Essential Questions

 

  • How does the ancient world affect us today?
  • How does the understanding of ancient world literature aid you in enduring the present?
  • How does the understanding of said literature teach you about purpose and invention?
  • How can we analyze the similarities and differences of the ancient world throughout various tribal sects?
  • How can the creation of your own myth to describe your life help you to understand the myths we are reading?

 

 

Enduring Understandings

 

  • One gains insight into a culture by studying its literature
  • One gains insight into his/her life by studying the literature of the ancient world
  • The ability to be creative fosters higher order thinking skills and invention
  • Literature reveals the complexities of the world and human experience


Content Topics

 

Unit 1

The Gods/Goddesses

 

Unit 2

Creation Myths

 

Unit 3

Journey to the Underworld

 

Unit 4

Visions of the Apocalypse

 

Unit 5

Heroes and Epics

 

 

 

Key Skills

 

  • Linking literature to writing and the real world
  • Providing students with opportunities to create their own learning
  • Research skills including proper citation of sources
  • Providing students with the opportunity to connect to the real world

 

 

Assessments

 

  • Creative Writing
  • Writing portfolio that would include essays and research papers
  • Projects/Presentations
  • Discussions (through Wimba Classroom and Discussion Boards)
  • Graphic Organizers

 

 

Co-Curricular Support Activities

 

  • Research paper/project that incorporates historical background with literature
  • Art/music projects that show understanding of time periods studied as well as showcasing creativity

 

 

 

Standards

 

  • Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
  • Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.
  • Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
  • Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
  • Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
  • Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles.
  • Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
  • 1.3.11 Reading, analyzing and interpreting literature
  • 1.5.11 Quality of writing