Activity Overview
Heracles is most famous for the Twelve Labors he completed in penance for the murder of his family. Have students create a chart that identifies and visualizes each of the different labors using the traditional storyboard layout. For a more extensive project, students can write descriptions of each one.
The Twelve Labors of Heracles
| 1 | Nemean Lion | The Nemean Lion was a ferocious beast that had a pelt that could not be pierced by sword or arrow. Heracles defeated the Nemean Lion by strangling it with his super strength. He crafted armor from the lion's hide. |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Lernaean Hydra | The hydra was a serpentine monster with multiple heads. Whenever one head was cut off, two more heads would grow in its place, making the number of heads increase. Heracles was able to defeat the Lernaean Hydra with the help of his nephew Iolaos. After Heracles chopped off a head, Iolaos burned the stump with a torch. New heads could not grow from the cauterized wounds. When Heracles cut off the main head, he buried it and covered it with a great rock. He dipped his arrowheads in the hydra's poisonous blood. |
| 3 | Ceryneian Hind | A hind is a doe, or female deer. The Ceryneian Hind was a doe with golden antlers that was sacred to Artemis, goddess of the hunt. Since Heracles did not want to anger Artemis by killing the hind, he chased after the hind for a year until she was exhausted. He was able to capture and bring her to Mycenae. |
| 4 | Erymanthian Boar | Eurystheus ordered Heracles to capture the Erymanthian Boar alive. When Heracles succeeded and carried the beast back to Mycenae, Eurystheus hid himself in a large storage jar in fear. |
| 5 | Augean Stables | Augeas had several thousand heads of immortal cattle that were kept in stables that had not been cleaned in many years. Heracles' task was to clean the Augean Stables - a humiliating and disgusting task. As suggested by Athena, Heracles rerouted a river to wash away the years of accumulated dung. |
| 6 | Stymphalian Birds | Heracles' sixth labor was to kill the monstrous birds that lived in a marshy area. Heracles startled the birds into flight with a bronze rattle (Athena's idea) and shot them down with the arrows poisoned by the hydra's blood. |
| 7 | Cretan Bull | For this Labor, Heracles went to the island of Crete. His task was to capture an enormous bull that the king of Crete was all too happy to be rid of. Eurystheus again hid in his pot and wanted to sacrifice the bull to Hera, but she refused it due to her hate of Heracles . |
| 8 | Mares of Diomedes | Diomedes kept horses and trained them to eat human flesh. Heracles fed Diomedes to his own horses, and the meal made them calm enough for Heracles to bind their dangerous mouths closed. He brought them back to Eurystheus. |
| 9 | Belt of Hippolyte | Eurystheus ordered Heracles to retrieve Hippolyte's belt for his daughter. Hippolyte, queen of the Amazons, would have given him the belt, but Hera intervened and the Amazons attacked Heracles. He ended up killing Hippolyte and claiming the belt. |
| 10 | Cattle of Geryon | Geryon was a terrible creature with three heads, three sets of arms, and three sets of legs, and he lived near the edge of the known world. Geryon had special red cows that Heracles had to bring back. Heracles killed Geryon and captured the cattle. On his journey back to Eurystheus, Hera sent a gadfly to irritate the cattle and they wandered off. Heracles spent nearly a year tracking them down and returning. |
| 11 | Golden Apples of the Hesperides | Heracles was able to acquire the golden apples through trickery. He asked Atlas to retrieve the apples since he was related to the Hesperides. In return, Heracles took on Atlas' duty to hold up the heavens. When Atlas returned with the apples, Heracles tricked him into taking the sky back on his shoulders. |
| 12 | Kerberos | Heracles' final labor was to bring the three-headed dog Kerberos up from the Underworld. Hades would not permit Heracles to use weapons, so Heracles had to face Kerberos with bare hands. He was able to subdue and chain Kerberos, and bring him back to a terrified Eurystheus. |
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Write each of the 12 Labors of Hercules in the headings
- Illustrate each with appropriate scenes, characters, and items.
- Save and Exit
Lesson Plan Reference
Activity Overview
Heracles is most famous for the Twelve Labors he completed in penance for the murder of his family. Have students create a chart that identifies and visualizes each of the different labors using the traditional storyboard layout. For a more extensive project, students can write descriptions of each one.
The Twelve Labors of Heracles
| 1 | Nemean Lion | The Nemean Lion was a ferocious beast that had a pelt that could not be pierced by sword or arrow. Heracles defeated the Nemean Lion by strangling it with his super strength. He crafted armor from the lion's hide. |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Lernaean Hydra | The hydra was a serpentine monster with multiple heads. Whenever one head was cut off, two more heads would grow in its place, making the number of heads increase. Heracles was able to defeat the Lernaean Hydra with the help of his nephew Iolaos. After Heracles chopped off a head, Iolaos burned the stump with a torch. New heads could not grow from the cauterized wounds. When Heracles cut off the main head, he buried it and covered it with a great rock. He dipped his arrowheads in the hydra's poisonous blood. |
| 3 | Ceryneian Hind | A hind is a doe, or female deer. The Ceryneian Hind was a doe with golden antlers that was sacred to Artemis, goddess of the hunt. Since Heracles did not want to anger Artemis by killing the hind, he chased after the hind for a year until she was exhausted. He was able to capture and bring her to Mycenae. |
| 4 | Erymanthian Boar | Eurystheus ordered Heracles to capture the Erymanthian Boar alive. When Heracles succeeded and carried the beast back to Mycenae, Eurystheus hid himself in a large storage jar in fear. |
| 5 | Augean Stables | Augeas had several thousand heads of immortal cattle that were kept in stables that had not been cleaned in many years. Heracles' task was to clean the Augean Stables - a humiliating and disgusting task. As suggested by Athena, Heracles rerouted a river to wash away the years of accumulated dung. |
| 6 | Stymphalian Birds | Heracles' sixth labor was to kill the monstrous birds that lived in a marshy area. Heracles startled the birds into flight with a bronze rattle (Athena's idea) and shot them down with the arrows poisoned by the hydra's blood. |
| 7 | Cretan Bull | For this Labor, Heracles went to the island of Crete. His task was to capture an enormous bull that the king of Crete was all too happy to be rid of. Eurystheus again hid in his pot and wanted to sacrifice the bull to Hera, but she refused it due to her hate of Heracles . |
| 8 | Mares of Diomedes | Diomedes kept horses and trained them to eat human flesh. Heracles fed Diomedes to his own horses, and the meal made them calm enough for Heracles to bind their dangerous mouths closed. He brought them back to Eurystheus. |
| 9 | Belt of Hippolyte | Eurystheus ordered Heracles to retrieve Hippolyte's belt for his daughter. Hippolyte, queen of the Amazons, would have given him the belt, but Hera intervened and the Amazons attacked Heracles. He ended up killing Hippolyte and claiming the belt. |
| 10 | Cattle of Geryon | Geryon was a terrible creature with three heads, three sets of arms, and three sets of legs, and he lived near the edge of the known world. Geryon had special red cows that Heracles had to bring back. Heracles killed Geryon and captured the cattle. On his journey back to Eurystheus, Hera sent a gadfly to irritate the cattle and they wandered off. Heracles spent nearly a year tracking them down and returning. |
| 11 | Golden Apples of the Hesperides | Heracles was able to acquire the golden apples through trickery. He asked Atlas to retrieve the apples since he was related to the Hesperides. In return, Heracles took on Atlas' duty to hold up the heavens. When Atlas returned with the apples, Heracles tricked him into taking the sky back on his shoulders. |
| 12 | Kerberos | Heracles' final labor was to bring the three-headed dog Kerberos up from the Underworld. Hades would not permit Heracles to use weapons, so Heracles had to face Kerberos with bare hands. He was able to subdue and chain Kerberos, and bring him back to a terrified Eurystheus. |
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Write each of the 12 Labors of Hercules in the headings
- Illustrate each with appropriate scenes, characters, and items.
- Save and Exit
Lesson Plan Reference
How Tos about The Twelve Labors of Heracles
How to connect the Twelve Labors of Heracles to students’ everyday challenges
Relate each labor to a real-life obstacle students might face, like studying for a big test or resolving a conflict with friends. Helping students draw parallels makes the myth more meaningful and encourages personal reflection.
Encourage student discussion with guiding questions
Ask open-ended questions after introducing each labor, such as “How would you solve this problem?” or “What qualities helped Heracles succeed?” Fostering dialogue builds critical thinking and empathy.
Incorporate creative writing for deeper engagement
Invite students to write a short story about facing a modern-day ‘labor’ inspired by Heracles. Encourage creativity and self-expression while reinforcing comprehension of the myth.
Facilitate teamwork with group presentations
Divide students into small groups and assign each group one labor to research and present. Collaborative projects build communication skills and deepen understanding through peer teaching.
Assess understanding with quick formative checks
Use exit tickets or short quizzes after the lesson to gauge comprehension of the key events and themes. Immediate feedback helps guide your next steps in teaching.
Frequently Asked Questions about The Twelve Labors of Heracles
What are the Twelve Labors of Heracles?
The Twelve Labors of Heracles are a series of legendary tasks from Greek mythology that Heracles (Hercules) had to complete as punishment. Each labor involved defeating monsters, capturing animals, or completing impossible feats, such as slaying the Nemean Lion, cleaning the Augean Stables, and capturing Kerberos from the Underworld.
How can I teach the Twelve Labors of Heracles in a middle school classroom?
Use a storyboard chart where students label and illustrate each labor. For deeper engagement, have them write brief descriptions or act out scenes. This helps students visualize and understand the sequence and significance of each task in Greek mythology.
What is the best way for students to remember the 12 Labors of Heracles?
Encourage students to create a visual chart or timeline featuring each labor with images and short summaries. Mnemonics, storytelling, and group activities also make the labors easier to recall and discuss.
Why did Heracles have to complete the Twelve Labors?
Heracles was assigned the Twelve Labors as a penance for a tragic mistake—he killed his family in a fit of madness. Completing the labors served as his punishment and path to redemption in Greek mythology.
Can you list all 12 Labors of Heracles with brief descriptions?
Yes! The 12 Labors are: 1) Nemean Lion—slay the invulnerable lion, 2) Lernaean Hydra—kill the multi-headed serpent, 3) Ceryneian Hind—capture the sacred deer, 4) Erymanthian Boar—capture alive, 5) Augean Stables—clean massive stables, 6) Stymphalian Birds—defeat deadly birds, 7) Cretan Bull—capture the wild bull, 8) Mares of Diomedes—tame man-eating horses, 9) Belt of Hippolyte—obtain the Amazon queen's belt, 10) Cattle of Geryon—fetch magical cattle, 11) Golden Apples of the Hesperides—retrieve guarded apples, and 12) Kerberos—bring back the three-headed dog from the Underworld.
More Storyboard That Activities
Greek Mythology: The 12 Labors of Hercules
Testimonials
“By using the product, they were so excited and they learned so much...”–K-5 Librarian and Instructinal Technology Teacher
“I'm doing a Napoleon timeline and I'm having [students] determine whether or not Napoleon was a good guy or a bad guy or somewhere in between.”–History and Special Ed Teacher
“Students get to be creative with Storyboard That and there's so many visuals for them to pick from... It makes it really accessible for all students in the class.”–Third Grade Teacher
© 2025 - Clever Prototypes, LLC - All rights reserved.
StoryboardThat is a trademark of Clever Prototypes, LLC, and Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
