The Odyssey Unit Overview
Overview of the Unit:
Students will read The Odyssey in order to understand the influential and historical significance of this text upon modern literature and art as well as to be able to recognize allusions in modern culture that connect back to Greek mythology and the model of the epic poem. Much of the reading will take place aloud in class during which I will model active reading skills. Beyond comprehending the text and noting its influential significance, students will also be encouraged to evaluate the text and whether it is worthy of being studied. Assessments and activities will vary on a weekly basis from analytical to creative writing to visual representations of characters and scenes in order to try to appeal to all types of learners. Lastly, I will expose students to a variety of other texts (poetry, song, novella, literary criticism) and art so that students are able to expand upon their understanding of The Odyssey and to be given the tools to critically evaluate it as a text.
Goals and Objectives:
Students will read, understand, interpret, and analyze The Odyssey as well as draw connections to other texts and works of art.
Students will evaluate The Odyssey as a text and whether it is worthy of study.
Students will create their own epic heroes and generate their own definitions of what a hero is or can be.
Students will think about alternative perspectives in storytelling and reflect upon how certain ancillary characters who do not have as strong of a voice may be thinking or what drives their actions.
Students will reflect upon how characters of different genders are portrayed.
Important Terms/Concepts for Students to Learn:
- Direct/indirect characterization - Allusion - Epic Hero - Descriptive Review Process
- In Medias Res - Homeric Simile - Epic Poem - Feminist and Gendered Lenses
- Counter-Narrative - Epithet - Deconstruction of a text
Essential Questions:
- What is a hero?
- Is Odysseus a hero?
- What is an epic? An epic poem?
- Why are heroes traditionally depicted as men or with masculine qualities?
- Why are the most notable epics written or told by white men?
- What is the importance of family and one's home?
- What does home mean?
- Do gender expectations affect how individuals act? If so, how?
- How does who narrates or tells a story affect the reader’s perception of the story?
- Does it matter who is telling or reporting a story?
- What is a counter-narrative? Why is it important to hear a story from multiple perspectives?
- Why do we study The Odyssey today? Is it worthy of study?
- In what ways has The Odyssey influenced modern literature and storytelling?
Students will read The Odyssey in order to understand the influential and historical significance of this text upon modern literature and art as well as to be able to recognize allusions in modern culture that connect back to Greek mythology and the model of the epic poem. Much of the reading will take place aloud in class during which I will model active reading skills. Beyond comprehending the text and noting its influential significance, students will also be encouraged to evaluate the text and whether it is worthy of being studied. Assessments and activities will vary on a weekly basis from analytical to creative writing to visual representations of characters and scenes in order to try to appeal to all types of learners. Lastly, I will expose students to a variety of other texts (poetry, song, novella, literary criticism) and art so that students are able to expand upon their understanding of The Odyssey and to be given the tools to critically evaluate it as a text.
Goals and Objectives:
Students will read, understand, interpret, and analyze The Odyssey as well as draw connections to other texts and works of art.
Students will evaluate The Odyssey as a text and whether it is worthy of study.
Students will create their own epic heroes and generate their own definitions of what a hero is or can be.
Students will think about alternative perspectives in storytelling and reflect upon how certain ancillary characters who do not have as strong of a voice may be thinking or what drives their actions.
Students will reflect upon how characters of different genders are portrayed.
Important Terms/Concepts for Students to Learn:
- Direct/indirect characterization - Allusion - Epic Hero - Descriptive Review Process
- In Medias Res - Homeric Simile - Epic Poem - Feminist and Gendered Lenses
- Counter-Narrative - Epithet - Deconstruction of a text
Essential Questions:
- What is a hero?
- Is Odysseus a hero?
- What is an epic? An epic poem?
- Why are heroes traditionally depicted as men or with masculine qualities?
- Why are the most notable epics written or told by white men?
- What is the importance of family and one's home?
- What does home mean?
- Do gender expectations affect how individuals act? If so, how?
- How does who narrates or tells a story affect the reader’s perception of the story?
- Does it matter who is telling or reporting a story?
- What is a counter-narrative? Why is it important to hear a story from multiple perspectives?
- Why do we study The Odyssey today? Is it worthy of study?
- In what ways has The Odyssey influenced modern literature and storytelling?