Engl. 5922
Unit Plan – Mythology
A unit on mythology covers so much more than just the literature itself. Along with a form of literature that differs a bit from the “classical” literature that is out there, mythology introduces students to different cultures, beliefs, views, and ways of looking at the world around them. All too often students get the idea that literature is worlds away from them and that it has no relation to their lives. Through this unit the students will discover the make-up of mythology, the connection it has with a culture, and hopefully, through looking at another culture, the connections that tie us all together.
There are a few things that should be looked at as goals for this unit. First off, this unit should broaden the student's experience with the literature that is out there, and the cultures that relate to it. I'd like for the students to “take off the blinders” and look beyond our own culture. Secondly, I'd like to develop their creative writing skills. The only way to improve one's writing is to physically sit down and write. Writing their own myth will both spur students' creativity and advance their writing skills structurally. Finally, I am looking to get the students to not only retain the information that is presented to them but also to apply it in a useful and enjoyable manner. You can feed students as much information as you want, but if they don't see a use for it and cannot apply it then the information means nothing and is not retained.
Much of the work done throughout this unit will deal with constructing knowledge and sparking thought in order for the students to create their own myth. A number of class periods will be dedicated to reading and quizzing on The Odyssey . After reading The Odyssey the students will be given a few lessons on the make-up of myths, with examples relating back to the book. Information on mythological make-up cited in this unit can be found in Joseph Campbell's The Hero With A Thousand Faces . A paper dealing with how The Odyssey follows “classical” mythological structure will fit right in at this point. Following this, a number of shorter myths from various cultures (Roman, Egyptian, Norse, and Hindu) will be read over a period of days. A short test on the make-up of mythology--how myths are structured, how cultures relate to myths/the importance of them, and how well the student is able to apply the rules of mythology to a myth--will then be given. The final assessment will be a set of exercises culminating in the creation of a myth by a group of 4 students. This myth will be created after they have completed a WebQuest that lets them explore a culture, mythology, and mythological gods. This WebQuest taps both visual/spatial intelligence through a display of mythological gods and verbal/linguistic intelligence through writing in the creation of the myth. Though individual work takes place during this WebQuest, group work will dominate the exploration of mythology and the creation of the myth.
I chose to use The Odyssey for the main reading because it is one of the quintessential myths present in “classic” literature. It possesses excellent examples of the different aspects of mythology. The interest of the students will be acquired and retained because it is an enjoyable read with a storyline that moves along quite nicely. Comparing The Odyssey with mythology from other cultures will give the students good comparisons/contrasts of mythology from culture to culture and also will demonstrate the structures that are followed throughout mythology. All too often we focus solely on Greek mythology and fail to look at the mythology that is present from other countries and cultures. The WebQuest will tap the student's interest in computers/the Internet and use that energy to obtain knowledge. Rather than the traditional format of teacher-led learning, the students are taking the initiative to acquire the information and will utilize it and apply it to create a myth of their own.
Class Specification
This unit is geared for an 11 th grade classroom. The students should be somewhat familiar with mythology by this point and able to look at and understand the various aspects of it. The content and application of it is not overly challenging, so it could be adapted for a younger age group, but there are topics and activities present that may be more appropriate for older students such as discussions regarding Odysseus' captivity and actions while on Calypso's island or the intensity and duration of the WebQuest and myth writing. Being that a lot of the information needed to write the myth is present in the WebQuest, access to the Internet is paramount for this unit.
Significant Assumptions
• Students will come into this lesson with at least some knowledge of mythology, The Odyssey , Homer, Greek gods, etc.
• Students are able to apply both classroom and inferred knowledge towards a final product.
• Knowing the structure of mythology will better allow the students to understand and compose it.
• Students are somewhat proficient at looking beyond their own culture, and discovering another.
• Daily reading assignments will be completed by their due date (usually a day or two in the future).
• Working in groups will allow the students to collaborate and pool their learning for an outstanding final product.
Desired Outcomes/Standards/Objectives to be Met
The Minnesota Graduation Standard for Learning Area Three: Arts and Literature, Literary and Arts Creation and Performance – Creative Writing reads:
In creative writing, a student shall demonstrate understanding of the elements, techniques, and processes of creative writing and how works of creative writing are structured; and, in creative writing, the student shall create or perform, or both, an original creative writing presentation including a single complex work or multiple works.
This standard will be the central focus of this unit. Although it starts off with more reading than writing, the unit gradually moves into structure of writing and ends up with the students immersed in it. The following sub-points of this standard will be met through this lesson:
• The student demonstrates elements and skills of creative writing;
• The student demonstrates artistic decisions to communicate intent;
• The student demonstrates a sense of an artistic whole;
Sub-points from this standard can be added or taken away as the instructor sees fit. Demonstrating a consideration of audience, and using multiple sources for critique and feedback can be worked into the unit somewhat easily depending upon the desired length of it.
Aside from the Minnesota Graduation Standards, the desired outcomes for this unit are as follows:
• Students will demonstrate a knowledge of The Odyssey following their reading of the novel.
• Students will be able to apply knowledge learned throughout the unit.
• Students will understand and demonstrate knowledge of the structure of mythology.
• Students will be able to compare and contrast mythology through different cultures.
• Students will demonstrate a recognition and understanding of the abundance of worldwide mythology/literature.
• Students will develop their group-work skills through the WebQuest.
• Cooperation
• Interaction
• Division of labor
• Interconnection of ideas and work between members
• Working towards a goal as a group
Possible Whole-Class Activities
• In-class reading of The Odyssey.
• Discussion about assigned reading.
• “Fishbowl” discussions
• “Passing the conch”
• “Popcorn” discussions
• Reading of related myths (Roman, Norse, Egyptian, Hindu).
• Discussion about the application of mythological structure to myths.
• Viewing images of mythological figures/gods.
• Whole-class debate on the importance of mythology to a culture.
• Viewing the TV movie The Odyssey (1997).
• Presentation of mythological god displays.
• Presentation of myths.
Possible Small-Group Activities
• Small-group discussions about text.
• Construction of mythological gods display through WebQuest.
• Peer revision/editing of myth.
• Presentation of a chapter of The Odyssey .
• Assignment and presentation of a myth from another culture.
• Summary of myth
• The myth's relation to the culture
• Examples of structure found in myth
Possible Individual Activities
• Individual reading of The Odyssey .
• Research for mythological gods display and creation of myth during WebQuest.
• Paper showing the structure of mythology in The Odyssey .
• Personal journaling.
Ongoing Activities
• Study and application of structure to mythology (emphasis on application) on:
• The Odyssey
• The Story of Romulus and Remus (Roman)
• Thor's Journey to Utgard (Norse)
• The Myth of Isis and Osiris (Egyptian)
• The Story of Lord Ganesh's Creation (Hindu)
• Journaling throughout the unit.
Student Resources
• The Odyssey
• Handouts on myths from 4 other cultures
• Handouts on mythological structure
• Access to Internet during WebQuest portion of unit
Organization of Unit
Unit Launch/Anticipatory Set/Set Induction
Week 1 / Day 1
*As there is a great deal of information in this lesson, some can be trimmed or modified as needed to fit into the class time allotted. This lesson would fit nicely in a block schedule. *
Objectives
By the end of this lesson students will have learned:
• how epic poetry relates to Greek mythology
• the background of and an introduction to The Odyssey
• the background of Homer and his role in Greek culture
• the hierarchy of Greek mythological gods
Rationale
It is important for students to learn about Greek mythology as a whole because it is not only a key section of literature containing some of the greatest epics ever told but also is an excellent introduction to a culture outside of their own. Greek mythology broadens the students' views of the world around them. Studying a belief system that is different than one's own opens different doors and views, oftentimes sparks curiosity because of the differences present, and can build a tolerance or understanding for differing beliefs. It is my intention to harness this curiosity and foster it so it grows into a genuine interest. This interest hopefully will center on mythology, but my main focus is to cultivate it so it grows into a way of thinking and a state of mind. I would like students to think outside of their worlds and recognize the mass of literature that is present in various other cultures.
Methods
• Show the following movie titles in groups of five to the students, giving them ample time to think about each movie grouping.
• Braveheart , Gladiator , Star Wars , The Godfather , The Shawshank Redemption , Titanic , Rocky , Stand By Me , Schindler's List , Dances With Wolves , Apollo 13 , Saving Private Ryan , Raiders of the Lost Ark / Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom ,
• Ask students if they can come up with a general category for these movies.
• Work towards epic works
• Ask students to come up with characteristics of these movies from their previous knowledge.
• Work inductively towards a definition of “epic”
• Go over each movie if necessary to get the ball rolling and students thinking about epics.
*10-15 minutes for above activities *
• Write student definition of “epic” on board or overhead.
• Write “official” definition of “epic” next to student definition
• “An extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language, celebrating the feats of a legendary or traditional hero
• Group students in fours and let them decide upon a movie that they would like to apply the rules of an epic to. Give them 5-10 minutes to discuss and analyze the movie. Once the groups are finished, have them present their movie and how it is considered an epic.
• Each group must have a different movie
• Must hear from each member of the group
*10 minutes for above activities*
• The Odyssey was one of Greece 's first great epics, along with The Iliad .
• Written by Homer
• Probably Ionian
• Tradition holds it that he was blind
• The Odyssey and The Iliad were passed down through oral tradition
• Could this change the story through time?
• Are oral tradition and written word the only forms of passing on stories?
• The Iliad , set during the Trojan War, tells the story of the wrath of Achilles; The Odyssey tells the story of Odysseus as he travels home from the war.
• Mythological gods ruled the world the Greeks lived in at that time.
• Put up “family tree” of gods and give copies to students.
• Chaos – the beginning of all
• Out of him spawned Gaea, Tartarus, Eros, and Erebus
• Gaea and Uranus had a son, Cronus
• Cronus and Gaea then had 5 children, The Olympians
• Zeus – ruler of the gods
• Hades – ruler of the Underworld
• Hestia – goddess of the hearth; plays little role in myth
• Poseidon – god of the sea
• Demeter – goddess of the earth and harvest
• Gods could control “mortals” as they saw fit; played with them like pawns.
• Many times the gods were ruthless and spiteful towards each other and towards mortals.
• Gods could take the shape or form of anything they wanted (inanimate object, mortal human, another god, etc.).
*20-40 minutes for above activities depending upon class time available; short break may be necessary to retain students' attentions*
• Give students in-class journaling assignment; can choose one of the following topics, or come up with their own.
• Knowing what you do now from the lesson, describe what the term hero means to you.
• Name a hero in your life, and describe why you consider them your hero.
• Tell about a journey you once took.
• Journal along with the students and invite them to share with the class. Share your own journaling with the class if at all possible.
*10-15 minutes for above activities*
• Hand out The Odyssey to the students and give assignment.
• Have students read in class if there is time remaining at end.
Homework
• Read first chapter of The Odyssey and bring in two (2) written questions or comments from the reading.
Assessment
I will know that the students retained the information I presented, and applied it to the text by:
• The questions they bring in to class on the reading (insightful, understanding, questioning, thought-provoking, etc.)
• Discussions and questions that arise during whole-class lecture
• Seeing that they finished the reading and can make connections with the book to the movies mentioned at the beginning of the lesson
Week 1 / Day 2
Begin class by going back to the movies mentioned in the first day. Ask students if they can see the connection with these and heroic/poetic Greek epics. If necessary, devote a bit of time to explaining the connection. Devote the first portion of class to a discussion and review on the first chapter of The Odyssey .
• What did you see as the role of Athena in chapter 1?
• Can you think of any examples of modern day “gods” who help out “mortals” as Athena is soon to do with Telemachus and Odysseus?
• Inquire as to the students' feelings on the gods assisting mortals.
Have students get into groups of four and share the two questions or comments they brought in about the reading. Bring the class back together as a whole and address some unanswered questions. Collect questions/comments from students.
Begin reading chapter 2 aloud in class. Encourage students to read aloud. Assign remaining part of chapter 2 for homework.
Assign a chapter/group of chapters to each group and let them know that they will be responsible for presenting this chapter(s) on the day it is covered. Students will be responsible for quizzes on various chapters of the book. After that, each group is responsible for teaching their assigned chapters.
Week 1 / Day 3
Start with a quiz on chapters 1&2. Recap chapters 1&2. Address any questions or comments that may arise. Begin a discussion with the students once all quizzes have been turned in:
• What role do you see the gods playing in The Odyssey so far?
• Why is honor so important to mortals?
• Mortals honor the gods with gifts of sacrifice, wine, and gifts. In what ways are these honors justified, and in what ways are they carried too far?
• Have you ever been adventurous and gone off on your own, as Telemachus did, at the risk of your safety?
Introduce Calypso and Nausicaa to the class. Short lecture. Finish class with journaling:
• What kinds of qualities does a good leader have?
• Predict why you think a poem as old as The Odyssey (written ~800 BCE) might still be valuable today.
Assign chapter 3 for the next day. Let students know that they will be getting together on day 4 in their groups and discussing the chapters that will be assigned to them, and eventually presenting them to the class. Use the groups they formed on day 2 in which they discussed the questions/comments they brought in on that day. Their presentations will be graded, so they should be fairly thorough.
Week 1 / Day 4
Recap chapter 3. Address any discussion questions or comments that arise. Collect journals from previous day. Assign the remaining chapters of The Odyssey to each group (nine groups, two chapters per group). Have students get into groups and begin looking over and discussing ideas for their chapters. No reading assignment or journal.
Week 1 / Day 5
Day five is a bit more laid-back than the first four days were. Using what the students know about Homer, Greek mythology, Greek gods, and The Odyssey , create Mythological Jeopardy, or some other game like that to get the students out of the rut of read-quiz, read-quiz. Assign chapter 4 for next class period.
Week 2 / Day 1
Begin with a quiz on chapter 4. Organize students into a circle (if possible) and “pass the conch” to spur discussion (designate one object that the speaker is to hold when s/he is speaking; when this object is being held no one else may speak). Students should give one comment, question, memory, etc. on the book thus far. Recap what has happened thus far in the book if anything hasn't been covered. Read chapter 5 aloud in class and encourage student reading. Assign remaining part of chapter 5 for class tomorrow.
Week 2 / Days 2-5
Most of week two is devoted to in-class reading and discussion on chapters 4-6. Assign them as you may see fit and administer quizzes in the same manner. Later on in the week let students know that they will be presenting their chapters to the class starting in week 3.
Group 1 – Ch. 7 & 8 (week 3 / day 1)
Group 2 – Ch. 9 & 10 (week 3 / day 1)
Group 3 – Ch. 11 & 12 (week 3 / day 2)
Group 4 – Ch. 13 & 14 (week 3 / day 2)
Group 5 – Ch. 15 & 16 (week 3 / day 3)
Group 6 – Ch. 17 & 18 (week 3 / day 3)
Group 7 – Ch. 19 & 20 (week 3 / day 4)
Group 8 – Ch. 21 & 22 (week 3 / day 4)
Group 9 – Ch. 23 (week 3 / day 5)
*The remainder of the book will be presented by the students/“divide and conquer”. Remind students that quizzes will be given and their success depends upon the quality and depth of the presentations.*
Week 3 / Day 1
Recap what has happened thus far in The Odyssey . Let students know that they may be quizzed on the material that is being presented by each group. Have groups 1 and 2 present chapters 7 through 10 to the group. Address any questions or comments that my have come up. Begin introducing mythological structure ( Campbell 's The Hero With a Thousand Faces ) and how it relates to The Odyssey . End class with journaling:
• What kinds of qualities does a good leader have? Are these qualities present in any characters in The Odyssey ?
• What might a Cyclops look like?
• Are the obstacles that Odysseus has to overcome different than the obstacles we have to overcome today? Back-up your answer.
Week 3 / Day 2
Mythological Structure
*As there is a great deal of information in this lesson, some can be trimmed or modified as needed to fit into the class time allotted. This lesson would fit nicely in a block schedule. *
Objectives
By the end of this lesson students will have learned:
• When referring to mythological structure, what is meant by:
• The Call to Adventure
• Refusal of the Call
• Supernatural Aid
• The Crossing of the First Threshold
• The Belly of the Whale
• How mythological structure relates to The Odyssey .
• The happenings in chapters 11-14 in The Odyssey .
Rationale
It is important for the students to know and understand the structure of mythology because it allows them to look at mythology in a more objective manner. No longer is the story just a culmination of actions and interactions that are thrown together. It now has a structure and purpose for being the way that it is. In looking at the structure of mythology it is important to be able to apply it to something concrete. By relating the structure of mythology to The Odyssey the students are able to visualize exactly how this structure is built.
Methods
• Administer quiz on the presentation of chapters 7-10.
• Recap what happened in chapters 7-10.
• Facilitate any discussion or questions that may arise.
• Collect journals from previous day.
*20-30 minutes for above activities*
• Mythology follows a structure, not unlike the framework in a building or directions for a model car; each piece has a purpose and builds off of/supports another piece.
• There are three main aspects to most all mythology:
• The Departure – leaving friends/family/homeland for an adventure or call
• Initiation – the body of the journey; the trial and tribulations
• The Return – coming back home, victorious/honorable in the eyes of all
• The main point we're going to focus on is The Departure.
• Begins with the call to departure or adventure . The protagonist is tempted to leave in hopes of adventure and seeking out of lost lands.
• Odysseus leaving Ithaca for the Trojan War
• Leaving to fight for his homeland
• Called out by the gods
• Story of The Iliad
• The protagonist then most often refuses the call .
• Odysseus didn't initially want to leave for Troy for fear of losing his family.
• Most often takes some coercion to leave.
• In the end, the protagonist leaves his homeland and family for his call to arms
• During the departure, the protagonist usually receives some supernatural aid .
• Odysseus and the Ithacans convinced to leave for Troy by Apollo
• Aided by Achilles during the Trojan war
• Athena helped out Odysseus multiple times before his departure, and during his journey to Ithaca
• The protagonist then goes on to the crossing of the first threshold .
• Forced to stay on Calypso's island; convinces her to let him leave
• Poseidon tosses Odysseus around the sea, but he does survive
• Odysseus' first of many thresholds is crossed
• Finally, the protagonist goes through what Campbell calls the belly of the whale .
• The thought is that the protagonist is dead, and they will never return home; they are swallowed up “in the belly of the whale”
• Odysseus tells Penelope that if he were not to return that she should remarry
• Everyone thinks Odysseus has perished and Penelope is devastated
• Penelope is convinced into remarriage, but holds out in hope that Odysseus will return
• Pass out handout that sums up each of these topics. An in-depth description of each can be found in Campbell 's The Hero With a Thousand Faces .
*30-40 minutes for above activities depending upon class time available; short break may be necessary to retain students' attentions*
• Let students know that we will next move on to Initiation, which deals with the main body of Odysseus' journey home.
• Groups 3 and 4 should present chapters 11-14 of The Odyssey .
• Spark discussion questions if students fail to.
• Why do you think the Greeks had so much reverence and respect for the Underworld and the dead?
• Have you ever had an experience in your life when you had to tread carefully and skillfully between two problems/issues as Odysseus had with Scylla and Charybdis?
• Athena interacts with Odysseus many times anonymously. Why do you think she does this? Why not just come down as a goddess and give him aid?
*15 minutes for above activities*
• If time remains, have students journal:
• Write an entry that Odysseus might have written on his ship's log or during his long return home
• If someone says to you "Beware of Greeks bearing Gifts" what would this be in reference to and what could it possibly mean to you?
*10-15 minutes for above activities*
Homework
• Through a 2-3 page paper, apply the structure of mythology brought up in class yesterday, today, and tomorrow to The Odyssey in a more in-depth manner than during the lecture. Focusing on one specific topic/aspect of structure and its relation to The Odyssey should be encouraged over lightly covering a number of different topics. Due by day 5 of week 3.
• Bring in comments and discussion questions on the structure of mythology and how it relates to The Odyssey .
Assessment
I know that the students will have applied and embedded the structure of mythology by:
• The papers they hand in on day 5
• The questions brought in the following day
• Comments and discussions about structure in the following days
Week 3 / Day 3
Recap and discuss chapters 11-14. Groups 5 and 6 should present chapters 15-18. Start small-group discussion on the following questions:
• What did they like about the chapters? Dislike?
• What is the significance of Odysseus not revealing himself right as he gets home?
• Have you ever had a time in your life when you had to hold back information, or not reveal yourself as Odysseus had?
• In today's society, do you see any examples of Odysseus' and Telemachus' father/son relationship?
If possible, move the small-group discussions to a whole-class discussion. Facilitate the discussion as needed. Move into Campbell 's section entitled Initiation. The following points should be covered:
• The Road of Trials
• The Woman as the Temptress
• Atonement with the Father
• Apotheosis
• The Ultimate Boon
Remind students that groups 7 and 8 are presenting on day 4.
Week 3 / Day 4
Quiz on chapters 15-18. Recap and discuss chapters 15-18. Before groups 7 and 8 present, have students map out Odysseus' journey on a map of ancient Greece . May need to bring in a map that has already been produced and help students along. Groups 7 and 8 should now present chapters 19-22. If time remains, and Internet access is readily available, go to www.yahoo.com and type in “Odysseus' journey” (see attached maps). Should be able to get a few good links to maps of the journey. Compare this with the students and discuss as necessary.
Week 3 / Day 5
Recap and discuss chapters 19-22. Have group 9 present chapters 23 and 24. Discuss with students their overall impressions of the book.
• Did you enjoy the book?
• Was it difficult to read or keep straight at any time?
• Why do you think The Odyssey is as popular today as it was when it was merely oral tradition?
• What are some of the timeless issues in this story?
• Have you ever experienced hardships and pressed on through them as Odysseus did?
Now that their brains are working a bit, move on to some in-class journaling to finish up the class:
• Human weakness plays a big part in this story. Tell what Odysseus' weakness is and why Homer might have wanted to include this in his story.
• Is this simply the story of a journey, or is it something more?
• What would it have been like if we had heard this story through word of mouth, rather than reading it? Would it have enhanced the story, taken away from it, or keep it basically the same?
• Imagine life from Penelope's point of view. Write a short narrative or journal entry in her own words as she waits for Odysseus' return.
Week 4 / Day 1
Begin with a wrap-up of The Odyssey . Recap the main points in the book. Address any questions that the students may have. Finish up on the structure of mythology by going over Campbell 's section entitled Return. This lesson should include the following points in this section:
• The Magic Flight – Odysseus lands on Ithaca , but doesn't know how or where he is; MAGICAL!
• The Crossing of the Return Threshold – at this point Odysseus realizes where he is at, and “crosses over” per se back into his own world
• Master of the Two Worlds – Odysseus was victorious over the gods' attempts to thwart his return
• Freedom to Live – a new life with Penelope and Telemachus
Collect papers assigned on day 2 of the previous week.
Week 4 / Day 2
Cultural Mythology
*As there is a great deal of information in this lesson, some can be trimmed or modified as needed to fit into the class time allotted. This lesson would fit nicely in a block schedule. *
Objectives
By the end of this lesson students will have learned:
• About mythology from different cultures
• How much of it is similar/tied together
• The structure of mythology as it relates to their assigned myth
• Group working skills
Rationale
It is important for students to learn about mythology from other cultures because it opens their eyes as to what is out there regarding world literature. Oftentimes when we speak of mythology, we are talking mainly about Greek mythology. By taking a few days to read, study, and present mythology from cultures other than Greek, the notion of mythology being solely Greek is countered. It “takes off the blinders” when dealing with mythology and world literature. Also, the stories provide a good look into the culture itself. By reading the literature and myth of a culture we are able to gauge quite well what that culture values, how it functions, etc. This is important as it asks students to look outside of their Americanized culture and relate to a different one.
Methods
• Inquire if students know of any mythology outside that of Greek
• Record on board
• Continue with inquiry on any myths known from different cultures
• Mythology spans multiple cultures, not just Greek or Roman
• Nordic
• Egyptian
• Hindu
• Roman
• Inform students that we'll be reading a few myths from different cultures and comparing them to the rules of classical mythology
• “Myths” in some cultures are very similar to the Bible in Western culture. Certain cultures take extreme offense by referring to their traditional stories parables as “myths;”
*10-15 minutes for above activities*
• Depending upon time constraints read one or many of the following myths: The Story of Romulus and Remus , Thor's Journey to Utgard , The Myth of Isis and Osiris , and The Story of Lord Ganesh's Creation (myths located at end of unit; use one or all as time permits)
*20-40 minutes for above activities depending upon the number of myths read*
• Go over myths that were read and have students pick out points of mythological structure
• May want to skip longer myths, or just analyze parts of them due to time constraints
• Fill in points that students may have missed, or areas that may need changing
• Stress to students that myths abound across cultures, not just Greek
*15-20 minutes for above activities*
• Put students in groups of three and assign them either Roman, Egyptian, Nordic, or Hindu mythology. Let them know that they will be working in groups for the next two days researching a myth from their culture and presenting it to the class on day 5 of week 4.
• The presentation should cover both the similarities to Greek mythology and the aspects of mythology from Campbell 's The Hero With A Thousand Faces .
• For the remainder of class have the students work in their groups analyzing and recording the myth they were assigned to.
Assessment
I will know that the students retained the information I presented by:
• The amount of questions and comments brought up after reading the myths
• The students' abilities to apply mythological structure to the myths
• The enthusiasm and drive they bring into the research the following day
Week 4 / Day 3
Research and group work in the library. Utilize Internet if possible, but make sure to keep students on task.
Week 4 / Day 4
Similar to day 3; make changes as needed.
Week 4 / Day 5
Presentation of myths to class. If wanted/needed, a short test on the make-up of mythology, how myths are structure, how cultures relate to myths/the importance of them can be administered. Although the presentations will display the students ability to apply the rules of mythology to other cultures, a test can be added in if the instructor sees fit.
Week 5 / Day 1
Move to the computer lab and introduce the WebQuest to the students. Explain that the WebQuest covers some of the information covered in class, but goes more in-depth and asks them to apply the knowledge they will learn. Give a quick overview of what will be done throughout the WebQuest:
• Research on the cultural area that the group presented on earlier
• Exploration of the mythology related to that culture
• Comparison/contrast of the different gods from culture to culture
• Writing of their own myth
• Campbell 's guidelines for a myth should be loosely/basically followed for this myth; being that this is a short(er) myth it is difficult to include them all. May want to require 1/2/3 /(?) aspects that Campbell introduces in his book (use judgment according to class).
Spend the remainder of the hour going over the Introduction, Task, and Procedure 1 of the WebQuest. Save Procedure 2 for tomorrow if possible.
Week 5 / Day 2
Continue with the WebQuest in the computer lab. Move on to Procedure 2. Students should group up in the groups they did their presentations in. Discuss with the class whether they would like to keep the same culture, or research a different one. Get students rolling on Procedure 2 and brainstorming once they have completed the computer part of the procedure.
Week 5 / Day 3
Have groups work on their visual displays in the classroom. Have resources available for the students should they need them (poster board, markers, crayons, pictures of various gods, examples of displays, etc.). Keep students on task while working. Collaboration among groups is all right as long as the students are centered on their displays. Multiple heads are better than one or two.
Week 5 / Day 4
Continue with the visual displays. Move one to Procedure 3 of the WebQuest if necessary and a lab is available.