Look in the Mythic Mirror

Week 1: It's All Greek to Me...

Essential Questions ]|[ Standards ]|[ Objectives for this Lesson ]|[ Instructional Plan ]|[ Assessment

OVERVIEW

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.

OBJECTIVES FOR THIS LESSON

At the end of this week, students will be able to:

• Identify the characteristics of archetypal heroes.
• Define elements that shape and define a culture.
• Reflect on characteristics of their culture.
• Identify their online partners and establish contact with them via email.

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN

1. Introduce mythology through archetypal heroes. Show film clips featuring heroes such as, Luke Skywalker (Star Wars); Dorothy (The Wizard of Oz); Fivver (Watership Down); Mulan (Mulan).
   

Activities - Students:

• With the class, consider and discuss questions, such as: Why do we cheer for these characters? Why do we like them? How are we like them?
  
• Think about, pair your ideas with a partner, then share with the class how every culture, in every time, has had heroes and why this is so. Discuss what characteristics heroes of different cultures seem to have in common.
  
• Write a brief entry in your journal answering the question, "What heroes have influenced you and why?"
  

2. Have students share some of their thoughts from their journals about heroes. Are heroes similar to role models in our culture? Discuss with them the hero as a model for other cultural archetypes. Guide the class toward a discussion of culture and the Arts as a reflection of culture.
   
3. Initiate a large group brainstorming session on the topic, "What is Culture?" For middle school students, it might work to put the term "culture" on a bulletin board or chalkboard, and ask students to try to define it.
4. Have students consider ways the Arts reflect distinct elements of culture. Place the names of several well-known dances and dance troupes, musical groups and songs, artists and artworks, films, television programs and actors in a hat. Have every other student draw one out of the hat and together with a partner, discuss how culture is reflected through that art form or arts performer. (Include such items as River Dance group, Japanese dance, Latin dance, Tap dance, Ballroom dance; jazz, rap, gospel, R&B music, Wagner, Mozart, Beethoven; Michelangelo, Egyptian temple drawings; Disney movies, pop culture films; etc.)
   

Activities - Students:

• Discuss the art form or artist you've drawn out of a hat with your partner. How does your selection reflect culture? How does it shape culture? Prepare to make a brief statement to the class.
  
• Contribute to the class discussion about the tangible things that help to shape a culture (e.g., geography, ethnic homogeneity, pluralism, time and place, etc.)
  
• Participate in a class discussion on the less tangible extensions of these elements (e.g., temperament, values, religion, role models (authority, citizenry, the good person, etc.), conceptualization of progress and individual success, etc. Consider how our discussion of heroes might relate to this.
  
• In your journal, write a few paragraphs to define specific ways you see yourself as a "cultural package," i.e., influences in your environment you think have contributed to the way you dress, wear your hair, control your behavior and manners, dance, make music choices, guide your assessment of yourself and others as a success, etc.
  

4. Ask students to review what they've written. How many of them included "role models" as influences in their environment that have helped to shape them? Who are their role models? Are any of their role models the same as the people they wrote down as heroes in their prior journal entries?
5. Provide a list of six [most accessible] Greek archetypes with their counterparts. The teacher may wish to add to this list if the class is larger than 30 students.
   

• The Temptress – Aphrodite
  
• The Innocent – Persephone
  
• The Warrior – Aries
  
• The Mother – Demeter
  
• The Trickster – Mercury
  
• The Destroyer – Hades
  

5. Divide the class into six groups of 4-5, depending on class size. Assign each group an archetype, and assign each member of the group a cooperative learning group role, such as:
   • recorder (keeps record of group's findings)
   • webmaster (serves as keyboardist for the group's Internet searches)
   • facilitator (helps to move group through its responsibilities)
   • moderator (helps to resolve potential conflicts and redirects action of group to task)
   • summarizer (is able to succinctly report orally on the work of the group)
   • librarian (disseminates print materials for use among group members and assures students use assigned URLs during Internet work)

All group members are to play the role of researchers, as well.

Develop a cooperative group work scoring guide with students, so they understand the expectations of working in cooperative groups (see sample scoring guides in Week 3 and Weeks 9-10). Click here for information on cooperative learning groups from the Cooperative Learning Network. Note: This link will take you away from the current Web site.

Activities - Students:

• Work as a member of your cooperative group to complete Internet and print research about your archetype and corresponding Greek mythological characters.
• Use at least three print resources and three Web sites to find out information about your mythological character. Who is this character? How is this character viewed by others? Why is this character important? How has the name of your character been used in other contexts and is this context appropriate to the character? (e.g., Ajax was a great Greek warrior in The Iliad, and today, is known as a powerful cleaning product)
• Write how the character has "lived up to" the archetype he/she defines.
• Develop a convincing statement about why your archetype is important even today.
• Come up with a modern day, real-life character that represents your group's archetype.
  
• Plan a strategy to tell others about your mythological character.
• (for the end of Week 3) Collaborate with your group members to determine at least two of the following things to help others better understand your mythological character: a voice, a movement or dance, a costume, a favorite saying, a favorite color.

6. Have students establish first contact with two partner classrooms for the unit via email or an online exchange area sponsored by ARTSEDGE or another Web host. Students should be paired with one classroom partner, and then the two should "meet" their four online partners (two students from each remote classroom, ideally six students per team). After introductions, have each of the six online partners share the modern day images associated with their Greek characters, as discovered during cooperative group research.
7. Teachers should continue to communicate via email to confirm the timeline laid out for this unit.

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   CORRESPONDING ASSESSMENTS

   • Discussion: making connections between heroes, role models, archetypes; discussing culture and the relationship of arts to culture
     
   • Journal entries: heroes; "Me as a cultural package"
   • Partner work: Think-Pair-Share; analysis of arts reflecting/shaping culture
     
   • Cooperative groups: scoring guide; completed research on archetypes and mythological characters (see Weeks 2-3)
   • Online: Introductory communications with unit online partners; completion of list of modern day images associated with Greek characters

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