Introduction
]|[ Standards ]|[ Resources
]|[ Process Introduction
]|[ Standards ]|[ Resources
]|[ Process
For the purposes of publishing a specific ten-week sequence, the authors have chosen to break down activities into weeks with approximately 250 minutes of instruction within each week. The teacher will be working with students to gain and synthesize new information the first several weeks, and students should have Internet access. Please read the overview of this unit for information about unit objectives, teacher and student preparation, links to national standards and assessment.
Week 1: It's All Greek to Me... (Introduction to Greek Myths
through Cultural Archetypes)
This lesson introduces Greek mythology through archetypal heroes, and involves students in
researching a particular mythological character. Students also consider how heroes are a
reflection of culture, and how the arts might contribute to the reflection of culture. In
preparation for later, the class establishes first contact with a partner class via the
Internet.
Weeks 2-3: I'm Reading You Now (Exploring Myths through
Literature and the Arts)
This lesson spans the course of two weeks, and provides students the opportunity to
further explore Greek mythology through various art forms. Students are introduced to
Reader's Theater as a means of presenting their mythological character and its related
myth. Week 3 Project and Scoring
Guide
Week 4: That's a Classic...Composition (An Introduction to
Composition, Form, and Structure)
This lesson introduces the concept of composition and structure in writing. Students will
be able to understand how composition can influence the effect of a story on its audience.
They will also compare composition and structure in literature to composition and
structure in music.
Week 5: I've got Rhythm! (Rhythm in Poetry and Music)
In this lesson, students explore the relationships between music, poetry, and visual art.
Using the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, the students develop an awareness of the
compositional elements of the Classical style, and the aesthetic effects of those
elements.
Week 6: Something Funny Happened When... (Storytelling and
Introduction to non-Western mythology)
This lesson illustrates myths and archetypal characteristics through the art of
storytelling. Students will compare and contrast their own original stories, with
mythological stories. Students will also identify archetypal features of African Masks,
and create their own masks that demonstrate those features.
Week 7: The Cultural Connection (Comparing Cultures and Their
Myths)
This lesson gives students the opportunity to compare and contrast Western mythology with
mythology from other cultures. Students will develop a more advanced understanding of the
previous weeks' material. As they recognize archetypal patterns across cultures, students
will note how mythology helps to define values of different cultures.
Week 8: Piecing it All Together (Comparing Cultures Through
Poetry)
This lesson teaches students the link between all the arts and culture. The students focus
first on poetry, distinguishing between classical forms and pattern poetry, and including
a poem in their journals for the final project. Students then begin to finalize their
presentations, considering how they can present their society using the tools they have
now learned.
Weeks 9-10: Reflections on All We've Learned (Synthesis:
Presentation of Mythological Societies)
Students develop, rehearse, and present their final projects. Culminating
Project and scoring guide
ADDITIONAL LINKS
These files are accessed through ARTSEDGE
and are provided as links within the text of lessons.
Week 1 | Weeks 2-3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Weeks 9-10