The most prominent undertaking of Excellence Through Classics is the National Mythology
Exam. Since 1989, the exam has been offered to students in elementary, intermediate,
and middle school grades three through nine. By far the majority of students taking the
exam are middle school students. The format of the exam is multiple choice and includes
a thirty-question section on Greek and Roman mythology which is required for all students
in grades five through nine. Students in grade six through nine are also required to
answer ten questions from at least one literary subtest. Their subtest choices are: the
Iliad, Odyssey, Aeneid, African Myths, Native American Myths, or Norse Myths. The
questions for each subtest based on an epic focus upon only one book of the epic each year.
Exam. Since 1989, the exam has been offered to students in elementary, intermediate,
and middle school grades three through nine. By far the majority of students taking the
exam are middle school students. The format of the exam is multiple choice and includes
a thirty-question section on Greek and Roman mythology which is required for all students
in grades five through nine. Students in grade six through nine are also required to
answer ten questions from at least one literary subtest. Their subtest choices are: the
Iliad, Odyssey, Aeneid, African Myths, Native American Myths, or Norse Myths. The
questions for each subtest based on an epic focus upon only one book of the epic each year.
From: Diana Nixon, NME Committee Chair
Thank you for your efforts teaching students to love mythology and classical literature. We
appreciate all that you do, and hope that the National Mythology Exam helps to encourage
your students’ love of classics.
The National Mythology Exam is based on a seven-year rotation of exams. The logic behind
this is two-fold. First, since the exam is given to 3rd through 9th graders, no student will
take the same exam twice. Second, it was decided that it was more important to perfect
each exam, change substandard questions, and balance the offerings over the entire seven-
year period rather than to produce an entirely new exam every year.
Excellence Through Classics offers wonderful curriculum materials in the Activity Packets,
which are keyed to preparation for the NME. Students may also use the sample questions
to familiarize your students with the format of the exam. Please refrain from using old
exams for review with your students. Some questions will be reused or rewritten
from old exams.
Thank you for your efforts teaching students to love mythology and classical literature. We
appreciate all that you do, and hope that the National Mythology Exam helps to encourage
your students’ love of classics.
The National Mythology Exam is based on a seven-year rotation of exams. The logic behind
this is two-fold. First, since the exam is given to 3rd through 9th graders, no student will
take the same exam twice. Second, it was decided that it was more important to perfect
each exam, change substandard questions, and balance the offerings over the entire seven-
year period rather than to produce an entirely new exam every year.
Excellence Through Classics offers wonderful curriculum materials in the Activity Packets,
which are keyed to preparation for the NME. Students may also use the sample questions
to familiarize your students with the format of the exam. Please refrain from using old
exams for review with your students. Some questions will be reused or rewritten
from old exams.
| The National Mythology Exam 2009 will include the following: |
- Grades 3-4
- MUST take basic 30-item exam on Greek and Roman mythology and MAY choose
to take any other sections
- Grade 5
- MUST take basic 30-item exam PLUS 10 questions on the theme (Jason and the
Argonauts) and MAY choose to take any other sections
- Grades 6-9
- MUST take basic 30-item exam PLUS 10 questions on the theme (Jason and the
Argonauts) and at least ONE 10-item literary sub-test of their choice on the
following:
- Iliad
- Odyssey
- Aeneid
- Native American tales
- African tales
- Norse Mythology
Click here for the 2009 National Mythology Exam Bibliography.
For a list of all National Mythology Exam topics through 2009, click here for PDF document.
Materials on Greek and Roman mythology may be found in: d'Aulaire, Ingri and Edgar,
d'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths, New York, Doubleday and Co., 1962, and (for more
advanced students) in Guerber, H. A. The Myths of Greece and Rome, New York, Dover
Publications, Inc., 1993.
Materials for the Native American tales may be found in : Erdoes, Richard and Alfonso Ortiz,
American Indian Myths and Legends, New York, Pantheon Books, 1984, and Voices of
the Winds: Native American Legends by Margot Edmonds and Ella E. Clark. It is available
from amazon.com and other sources.
Materials for the African tales may be found in Tales from Africa, retold by Kathleen Arnott,
published by Oxford Univ. Press, 1998, ISBN #0-19-275079.
Materials for the Norse myths may be found in d'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths.
Teachers may register for the exam in the fall. They receive a complete bibliography to use in
preparing their students for the exam. Additionally, ETC has available for purchase an activity
packet with camera-ready activities designed to reinforce the concepts and information
included in the test.
The deadline for applying for the exam is Jan. 15, 2009. The period during which
the test may be administered is February 25 - March 7, 2009.
To register for the National Mythology Exam, use the current ETC Flyer / Order Form.
If you have more questions, contact the Myth Exam Chair, Diana Nixon (dnixon@wcsks.com)
For a list of all National Mythology Exam topics through 2009, click here for PDF document.
Materials on Greek and Roman mythology may be found in: d'Aulaire, Ingri and Edgar,
d'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths, New York, Doubleday and Co., 1962, and (for more
advanced students) in Guerber, H. A. The Myths of Greece and Rome, New York, Dover
Publications, Inc., 1993.
Materials for the Native American tales may be found in : Erdoes, Richard and Alfonso Ortiz,
American Indian Myths and Legends, New York, Pantheon Books, 1984, and Voices of
the Winds: Native American Legends by Margot Edmonds and Ella E. Clark. It is available
from amazon.com and other sources.
Materials for the African tales may be found in Tales from Africa, retold by Kathleen Arnott,
published by Oxford Univ. Press, 1998, ISBN #0-19-275079.
Materials for the Norse myths may be found in d'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths.
Teachers may register for the exam in the fall. They receive a complete bibliography to use in
preparing their students for the exam. Additionally, ETC has available for purchase an activity
packet with camera-ready activities designed to reinforce the concepts and information
included in the test.
The deadline for applying for the exam is Jan. 15, 2009. The period during which
the test may be administered is February 25 - March 7, 2009.
To register for the National Mythology Exam, use the current ETC Flyer / Order Form.
If you have more questions, contact the Myth Exam Chair, Diana Nixon (dnixon@wcsks.com)
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