Mythology, Epic Hero, and Quest Pattern Unit
For Erin
Severson’s 12th grade Honors English class
Students: This website is designed to lead you through this
semester’s Mythology, Epic Hero, and Quest Pattern Unit. There will be times when
you will need to refer to this website for weblinks and homework assignments.
Many of the sessions will take us more than one class period to complete, so I
will remind you of the session that we are working on in class. With that said, I expect that you keep up
with the online sessions as we move through them in class. Within each session,
you will be able to read about the activities that we will be doing in class.
In red,
you will notice your homework assignments. I will let you know in
class, which assignments you should be working on and when they are due. In purple,
you will notice a heading called Extras. These are links that will lead you to
more information and resources relating to the material we are covering in
class. The Extras are there for you to get more out of this learning experience
if you so choose.
UNIT OVERVIEW
Objectives:
ü
You will learn
the basic foundations of mythology
ü
You will read,
perform, and observe a variety of myths from
ü
You will learn
the historical foundations for Greek literature
ü
You will read
and understand excerpts from the Iliad
by Homer
ü
You will learn
and demonstrate understanding of the quest pattern
ü
You will learn
the historical foundations for Roman literature
ü
You will read
and understand excerpts from the Aeneid
by Virgil
Assessment Components for this Unit:
Heroic Chat Buddy: (20%) Find one person in the class who will be your Heroic
Chat Buddy. The two of you will be assigned to meet online for twenty minute
discussions. When you are assigned a topic to discuss, you will have two nights
to meet, discuss the topic, print out the dialogue, and hand it in to me. If
you are unable to access a computer for these online discussions, please plan a
time either before or after school when you can meet and use the computers in
the classroom. Let me know when you plan to meet and I will be here with the
room open for you.
Discovery Slate: (30% with all individual assignments included) Bring a new
notebook to class that will serve as your Discovery Slate. In this book, you
will document reflections, discussion questions, and in-class assignments. As
you write in this book, do not worry about spelling, punctuation or complete
sentences. Document your thoughts as quickly as possible, letting them flow
onto the paper as they enter your mind. I will check your Discovery Slate
periodically for participation. You will need to have this notebook with you
each day in class and at home for homework assignments. If you like, you may
write your entries on the computer, print them out, and keep them in a
three-ring binder as your Discovery Slate, just make sure to have it with you
and up to date at all times.
Final Project: (30%) You will choose one of the following
final projects:
1. Write an essay or
create an interesting PowerPoint presentation comparing and contrasting Aeneas
with a modern hero that you have read about or seen in a film. Consider:
The nature of
their quests
The use of their intelligence, physical
strength, or special powers
Their acceptance of aid from others
Their loyalties
Their attitudes toward violence
2. Put one of the books
from the Iliad in the form of a rap,
with contemporary lyrics, but no swearing!
3. Write your own epic
tale using the heroic characteristics and quest patterns that we discussed in
class and as seen in the Iliad and in
Aeneid.
4. Make a video of your own epic tale or myth. The video should
be no more than five minutes in length if you are working alone, and ten
minutes if you work with a partner. You may want to edit your video using
iMovie.
5. Like the six-minute version of the Iliad in Session Three of this unit, create a five-minute version
of the Aeneid. Write a script to hand
in, explaining which celebrities you would cast and why. Document any
additional sound effects in your script. For your presentation, you may want to
act out your script as you read it to create more visuals for your audience.
Attendance and Class Participation: (20%) As always, you are expected to
be in class for this unit. Any unexcused absences may result in a lowered
overall grade. While in class, I expect that you participate in all class
discussions and activities, and stay on task during computer and group work.
Session One: Exploring Mythology
We will begin this unit by exploring
the meaning and origins of mythology
Activity One:
1.
Break into small
groups of 2-3.
2.
In your groups, talk
about what you think a myth is.
3.
Then write your
group’s answer on the board.
4.
In a large group
discussion with the entire class, uncover the meaning of mythology
Activity Two:
1.
In groups of 4-5, you will read one of the following myths and prepare to act
it out in front of the class. Only one group will be able to work with each
option except number 4, this option has a variety of myths within it.
Options:
A. “How the World Was Made,” A Cheyenne Myth, retold by
Alice Marriott and Carol K. Rachlin. Pages 11-15 of your text.
B. “The Wooden People” from the Popol Vuh, A Quiche
Mayan Myth, translated by Dennis Tedlock. Pages18-21 of your text
C. “Coyote and the Origin of Death,” a Caddo Myth,
retold by Richard Erdoes and Alfonso Ortiz Pages 23-25 of your text.
D. Read one of the American Indian myths from this site:
Plains
Indian Legends, Myths and Heros Click on Myths and Legends of the Sioux,
choose a story from the table of contents, click on view text online, then
scroll down until you find you’re the title you are looking for.
2.
Read the myth silently.
3.
Decide how you will act it out for your classmates.
4.
Your role play should be approximately 3-5 minutes.
5.
Keep in mind that everyone must participate in some way.
HOMEWORK #1:
ü
Read
pages 2-7 in your text.
ü
In
your Discovery Slate please write about one of the following
prompts:
Ø
In
myths such as the “Coyote and the Origin of Death,” tricksters are often
animals. Imagine that you are writing a myth with animals as the tricksters.
What animals would you choose to fill this role? How and why?
Ø
An
origin myth is a story that explains how something began. Write about an origin
myth that is part of your own culture. Why do you think that virtually every
culture has a myth explaining the creation of the world?
EXTRAS:
Session Two: Greek Historical Foundations
In this session we will prepare to read
the Greek epic, Homer’s Iliad. Before
diving into the text, it is important to understand the historical foundations
of the time.
Activity Three:
Show Motion Picture—The
Golden Age of
Activity Four:
Activity Five:
Kronos/Cronus
*Zeus
Hera
Poseidon
Hades
Demeter
Persephone
Ares
*Apollo
*Athena
Artemis
Hepheastus
*Hermes
*Aphrodite
Eros
Dionysus
*Thetis
*Hera
FYI:
Those that are starred are in the Iliad.
Great Link: Greek
Mythology: the Gods and
Heroes of Greek Myth
HOMEWORK #2:
ü
Read
the following pieces of background information on the Iliad:
ü
Conduct
further research on the god/goddess that you have signed up to role play for
tomorrow’s class. Make sure that you know the following information about your
character: (Also, see Activity Six for more details)
·
How to
pronounce your name (PLEASE MAKE A LARGE NAMETAG TO WEAR)
·
Area
of Activity or Power
·
Some
interesting facts or stories about your character to share with the class
·
Bring
or wear an artifact that represents your character in some way
Activity Six:
In
the reading, “The Story Before the Story,” you learned that in the legend of
Paris and Helen, three goddesses competed to earn the title of the “fairest”
goddess. For today’s class, we are going to vote as a class as to which
god/goddess is the greatest. All of you
will compete for this title. Each person will have two minutes to tell a little
bit about him or herself. Take notes in your Discovery
Slate about each god/goddess for future reference. At the end of the
class period, each person will vote for their top three choices. *******The
winner(s) will be awarded a noble prize!********
HOMEWORK #3:
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Read
the short article, “The
Hero and the Epic”
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Read
pages 229-245, Book 1 of the Iliad
ü
Meet
with your Heroic Chat Buddy online
for twenty minutes. Discuss the following:
o
What
role do the gods and goddesses play in Book 1?
o
Do you
think that Achilles is justified in his wrath against Agamemnon and his
subsequent withdrawal from the battle?
ü
Hand
in your transcript from this conversation by the day after tomorrow
EXTRAS:
Session Three: Iliad
During this session, we will read and discuss Books 1, 22, and
24 of Homer’s Iliad. Many of the ideas
and questions for this session came from the following website: http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1984/2/84.02.09.x.html
and from the Holt, Rinehart, and Winston World Literature text.
Activity Seven:
Read
parts of Book One aloud as a class
Large group discussion about the Book One of the Iliad. We will cover:
Activity Eight:
HOMEWORK #4:
ü
Read
pages 247-263, Book 22 of the Iliad
for tomorrow
ü
In
your Discovery Slate, reflect on Book 22:
o
In the
confrontation between Hector and Achilles, Hector runs away. How did Homer
prepare you for this action?
o
Does
Hector’s flight diminish your respect for him or could you sympathize with his
reaction?
Activity Nine:
With
a partner, spend some time exploring the Iliad
online. Take this opportunity to check out some of the links under this
session’s EXTRAS.
Activity Ten:
HOMEWORK #5:
ü
Read
pages 264-276
ü
Go to Six
Minute Iliad and listen to
the funny interpretation of the Iliad starring, Jack Nicholson as Achilles,
Elvis Presley as Agamemnon, and Ross Perot as Hector, with Mr. Rogers as
Odysseus. Simply click on the link that reads: Real Audio Clip. If you are
unable to listen to the recording, read the transcript provided on the page.
ü
With
your Heroic Chat Buddy, discuss heroic characters in films that
you have seen. What characteristics do they all share? What makes them unique?
ü
Hand
in your transcript from this conversation by the day after tomorrow.
Activity Eleven:
With
a partner, create a concept map on Inspiration, diagramming the relationships
between the characters and the action in the three books that we read in the
Iliad.
OR Design a cartoon either funny, satirical, or political from an event in
the Iliad.
Display
your work in the classroom. Half of the class will explain their work, while
the other half of the class walks around to observe the work of classmates.
After about fifteen minutes or so, we will flip flop roles.
Activity Twelve:
Large
group wrap up on the Iliad:
1.
Answer any
remaining questions
2.
Discuss whether
or not Achilles any different at the end of the story than he was at the
beginning.
HOMEWORK #6:
ü
Read
pages 372-378 in your text on Roman History.
EXTRAS
Session Four: Roman Historical Foundations
In this session we will prepare to read
the Roman epic, Virgil’s Aeneid.
Before diving into the text, it is important to understand the historical
foundations of the time.
Activity Thirteen:
Group 1: The Founding of
Group 2: The Republic
and Roman Expansion
Group 3: Julius Caesar
and the Breakdown of the Republic
Group 4: Early Latin
Literature
Group 5: Roman Religion
and Philosophy
Group 6: Augustus and
the Early Empire
Group 7: Latin
Literature of the Empire
Group 8: The Later
Empire:
Activity Fourteen:
Ø
Break into
groups of six
Ø
Each person in
each group needs to choose one of the characters from the Aeneid: Aeneas, Anchises, Ascanius, Creusa, Dido, The Sibyl
Ø
Begin
researching your character on the Internet
HOMEWORK #7:
ü
Visit
this website to learn more about the Aeneid:
The Virgil Home Page
ü
Research
your Aeneid character (See activity
3)
Activity Fifteen:
Activity Sixteen:
v
Introduce the
final project choices (See Unit Overview for details)
v
Show examples
for each choice
HOMEWORK #8:
ü
Read
pages 383-393 (to the middle of page 393)
ü
Meet
online with your Heroic
Chat Buddy. Discuss your
initial ideas for your final project for twenty minutes
ü
Hand
in your transcript of this conversation on the day after tomorrow
EXTRAS:
Session Five: Aeneid
During this session we will read and
discuss Virgil’s Aeneid. Many of the
discussion questions are from the Holt, Rinehart, and Winston World Literature text.
Activity Seventeen:
§
Why do the
Trojans assume that the Greeks have sailed for home?
§
Identify
Aeneas’s external conflicts and internal with the Greeks
§
What are the
outcomes of these conflicts?
§
Classical epic
§
Pastoral
§
Elaborate
similes
§
Epithets
HOMEWORK #9:
ü
Read
pages 393-406
ü
In
your Discovery
Slate reflect on the following questions for
approximately twenty minutes:
o
What
are Aeneas’ strengths as a leader? What are his weaknesses?
o
How do
the female characters such as Cassandra, Hecuba, Venus, and Creusa play
important roles in the poem?
o
Brainstorm
ideas for your final project
Activity Eighteen:
Activity Nineteen:
HOMEWORK:
ü
Work
on Final Project!!!!
EXTRAS:
Bibliography:
Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. World Literature, Revised Edition.
Taylor, Phyllis, “The Iliad—A Practical Approach.”
Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute. http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1984/2/84.02.09.x.html
Other Websites accessible within this lesson plan