Distribute or digitally assign the Character Traits Skill Builder.
Ask students to write a response to the Think and Write prompt on page 25.
Differentiate and Customize
For Striving Readers
Creating storyboards is a great way to keep track of key events. Distribute papers divided into six sections. Students should label each section with a scene number and draw a picture for each scene, illustrating what they think is the most important part. Ask them to provide a caption at the bottom of each picture.
For Multilingual Learners
Gauge your multilingual learners’ knowledge of Greek mythology and work with them to build on it, as needed. Read through the play and circle any unfamiliar words or terms. As a whole class or small group, look up the meanings of the words or terms. Use the video “Into the World of Greek Mythology” to help build background knowledge.
For Advanced Readers
Invite students to compare Hercules with another Greek hero, Perseus, in the play “The Snake-Haired Monster.” Ask students to prepare a short presentation for the rest of the class that explains how these two heroes are similar and different. Which character traits do they have in common?
Text-to-Speech