Mythology Paper

Greetings, students!

You have all created Venn diagrams in preparation for your summative assessment: the formal essay.  The essay should be six to eight pages in length and  critically examine the similarities and differences between Greek mythology and a mythology or religion of your choice.  The paper will be due Monday by 4pm, and if you submit a rough draft to me before 10am on Friday morning, I would be happy to read it and discuss revisions with you. My expectations for the paper are outlined on the rubric provided on the blog.

Good luck,
Ms. Peterson

Mythology Unit Rubric

Mythology Unit Teacher Name: Ms. Peterson Student Name:     ________________________________________ CATEGORY Unsatisfactory (1) Needs Improvement (2) Meets Expectations (3) Proficient (4) Exemplary (5) Wordle Project The student did not submit the assignment. The student submitted an assignment, but it was very basic. It included only a few words, and the colors did not seem to fit with the message. The project was fair with at least ten words that captured the essence of Greek mythology. However, the colors seemed a bit off, and the words were only did not direct me to a specific myth. The project was of above average quality with at least fifteen words included. The colors and words fit the mood the student was attempting to convey. However, the words could describe two or three myths, and it is therefore not quite specific enough for perfect marks. The student used at least 20 words on the project and completely captured the mood, tone, and essence of the story he or she wished to convey. WebQuest The student did not submit a WebQuest The student submitted a WebQuest, but he or she did not complete all of the tasks outlined. The student submitted a WebQuest, but it lacked creativity and originality. The student merely paraphrased information directly from the website, and it is completely devoid of the author's voice. It also contains numerous grammatical or structural errors. The student submitted the a WebQuest of high quality. The diagrams were done very well. However, the paragraphs lacked cohesion and originality. The student submitted a nearly perfect WebQuest. The diagrams were completed with sophistication. The paragraphs run together smoothly, have a clear voice, and are free from grammatical errors. RAFT The student did not complete a RAFT. The student wrote the role, audience, format, and topic, but he or she failed to produce an independent, original work from the perspective of his or her character. The student submitted a RAFT, but the character seemed highly exaggerated or out of character. The student did not capture the personality of the individual. The RAFT was of high quality and original, but it contained more than three spelling and grammatical errors. The RAFT was of the highest quality that could be expected. The student let the personality of the character shine, and wrote a very creative original piece. The RAFT had fewer than three grammatical and spelling errors. Comparative Paper No paper was submitted. A paper was submitted, but it was less than three pages in length, and it was poorly structured with many errors. A paper was submitted, but it was between three and five words, and it was somewhat flawed in structure, grammar, and spelling. A paper was submitted within the 6-8 page limit. It was about a very engaging, interesting topic, but the student struggled with organization, conventions, or spelling. A high quality paper of the appropriate length was submitted about a very intriguing topic. It was nearly error-free and had strong transitions. Inspiration Venn Diagram No diagram was submitted. A diagram was submitted, but it was very bare and basic. It had only a few similarities and differences that could not be lengthened into a 6-8 page paper. The diagram consisted of an adequate number of similarities and differences, but they were relatively superficial. They did not show any evidence to critical thought. The Venn diagram was solid. It had many thought-provoking comparisons, and it could easily be developed into a 6-8 page paper. The only errors are grammatical or structural. The Venn diagram was of a very high quality, and it included many ideas the student thought of independently. A superior paper could be formed by the ideas included in the diagram. Date Created: December 06, 2010 Date Last Modified: January 25, 2011

Create a RAFT!

Greetings, students!

As you are by now well-aware, the book we are studying has a multitude of characters with different personality traits and powers.  For this reason, it will be useful for you to look in-depth at different characters independently then share your findings with the class.  As a tool to help format your findings about the character I assign you, you will be creating a RAFT.

R- Role
A- Audience
F - Format
T - Topic

You will first write the name of your character. Then you will determine the audience you want your character to address.  Next, you will select the format or structure through which your character will address his or her audience.  Afterward, you will select a topic about which you want your character to speak.  This is where the project gets fun!  You will write a letter, journal entry, speech, poem, or any other form of communication from your character to your audience.  Be creative and original, but attempt to stay true to the personality of your character.  Tomorrow in class we will be sharing these RAFTS, so make sure they are appropriate!

Good luck,
Ms. Peterson

Mythology Venn Diagram

Greetings, students!

We have now finished reading Mythology by Edith Hamilton, and it is time to start brainstorming ideas for your summative assessment, which will be a formal essay.  I want the paper to be comparative in format, which means that you would greatly benefit by creating a Venn diagram prior to writing.  For your benefit, I am assigning that you each create the Venn diagram on Inspiration that compares traits of Greek mythology with traits of another culture's mythology or religion.  You are free to do independent research on any religion or system of mythology.  You could also use the section at the end of Hamilton's text on Norse mythology.  Think critically when creating the diagram and come up with numerous similarities and differences because you will need to generate a 6-8 page formal essay from the information you gather.

Thanks,
Ms. Peterson

Mythology Wordle Project

Wordle

Greetings, students!

Below is a basic example of what Wordle can do for you!  It allows you to enter information, choose colors, and format the information into a nice visual aid.   I would like for you to submit to me a Wordle project using one of the many myths you read in Hamilton's Mythology as the topic.  Keep in mind the connotations that come with specific colors.  Also, make sure you use words that capture the emotion and essence of the history and literature.  When you've finished, I should be able to tell which myth you selected by the names, colors, format, and themes you use. Everyone will receive a completion grade on this assignment, but the person whose project is the best (as voted upon by his or her peers) will receive extra credit.

Good luck,
Ms. Peterson

Mythology WebQuest

WebQuest

WebQuest: Important Figures in Greek Mythology

The Task

Before reading Edith Hamilton's Mythology, I want you each to select a character from Greek mythology to study in-depth. You will become the classroom expert on that god, goddess, hero, monster, human, or nymph. Everyone should report to me their choice as soon as it is known so that we do not have any overlap. If you are having difficulty selecting a person or creature, I will be happy to assist you in your selection. You have the following tasks ahead of you:

• Search the three websites listed in the “resources” section, and find out why the character you selected is important or relevant in Greek mythology. Use Microsoft Word or Inspiration to create a web diagram with your character in the center.
• Summarize a specific myth that involves your character. Please try to be as specific and detailed in your depiction as possible. Also, make I exciting and use rich, meaningful vocabulary.
• Explain in a paragraph or two how the character you chose is related to one of the Olympic gods either by blood or storyline. If you selected one of the Olympians, write a paragraph or two on the family dynamics between your chosen god or goddess and his or her relatives.
•Make a connection! Find similarities between your chosen character and other characters about whom you've read in this class or others. You could also select a celebrity or politician for this comparison. Show the similarities and differences in a Venn diagram you create using Microsoft Word.
• Submit these tasks to me by tomorrow at 4pm through the blog, blackboard, or e-mail.

The Background

You are welcome to use the PowerPoint I created for you as a starting point for this assignment. Additionally, all of the websites have important biographical information about a wide variety of characters from Greek mythology.

The Process

1. Look at the resources I listed below and the PowerPoint on this blog about Greek Mythology, and choose a character.
2. Create a web diagram on Microsoft Word about the character you selected.
3. Summarize a myth you read on one of the websites that involves the character you chose. Be precise and creative with your word choice. I expect this summary to be roughly 1-2 paragraphs in length.
4. Explain the connection between your character and at least one of the Olympians in 1-2 paragraphs. If you have selected one of the Olympians, explain family dynamics between him or her and at least one of the other Olympians in 1-2 paragraphs.
5. Create a Venn diagram comparing your character with a character from another novel, a celebrity, or a politician.
6. Compile all of your responses and works into one Word Document, and e-mail the document to me as an attachment or post it on my classroom blog or blackboard.

The Resources
Use the following websites for your research:

• http://www.theoi.com/ (Good Source of myths, biographies, and general information)
• http://www.pantheon.org/areas/mythology/europe/greek/articles.html (Great source for finding out basic information on characters of Greek mythology)
• http://www.mythindex.com/ (Has a wide variety of more obscure gods and goddesses, and it shares information from a large number of sources)

Conclusion/Reflection:

In an informal response of 300-600 words, tell me what you thought about this project. Did you learn a lot about the person or creature you researched? Can you think of any examples of how your character has impacted the modern culture?

Mythology PowerPoint

Letter to Parents (Mythology Unit)

January 23, 2011

Dear Parent(s),

I am writing to inform you of the exciting new unit your young adult will be partaking in for the next two weeks! In order to prepare for the longer unit over Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey, we will be working on a unit on Greek mythology. As an exciting bonus, the unit will be taught in your child's health and physical education course as well. Along with learning about the classical myths, your young adult will be exposed to the history of the Olympics, and Ancient Greek dietary choices.

Each student in my class will gain a significant amount of knowledge regarding Greek mythology by reading Edith Hamilton's Mythology. Hamilton's text has been the premiere introductory guide to Greek mythology in high schools and colleges for over half a century. Along with the introduction to Greek mythology, the students will become engaged in a critical conversation about the origins and explanations for the myths and stories that were so highly revered.

Many projects will be completed, including a formal essay, a Webquest, and other more artistic, creative assignments. I will be explaining each of them in class, but I have also listed explanations for assignments on my blog, which I encourage you to access to stay in touch with what is happening in the classroom. If you have any questions regarding any of the information that has been shared, please feel free to contact me. All of my contact information is listed below. I am looking forward to an exciting, informative unit!

Sincerely,

Heather Peterson

Phone: (785) 492-8512
E-Mail: petersonh@bethanylb.edu