Unit Plan on The Odyssey
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Lesson # |
Concept or Procedure |
Objectives |
List of Attached Materials |
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1 |
A direct lesson on the Greek Gods and Goddesses 1 day in length |
To give students the background information needed to understand the importance of the Greek Gods and Goddesses in Greece and in The Odyssey. |
Greek Gods and Goddesses handout |
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2 |
A discovery lesson containing 4 stations. This will entail various activities pertaining to The Odyssey. 2 days in length |
To give students a hands on learning experience. To familiarize students with the theme of home in The Odyssey, give them a taste of Greek culture, use the Internet as a resource, and synthesize an ending to The Odyssey. |
Computer Lab-Station 2 Handout Greece-Station 3 Handout The Cyclops-Station 4 Handout |
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3 |
Continue the discovery lesson. |
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4
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Students will engage in a cooperative learning lesson over the second part of The Odyssey. Students will work in groups and present their ideas to the class. The lesson will take one full class period and students will present on another day. |
To give students an opportunity to review the people and places they have been exposed to in The Odyssey. To have them work together as a team. To reinforce what they know and have learned by revisiting the reading. |
Ithaca Tours Handout Tour Guide Rubric |
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5 |
Continue the cooperative lesson. |
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1. Cyclops in the Ocean by Nikki Giovanni (a poem)
2. Ithaca by C.P. Cavafy (a poem)
3. The Sea Call by Nikos Kazantzakis (a poem)
4. Kon Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl (a novel)
5. Favorite Greek Myths by Bob Blaisdell
6. The World of Odysseus by M.I. Finley (non-fiction)
B. Relevant Films
1. Forrest Gump, Paramount Studio
2. Greek Gods (2000), A&E Entertainment
3. Great Cities: Athens & Ancient Greece, educational documentary from WGTE.org
4. Greece: A Moment of Excellence, educational documentary from WGTE.org
5. Star Wars, Twentieth Century Fox
6. O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Touchstone Video
C. Names of Relevant Works of Art, Photographs, Posters, or Other Visual Stimuli
1. The Fall of Troy (1974) by Romare Bearden
2. Penelope (1864) by John Roddam Spencer-Stanhope
3. Calypso’s Island, Departure of Ulysses by Samuel Palmer
4. The Cyclops (late 19th or early 20th century) by Odilon Redon
5. Ulysses and His Companions on the Island of the Cyclops by Pellegrino Tibaldi
6. Hermes, 5th Century B.C., National Archaeological Museum, Athens, Greece
7. Poseidon, 5th Century B.C., Athens Museum
8. The Sirens (c. 1875) by Sir Edward Burne-Jones
D. Relevant Internet Sites
1. http://homepage.mac.com/cparade/GML/TrojanWar.html
This site has background information on the Trojan War. As a teacher, I would use this site as an introduction to The Odyssey. The story starts off with Odysseus leaving the Trojan War, so I think it is important for students to understand where Odysseus had been and why he was engaged in war.
2. http://www.mythweb.com/odyssey/index.html
This site contains a great list of all the characters in The Odyssey and offers a short summary of each book in the epic poem. It also offers a more detailed version of each book for students who might be higher-level readers.
In teaching The Odyssey, I would use this site as a review before a test or if students had trouble reading a particular part of the poem. They could access this site and read the summary of the book with which they had trouble.
3. http://www.classics.upenn.edu/myth/homer/pronunra.php
This is a great site for both teachers and students. This site contains photos, maps of Odysseus’ travels, background information on Homer, and Greek history. It also, through audio, offers pronunciations of the names of characters and places in The Odyssey.
I would use this site as a reference for students. It has a lot of different information, so if a student had a particular question about Odysseus’ travels or how to pronounce a certain word in the story, I would have them access this site.
This is a fantastic digital library with an enormous amount of information on various aspects of the humanities. It includes texts, speeches, museum photography, images, pictures, and historical information on different locations.
I would have students use this site to get a feel for the culture of Greece. They could view artwork and artifacts from Greece. I would also have them read some historical information on Greece before starting The Odyssey.
5. http://www.loggia.com/myth/homer.html
This site has links to information on Homer, Greek Gods and Goddesses, Homer in art, and Greek legends and creatures.
This site would be useful if I assigned each student to research or find information on a different topic. I would use this site before starting The Odyssey to introduce the author, Homer.
6. http://www.in2greece.com/english/places/summer/islands.ithaca.htm
This site offers a lot of great information on Ithaca, history, mythology, maps, facts and trivia, language, food, and music.
I would introduce this site before beginning the second half of The Odyssey. In the second half of the poem, Odysseus arrives home in Ithaca, and this site would help students to picture what Ithaca is like. It also offers a lot of Greek culture, which would be helpful in understanding The Odyssey.
E. Related Aural or Tactile Stimuli
1. Calypso by Suzanne Vega (a song)
2. Soundtrack of O Brother, Where Art Thou? (contains music of the Sirens)
3. Soundtrack of Forrest Gump
4. The Odyssey on audio cassette by Homer, Robert Fagles, Ian McKellan, and Bernard Knox
5. Playdough as tactile stimuli
6. A Greek song titled Demodokos-Song about Ares and Aphrodite from the website http://www.oeaw.ac.at/kal/sh
7. CD titled Stories of the Greek & Roman Gods & Goddesses
PLANS FOR LESSONLesson #1: A direct lesson on Greek Gods and Goddesses |
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Learning Objectives: Students will be able to recognize and identify several of the Greek Gods and Goddesses from The Odyssey. Students will recognize the important role of the Greek Gods and Goddesses in literature, The Odyssey, and Greek life. |
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Tasks: Students will listen to parts of the CD titled Stories of the Greek & Roman Gods & Goddesses and will watch parts of the Greek Gods movie. Before starting this activity, they will be given a handout that lists several of the main Gods and Goddesses from The Odyssey. While watching and listening, they will fill in information on the sheet provided to them. After this activity, the class will have a discussion on the importance of the Gods and Goddesses in Greek life. Discussion between the teacher and students will be the last task. See Greek Gods and Goddesses handout. |
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Opportunity for Discourse: Written discourse will take place in this lesson by having the students fill in the provided handout. This will enable them to keep track of their thoughts and store them concretely. They will be able to access their notes during the reading of The Odyssey. To elicit and engage student thinking, I will ask the students to keep a couple of key questions in mind before starting the video and CD. I will ask them to look for the ways in which the Greek Gods and Goddesses were important in everyday Greek life, why they had such an impact on normal people, and why they might be such a big part of The Odyssey. The video and CD will enhance discourse in this lesson and will be the basis for class discussion. While students are listening and watching, I would stop the video or CD at key places and point out important information. After the class finishes with the video and CD, we will engage in a discussion about what they have learned. I will start by asking which God or Goddess they were most impressed with and why. I will also ask which God or Goddess frightened them most and why. This will hopefully start a discussion that leads to new discussion based on the answers I receive. I will talk to the students about the role of the Gods and Goddesses in The Odyssey. I will ask them to think about why they might play such a large role in the poem. This will be a good time for students to reason and make connections between what they have just learned and what they will learn in the future. |
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Environment Considerations: This lesson does not call for too many changes in the classroom environment. Students will remain in their normal seating arrangement during viewing, listening, and discussion. Of a 45-minute class period, 30 minutes will be for viewing and listening to the CD and video, and the last 15 minutes will be for discussion. This lesson will occur over one class period. Students will work independently throughout viewing and listening. During the discussion, the class will come together as a whole. If I see that some students are not participating, I will call on them for opinions or answers to questions. |
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Analysis of Learning: This lesson will be assessed mostly using the informal means of discussion. Through class discussion, I will be able to tell if the students understood the video and CD. I will also collect the Greek Gods and Goddesses handout they were to fill in during listening and viewing. This handout will be worth 30 points. I will give one point per piece of information the students were to write down regarding each God or Goddess. There were ten Gods and Goddesses on the list. |
Greek Gods and Goddesses
Below is a list of the important Gods and Goddesses from The Odyssey. As you listen to the CD and watch the movie, fill in at least three facts about each.
Athena-
Calypso-
Circe-
Cronus-
Helios-
Hepaestus-
Hermes-
Poseidon-
Zeus-
PLANS FOR LESSONLesson #2-3: A discovery lesson on The Odyssey |
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Learning Objectives: Students will be able to recognize the connection between modern movies and The Odyssey pertaining to the theme of home and journey. Students will be able to access websites relevant to The Odyssey and identify three facts interesting facts pertaining to Greece, Homer, or The Odyssey. Students will become familiar with Greek culture. Students will be able to rewrite/synthesize their own ending to the book of Cyclops from The Odyssey. |
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Tasks: This lesson will consist of four stations, therefore consisting of four tasks. Station 1-Students will view clips from Forrest Gump and Star Wars. The clips they view will pertain to the themes of home and journey. On their own sheet of paper, students will be asked to write down the themes they think these films have in common with The Odyssey. At this point, students will already know that The Odyssey contains the themes of home and journey. They just need to identify that it shares these themes in common with more modern movies and characters. We will discuss their ideas the next day. Station 2-Students will visit the computer lab to access the Internet. They will be given a handout listing several websites pertaining to The Odyssey, Homer, and Greece. Here, they will be asked to visit the websites on the list, as well as find another website of their choosing relevant to the above topics. They will also be asked to write down three things they learned and the sites from which they accessed the information. See computer lab handout. Station 3-This station will provide a brief history and culture of the Greeks. Students will view a piece of a documentary about Greece, will taste some Greek food, and listen to Greek music. On a handout, students will be asked to record three things they learned from the video. They will also be asked their opinions and thoughts on the food, music, and what they learned. See Greece handout. Station 4-At this station, students will revisit the book of The Cyclops from The Odyssey. They have read this section previously, but will be asked to skim it again to refresh their memory. Then they will have to write a new ending to this book. The outcome can be of their choosing as long as it is original. See Cyclops handout. |
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Opportunity for Discourse: Most of the discourse during this lesson will be written except for Station 3. At this station, there will be more opportunity for oral discourse, as the students talk about the food and music of Greece. At the other stations, students will be allowed and encouraged to share their ideas. This is by no means an individual project. As the teacher, I will move from station to station listening to students and responding to their comments and questions. I will also ask them questions from time to time. Mostly though, I would like them to discover on their own and for me to step back a little and mostly make sure they are on track. I hope to provide little support in this lesson. I am hoping students feed off of each other as they get excited about what they are learning. Students will be asked at each station to justify and engage in written discourse with the tasks they are assigned. Videos, music, the text, and food will be there to enhance discourse. If a student or group is having difficulties with a particular task, I will jump in and ask the necessary questions to get them thinking or model for them what I might do for the task. |
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Environment Considerations: The classroom will be more significantly modified during this lesson. Two class periods will be allowed for this lesson and the discussion that will follow. Students will be broken up into groups of four. The groups will be assigned by me. In each corner of the room will be a station. On the first day, students will spend approximately 15-20 minutes at each station. Two stations will be completed. The second day students will finish the remaining stations, spending 15 minutes at each, and will participate in a short class discussion at the end. During the lesson, I will move around the room making sure that all students are engaged and participating. If I see someone not participating, I will step into that group while tasks are being performed. Necessary materials will include: two VCR/TV’s, videos of Forrest Gump, Star Wars, and Greece: A Moment of Excellence, Greek music CD’s, small amount of Greek food (baklava and grape juice), a computer lab, photocopies of the book of the Cyclops, and handouts provided by the teacher. |
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Analysis of Learning: For this lesson, there will be no test, quiz or homework assignment. I will assess students by watching them during the lesson, during discussion, and by their completed and turned in tasks/handouts. I want the emphasis of this lesson to be more on having fun than on grades. Here is a breakdown of points I will assign to each task/station: Station 1-Students will receive 5 points for turning in a paper with the themes they think the movies have in common. Station 2-This is worth 4 points. Students will receive one point for each fact they write down and one point for finding their own website. Station 3-This station is worth 5 points. 1 point will be given for each fact they wrote down that they learned and 2 points for their thoughts and opinions on being Greek. Station 4-This station is worth 10 points. 10 points will be given for turning in an original ending to the Cyclops. |
1. Please visit the following websites and write down three interesting facts that you discovered.
http://homepage.mac.com/cparade/GML/TrojanWar.html
http://www.mythweb.com/odyssey/index.html
http://www.classics.upenn.edu/myth/homer/pronunra.php
http://www.loggia.com/myth/homer.html
http://www.in2greece.com/english/places/summer/islands.ithaca.htm
Interesting facts (3 points)
1.
2.
3.
2. Find one website of your own choosing that is relevant to Greece, Homer, or The Odyssey.
Write down a brief summary of what the site contains. Don’t forget to include the web address. (1 point)
GREECE-Station 3
While at station 3, you will learn a little bit more about Greek culture. While watching the short video, please write down three facts that you learned about Greece. (3 points)
After sampling the food, drink, and listening to the music, record your thoughts and opinions on being Greek. What would it be like to be Greek?
Would you like to be Greek? Why or why not? (2 points)
The Cyclops-Station 4
We previously read the book of the Cyclops in class. Take a minute to skim the Cyclops to refresh your memory. After you are finished, pretend you are Homer and write a new ending to this book. You can write whatever you would like, as long as it is original. In Homer’s original version, Odysseus makes it out alive. What happens to Odysseus in your version? Be creative! (10 points)
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PLANS FOR LESSON Lesson #4-5: A cooperative lesson on part II of The Odyssey |
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Learning Objectives: Students will be able to work as a group. Students will be able to present their ideas logically and coherently to the class. Students will be able to revisit what they have read and apply the information to a new format. Students will be able to write a persuasive piece that includes relevant detail and information. |
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Tasks: Students will construct a presentation and handout to present to the class. The assignment is for the students, as a group, to pretend they are tour guides over the summer in Ithaca. They are working for a tour company. The company gives tours of Ithaca highlighting places and scenes from The Odyssey. The students will pick four scenes and places their tour will highlight and include them in their presentation. They are trying to sell their tour of Ithaca to the class. See Ithaca Tours handout. |
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Opportunity for Discourse: Students will engage in written and oral discourse in small groups. I will give them the assignment and point them in the right direction. They are really free to interpret this assignment as they would like. There are some guidelines, but they are free to include the parts of the story they like best and the details they feel necessary. During the first class session when this is assigned, I will interact with students while they are working in their small groups. I will listen to their ideas, give some input and possibly ideas. I will provide support to students while they are working in their groups during class sessions. |
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Environment Conditions: For this assignment, I will assign students to groups of four. Each student will be asked to pick a particular scene or part of Ithaca they would like to include on their tour. Writing up the description of that piece will be the responsibility of the student that chooses it. Each student will contribute. On the day this is assigned, a full class period will be given for students to generate ideas and assign tasks in their groups. After that, 15 minutes will be set aside on various days to allow students to get together and work on the assignment. One week from the date I assign the project, students will present their tour to the class. This will take one full period. |
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Analysis of Learning: This lesson will be more formally assessed than the other lessons. Students will be asked to hand in the handout they generate to go along with the presentation. They will also be assessed on their presentation. See Tour Guide Rubric. |
Ithaca Tours
Homer is a very famous writer, and The Odyssey is one of his most famous works. People travel from all over the world to see Ithaca, the places Odysseus visited, and to relive what he experienced.
Imagine that your summer job is to be a tour guide on the island of Ithaca. Your assignment is to create a tour of Ithaca and sell it to the class. As a group, you will need to construct a handout detailing your tour and also present your tour to the class. In your tour, you will need to include/highlight four sights that are relevant or pertain to The Odyssey. Each person in the group should take responsibility for one attraction. You, as a group, decide which sites and attractions you want to include. The sites and attractions you incorporate should be from Part II of The Odyssey. For example, your tour might offer a reenactment of the Bow and Arrow scene. It might show the palace where Penelope waited 20 years for Odysseus’ return. But remember, you are trying to sell this tour to the class. Be creative, and use a lot of detail! You can include pictures in your handout, also. Don’t forget to give your tour company a name.
You will present your tours a week from today. You will be given class time to work on this project, however, you might need out of class time as well.
Your presentation should be 7-10 minutes long, and each group member should present their attraction. This project is worth 115 points.
Tour Guide Rubric
Presentation
Did all group members participate in the presentation?
15 10 5 0
Did the presentation stay within the time limit?
5 (yes) 0 (no)
Was the presentation clear, concise, and understandable?
5 (yes) 0 (no)
Would I go on your tour? Was the presentation persuasive and detailed?
15 10 5 0
Handout
Were relevant parts of Ithaca and Part II covered?
15 10 5 0
Was the handout pleasing to the eye? Were pictures included?
15 10 5 0
Were four different attractions featured?
15 10 5 0
Were they described thoroughly and with good detail?
15 10 5 0
Was the handout free of spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors?
15 10 5 0
Total /115
Standards
My unit plan satisfies several of the NCTE standards. They are as follows:
§ Standard 1 is satisfied. This standard deals with reading classic texts to build an understanding of the world and to acquire new information. Several of my lessons accomplish these things. Students get a feel for the way of life in Greece through video and Internet access.
§ Standards 4 and 5 are satisfied. These standards deal with effectively communicating information to a variety of audiences for various purposes. The students will do this when they prepare a persuasive presentation and present it to the class.
§ Standard 8 is satisfied. This standard deals with the use of a variety of technological and information resources. The students, in these lessons, use the Internet, books, artwork, and audio and video resources to synthesize information.
My unit plan also satisfies several of the Ohio standards. They are as follows:
The lesson on Greek Gods and Goddess deals with analyzing how the context of setting impacts a literary text. In this lesson, students will discuss the importance of the Gods and Goddesses on the story and what the story would be like if it took place somewhere other than Greece.
The discovery lesson satisfies several standards as well. The station that asks the students to write an ending to the book of the Cyclops has students demonstrate comprehension of text by synthesizing. They are not merely answering questions on the level of application, but they are putting together something new and original. This activity also asks students to write responses to literature that extend beyond the summary. This is a standard as well.
In the discovery lesson, the station at which students view more modern videos and then compare themes in those videos to themes in The Odyssey asks students to explain ways characters confront similar situations and conflicts. It also engages them in thought about identifying recurring themes across different works and analyzing the use of genre to express a theme or topic. The genre of epic poetry is a huge part of this unit, and students will become quite familiar with it.
The tour guide project is the lesson that meets more standards than the other lessons. This assignment has students using persuasive techniques in their presentations. It also asks students to give presentations using a variety of delivery methods. Students are required to use correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar conventions, which is a standard. Last, this lesson entails formulating writing ideas and identifying a topic appropriate to the purpose and audience.
Commentary
The Subject:
My goals and expectations for this series of lessons is that students will see the importance of Greek life, culture, and beliefs in this poem. I want them to understand the impact that setting has on a piece of writing. I also hope they see and make connections between The Odyssey and more modern works, whether it be movies or literature. This poem is quite old, and some students might initially find it irrelevant to their life. I want to show them how it has influenced our life and society today in other literature and very common movies. I hope they will understand what an important piece of writing this is to our culture, even though we are not Greek.
The broad concepts or ideas that unify the lesson are setting and connections. The concept of setting is utterly important to this piece or writing, for had it not taken place in Greece it would be a completely different story. It is important for students to understand some background information on the Trojan War to comprehend why The Odyssey even begun or took place. It is vital that they know how significant the Greek Gods and Goddesses were to this culture. I think it is also imperative that students get a feel for life in Greece overall to get them a little hooked and interested in the writing. By having some background knowledge of all of these different areas, students will be more apt to make good connections between the poem and what they already know.
The other major concept I want students to understand is the connections between old literature and movies and literature today. I want them to see how The Odyssey has influenced our society even though it did not originate in our society. I want them to acknowledge the similarities in theme between The Odyssey and modern movies they are very familiar with. I believe this will motivate them to read, and they will be more engaged in the reading if they make good connections.
The lessons I have designed help to achieve the goals and expectations I have. First, the lesson on Greek Gods and Goddesses gives students the background information necessary to see the important role these beings played in Greek culture. Two of the stations in the discovery lesson also give students background knowledge. These stations are the Greek culture and website stations. Here students will get a feel for being Greek, and they will also obtain some background information on the Trojan War, Ithaca, and Homer.
Second, the tour guide lesson and Greek Gods and Goddesses lesson establish the importance of setting. Through these activities, students will notice the emphasis on location and time period.
Third, during the discovery lesson, while watching clips of Forrest Gump and Star Wars, students will make connections between modern works and The Odyssey. They will become aware of similar recurring themes across different works.
Students will already have some knowledge of Greece, myths, and legends before beginning this unit. They most likely will have already heard of Hercules, Forrest Gump, and Star Wars. I will use this knowledge and build on what they already know.
Mostly, this lesson plan will allow students to communicate and make connections. I have already discussed connections above, so I will focus on communication. Students will communicate with each other and myself throughout these lessons. In the presentation they are to give to the class, they will use persuasive communication. Most other times, their communication will be informal through class discussion and interaction at the stations of the discovery lesson.
The Instruction:
The tasks I have included in this lesson are interactive tasks for the most part. The Odyssey is meant to be read out loud. I believe students will benefit more during this unit from an environment that is fun and interactive rather than serious and isolated. Also, because this reading might be more difficult for some students, much will be gained by interactive lessons in which students can share ideas, beliefs and experiences with one another.
The discovery lesson (#2-3) and the cooperative learning lesson (#4-5) are both examples of lessons in which students will be engaged in meaningful interactions with their peers. These are hands on lessons calling for creativity and group work.
The opportunities for discourse in this lesson are many. The students will engage in discourse through discussion and writing. During lesson #1, students will engage in discussion as a group about Greek Gods and Goddesses. They will share what they have learned and some of what they already know. During the discovery lesson, #2-3, students will engage in verbal and written discourse. They will be asked to write an ending to one of the books in the poem. They will also be asked to write their opinions on Greece and its culture. During the lesson, they will engage in discourse with their peers and at the end of the lesson the entire class will discuss what they have learned.
In my classroom, students will play a large role in discourse. Without their ideas for discussion, thoughts and questions, I would be useless as a teacher. The teacher and students need to interact equally to achieve learning.
The environment during this lesson will be one of interaction and fun. The desks and arrangements will remain as normal with the exception of the discovery lesson. During this lesson students will move around the room. During the cooperative learning lesson, students will work in their small groups wherever they choose in the classroom.
To ensure that students are comfortable participating in class, I will have started the year with lessons that allow students to get to know one another. Rules will also be established in regards to respecting one another.
For these lessons, I will analyze learning mostly by observation. I will stand back as students participate and learn. When students participate in group activities, I will move from group to group sitting in on discussions for short periods of time. I don’t want to hinder their conversations with my presence, but I also want to ensure they are on task.
Because there is some writing involved in the lessons, this will be a second way to analyze learning. Students will receive feedback on their writing by comments I write on their papers. I will also give feedback to groups as I listen to their discussions.
If instruction needs to be modified in this lesson, I will do so mostly by arranging groups in a manner that pairs lower level learners with higher level learners. I would hope that the higher level students would assist lower level students in an indirect way such as modeling. Overall, my lesson is already quite accessible to a wide range of learners. The tasks I have come up with are not extremely difficult. The activities the class participates in will be talked about in group discussion. If I notice a student having difficulty, I will assist him or her separately.