World Mythology Lesson Plans

WEEK 17

Monday, May 28, 2012 – Labor Day (no school)

Tuesday, May 29, 2012 – Friday, June 1, 2012

Class work days – Hero Game Board – DUE MONDAY

WEEK 16

Monday, May 21, 2012

1. Library: Type viewing assignment response to Jason and the Argonauts – Hand in today

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

1. Read: Female Hero myths

a. Atalanta (Greek)

b. The Ballad of Mulan (China)

2. Mythological Barbie assignment

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

1. Introduction to Hero Myth Game Board – DUE Monday, June 4, 2012

a. Handout rubric

b. Discuss requirements and clarify

Thursday, May 24 – Friday, May 25, 2012

Class work days – Hero Game board

WEEK 15

Monday, May 14, 2012

1. Hand in: Heracles poster

2. Watch: Jason and the Argonauts

3. Viewing Assignment: Take notes that outline how Jason’s adventure follows the Hero’s Journey.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

1. Continue watching: Jason and the Argonauts

2. Viewing Assignment: Take notes that outline how Jason’s adventure follows the Hero’s Journey.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012 – Friday, May 18, 2012

1. Continue watching: Jason and the Argonauts

2. Viewing Assignment: Take notes that outline how Jason’s adventure follows the Hero’s Journey.

WEEK 14

Monday, May 7, 2012

1. Reader’s Theater: The Tale of Perseus

2. While reading: What are qualities that make Perseus a hero?

3. Discussion/Lecture: Qualities of a hero

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

1. Lecture: The Hero’s Journey

· Take notes so you will be able to refer to specific elements and characteristics you use in your hero myth.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

1. Read: “The Labor and Death of Heracles” (Greek hero myth)

2. Assignment: Research one of the 12 labors of Heracles and create a poster (teacher will supply paper) with the following elements. – DUE MONDAY, MAY 14

a. Tell the full story of the labor (must look up the story in different sources).

b. Analyze the heroic qualities Heracles displays.

c. Include an image (hand-drawn or computer-generated) that depicts the labor.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Library: Work on the Labors of Heracles poster assignment (see yesterday)

Friday, May 11, 2012

1. Handout: Hero Action Figure

2. Assignment: With your partner or on your own, use the handout to begin “building” your hero for your own culture. Do not write the hero myth yet; instead, decide what characteristics your hero will possess. Also, do not make a female hero yet because we will do that next week.

WEEK 13

Monday, April 30, 2012

1. Hand in: Trickster response

2. Hand back: The Lorax quiz

3. Watch: Leelooska myths (The Wolves and the Deer, Grandmother Loon, Beaver Face)

4. Hand out: Trickster Myth writing assignment

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

1. Work on trickster myth

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

1. Work on trickster myth – due tomorrow

Thursday, May 3, 2012 – Friday, May 4, 2012

Presentations of trickster myths

WEEK 12

Monday, April 23, 2012

1. Work day: Finish fertility myth, visual, and annotation for presentations tomorrow

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

1. Presentations: fertility myths

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

1. Finish presentations

2. Reading Focus: What qualities does a trickster possess?

3. Read:

a. Hermes, Lord of Robbers (Greek)

b. The Apples of Iduna (Norse)

4. Discussion: Qualities of a trickster

Thursday, April 26, 2012

1. Work on Pantheon of Gods for your societal myths

Friday, April 27, 2012

1. Reading Focus: Add to trickster qualities

2. Read:

a. Coyote and the Fish Dam Interior Salish)

b. Anansi Gives Nyame a Child (West African)

3. Assignment: Extended Response – Using the 4 trickster myths read in class, analyze the qualities that a trickster possesses. Use specific references and examples from all of the myths to support the qualities you give. Identify at least 5 different qualities of the trickster.

WEEK 11

Monday, April 16, 2012

1. Group presentation of fertility myth

2. Paperwork: students hand in all myth handouts and teacher hands back graded work

3. Read: Greek Flood Myth

4. Discuss: notes for answering question #1 (review how to write a complete answer)

5. Homework: Questions on Greek Flood Myth – DUE TOMORROW (notes and answers)

a. Why is there a flood? What causes the divine to send a flood? (3 points; must use textual evidence)

b. What principle of behavior is communicated throughout the myth? (4 points; 2 behaviors minimum)

c. What is created? What is re-born? How are the elements that are re-born different from the original? (6 points)

d. Identify the archetypes in this myth? (6 points; minimum 3 archetypes)

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

1. Hand in: Greek Flood myth answer

2. Read: Flood myths

a. Genesis (Noah)

b. India (Manu)

c. Babylon (Unapishtim)

3. Assignment: Identify and analyze the parallel elements between the four flood myths. Create a t-chart with the left column identifying the element of the myths, and the right column listing the myths that element appears in (Greek, Genesis, India, Babylon). – DUE TOMORROW

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

1. Hand in:

a. Flood myth comparison homework

b. Flood myth handouts

2. Fertility Myth Test: Explain how the children’s story The Lorax has elements that are typically found in fertility myths. Use examples of fertility myths we have read to make comparisons. Why do you think this story resembles a fertility myth even though Dr. Seuss probably did not deliberately write it that way/

· You may use your notes on fertility myths

· Answer in paragraph format

· Use specific references to the text

· You may take notes while teacher reads story

3. Teacher read: The Lorax

4. In-class writing time – Due at end of period

Thursday, April 19, 2012

1. Handout: Create-your-own fertility myth

2. Work time with partner on own fertility myth – DUE MONDAY

WEEK 10

Monday, March 9, 2012

1. Notes: attributes of fertility myths

2. Read: Demeter and Persephone

3. Discussion: attributes of fertility myths in Demeter and Persephone

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

1. Quiz: Demeter and Persephone fertility quiz

2. Read: Fertility myths that illustrate variations of the attribute of a god being offended and withdrawing from the earth

a. Sagbata and Sagbo (African fertility myth)

b. Telepinu (Hittite fertility myth)

c. Ama-terusa (Chinese fertility myth)

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

1. Discussion: parallel attributes of fertility myths

2. Read: Fertility Myths

a. In small groups, read an assigned myth together.

b. As a group, write a paragraph that identifies the patterns/elements of fertility myth, a brief summary of the myth, and any social/cultural lessons revealed. – DUE TODAY

c. As a group, create a pictograph that “tells” the myth (use primitive, symbolic drawings to create a picture that depicts an idea, not just one word or a literal picture).

d. As a group, choose a “storyteller” to tell the myth in your own words. Use the pictograph to visually map out the story so the audience can follow the story.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

1. Work on group pictograph and oral telling of story

Friday, April 13, 2012

Presentations of fertility myths

WEEK 9

Monday, March 26, 2012

Work on creation myth (see handout for details)

· Write story

· Create visual

· Annotation to your myth

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Library: Use computers to type up your myth and annotation

Wednesday, March 28, 2012 – Thursday, March 29, 2012

Presentations

Friday, March 30, 2012

1. Assignment: Begin creating a pantheon of gods for your culture. Use the Greek Pantheon of Gods handout as a guide to formatting and content. This project will be an on-going semester project that will be added to and changed over the next 2 month, so just begin with sketches and rough drafts of descriptions.

WEEK 8

Monday, March 19, 2012

1. Readers Theater: Building the World (Morse Myth)

2. Read: The Creation, Death and Rebirth of the Universe (Norse Creation)

3. Assignment: Identify parallel elements and creation elements that are evident in the 2 Norse myths. Use a T-chart to track the elements.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

1. Hand in: Norse creation myth assignment

2. Assignment: Norse Illustration – Choose one of the following options for drawing:

· A full page portrait of one of the Norse gods

· A comic strip of one of the scenes from the Norse creation myth

· A full page illustration of a scene from the Norse creation myth

· With a few other people, create a Pantheon of Norse gods packet (small drawings of the gods with descriptions of each)

· NOTE: Work day today and DUE FRIDAY

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

1. Read and discuss: Creation Myths

a. African creation myth: The Creation of the Universe, Ife, and Human Beings

b. South American creation myths: The House of Origin and The Creation of the Universe and Human Beings

Thursday, March 22, 2012 – LATE START (periods 3,4,5,6 only)

Friday, March 23, 2012

1. Introduction to Create-your-own-myth assignment

2. Choose a partner and begin brainstorming

WEEK 7

Monday, March 12, 2012

1. Independent Reading: Creation myths of the Far East (India, China, Japan)

2. Essay: Analyze the 3 myths from the Far East for similarities in purpose, structure, creation elements, etc. – DUE WEDNESDAY

Tuesday, March 13, 2012 – HSPE Testing in a.m. (periods 4,5,6 only)

Wednesday, March 14, 2012 – HSPE Testing in am (periods 1,2,3 only)

1. Discuss: 3 myths from the Far East – hand in essay

2. Notes: Archetypes

3. Homework: Read Genesis creation account and identify the archetypes in Genesis, chapter 3

Thursday, March 15, 2012 – HSPE TESTING in am (periods 4,5,6 only)

Friday, March 16, 2012

WEEK 6

Monday, March 5, 2012

1. Introduce Troy Character Analysis Poster

· Step 1 (most important): Write the extended paragraph. This will be a quick 1^st draft to get something down. This should take approximately 30 minutes.

· Step 2: Peer edit. Have a classmate read through your draft and check off the required elements. Peer makes notes about requirements missing and suggestions for revision.

2. Homework: Revise draft of character analysis.

Tuesday, March 5, 2012

1. 30 minute class time: Work on Troy Character Analysis Poster

a. Letter title and color

b. Decide on placement of paragraph and picture

2. Hand back Iliad test and Aeneid test

3. Homework: Finish Troy Character Analysis Poster – DUE TOMORROW

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

1. Hand in: Troy Character Analysis Poster

2. Mini-Lecture: Creation myths (types and purposes)

3. Read: The Old Woman Who Fell from the Sky (Seneca creation myth)

4. Homework: Take notes about how the Seneca myth follows some of the elements of creation myths as given in the lecture (note form, but readable)

Thursday, March 8, 2012

1. Homework: Hand in notes on Seneca creation myth

2. Read:

a. The Creations of Prometheus (Greek myth)

b. Raven Steals the Light (Haida myth)

3. Homework: Create a graphic organizer that does the following:

· compare the parallel elements of the two creation myths (discuss the differences too)

· shows how each myth follows certain elements of creation myths

Friday, March 9, 2012

1. Hand in: Graphic organizer for Prometheus and Raven

2. Greek Feast: eat with listening to creation of Greek gods myth

3. The Making of the Gods (Greek creation myth)

4. Game: Who Am I? (Guess Greek god based on symbol)

WEEK 5

Monday, February 27, 2012

1. Quiz: Escape from Ilium, The Journey of Aeneas (5 points)

2. Assignment: Choose one of the main characters (Achilles, Agamemnon, Hector, Helen, Paris, Priam) to analyze during the film. How does the director portray this character?

3. Watch: Troy

Tuesday, February 28. 2012

1. Review Assignment: Choose one of the main characters (Achilles, Agamemnon, Hector, Helen, Paris, Priam) to analyze during the film. How does the director portray this character?

2. Discussion: review of scenes from yesterday that show characteristics of characters

3. Watch: Troy

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

1. Review Assignment: Choose one of the main characters (Achilles, Agamemnon, Hector, Helen, Paris, Priam) to analyze during the film. How does the director portray this character?

2. Discussion: review of scenes from yesterday that show characteristics of characters

3. Watch: Troy

Thursday, March 1, 2012 – Late Start (no 1^st period)

Friday, March 2, 2012

1. Review Assignment: Choose one of the main characters (Achilles, Agamemnon, Hector, Helen, Paris, Priam) to analyze during the film. How does the director portray this character?

2. Discussion: review of scenes from yesterday that show characteristics of characters

3. Watch: Troy

WEEK 4

Monday, February 20, 2012 – NO SCHOOL (President’s Day)

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

1. Finish reading: The Trojan War, Part II

2. Summarize major events of the Trojan War, Parts I and II

3. Homework: Study for test tomorrow

· Re-read Parts I and II

· Know the main events (scene changes) throughout both parts

· Be able to explain the who, what, and why of each event

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

1. Test: The Trojan War, Part I and II

2. Handout: packet of “The Pantheon of Greek Gods” (do not lose or throw away)

3. Assignment: Epithets

· Read handout for an explanation of epithets

· Create your own epithet on paper provided

Thursday, February 23, 2012

1. Play “The Trojan War” game

Friday, February 24, 2012

1. Review: events of Trojan War

2. Mini-Lesson: Achilles and Paris’ deaths; Roman influence

3. Readers Theater: The Aenead, Escape from Ilium, Part I

4. Quiz on Monday

WEEK 3

Monday, February 13, 2012

1. Present Greek Culture posters

2. Assignment: take notes on posters presented and study for quiz tomorrow

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

1. Quiz on information presented yesterday

2. Poster presentations (those students absent on Monday)

3. Review questions for tomorrow’s quiz

4. Mini-Lecture: War in Ilium

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

1. Greek Culture Quiz B (for Monday’s absent students)

2. Quick Write: Discuss the following quote by John Stuart Mill (1874): “The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature, and has no chance of being free unless made or kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.”

3. Finish: Mini-Lecture

4. Hand out: Part I Readers Theater, The Iliad

Thursday, February 16, 2012

1. Readers Theater: Read Parts I and II

2. Assignment: Understand plot elements to be prepared for quiz when finished reading

Friday, February 17, 2012 – Half Day (periods 4, 5, 6)

WEEK 2

Monday, February 6, 2012

1. Assignment: Myth-Inspired Poem – DUE TOMORROW

a. Each student will receive a selected poem

b. Read poem through once and create initial meaning

c. Go to library and web search the Greek myth the poem is based on.

d. Cut and paste the myth into Word then print a copy

e. Read myth and analyze for how it inspired the poem.

f. Write a 2 paragraph response that analyzes how the poem was inspired by the myth and what part/feeling of the myth that the poet focuses the poem on.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

1. Hand in: Myth-Inspired Poem Response

2. Poster Presentations – What is a myth?

3. Quiz: In an extended paragraph (6+ sentences), explain what a myth is. You can use your notes and the information on the posters. – DUE @ end of period

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

1. Absent students present posters

2. Mini-Research Project: Greek Culture

a. Students receive a sub-topic on Greek culture with directed questions

b. Research answers in computer lab using the website provided by the teacher

c. Prepare answers for tomorrow

Thursday, February 9, 2012

1. Discussion: What makes a poster effective (look at examples on the board)

2. Greek Culture Poster Project – DUE MONDAY

a. Title: topic

b. Text Information: prepare information gathered from guiding questions in a cohesive, reader-friendly format on the poster

c. Illustrations: hand-drawn or computer-generated

Friday, February 10, 2012

1. Hand back and discuss

a. What is a myth quiz

b. Myth-Inspired Poem response

2. Poster work day

WEEK 1

Monday, January 30, 2012

1. Brainstorm a list of “things” that symbolize and create an American identity. Think back through the nearly 250 years of American history for stories, people, ideas, and objects that do this.

2. Lecture – myths create cultural identity

3. Myth Reading: Paul Revere’s Ride

4. Assignment: Create a 2-3 minute presentation on an aspect of America’s cultural identity. Tell a story, read a poem, sing a song about this aspect and explain how it figures into our national identity. Include a visual. DUE TOMORROW

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

1. Warm Up: Brainstorm a list of stories that are told about you in your family (or that you tell) that are part of your unique identity.

2. Hand out Course Syllabus – parent signature due tomorrow

3. Presentations of American Cultural Identity

4. Assignment: Write a story from your family folklore. The story should be about 1-2 paragraphs long and written in a format that can be read aloud.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

1. Syllabus check off (stamp parent signature)

2. Personal Story Homework: Add an explanation about why this story is important to you? Your family? Why do you think the story keeps being retold? (teacher stamps for completion). NOTE: Personal stories will be read on Friday. Please bring a small snack to go with your story (i.e. licorice, Starburst, mini-muffins, etc.)

3. Continue with presentations of American Identity stories

Thursday, February 2, 2012

1. Presentations of American Identity stories

2. What is mythology and why study it?

3. Poster Project: With a partner, create a poster that defines one reason myths are told. Include the following elements in your poster. (25 points)

a. The title: “What is a myth?”

b. An answer to the question written in neat, readable-poster lettering.

c. A drawing that depicts/symbolizes the answer and is colored using bright colors (Use bold, black lines for the outline and primary colors for coloring. No shading, black and white, or colored pencils.) – Due Monday

Friday, February 3, 2012

1. Review poster project requirements and organize partner work

2. Hand in: personal myths

3. Homework: Finish poster – DUE MONDAY