This week brings a final flurry of writing--both essays and poems. Students are drafting essays about their mythological character based on the research notes they have gathered. A final draft of the essay will be submitted, and it will accompany the student's project in a creative fashion.
Students are finishing up the brainstorming begun at Look Park on Friday afternoon. There they recorded observations of nature and began to pair those observations with descriptive language. The final brainstorm concerns images of the mythological world: oceans, rivers, Mt. Olympus, the Underworld. Students will use their observations and imagery to compose poems, perhaps prompted by the inspirations offered to them (see attached handouts on previous blog page).
While students are busy creating their mythology projects at home, in addition to the final flurry of writing we are doing this week, they will be engaged next week in a few more creative projects to round out our mythology study. One will involve similes from the "The Iliad", another will focus on idioms that originated in ancient Greece, and for another students will attend (aka create) a round table meeting of the god(desse)s. You will get to view all of their projects at our Celebration of Ancient Greece on Thursday, June 14 (invitation to come!).
Homework:
Mon-Thurs.: Draft essay should be completed by Friday; students should use editing checklist (on back of outline handout) to edit and revise. Final draft to submit due Wed. 6/6. (Students will incorporate essay into project creatively.
Mon-Friday: Final draft of poem is due MONDAY 6/4. It is important to bring your final draft, printed, to class on Monday because we will do something with the poems!
Myth essay outline
Poetry organizers are linked on previous blog page: River of Words Meets Greek Mythology
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Monday, May 21, 2018
Mythology + Poetry = Mytholotry?
This week presents an interesting mash up of mythology study and poetry writing. Students will be following Odysseus on his journey home from the Trojan War as Mr. Kachulis tells "The Odyssey". They will also be engaging in research about their project character using a wide range of reference books in the classroom. They should be researching for homework as well, either online or at a local library.
Their mythology study will intersect with poetry as they read my blog page, "River of Words Meets Greet Mythology". I've introduced the concept of water, both in the real world and the imagined mythological world. On the blog page I've linked articles relating to rivers and seas and their inhabitants, from the mighty Poseidon to the many naiads that populate the waters. (These articles are on a website that students can use for project research as well.) Students have been assigned to read these short articles, as well as preview the observation charts for the Look Park visit on Friday and the handout of inspirations for their poems. This will prepare them to construct a bridge, in their poem, connecting mythology and poetry.
I need PERMISSION SLIPS on TUESDAY in order to organize for the activity. Please be reminded, as per the handout attached to the permission slip, that students may bring a small backpack with a water bottle, hat, sunscreen, small towel for sitting on the ground. They can also keep the work folder I will give them in their backpack.
Homework:
Monday-Thursday:
This week, please read my blog page "River of Words Meets Greek Mythology"; read articles and preview the observation charts and handout of inspirations for your poem.
The poem will be due next Friday, June 1.
Ongoing work: research & project
Their mythology study will intersect with poetry as they read my blog page, "River of Words Meets Greet Mythology". I've introduced the concept of water, both in the real world and the imagined mythological world. On the blog page I've linked articles relating to rivers and seas and their inhabitants, from the mighty Poseidon to the many naiads that populate the waters. (These articles are on a website that students can use for project research as well.) Students have been assigned to read these short articles, as well as preview the observation charts for the Look Park visit on Friday and the handout of inspirations for their poems. This will prepare them to construct a bridge, in their poem, connecting mythology and poetry.
I need PERMISSION SLIPS on TUESDAY in order to organize for the activity. Please be reminded, as per the handout attached to the permission slip, that students may bring a small backpack with a water bottle, hat, sunscreen, small towel for sitting on the ground. They can also keep the work folder I will give them in their backpack.
Homework:
Monday-Thursday:
This week, please read my blog page "River of Words Meets Greek Mythology"; read articles and preview the observation charts and handout of inspirations for your poem.
The poem will be due next Friday, June 1.
Ongoing work: research & project
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
River of Words Meets Greek Mythology: Bodies of Water, Real or Imagined
Soon we will take a pause in our Greek adventures to visit Look Park--this will spark our "River of Words" poetry project! At the park, you will closely observe your surroundings, using your senses to experience and record all of the natural (and perhaps human-made) elements around you. Since the River of Words poetry project ties closely to the element of water, you will be sure to include the river and pond in your observations.
Water featured prominently in ancient Greek life (don't forget they were surrounded by it!), including in their mythological stories. So, this connects naturally with the River of Words poetry writing. In order to prepare for this experience, please read the following articles BEFORE the Look Park trip. You might want to revisit them after the trip, before you begin writing your poem. The inspirations I will give you to ponder for your poem are rooted in these stories and characters.
The River Styx
The River Lethe
Oceanus
Naiads, Water Nymphs
Poseidon, God of the Sea
Nereids, Water Nymphs
"Narcissus and Echo" in your book (pg.86)
I'm also attaching below the observation charts and poem inspirations handout for you to preview before the Look Park activity. I will give you hard copies in class to take with you.
Observation charts
River of Words Poetry Inspirations
Water featured prominently in ancient Greek life (don't forget they were surrounded by it!), including in their mythological stories. So, this connects naturally with the River of Words poetry writing. In order to prepare for this experience, please read the following articles BEFORE the Look Park trip. You might want to revisit them after the trip, before you begin writing your poem. The inspirations I will give you to ponder for your poem are rooted in these stories and characters.
The River Styx
The River Lethe
Oceanus
Naiads, Water Nymphs
Poseidon, God of the Sea
Nereids, Water Nymphs
"Narcissus and Echo" in your book (pg.86)
I'm also attaching below the observation charts and poem inspirations handout for you to preview before the Look Park activity. I will give you hard copies in class to take with you.
Observation charts
River of Words Poetry Inspirations
Reading, Writing and Research
Students have been writing creatively on a piece focused on either Persephone and Hades or Perseus. Some are writing diary entries from the perspective of either Persephone or Hades (or both!), while others are composing Perseus' Travelogue brochures. This activity is prompting them to dig deeper into each story and combine it with their own imaginations to write descriptively about the places and characters involved.
This week I introduced the mythology project. Students will choose a character to research, write an essay, and create either a visual project or performance piece. I have encouraged them to not only choose a character they are truly interested in, but to use their interests and talents in their projects. There is a lot of freedom and opportunity with this project for artists to create, engineers to design and build, musicians to play, singers to sing, and actors to act! They have the option of working independently or with a partner. I have laid out a schedule with the end goal of bringing in projects June 11 or 12. On June 14, students will host a showcase of their work--keep an eye out for an invitation in a couple of weeks!
The project instructions, schedule, planning sheet, and update sheet are linked below. Please note that I'm asking students to have their caregiver sign the project plan and each weekly update. My intention is for adults to be aware of and to guide their students' time management--and maybe even get involved in the project creation!
Mythology Project Instructions, schedule, planning sheets
Mythology Research Organizer
Homework:
Project plan (signed) due Thursday.
Creative writing final due Friday.
Friday: Continue to research; gather materials for project
PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN FIELD TRIP PERMISSION SLIP BY TUESDAY, 5/22.
This week I introduced the mythology project. Students will choose a character to research, write an essay, and create either a visual project or performance piece. I have encouraged them to not only choose a character they are truly interested in, but to use their interests and talents in their projects. There is a lot of freedom and opportunity with this project for artists to create, engineers to design and build, musicians to play, singers to sing, and actors to act! They have the option of working independently or with a partner. I have laid out a schedule with the end goal of bringing in projects June 11 or 12. On June 14, students will host a showcase of their work--keep an eye out for an invitation in a couple of weeks!
The project instructions, schedule, planning sheet, and update sheet are linked below. Please note that I'm asking students to have their caregiver sign the project plan and each weekly update. My intention is for adults to be aware of and to guide their students' time management--and maybe even get involved in the project creation!
Mythology Project Instructions, schedule, planning sheets
Mythology Research Organizer
Homework:
Project plan (signed) due Thursday.
Creative writing final due Friday.
Friday: Continue to research; gather materials for project
PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN FIELD TRIP PERMISSION SLIP BY TUESDAY, 5/22.
Monday, May 7, 2018
Gods, Heroes, and Monsters--Oh My!
The adventures continue this week with the story of Perseus and the Medusa. Similar to the story of Theseus and the Minotaur, this is a tale of a hero's quest. Both protagonists were given gifts from the gods, but had to find the wisdom to use them appropriately. Both heroes also had to face their inner fears and self-doubts to find the courage and strength to overcome obstacles, themes familiar to all of us modern mortals. We are contemplating the god(desse)s as weavers of fate; they inspire multiple facets of a mortal's persona and also weave their fate and destiny. The ancient Greeks believed that the closer the gods got to you, the more you would become yourself.
In discussing the stories, we are honing in on strong visual imagery of settings and characters. Students will begin a creative writing activity of their choice in which they will exercise their descriptive writing skills. One option is to assume the persona of Persephone and/or Hades and write diary entries based on their experiences in their story. Another option is to pretend to be Perseus writing a travelogue of his journey, chronicling the places he passed through and the characters he met. Explicit instructions and brainstorming organizers for each are linked below.
At the end of the week, we will play with the Greek alphabet, writing our names and translating some Greek root words from Greek to English.
Homework:
Mon/Tues: reading pgs. 22-38 for Wed. (chart as read)
Wed: reading/chart pgs. 39-53 due Mon. 5/14
Tues-next Mon: Creative writing draft (Persephone diary or Perseus travelogue) due Tues. 5/15
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