When I was in the 3rd grade, my teacher introduced the class to Greek mythology. I found the story of Persephone and Hades to be the most intriguing. The ancient Greek myth of Persephone and Hades is not only a captivating tale of love and transformation, but it also serves as an allegorical explanation for the changing season, particularly the transition from summer to fall and the subsequent shortening of days. This myth weaves together themes of nature, the underworld, and the cycles of life and death.

According to the myth, Persephone, the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, was abducted by Hades, the god of the underworld. As the story goes, Hades is struck by Persephone’s beauty and desires her as his queen in the realm of the dead. One day while Persephone was picking flowers in a meadow, Hades emerged from the earth and whisked her away to his realm. 

Persephone’s absence plunged her mother, Demeter, into grief and despair. Demeter’s sorrow was so profound that she withdrew her blessings from the Earth, causing crops to wither and die. Famine and barrenness swept across the land, prompting the other gods to intervene. Zeus eventually intervened and requested Hades to return Persephone to the surface world.

However, there was a twist. Before leaving the underworld, Hades tricked Persephone into eating pomegranate seeds, binding her to his realm. As a result, Persephone had to spend a portion of each year in the underworld, symbolizing the winter months. Her return to the surface world marked the arrival of spring and summer, when Demeter’s joy would bring life back to the Earth.

This myth beautifully mirrors the changing seasons and the shortening of days during the fall. Persephone’s descent into the underworld represents the transition from the warmer months of summer to the colder months of fall and winter. As Persephone departs, Demeter’s grief causes the Earth’s vegetation to wither, symbolizing the fading vibrancy of summer. The shorter days and cooler temperatures reflect this withdrawal of Demeter’s blessings and her focus on the realm of the dead.

Persephone’s annual return to the surface world parallels the arrival of spring and summer. Just as Demeter’s happiness brings about the resurgence of life and growth, Persephone’s presence marks the return of warmer weather and longer days. The myth thus offers an imaginative explanation for the cyclical changes in nature, from the abundance of summer to the dormancy of winter.

The story of Persephone and Hades also underscores the interconnectedness of life, death, and transformation. The myth portrays the journey to the underworld not as a bleak end but as a transformative experience. Persephone’s time spent with Hades reflects the hidden growth and renewal that occur within the Earth during the colder months. Similarly, her return to the surface world symbolizes the emergence of life from dormancy, echoing the reawakening of plants and animals during the spring. The myth’s themes of transformation, cycles of life and death, and the interplay between the human and natural worlds resonate with the changing of seasons, reminding us of the profound beauty and complexity of nature.

Bears Through the Seasons

A fantastic unit designed specifically for Kindergarten by the Missouri Department of Conservation.

This Discover Nature School (DNS) program, Kindergarten: Bears Through the Seasons, is designed specifically for Kindergarten students. This curriculum is aligned to all Missouri Learning Science (MLS) and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) including the four components of Earth and Space Science, Physical Science, Life Science and Engineering and Technology Science.

This curriculum follows the four seasons with 4 seasonal units and 23 lessons. All lessons are wrapped under the anchoring phenomena of Missouri Black Bears and their habitat. All lessons use the 5E instruction model beginning with Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate and tie into Missouri-focused phenomena and investigative questions such as “What lives in my schoolyard?”, “How do bears get their food using pushes and pulls?”, “Why do plants grow in different places?”.

For complete lesson details: education.mdc.mo.gov/workshops/bears-through-seasons