Friday, December 9, 2016

Antithesis Rewrite due Friday 12/16

For those of you who would like to rewrite your antithesis essay, you must rewrite using the new topic which is available here. I highly recommend that you come in for help with me after school or with Ms. L-D before turning in your rewrite. A schedule of availability is below.

Monday

am. McElliott
pm. L-D (after 3:15)

Tuesday

am/pm McElliott

Wednesday

am McElliott
pm McElliott/LD (after 3:15)

Thursday

am/pm McElliott

Monday, November 7, 2016

Jason Antithesis Essay Assignment due Monday! Earn 5 Land!

To complete your Jason antithesis letter essay, you will need:

- To have finished reading the story in the book (see book)
- To have seen at least ONE day of the movie
- To have seen the antithesis introduction powerpoint (see previous posts)
- To have practiced your antithesis transitions in the antithesis practice assignment.

Once you have done these things, you may begin working on the antithesis letter essay. The powerpoint explaining the assignment is available here.

If you are really struggling on the essay, please speak to me. After our conference I may invite you to a document that will give you some more directed guidance.

Friday, October 28, 2016

Jason Interactive Reading Questions

If you missed Wednesday, 10/26, you will need to do answer the following interactive reading questions for the "Quest for the Golden Fleece". Please adjust page numbers as needed for the little book.

Jason Interactive Reading

Directions: Read the story of the “Quest of the Golden Fleece” stopping to write responses to the following questions as you are reading. Page numbers are provided for the big book, so it might be easiest to make up the assignment using on of those.

159- Title: What associations do you have with the words
• Fleece
• Golden
• Quest

160- The line “sailors…had to face what dangers” is an example of what literary device?

160- Pause after “was afraid of her two children, especially the boy” Why does Nephele fear for Phrixus?

160- What dilemma does the king face?

161- Stop at the break on page 161. What has been the purpose of the story so far?

161- Stop after “In due time one such man came to the land.” Who do you predict this man will be?

162- What does Jason’s physical description emphasize?

162- What do we find out about Jason’s character/personality?

163- What is the importance of Hercules leaving? How would the story have been different if Hercules stayed around?

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Antithesis Practice Assignment due Friday

Your antithesis practice assignment is due Friday. The powerpoint from class is available here. Additional notes and assignment information are available here.

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Hades Project (and Unit 1 test) due Friday

Hades Assignment

BB: 42-44
LB: 39-40


Write a short summary (1/2 page) of the information about the underworld (Hades) found in your book.

Then, create a visual representation of Hades as the Greeks conceived it…poster, 3-D, collage, diorama…etc

To be considered complete, it must contain the following items
o Tartarus/Erebus
o The Rivers: Acheron, Cocytus, Phlegethon, Styx, and Lethe
o Charon
o Gates of Entry
o Cerberus
o Judges: Rhadamanthus, Minos, Aeacus
o Pluto’s Palace

Friday, September 30, 2016

Diary Entry due Monday!

Diary Entry

Assignment: Select one of the myths we have worked with in class and write a diary entry in which you explain the thoughts of one of the main characters. You may try to explain his or her actions, or add some details not included in the original story.

Voice: 1st person, informal voice (school appropriate).
Length: 1 to 1 ½ pages

Suggested myths/characters:

(It’s recommended that you choose a different myth from your newspaper article)

Persephone/Demeter
Dionysus
Prometheus/Epimetheus
Io
Europa
Uranus/Cronus
Hera
Pentheus
Metaneira

Dear Diary:

I am so worried that I don’t know what I’m going to do. This morning I was out picking flowers with some of my friends when I heard a terrific galloping and clashing behind me. I hardly had time to turn around when I saw a shadowy figure of a man in a chariot. He stooped to pick me up, and even though I was screaming for help, he took me down to the underworld. I soon figured out that it was Hades who had abducted me and taken me down to his palace…

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Newspaper Article Due Friday! 5 Land!

Newspaper Article

Directions: Write an article in the style of a newspaper using formal voice in which you retell the story of one of the myths we have read or discussed so far in class.

Voice elements
 Formal voice in main text; school appropriate informal voice can be in quotations (slang, etc)
 No first person or second person in main text; first person appropriate in quotations
 Average to long sentences

 Length: 1- 1 ½ pages

Suggested myths:

 Struggle between the gods (Uranus, Cronus, Zeus)
 Demeter and Persephone
 Dionysus
 Creation of Mankind—Metals
 Prometheus and Epimetheus
 Prometheus and Io

Example:

The world was shocked yesterday by the sudden abduction of Persephone and her subsequent kidnapping down to the realm of Hades. Witnesses say that lord of death himself suddenly appeared on his chariot and snatched the innocent Persephone who was simply wandering in a field looking for flowers.
“I could see him in the distance,” a witness said. “He didn’t give Persephone any choice about whether she wanted to come with him. I was like so terrified.” Investigators into her disappearance are still not sure what Hades’ motives were. (Continued…)

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

New student info and Poster

If you joined Mythology after the first day, please go to the previous post and print out a copy of the course syllabus with a parent signature acknowledging an understanding of our policies. If you are not able to print, you may just have you and your parent sign a note on a piece of paper that acknowledges that you agree with our policies; it does not have to be a print out.

The other grade we have so far is for completing a student survey. So, if you are new, please complete the survey below and turn it in for points:

Mythology Survey

1. Name
2. Tell me about your family…
3. Hobbies/ Sports/ Work/ Free time
4. Why did you decide to take Mythology
5. If you had to be an animal, which animal would you choose and why?
6. Briefly describe your experiences in your other high school English classes.
7. What is one project you would like to do in Mythology this year?
8. Who would you consider to be a personal hero of yours?
9. If you could change one thing about the current school system, what would you change?
10. What are your goals for life after high school?
11. If you could choose one supernatural power, what would you choose?
12. What do I need to know about you as a student and person in order to understand you better?

Poster Assignment

Your poster on your Greek character is due on Friday. Make sure it includes:

Greek name
Roman name (if applicable)
Visual of character
Animal (or other symbol)
Plant (or other symbol)
Summary (2-3 sentences explain where your god came from, what their in charge of, other special information)
Decorative elements

Friday, September 9, 2016

Due Monday 9/12! Syllabus Signature! Worth 10 Sheep!

Please review the Mythology syllabus with your parent/guardian and bring in a signature acknowledging your agreement with its policies.

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Odyssey Questions

1. Linear vs. Non-linear plot

Background: Some stories are told from earliest event to the latest (linear plot) while others are told from a later event which then flashes back to earlier events.

Question: What are the advantages of each kind of plot?

2. The Tapestry part 1:

Background: Penelope says she will not marry a suitor until she finishes weaving a shroud for her father-in-law. She works on weaving it every day, and then each night, unweaves part of it so that it seems like she will never finish it.

Question: How does this action characterize Penelope?

3. The Tapestry Part 2:

Background: The suitors discover Penelope’s trick and demand that she immediately chooses one of them to marry. This is happening at the very beginning of the Odyssey.

Question: What is the importance of this timeline for the reader?

4. Point of view:

Background: Review all of the events on the blue sheet that happen before the flashback.

Question: Based on these events, do you believe that Homer is writing using first person, third person limited, or third person omniscient? How will this compare with his narration later in the story?

5. Lotus Eaters:

Background: Odysseus puts in at the land of the Lotus Eaters, which is a country with an addictive flower that makes people lose all desires or worries. He refused to eat the flower and bodily removes his men who have been affected by the plant.

Question: How does this event characterize Odysseus? What does it show about him?

6. Circe:

Background: Odysseus demands that the sorceress Circe change his men back from the pigs she has transformed them into. She then treats them so well, she and Odysseus begin an affair, and the men relax on her island for a year. In the 1990s movie version, Circe will only change the men back of Odysseus agrees to “get to know her better” and believes he has spent three days with her when she has tricked him into staying three years with her.

Question: Why do the movie makers change this major detail? How does it affect the modern day audience’s opinion of Odysseus?

7. The Sirens:

Background: Odysseus faces the threat of the sirens: bird-like women who with their beautiful voices, lure sailors to crash their ships on the rocks of their island. Sometimes tales in Mythology have their origins in real-world events. Some people speculate that the cyclopes story comes from the practice of ancient blacksmiths leaving only one eye uncovered so as not to be blinded by sparks in both eyes. Others think that the idea of cyclopes may have originated from people seeing a large central whole on elephant skulls and assuming they belonged to a one eyed monster.

Question: What “real-world” situation may have resulted in the explanation of sirens luring ships to crash against rocks?

8. The Cattle of the Sun-God:

Background: Odysseus tells his starving and ship wrecked crew that under no condition are they to eat the cattle of the sun or the gods will punish them. He leaves them alone, and when he returns, he finds that one of the men has persuaded them to eat the cattle.

Question: Write a brief speech that you imagine might be what the man said to persuade the others to eat the cattle of the sun-god.

Friday, May 13, 2016

Reminders and Make-up work deadline

Most of you still need to complete the comparison paragraph from the previous post. Please have that done for Monday.

All Unit 2 make-up work is due Friday, May 20th. The make-up assignments are available here. No Unit 2 make-up work will be accepted after this point.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Comparison/Contrast Paragraph Due Friday

1. Write a structured paragraph comparing and contrasting Hercules to two of the following heroes: Jason, Perseus, Theseus.

2. You will need to use transitional phrases from the chart below.

3. You will need to successfully incorporate a minimum of ONE quotation from the story of Hercules. Notes on quotation incorporation are available here.


Comparison Phrases:

Both...
Like...
Similarly...
Similar to...
In comparison to...
Likewise...
By comparison...
In the same way,...
...as well as...

Contrasting Phrases:

Although...
In contrast...
While...
On the other hand...
However...
On the contrary...
Whereas...
Unlike...
Contrastingly...

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Due Monday, May 9th

Many of you are rewriting the antithesis letter assignment to demonstrate proficiency. Resources are available below.

Antithesis Essay 2 Assignment

Antithesis Outline Frame (extra help, if needed)

Here is a partially filled in frame outline for the Jason Letter that may help you in the 2nd antithesis assignments.

Help Sessions:

Every morning: McElliott is available at 7:00 in room 113.

Wednesdays:

McElliott is available in room 113 from 2:30 -3:15
Lilly-Davison is available in room 114 from 3:15-4:00

Mondays:

McElliott is available in room 113 if there's no staff meeting
Lilly-Davision is available from 3:15-4:00

Friday, April 8, 2016

Due Wednesday

Your Jason Antithesis writing assignment is due on Wednesday, April 13th. Information about the assignment can be found here.

Past assignments from our Jason Unit are available below:

Jason Interactive Reading
Antithesis Notes and Practice Assignment

Friday, February 26, 2016

Hades Assignment Due Monday!

Create a summary of what you find out about Hades. As a summary of a place, it should be focused on:
• Important places and their purpose
• People associated with these locations
• Locations of these places in a logical way

 Using this summary, create a visual representation (map) of Hades as the Greeks envisioned it.

 To be considered complete, it must contain the following concepts:
o Tartarus/Erebus
o The Rivers: Acheron, Cocytus, Phlegethon, Styx, and Lethe
o Charon
o Gates of Entry
o Cerberus
o Judges: Rhadamanthus, Minos, Aeacus
o Pluto’s Palace
All of these concepts must be labeled on your map!
You will turn in a visual and a written summary!

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Newspaper Article Due Friday! Worth 5 Land!

Newspaper Article

Directions: Write an article in the style of a newspaper using formal voice in which you retell the story of one of the myths we have read or discussed so far in class.

Voice elements
 Formal voice in main text; school appropriate informal voice can be in quotations (slang, etc)
 No first person or second person in main text; first person appropriate in quotations
 Average to long sentences

 Length: 1- 1 ½ pages

Suggested myths:

 Struggle between the gods (Uranus, Cronus, Zeus)
 Demeter and Persephone
 Dionysus
 Creation of Mankind—Metals
 Prometheus and Epimetheus
 Prometheus and Io

Example:

The world was shocked yesterday by the sudden abduction of Persephone and her subsequent kidnapping down to the realm of Hades. Witnesses say that lord of death himself suddenly appeared on his chariot and snatched the innocent Persephone who was simply wandering in a field looking for flowers.
“I could see him in the distance,” a witness said. “He didn’t give Persephone any choice about whether she wanted to come with him. I was like so terrified.” Investigators into her disappearance are still not sure what Hades’ motives were. (Continued…)

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Due Friday! Structured Paragraph on Betrayal! Worth 10 Land!!!!

Your assignment for Friday is to write a structured paragraph that explain three examples of betrayal in the Greek story of Creation. The structured paragraph notes that we took in class are available here, and the fill in the blank paragraph guide is available here. The outline of the paragraph that we had up in class is below.

Structured Paragraph Outline

Topic sentence: Introduces support point and connects back to bigger idea (thesis)

Transition (Firstly, for example, first of all) +
1st Supporting example from myth—
 Brief summary of example
 Explanation of how this shows betrayal.
Transition (Secondly, additionally, furthermore) + 2nd Supporting example from myth.
 Brief summary of example
 Explanation of how this shows betrayal.
Transition (Finally, lastly) + 3rd Supporting example from myth—
 Brief summary of example
 Explanation of how this shows betrayal.

Summary sentence: Restates ideas in the topic sentence.


Remember, this is written as ONE paragraph, so you will only indent one time!

Extra fanciness: Avoid the words “this shows betrayal because…”

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Mythology Survey

If you were not in Mythology on the first day of the semester, you will need to complete the survey below and turn it in to me so that you can receive points for your first assignment.

Mythology Survey


1. Name
2. Tell me about your family…
3. Hobbies/ Sports/ Work/ Free time
4. Why did you decide to take Mythology
5. If you had to be an animal, which animal would you choose and why?
6. Briefly describe your experiences in your other high school English classes.
7. What is one project you would like to do in Mythology this year?
8. Who would you consider to be a personal hero of yours?
9. If you could change one thing about the current school system, what would you change?
10. What are your goals for life after high school?
11. If you could choose one supernatural power, what would you choose?
12. What do I need to know about you as a student and person in order to understand you better?

Monday, January 25, 2016

Odyssey Questions

Please answer the following questions based on your plot knowledge of the Odyssey.

1. How does the episode with the tapestry characterized Penelope? What is the significance of this characterization?

2. What is the importance on the story of the suitors demanding that Penelope choose one of them to marry?

3. What point of view is Homer using in the first section of the Odyssey prior to the flashback? Why is this an appropriate choice for him at this point in the story?

4. How does the episode of the Lotus Eaters characterize Odysseus?

5. In contrast to the book version where Odysseus stays on Circe's island willingly, in the 1990s movie version she tricks him not only into staying on the island but in "getting to know her better". Why do you think this change was made? How does it affect the characterization of Odysseus?

6. Speculate: How does one of Odysseus' men persuade all of the others to eat the cattle of the sun god Helios even when they know that doing so will bring about their destruction at the hands of the gods? What could he possibly say to them?

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Due Friday

You are reading the two versions of the Iliad and deciding which translation you like better. Your assignment is to write a paragraph that explains which version you think is better and use a quotation from each to support why one is better than the other. Your paragraph should demonstrate proper quotation incorporation and sufficient elaboration of evidence after each quotation.

Resource are available below:

Iliad Document

Quotation information