Archive for May 18, 2020

Summer Reading Information

2020 Summer Reading!

Directions: Choose one of the books to read for the class you will be in next year. Then, complete this form:

2020-2021 Summer Reading Assignment

Book Assignments – CHOOSE ONE BOOK for the class you are going into next year (for most of you, that’s American Lit):

Greek Mythology: Pandora and Narcissus

Goals for the Week:

  1. Read and understand the stories of Pandora and Narcissus.
  2. Finalize all work for the semester!
  3. HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!!

Today’s Checklist:

  1. Go through the Nearpod Lesson on Pandora and Narcissus
  2. Read and understand the stories of Pandora and Narcissus.
  3. Write a paragraph comparing and contrasting the two stories.

Today’s Lesson!

Standard:

  • ELAGSE9-10RL3 Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

Learning Target: 

I can read and understand the myths of Pandora and Narcissus so that I can write a paragraph comparing and contrasting the two.

Activator: 

Check out the “What’s in the box?” video embedded in the Nearpod lesson below! 🙂

Work Session: 

Closing Session: 

Complete the paragraph writing activity in the Nearpod lesson. And…that’s it! You’re done!!

 

Looking Ahead: Have a great summer!

Congratulations, you have completed the strangest semester I have ever had the pleasure to teach! I hope everyone stays safe and sane, and I cannot WAIT until this is all over and we can return to school as normal – hopefully in August!

Please come by and see me next year!! I’ll miss you all 🙂

 

Greek Mythology: The Odyssey, Day 4

Goals for the Week:

  1. Understand the mythology of the Olympian gods/goddesses.
  2. Understand the plot and characters of Homer’s The Odyssey.
  3. Create a myth for an original Greek god/goddess.

Today’s Checklist:

  1. Watch a video clip from the film O Brother, Where Art Thou? showcasing the sirens from Greek mythology and The Odyssey.
  2. Read Book 12 from The Odyssey.
  3. Utilize the OPTIC strategy to analyze two different artworks that represent the sirens from The Odyssey.

Today’s Lesson!

* The Odyssey is a very large epic poem. Because of time constraints, we will be reading a couple of books from The Wanderings (journey) of Odysseus, as opposed to the entire text.

Standard:

  • ELAGSE9-10RL6: Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.
  • ELAGSE9-10RL7: Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different artistic mediums (e.g., Auden’s poem “Musée de Beaux Arts” and Breughel’s painting Landscape with the Fall of Icarus), including what is emphasized or absent in each treatment.

Learning Target: 

I can read and analyze Book 12 of The Odyssey, so that I can comprehend the nature of the sirens. I can consider various interpretations of the sirens from Greek mythology so that I can analyze their prevalence in literature, history, and film.

Activator: 

Odysseus encounters the sirens in Book 12 of The Odyssey. According to Greek mythology, sirens were female creatures (often sea nymphs) that lured sailors to destruction by the sweetness of their song. Check out this modern interpretation in a video clip from the film O Brother, Where Art Thou? (The film O Brother, Where Art Thou? is loosely based on Homer’s The Odyssey). Disclaimer: The clip is slightly suggestive, but you won’t see anything inappropriate.

Work Session: 

* Book 12 focuses on Odysseus’s interactions with the sirens and two different sea monsters, Scylla and Charybdis. *

  • Read Book 12 of The OdysseyHolt Literature Textbook, The Odyssey, Book 12
  • Take a look at these two paintings! Use the OPTIC chart below the paintings to analyze what’s going on here. (Click the pictures to see them bigger.)
Ulysses and the Sirens by John William Waterhouse (1891) Ulysses and the Sirens by Herbert James Draper (1909)
  • Fill in this chart (recreate it on your own paper) with your observations on each painting:
Overview: What do you see in this picture? What is your overall impression?
Parts: What different parts of the picture do you see? Consider characters, foreground, background, frame, etc.
Title: What is the title of this painting? How does the title relate to what is going on in the painting?
Interrelationships: How do the parts and title relate to the overall picture? Why are some things in the background? Why is there an owl flying around?
Conclusions: What conclusions can you draw from this painting?

Closing Session: 

  • Check out these videos over Scylla and Charybdis.
    • Scylla:

    • Charybdis:

  • Continue to work on your original Greek myth. The assignment is due tomorrow, Friday, May 15th by 11:59 pm. Submit to your teacher via email or however he/she wants you to turn your assignments in. Message your teacher if you have questions. Original Greek Myth
  • Greek Mythology Chart

Looking Ahead: Tomorrow’s Checklist

If you want to get ahead on things, here is what we’re going to be doing tomorrow!

  1. There are no new lessons for tomorrow. Just remember to submit your original Greek myth by 11:59 pm on Friday, May 15th.
  2. Next week, we’ll wrap up our Greek mythology unit!

 

Greek Mythology: The Odyssey, Day 3

Goals for the Week:

  1. Understand the mythology of the Olympian gods/goddesses.
  2. Understand the plot and characters of Homer’s The Odyssey.
  3. Create a myth for an original Greek god/goddess.

Today’s Checklist:

  1. Watch a video clip from the film Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief about the Land of the Lotus Eaters.
  2. Read Book 9 from The Odyssey.
  3. Fill out a Microsoft Form answering reading comprehension questions from Book 9.

Today’s Lesson!

* The Odyssey is a very large epic poem. Because of time constraints, we will be reading a couple of books from The Wanderings (journey) of Odysseus, as opposed to the entire text.

Standard:

  • ELAGSE9-10RL6: Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.
  • ELAGSE9-10RL9: Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work (e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare).
  • ELAGSE9-10RL3: Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

Learning Target: 

I can read and analyze Book 9 of The Odyssey, so that I can complete a Microsoft Form answering 8 reading comprehension questions, in order to demonstrate understanding of the text.

Activator: 

Homer describes the Land of the Lotus-Eaters in Book 9 The Odyssey. Lotus-Eaters eat the lotus plant, forget their heart’s desire, and never want to leave. Check out this modern interpretation in a video clip from the film Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. 

Work Session: 

* Book 9 focuses on Odysseus’s interactions with the cyclops, Polyphemus, who is Poseidon’s son. Students usually find this to be one of the more interesting books from the The Odyssey due to its humor and action. *

  • Read Book 9 of The Odyssey.

Holt Literature Textbook, The Odyssey, Book 9

  • You can also listen to an audiobook of Book 9 from one of the versions of The Odyssey. 

Closing Session: 

Let’s wrap up what we read today with a brief video summary of Book 9 from The Odyssey. Check out this video by Course Hero.

Looking Ahead: Tomorrow’s Checklist

If you want to get ahead on things, here is what we’re going to be doing tomorrow!

  1. We’re going to read and analyze Book 12 from The Odyssey.
  2. We’re going to OPTIC strategy two depictions of sirens from The Odyssey.

 

 

Greek Mythology: The Odyssey, Day 2

Goals for the Week:

  1. Understand the mythology of the Olympian gods/goddesses.
  2. Understand the plot and characters of Homer’s The Odyssey.
  3. Create a myth for an original Greek god/goddess.

Today’s Checklist:

  1. Review a Google Slides presentation over The Odyssey.
  2. Watch a couple of videos explaining The Odyssey.
  3. We’re going to look at an overview of Homer’s The Odyssey.

Today’s Lesson!

Standard:

  • ELAGSE9-10RL6: Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.
  • ELAGSE9-10RL9: Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work (e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare).
  • ELAGSE9-10RL3: Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

Learning Target: 

I can explore an overview of The Odyssey by viewing videos and reading summaries of the text, so that I can look understand the character of Odysseus and the obstacles that he faces.

Activator: 

  1. Here is some background information to The OdysseyHomer’s The Odyssey
  2. Check out this TED-Ed video highlighting things you need to know about The Odyssey.

Work Session: 

  • The Odyssey is a lengthy epic poem. We won’t be reading the whole thing during virtual learning, so here is a video summary about The Odyssey.

Closing Session: 

Depending on which version or translation of The Odyssey that you read, you might see the protagonist Odysseus named as Ulysses. Don’t worry – it’s the same person. Odysseus is his Greek name; Ulysses is his Latin name. Here is a 90-minute animated version of the movie. It was written for children, but you still might enjoy it.

 

Looking Ahead: Tomorrow’s Checklist

If you want to get ahead on things, here is what we’re going to be doing tomorrow!

  1. We’re going to read and analyze Book 9 from The Odyssey.