Stuart

Dent Teaching Communication Dr. Sherry November 7, 2010 Unit Rationale Rationale For my Unit, I am going to teach The Heros Journey as it relates to the book Walk Two Moons. Through this unit, students will be introduced to the process that a hero goes through in their transition from innocence to experience. I will then relate this process to the trials that Sal has to face in the search for her mother in Walk Two Moons. In addition, I will teach students about the writing process and what a proper essay should consist of. In accomplishing all of these tasks, I will be able to make sure that all students touch on a wide range of standards that address reading, writing, and speaking. The first reason I believe that this is a great idea for a lesson plan is that the Heros Journey is an important process to understand since it is seen in many different pieces of literature and can help students out with understanding a wide array of texts. I believe that all students should have at least a light grasp of Joseph Campbells study on the monomyth and A Hero With a Thousand Faces. Through this unit, I will be able to incorporate some excerpts from Campbell and also some graphic break downs of what they heros journey entails. The second reason that I chose this as my unit plan is that fact that Walk Two Moons is a pretty easy book for students to comprehend, so they wont be too caught up on plot twists and will be more interested in the deeper themes. Also, this is a much more approachable book than epic poems that could otherwise be used to teach the same lesson. I think that this book would work perfectly in an 8th or 9th grade classroom. In addition to the study from Joseph Campbell and the book by Sharon Creech, I plan on incorporating other types of media to help the students understand the heros struggle and try to get them to identify the Heros Journey in other mediums such as film and music. I think that this will be a fun and intriguing lesson, and each of the students will walk away with knowledge of Campbell and the satisfaction of having understood a good book on a deep level. Guiding Questions What is a hero? What qualities do they have? How can the heros journey relate to the life of an adolescent? Could the journey of an adolescent relate to the journey of someone like Ulysses? What is a formal essay and how is it written? Grading Breakdown for Unit: 25%= Final Essay 25%= Final Exam 25%= Heros Journey diagram 25%= Participation (including in class journals)

Comment [1]: Rob, youve addressed many of the facets of our rubric here: DIVERSITY of media, RELEVANCE to the discipline, ALIGNMENT with standards, and UNITY across a breakdown of stages J Your Guiding Questions below, address RELEVANCE to the life of an adolescent, something I think this rationale could do more to emphasizeafter all, one of the arguments for reading YA Literature like Walk Two Moons is that it speaks to students experiences more than epic poetry (not only in terms of form, but of content). Comment [2]: I think the previous question does a better job than this yes/no question. I see this being applied below to Sals journey. How might you relate this to students lives? (RELEVANCE)? Comment [3]: Any way to connect this to the heros journey? (not that its necessary, but simply because it might provide another way of increasing UNITY, making the Unit coherent and accessible). Perhaps the home- away-home structure is somewhat like Intro, Body, and Conclusion? To open, explore, and close a question or problem?

Day #1 Unit: Walk Two Moons and the Heros Journey Lesson #1: What is a hero & Journal introduction Time: 50 minutes Standards Addressed: 1.2.8.A Read and understand essential content of informational texts and documents in all academic areas. 1.6.8.D Contribute to Discussions 1.1.8.G Demonstrate after reading, understanding and interpretation of both fiction and non- fiction texts, including public documents 1.5.8.A Write with a sharp distinct focus. Objectives: 1.Students will understand the journaling process that will take place at the beginning of class in order to ensure that they keep up with their journaling throughout the lesson. (1.5.8.A) 2. Students will have a basic understanding of Joseph Campbells idea of the Monomyth in order to apply it to Walk Two Moons.( 1.2.8.A; 1.1.8.G ) 3. Students will study the Heros Journey diagram and have a basic idea of what it is in order to apply it to the class conversation of their own with stories of the heros journey. (1.6.8.D) Materials Needed: Walk Two Moons Journals Heros Journey diagram Technology Used: Dry Erase Board Document Camera Differentiated Instruction: Any student who has difficulty seeing the board or projector will be seated towards the front of the classroom. Any students with hearing impairments will have the option to receive the class notes from the teacher after the class period is over. Any student IEP will be studied by the teacher and followed at all times. Lesson Outline: 1. Introduction: (10minutes) A. Students will receive their Blue Book that they will journal in throughout the unit. B. During a 10 minute free write in their journals, , students will answer the question What is a hero? What makes a person a hero? Do Heros have to have super powers? How can a regular person be heroic?

Comment [4]: DIVERSITY J

2. Heros Journey: (30 minutes) A. Write What is a Hero on the dry-erase board. 1. Have the students volunteer some qualities and the teacher writes them on the board. Students can add some of these qualities to their journal from the beginning of class. B. Hand out the graphic organizer of the heros journey and put it on the doc. Cam. 1. Briefly explain who Joseph Campbell is and his theory of The Hero with a Thousand Faces. How new stories follow similar plots etc 2. Look at the different stages a hero must go through in order to be successful on the hand out 3. Have students volunteer different stories that they know that are about a heros journey. Give a couple minutes to think. If they dont come up with anything, see if they can explain why The Lion King, Harry Potter, The Matrix, etc. are Heros Journeys. 4. Explain that this system is going to be important throughout the whole unit and will be applied to the reading. C. Hand out Walk Two Moons novels to each student. 1. Explain very briefly what this story is about and how it is going to relate to the heros journey. 2. After assigning homework, start to read the novel until the class period ends. 3. Closing: (10 minutes) A. Assign homework and see if there are any further questions. B. Begin reading Walk Two Moons until the period is over. Key Questions: What is a hero? What are some of the key characteristics of the journey one has to go on to become a hero? What are some qualities of a person who is not a hero? Assessment: Formatively assess students by watching the information they volunteer on the Heros journey. Make sure they can apply the information from the Heros journey diagram to a story they are familiar with. Homework: A. Finish reading up to page 45. B. Be prepared to answer questions in tomorrows journal about what they are reading.

Comment [5]: Like that you take up the journal, making it seem worthwhile to students J Will you explain the purpose of the journal, how it will be graded, responded to, etc? Comment [6]: How might you connect this to the previous activity? (e.g., So these are some qualities of a herodoes a person have to be born with these qualities? Or So these are some similarities among the characteristics of a heroclearly across stories, heroes are in some ways similar. Now were going to talk about another similarity across stories related to heroes.

Comment [7]: Specific assessmentallows for a variety of answers that still show evidence of learning this concept J ALIGNed with final assessment J

The Heros Jourey

Borrowed from: <http://nancyjparra.blogspot.com/2010/07/heros-journey.html>

Day #2 Unit: Walk Two Moons and The Heros Journey Lesson #2: >pg 46 of Walk Two Moons & Odyssey Time: 50minutes Standards Addressed: 1.1.8.H Demonstrate fluency and comprehension in reading 1.3.8.A Read and understand works of literature 1.6.8.A Listen to others 1.6.8.D Contribute to discussions 1.6.8.E Participate in small and large group discussions and presentations. Objectives: Students show understanding of homework reading assignment by being able to develop a textually based opinion of our main characters in the morning journal.( 1.1.8.H; 1.3.8.A) Students will demonstrate understanding of The Heros Journey by relating it to The Odyssey handout. (1.1.8.H; 1.3.8.A) Students will work as a class to come up with connections between The Odyssey excerpt and the ideas of Joseph Campbell that were discussed yesterday in order to get comfortable connecting the heros journey to different stories. (1.6.8.A; 1.6.8.D; 1.6.8.E) Materials Needed: Walk Two Moons Students Journals Odyssey Synopsis (located at the end of the unit plan) Differentiated Instruction: Any student who has difficulty seeing the board or projector will be seated towards the front of the classroom. Any students with hearing impairments will have the option to receive the class notes from the teacher after the class period is over. Any student IEP will be studied by the teacher and followed at all times. Lesson Outline: 1. Introduction(15 Minutes) A. Students will take out their Blue Books and answer the question What do you think of Sal so far? What about Phoebe? Why do you have these opinions? B. After 10 minutes of writing, ask What do you think of our two main characters so far? Get feedback from the classroom on their interaction with the book so far. 2.Odyssey and Heros Journey: (25minutes) A. Hand out the synopsis of The Odyssey.

 1. Explain the significance of The Odyssey. Why is it an important text to use with the Heros Journey? Who wrote it? When? 2. Have the class silently read the excerpt and think about how Ulysses journey relates back to the heros journey from yesterdays class. 3. As the class reads, they should take notes on the excerpt with the heros journey in mind. Remind them that this reading can be used as a source in the final project dealing with Walk Two Moons. 3. Closure: (10 minutes) 1. Assign the home work 2. Get at least three response to the question what did you learn today? About The Odyssey? About the heros journey? 3. Teacher reads to class from the assigned homework until the period is over. Assessment: Judging from the answers that groups put forth, it can be assessed whether or not they were able to comprehend the excerpt and if they were able to relate it back to the story of Ulysses. Look for students to be able to specifically apply the stages from yesterdays diagram to todays reading. Class should be able to apply the stages of The Odyssey to Joseph Campbells ideas with high accuracy. Homework: 1. Finish reading up to page 90. Stress the importance of being up to date on reading since tomorrow we will be reading together and need to be at the same point. 2. Be prepared to answer questions about the reading in tomorrows journal.
Comment [8]: How might you help them know how to do this? For instance, you might say, Please use this to map Ulysses journey onto the heros journey diagram or What are the main ideas of this piece? What overall argument is it making? How do you know?

Comment [9]: Why three?

Comment [10]: J ALIGNED with final assessment J

Comment [11]: What made you decide to reserve the journaling for in-class activities rather than at home, while reading? How else might you help students remain accountable for reading (and also help them practice the skill of active reading)?

Day #3 Unit: Walk two Moons & Heros Journey Time: 50 minutes Lesson: Reading pages 90-120

Standards Addressed: 1.1.8.H Demonstrate fluency and comprehension in reading 1.2.8.A Read and understand essential content of informational texts and documents in all academic areas. 1.3.8.A Read and understand works of literature. Objectives: Students will show their ability to read out loud in a big group in order to show their progression towards meeting the Pa standards. (1.1.8.H; 1.2.8.A; 1.3.8.A) Students will show their comprehension of Walk Two Moons up to this point by being able to develop opinions in their journals using textual evidence from Walk Two Moons. (1.3.8.A ) Students will be shown active reading techniques by looking up tough words, using context clues, and reacting to recently read scenes. (1.1.8.H; 1.3.8.A; 1.2.8.A) Materials Needed: Walk Two Moons Journals Differentiated Instruction: Any student who has difficulty seeing the board or projector will be seated towards the front of the classroom. Any students with hearing impairments will have the option to receive the class notes from the teacher after the class period is over. Any student IEP will be studied by the teacher and followed at all times. Lesson Outline: 1.Introduction- (10minutes) A. Students will write in their journals to answer the question Why do you think that Sal is scared of Margaret? How would you describe the relationship between Sal and her father? 2.Group Reading (35minutes) A. Students will get their journals and books and make a big circle in the middle of the classroom. Ask What do we think of Sal so far? Is she a likeable character? Is she believable? What details make a character believable? Have students begin to address why a person may be an unreliable narrator? Do adolescents lie? Do adolescents hide things?

Comment [12]: J

Comment [13]: How does this relate to the previous activity?

 C. After the class has had the opportunity to discuss their feelings about our narrator, we will begin to popcorn read around the circle. No students should be called on twice until every student has read and everyone should take on at least two full paragraphs. 1. Stop at words that may be difficult and ask for a definition. If no one knows, look it up or use contextual clues. Do this to teach active reading. 2. Stop at big turning points in the novel. Have students reflect on what just took place to make sure they are actively paying attention while reading. This will develop more skillful readers.

D. Some key questions for during the reading: 1. Who do you think the lunatic is? 2. What do you think has happened with Sals mom? Why is Sal described as trying to catch fish in the air?(115)

Comment [14]: Yesmodeling the kind of techniques they might use while reading independently J UNITY

3. Closing(5minutes) A. Assign the homework reading and make students aware of the following journal question. B. Call on three different students. Ask for unique responses to What more have we learned about Sals story today in our reading? Homework: Read to page 176. Be prepared to answer a question in tomorrows journal on the homework reading. Keep thinking of the different stages of Heros Journey as you read. Take notes to help you with your upcoming writing assignment. Assessment: Watch and listen to each student as they read aloud. Check for students fluency as they read, their ability to sound out harder words. See if they are able to use context clues to figure out words. See if they actively participate in the book as they read it (respond to interesting scenes, develop opinions about characters, picture events with their imaginations)

Comment [15]: Like how this creates some accountabilitythey may not know what youll ask, so they have to be prepared J Consider a two-column reading journal system to help students select and respond to textual evidence as they read? Comment [16]: Will you check for this?

Day #4 Unit: Walk two Moons & Heros Journey Time: 50 minutes

Lesson: >pg176 and Essay Workshop #1

Standards Addressed: 1.4.8.B Write multi-paragraph informational pieces (e.g., letters, descriptions, reports, instructions, essays, articles, interviews. 1.5.8.A Write with a sharp distinct focus 1.5.8.C Write with controlled and/or subtle organization 1.6.8.D Contribute to discussion Objectives: Students will again journal about their reading from the night before in order to make sure they are understanding the reading and developing opinions about the characters. (1.5.8.A; 1.5.8.C) Students will fully understand the importance of audience in a formal essay in order to be better prepared to write their summative essay. (1.4.8.B; 1.5.8.C; 1.5.8.A) Students will fully understand what focus is and why it is important in order to be better prepared to write their summative essay. (1.5.8.A; 1.4.8.B; 1.5.8.C) Materials Needed: Walk Two Moons Loose-leaf paper Rubric for Essay Differentiated Instruction: Any student who has difficulty seeing the board or projector will be seated towards the front of the classroom. Any students with hearing impairments will have the option to receive the class notes from the teacher after the class period is over. Any student IEP will be studied by the teacher and followed at all times. Lesson Outline: 1. Introduction:(15minutes) A. Students will write in their journals to answer the question Why is Sal Telling Phoebes story? What makes it easy to talk about a friends trials? B. After 10 minutes of writing, we will discuss the answer to the question as a class. Also, ask Are there any questions about the book so far? Anything you need cleared up? 2. Writing Workshop #1: (30minutes) A. Introduce the writing assignment that will be due on the last day of the unit. 1. Handout the rubrics for the assignment to every student. 2. Remind them to keep the information of The Heros Journey with them as they read.

 B. What is a formal essay? 1. Make sure everyone is taking notes on the ideas in this lesson. 2. Have students get into pairs and discuss what they think a formal essay is. What is the difference between a formal essay and the journaling that is done in the beginning of class? What makes a piece of writing a Formal Essay 3. After 10 minutes, write Formal Essay on the board. Take input from each group and write it on the board to formulate what a formal essay is. C. Make sure the students touch on Audience! 1. If they do not come up with it themselves, ask prompting questions such as, How is a letter to a friend different than a letter to the governor? Why do you talk to you mom different than your bus driver? 2. Discuss Audience and how the person we are writing for effects how we write. Also, stress the importance of keeping audience in mind in everything that we write. D. Make sure the idea of Focus is brought up. 1. Talk about the importance of a focus and the idea of a thesis statement. Make sure that they know the entire essay should contribute to that focus. 2. for a real world example, i.e. If you were trying to convince your guardian to let you stay out later, how would you decide what to saywhat not to say? Would you go off on long tangents? 3. Closing: (5mnitues) A. Students should all take out a piece of paper and answer each of the following questions in 1-2 sentences 1. What is a formal essay? 2. What is a papers focus? 3. Why is audience important? D. Read until the period ends. Homework: Read to page 216 in Walk Two Moons. Be ready to hand journals in for checking at the end of tomorrows class. These journals will be graded on completeness and textually based opinions. (Participation grade) Assessment: Students will be assessed on their ability to apply the concepts of audience and focus to their own experiences. They should be able to produce at least 5 reasons why knowing your audience is important and 5 reasons why a writers focus is important.

Comment [17]: Like that you have students do this to give them a sense that they have input, are already knowledgeable on this topic (RELEVANCE) J Also helps you assess what they already know J Consider giving them the rubric after this activity, so they can see how their ideas are reflected in the categories/criteria?

Comment [18]: Family member is also an acceptable alternative to parent Comment [19]: Love these RELEVANT examples J Comment [20]: This should make for an excellent assessment of this activity J

Due: Last day of Unit.

Name:_______________________
Comment [21]: Like that you include this right after the lesson in which you introduce it CONVENTIONS J

Formal Essay Throughout this unit, we will discuss Walk Two Moons, the heros journey, and some information about how to write a clear and effective essay. This essay will be a cumulation of all of that information. Your assignment is to write a paper that meets the requirements of the rubric below and answers the question How is Sals journey related to the heros journey? Feel free to use the other texts we talked about during class in your essay. Criteria Length/ Requirements 4 The essay is at least 3 pages and has used 3 sources The essay has no errors and flows smoothly with great organization 3 The essay is at least 3 pages and uses 2 sources The essay has few errors with good organization 2 The essay is barely 3 pages and uses 2 sources The essay has errors that distract from its meaning and organization is lacking The essays argument is weak with just a few points backed up with textual evidence Most quotations are cited in the text and the work cited page has 3-4 errors in MLA style. 1 The essay is 1- 2 pages and uses 1 source The essay has many errors and lacks organization.

Readability

Argument

Proper Citations

The essay has a great argument with points that are backed up with factual evidence All quotations and cited in the text and the work cited page is complete. Both follow the MLA standards perfectly

The essays argument is good with frequent evidence to back up claims All quotations were cited in the text and work cited page is complete with 1-2 errors in MLS style

The essay makes no argument and uses no evidence from the book. Some of the quotes are cited in the text and the work cited page is lacking much of the MLA format.

Comment [22]: I like that you spell out both quantitative and qualitative criteria in this rubric that ALIGN with your unit goals J How might you incorporate audience and focus? What made you decide to include organization with mechanics under readability? I notice that a student could write a 3 page paper with proper citations and pass the assignment, even if that paper was unreadable and had no argument. Perhaps fold citations into requirements? Instead of great, good, and weak, what criteria might you use that would be more illustrative (knowing that youll still have to explain, model, and practice them with students)? Perhaps debatable? Coherent? Thorough? Relevant? Comment [23]: Here you introduce quantity (though its not present in the 4 description): is how its backed up important to you (as well as how many quotes are used)? For instance, should the quotes go together to make a coherent argument?

Day #5 Unit: Walk two Moons & Heros Journey Time: 50 minutes Standards Addressed: 1.3.8.A Read and understand works of literature. 1.4.8.B Write multi-paragraph informational pieces. 1.5.8.B Write using well-developed content appropriate for the topic. 1.5.8.C Write with controlled and/or subtle organization. Objectives: Students will show comprehension of Walk Two Moons up to this point by being able to journal about the main characters actions. (1.3.8.A) Students will be able to recall the information from the last lesson on focus and audience in order to show retention of the last lesson. (1.4.8.B; 1.5.8.C; 1.5.8.B) Students will show their comprehension at least 3 different styles of pre-writing by being able to explain what they are and what they help the author do. (1.5.8.C; 1.5.8.B; 1.4.8.B) Materials Needed: Walk Two Moons Journals Prewriting handout Technology Used: Document Camera Lesson: Walk Two Moons>216 & Essay Workshop #2

Differentiated Instruction: Any student who has difficulty seeing the board or projector will be seated towards the front of the classroom. Any students with hearing impairments will have the option to receive the class notes from the teacher after the class period is over. Any student IEP will be studied by the teacher and followed at all times. Lesson Outline: 1.Introduction(15 minutes) A. In their journals, have students write their answer to Why is Sal telling Phoebes Story? What makes it easy to talk about a friends trials? B. Class discussion about Why is Sal telling Phoebes story? Students should mention that Sal is telling us about herself through her friends because it is easier to talk about a friend than yourself. 2. Writing Workshop #2 (25minutes)

Comment [24]: How might you relate this to audience and focus?

A. Start by reintroducing focus and audience to make sure the students have retained the information they were given in the previous class. This would be a class discussion.

B. Talk about the writing process. Stress the importance of how a student writes, not just what they write. These following questions should get the students to think about their writing process. 1. Ask how they go about writing essays. Do they make graphs, free-writes, etc? 2. Where do they do their writing? What time of day, is it at home, on the bus, etc. C. Students in groups of two should work together and come up with a list of ways that they have done prewriting in the past. 1. Have students share the different ways that they have been introduced to. Stress that they should be formulating ideas and deciding if a topic is going to work during this phase. 2. Hand out Prewriting Techniques sheet to the class while they are discussing. 3. While the class is looking at the pre-writing hand out, have them think of the different reasons why we should pre-write. Make sure this list has selecting evidence to use, arranging evidence, figuring out audience, and developing ideas are all mentioned D. Have Prewriting Techniques sheet on the Doc. Cam. So that as students give examples, we can go over more in depth exactly what they are and how each type of prewriting works. If their type of prewriting is not on the document, have them explain it to the class. Have students take notes on their prewriting handout while we discuss 3. Closure (10minutes) A. Assign the reading for tonight. Remind students that we are looking for the Heros Journey in Sals story for the final essay and project. B. Collect journals from the class to check the work they have done in them this week. C. Call on different students to volunteer information before the class can be dismissed. 1. Ask for 3 different reasons why we do pre-writes. 2. Ask for their favorite style of prewriting and why is it their favorite? What does it help them do? Homework: Finish reading Walk Two Moons. Assessment: Each student will be assessed on what they have put into their journal so far. They will be able to get 20 points per day for journals that show that the students are developing opinions of the book through textual based evidence and writing at least 1 blue book page every class. Shorter journals that dont have textual reasons for claims will not receive full points.

Comment [25]: Love that you ask students to consider this aspect of their processes J

Comment [26]: Sometimes you have everyone write, and sometimes just call on a few. Why this variation?

borrowed from <http://www.english.upenn.edu/~mulready/Handouts/Invention%20Handout.pdf>

Name:____________________________ Handout: Pre-Writing Techniques

Many people believe that good writing comes from some situations like those described in the following brief dramatic scene: Setting: A dark study, lit only by the flame of a flickering candle. Young Will Shak-sper sits, quill in hand, staring blankly into space. Will: (Thinking out loud) Why cant I think of anything to write? Humanity is such a huge topic. Hmmm.where shall I dine tonight? I wonder if that shrewish Kate is mad at me, shes sowait, aha! I have it. (dips his quill and writes) Two households, both alike in dignity In fair Verona, where we lay our scene. Believing in stories like the one above is the first sure step to writers block, which is simply another way of saying thinking too hard. In fact, very few (if any) writers actually write like this (Shakespeare included). Writing begins with the process of compiling information, evidence, and sketchy ideas. The next step in the writing process is to take that information and begin to form it into connections, arguments, and more polished prose that will lead you into the drafting process. We might call this the invention stage. No two writers do this the same way, so here is a list of various strategies for getting your ideas down on paper: Directed Free Writing To free write is to let your mind go and write spontaneously, often for a set amount of time. The process of just writing in a stream of consciousness can often free up thoughts and ideas about which we arent even fully conscious, or that we havent articulated to ourselves. In directed free writing, you focus on a topic, and let what you think and know about the topic flow out in a focused stream of ideas. As a first step in the invention stage, you might sit down with a paper assignment and write continuously for fifteen minutes. Your words may not come quickly at first, but stick with it and force yourself to try to write for those fifteen minutes, you might be surprised with what comes outyou might generate questions whose answers help lead you to an argument or new set of ideas. Even if you only come up with one solid idea in those fifteen minutes, you have succeeded in freeing up your thinking, which (as the name might suggest!) is the point of free writing. As a second step, you might take that idea and write more about it, or shift to another strategy to continue the invention process (or, perhaps start drafting your essay, depending on how well developed this idea is). Listing

Comment [27]: Like this anecdote to introduce this important idea J How might you lay this out on the page to make it more accessible? Use headings? Indent? Pictures/Clip art? CRAP principles (CONTRAST, REPETITION, ALIGNMENT, PROXIMITY)?

Some writers find it helpful to make lists of their ideas, breaking significant ideas into sublists and seeing where they lead. This strategy can be approached as a form of free writing if you try to let your mind go and jot down words and phrases that are related. You can create lists by pulling related ideas out of your notes or your readings. A caution: The linear nature of lists can sometimes lead you to planning the structure of your paper prematurely. Try to use lists as a way of brainstorming, then you can make another list to help with structure. Outlining Outlines are more structured versions of lists, grouping ideas in a hierarchical order (I., A., 1,, a., etc.) with main points broken into subordinate points, and sometimes indicating evidence in support of these points. You might use outlines as a first stage in generating ideas during your invention process, or you can use outlines as a second step in invention: after free writing and/or listing, you might refine and build on your ideas by putting them in an outline for a workable structure in which to discuss the ideas youve brainstormed. Clustering and Branching These two methods of invention are more visual, nonlinear versions of listing and outlining. With both clustering and branching, you can start with an assignments main topic (or with an idea generated in free writing) and you brainstorm related ideas that flow from that main idea. Clustering involves writing an idea in the middle of a page and circling it. Then draw lines leading from that circle or bubble to new bubbles where you write different subtopics of that central idea. Picking the subtopics that interest you most, draw lines leading to more bubbles wherein you note important aspects of the subtopics. Branching follows the same principle, but instead of placing ideas in bubbles, write them on lines that branch off into other lines, containing the related subtopics of your larger topic. This technique can be helpful because it allows you to freely explore ideas and can give you visual evidence of your interests and knowledge: the more branches or bubbles you have along one line of ideas, the more competence or interest you likely have in that idea. Drafting Drafting is the next step in the process of writing, but it can also be effective in invention.If you have a good idea of what you want to write about, sit down and begin to draft. You might end up deleting all of what you write at first, saving only one sentence. But this still allows you to get your ideas down on paper and can lead you to further investigation. Remember, nothing comes from nothing, writing is not simply what one does the night before turning in an essay. You should write at every stage of the process!

Comment [28]: Illustrate some of these with examples?

Comment [29]: Such an important lesson! J

Day #6 Unit: Walk two Moons & Heros Journey Time: 50 minutes Standards Addressed: 1.3.8.A Read and understand works of literature. 1.4.8.B Write multi-paragraph informational pieces. 1.5.8.B Write using well-developed content appropriate for the topic. 1.5.8.C Write with controlled and/or subtle organization. 1.8.8.C Organize, summarize, and present the main ideas for research. -Give precise formal credit for others ideas, images, or information using a standard method of documentation. Objectives: Students will demonstrate an understanding of Walk Two moons by being able to discuss the novel during the classroom conversation. (1.3.8.A ) Students will be able to make a work cited page, following all of the MLA guidelines in order to prepare for the final essay assignment. (1.8.8.C ) Students will understand the importance of transitions in writing and be able to use them to make example sentences flow together. (1.5.8.C; 1.4.8.B) Students will understand the importance of revising a paper, checking to make sure ideas are coherent and that they wrote exactly what their opinion was. (1.5.8.B; 1.4.8.B) Lesson: Walk Two Moons & Essay Workshop #3

Comment [30]: Specify: understand what? How?

Materials Needed: Transitions Worksheet Walk Two Moons Loose Leaf Paper

Comment [31]: Love how youve used in order to to remind you and students of why these objectives matter J ALIGNMENT/RELEVANCE And I like that you link these objectives to standards in parens J ALIGNMENT

Differentiated Instruction: Any student who has difficulty seeing the board or projector will be seated towards the front of the classroom. Any students with hearing impairments will have the option to receive the class notes from the teacher after the class period is over. Any student IEP will be studied by the teacher and followed at all times. Lesson Outline: 1. Introduction (20 minutes)

A. Give students back the journals that were handed in during the last class. B. for 5 minutes, have them answer the questions What do you think of Sals story? Can you understand why Sal went on the trip with her grandparents? Why do you think she felt obligated to go? C. Once students have finished writing; start a discussion about the book as a whole. Asking these types of questions to probe conversation 1. Did you like the story? Why or why not? 2. Were you able to figure out what was going on with Sal ahead of time? If so, How? If not, do you see some textual clues that could have helped you reach the correct conclusion? 3. Can you think of a word to describe Sal? What made you select this word? 2. Essay Workshop (25 minutes) A. Ask students What are transitions? Try to get them to volunteer specific examples of transition words that they see in different essays, speeches, books, etc. 1. Have the class compile a list of different transitional words. Come up with as many as you can in 5 minutes. 2. Hand out the transition worksheet. Have the students work by themselves to complete the activity. 3. Ask for students to pop corn read the passage inserting the transition word that they have selected. B. Revising: 1. Ask the students how long they normally spend editing and revising their papers after they think that their first draft is complete? What happens during this process? 2. Explain to the students that the revising process has been going on throughout their writing as they have reworked ideas, changed words, and rewrote sentences during most of their writing sessions. 3. What should happen during revising? Start by bringing up some of the good ideas that have been already said by the students. Elaborate on some of these ideas. Make sure that they have touched on a. making sure they have written is exactly what they meant to say. b. make sure they have not written anything that they do not agree with. Stress that we are really interested in what they have to say and not to just take on the voice they think a teacher wants to hear. c. make sure that their sentences all flow and the their paragraphs are all sentences following the same ideas. C. Editing 1. What is the difference between revising and editing? Explain that editing should be done to make sure that there are no small errors (spelling, commas, capitalization, etc.), whereas revising has to do with the overall message of the paper.
Comment [32]: How might you relate this workshop to the previous activity? (This might be a question to pose across lessons). One way to think about this might be to use the text itself (or supporting materials about the textthere must be some essays about Walk Two Moons) as mentor: how might we imitate what other authors do at this point in the text to learn how to improve our own writing? Another tack is to link by apply a technique or idea to that moment of the text (e.g., practice this strategy in your journals as you address this question) A third possibility: relate the idea of transition to heros journey itself?

 2. Explain that editing has also been going on throughout their writing process and shouldnt necessarily be thought of as a separate entity. D. Collect the transition sheets to be graded for participation. Students will need to complete 80% of the transitions in order to get full points. 3. Closure (5 minutes): A. How this all ties in 1. The students should know that everything they have learned in their essay workshops is going to help them writing a coherent paper for their final project. 2. Encourage everyone to keep their sheets (once they are handed back) and notes to make sure they remember what they learned. B. Assign home work for the night.

Homework: Write the first couple paragraphs of your essay comparing Sals journey to the Heros journey. Try to think of the topics for the paragraphs that werent written yet so we can see the direction that the paper is going to take. Remember to check the rubric!!! Assessment: Students will be assessed on their ability to use transitions through their in class work- sheets. Any student who was able to fill in 80% of the transitions will get full credit for participation.

Comment [33]: And practice skills from the writers workshop? Sometimes essays dont get written from beginning to end; how might you help students learn this?

Name: _____________________ Transition Worksheet Fill in the story below with different transitions. Dont use the same transition word twice! For many years, human beings and business have been polluting the air and water around us. _______________, the world has become a very polluted place, and global warming threatens our ability to survive on this planet. _______________, we can still change this and protect our future. _______________ we have already polluted the earth too much, there are several things that we can do to stop global warming. First, it is important to recycle the things that we use. _______________ recycling requires our time and energy, it is necessary to save the earths resources. In addition, we should drive more environmentally-friendly vehicles. Many larger cars and trucks cause a lot of pollution; _______________, driving smaller, more efficient cars can help reduce pollution and stop global warming. Finally, we should ask our government representatives to pass laws that force businesses to stop polluting. Many businesses find it cheaper to pollute than to take care of the environment. _______________, the biggest kind of pollution can be called industrial pollution. Pollution is caused by both people and businesses. _______________, it is important that everyone works together to make our environment a better, healthier place. _______________ global warming is a very real and dangerous threat to life on this planet, we can still save the earth and provide a safe and happy future for our children and grandchildren.
Borrowed from: <http://www.stickyball.net/vocab/364.html>
Comment [34]: Like how this gets at a lot of substantive transition words for making turns in arguments (like but and so) what about simple ones like Next and Then?

Day #7 Unit: Walk two Moons & Heros Journey Lesson: Work Cited & Heros Journey Diagram Time: 50 minutes Standards Addressed: 1.1.8.B Identify and use common organizational structures and graphic features to comprehend information. 1.8.8.C Organize, summarize, and present the main ideas for research. -Give precise formal credit for others ideas, images, or information using a standard method of documentation. 1.3.8.A Read and understand works of literature. 1.4.8.B Write multi-paragraph informational pieces. Objectives: Students will show an understanding of how to make a work cited by putting a book source into the proper MLA form. (1.8.8.C; 1.4.8.B) Students will be able to take the information from a novel and put it into proper MLA form as it would go onto a Work Cited Page. (1.8.8.C; 1.4.8.B) Students will know where they can get works cited guides within the classroom and on the internet in order to help them with writing their essays. (1.4.8.B; 1.8.8.C) Students will show their comprehension of the Heros Journey by relating it to Sals story through the graphic depiction of the journey handout. (1.1.8.B; 1.3.8.A)

Technology used: Computer Projector doc. Camera Materials Needed: Walk Two Moons Blank paper for heros journey reconstruction Color pencils, markers to help with picture representations of Sal on diagram Examples of MLA guides in classroom Websites that students can use to find out how to cite something correctly. Rubric for The Heros Journey diagram project.

Differentiated Instruction: Any student who has difficulty seeing the board or projector will be seated towards the front of the classroom. Any students with hearing impairments will have the option to receive the class notes from the teacher after the class period is over. Any student IEP will be studied by the teacher and followed at all times. Lesson Outline: 1. Introduction (5 minutes) A. Ask the class, what is plagiarism? How would you feel if you came up with a great discovery, and someone claimed it as their own? B. Plagiarism is the same as stealing something from someone. (Mention the schools disciplinary response to plagiarism.) 2. Work Cited (25 minutes) A. How do we avoid plagiarism in our writing? Quick over view of the lesson. i. In-text citations. ii. A work cited page B. What is an in-text citation? Give a couple examples of what an in-text citation looks like. i. When do we use an in-text citation? Stress that it is for both for a direct quote and a summarized section. ii. The format of an in-text citation. Making sure to cite the author, and page number, and then leaving out the authors name after it is established C. Work Cited page. i. A compilation of all of the sources that were used throughout the essay. ii. Must be alphabetical with every line after the first line of a citation indented. iii. Show the way that books are cited. Use novels as an example since it is going to apply to their project. Give examples and break them down step by step of where the information was gathered from and the punctuation used. i.e. (Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. London: Faber and Faber, 1954.) D. Where do we find this information? i. Explain that you are not going to have to memorize all of the MLA rules. Instead, it is important that the students know where to get MLS sources within the classroom (bookshelf) and online at reputable cites such as http://www.library.cornell.edu/resrch/citmanage/mla#mla. Show this site on projection. E. Cite Walk Two Moons. Have each student make a MLA citation for Walk Two Moons. They will write this citation on a piece of paper with their names and hand it in to be checked. 3. Heros Journey & Sal (15 minutes)

Comment [35]: ALIGNed with your rubric J

A. Show the heros journey diagram again on the doc. Cam. for a refresher. Each student is going to get a blank sheet of paper to recreate this diagram and fill it in with the different stages of Sals adventure as they apply to the heros journey . B. Using their books, notes, and journals, students can now go back and figure out when and if Sal went through the stages of the heros journey. This should be done individually. C. After each student has figured out when and if the different stages of the heros journey were met, they will begin to fill in the different stages and also make a visual representation to go with each stage. D. This project will be due on day #9, and will be worked on again tomorrow in class. Homework: Have the students write the next couple paragraphs of their essay. All of their main points should have been addressed by this point and all that is left to do is revising and editing. Assessment: All of the students will be assessed on their ability to use MLA citation by the paper that they hand in with Walk Two Moons cited. All students will be assessed on their ability to work independently by showing that they can stay on task and start to create the heros journey diagram.

Name:_____________________________ Due: Day #9 The Heros Journey Project For over a week now, we have been discussing similarities between the journey that Sal is going on and the one that Joseph Campbell describes as The Heros Journey. In this project, you will be expected to recreate a graphic representation of The Heros Journey like the one we were introduced to in the first lesson, but with the different stages that Sal went through in Walk Two Moons. Your graphic representation of Sals journey will be graded using the rubric below. Criteria Uses the different stages of The Heros Journey Uses the novel 4 At least 11 of the 12 stages of The Heros Journey represented. Every stage has a very detailed description of exactly where it took place in the story. Uses some type of created representation or picture that shows creativity at every stage of Sals adventure. 3 9-10 stages of The Heros Journey represented. Every stage points to a section of the book but more than 1 lack real description. Uses a picture at every stage to represent Sals journey but lacks creativity. 2 7-8 stages of The Heros Journey represented. 1 Less than 7 stages of The Heros Journey represented. Only 1 or 2 stages Many of the lack detail pointing stages lack enough to a specific part detail to point it to of the novel. Not a specific part of very detailed. the book. Uses a picture representation at only some of the stages of the heros journey. Many stages without a picture representation of Sals point in the journey.

Comment [36]: What would be gained and lost by having students use quotes for this? Having it due before the essay as scaffold?

Creativity

Day #8 Unit: Walk two Moons & Heros Journey Lesson: Heros Journey diagrams and essays Time: 50 minutes Standards Addressed: 1.1.8.B Identify and use common organizational structures and graphic features to comprehend information. 1.3.8.A Read and understand works of literature. 1.4.8.B Write multi-paragraph informational pieces Objectives: Students will be able to fully represent Sals relation to the heros journey by completing the diagram project. (1.1.8.B; 1.3.8.A)

Students will demonstrate their writing process by adding to their essays in class in order to get closer to their final product. (1.4.8.B) Students will show their comprehension of the revising process if they finish their papers before class is over in. (1.4.8.B) Materials Needed: Students essays Walk Two moons Heros Journey diagrams Color pencils, markers to help with picture representations of Sal on diagram

Differentiated Instruction: Any student who has difficulty seeing the board or projector will be seated towards the front of the classroom. Any students with hearing impairments will have the option to receive the class notes from the teacher after the class period is over. Any student IEP will be studied by the teacher and followed at all times. Lesson Outline: 1. Introduction (5 minutes)- A. Give students back the MLA citations that they created at the end of class with comments to make sure they are on the right track for a proper work cited page. B. Remind students that their heros journey diagrams will be due the following class and they will have to complete whatever isnt done in class for home work. 2. Heros journey diagram (25 minutes)- A. Everyone will take out the heros journey diagram that they have been working on.

B. The class will be able to spend the next 25 minutes completing this diagram. They will have access to all of the teachers makers and color pencils. C. Teacher will walk around the room to answer any questions that the students might have and to make sure that everyone is able to work independently. Students will be assessed on their ability to work independently. D. If students finish the heros journey before everyone else, they can begin the next step of working on completing their essays. 3. Essay draft completion (15 minutes)- A. After working on the heros journey diagram, students will have time to complete their essays. B. Make sure that the students are reminded that they have to bring in a completed draft for tomorrows class. Make sure that they re-read the rubric to make sure that their papers are still on the right track C. Teacher will walk around the room at this point and interact with the students as they are writing their papers. Be ready to answer any questions. 4. Closure (5 minutes) A. Ask students to tell you what is due for homework the next day to make sure they know to bring in the drafts and that their diagrams are due. B. Ask for any questions so far in the writing of their papers or their diagrams.

C. Prepare students for their peer revision session tomorrow. Tell them how it is going to run so they know what to expect from the following class. Homework: 1. Students will complete the heros journey diagram if they did not finish it in class. 2. Students will come to tomorrow class with their copy of their essay for a peer revision session. Assessment: As the teacher walks around the room during the completion of the heros journey diagram, students will be assessed on their ability to work independently and stay on task. Look for students to be involved in actively working on their projects. They may be off task just once during the 30 minute session before participation points will be docked.

Comment [37]: More time may be necessary here if you want to explain purpose, structure, guide students through what makes good peer review.

Comment [38]: And criteria of the assignment might apply here, toowhat struggles do you anticipate?

Day #9 Unit: Walk two Moons & Heros Journey Lesson: Peer -revision of essays & preparation for test Time: 50 minutes Standards Addressed: 1.4.8.B Write multi-paragraph informational pieces 1.8.8.C Organize, summarize, and present the main ideas for research. -Give precise formal credit for others ideas, images, or information using a standard method of documentation. 1.5.8.B Write using well-developed content appropriate for the topic. 1.8.8.C Organize, summarize, and present the main ideas for research. 1.5.8.C Write with controlled and/or subtle organization. 1.3.8.A Read and understand works of literature. Objectives: Students will show their ability to peer edit by looking over a class mates draft and making revisions. (1.4.8.B; 1.5.8.B; 1.5.8.C; 1.8.8.C) Students will show their knowledge of audience, tone, transitions, and grammatical rules by making corrections on their peers papers. (1.4.8.B; 1.8.8.C; 1.5.8.B; 1.8.8.C; 1.5.8.C) Students will demonstrate their retention of information from the unit by being able to answer some questions in the class game on the material covered so far.( 1.3.8.A)

Materials Needed: Questions for practice for the test game Students essays

Differentiated Instruction: Any student who has difficulty seeing the board or projector will be seated towards the front of the classroom. Any students with hearing impairments will have the option to receive the class notes from the teacher after the class period is over. Any student IEP will be studied by the teacher and followed at all times. Lesson Outline: 1. Introduction (5minutes)- A. Have students hand in their heros journey diagrams. B. Get students to pair up with their drafts of the final essay. C. Go over the idea that clear feedback and specific feedback are essential 2. Peer Revision (20 minutes)-
Comment [39]: I find groups of three work well because they provide confirming perspectives for certain things: with just one partner, its easier to say, Well its just not clear to you. Only ten minutes for each piece? Provide questions to ask, e.g., What do you most need help with?? Guidelines for constructive feedback?

A. Students will sit in their pair and exchange essays. B. Each group should have a rubric with them as they go over their papers to ensure that they are on the right track to a good assessment on their paper. C. Students will spend this section of time revising papers using the skills they learned through their essay workshops earlier in the week, making sure that there is a clear topic, that the language is appropriate for the audience, and that the paper is free of grammatical and spelling errors that would distract from its meaning. 3. Review Game (20 minutes)- A. The class will split into 4 different teams with the people sitting nearest to them. B. Tell the students that the winning team will all receive 2 extra percentage points on tomorrows test. C. Ask one group at a time a question about the heros journey, Walk Two Moons, and essay writing skills. i. If the group gets it right, they get a point. ii. If they get the question wrong, they get no points and the question moves to the next group. D. The team with the most points at the end of the period will receive the bonus points. Make sure to write down these students names before they leave class. E. If any groups have a question, they should consult the teacher. 4. Closing (5 minutes)- A. Ask the students what they have due tomorrow. They should be able to tell you that their essays are to be completed. B. Remind students that they will have a test for most of the period the final day. Remind them to study! Homework: Students completed essays are due tomorrow. Study for the exam using the notes that were taken, Walk Two Moons ,the information on the heros journey, and the writing process. Assessment: Students will be assessed on their knowledge of the content in this unit so far through the class game. Students will be assessed on their ability to work in a group in both their peer editing and the group game. Look for students to work together, be respectful of their classmates, and be helpful in solving problems in writing and in the game. Students will be assessed on their ability to peer edit by helping their classmate work on their tone, transitions, and errors, making sure that the essay sounds good when they are done.

Comment [40]: Not all students will have this ear for good writinghow might you help them focus on particular things? Perhaps a set of questions/checklist for reviewers to ask and answer? Have author write what s/he will do with feedback after receiving it?

Day #10 Unit: Walk two Moons & Heros Journey Lesson: Exam on the Unit & hand-in all assessments Time: 50 minutes Standards Addressed: 1.4.8.B Write multi-paragraph informational pieces 1.8.8.C Organize, summarize, and present the main ideas for research. -Give precise formal credit for others ideas, images, or information using a standard method of documentation. 1.5.8.B Write using well-developed content appropriate for the topic. 1.8.8.C Organize, summarize, and present the main ideas for research. 1.5.8.C Write with controlled and/or subtle organization. 1.2.8.A Read and understand essential content of informational texts and documents in all academic areas. 1.1.8.G Demonstrate after reading, understanding and interpretation of both fiction and non- fiction texts, including public documents 1.1.8.H Demonstrate fluency and comprehension in reading 1.3.8.A Read and understand works of literature Objectives: Students will show their knowledge of all of the information from the unit so far with their grade on the exam. (1.2.8.A; 1.1.8.G; 1.1.8.H; 1.3.8.A) Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the work they have done on writing essays by the grades that they receive on their final papers. (1.4.8.B; 1.8.8.C; 1.5.8.B; 1.5.8.C; 1.8.8.C) Materials Needed: Exams Books available if the students get done their assessments early.

Differentiated Instruction: Any student who has difficulty seeing the board or projector will be seated towards the front of the classroom. Any students with hearing impairments will have the option to receive the class notes from the teacher after the class period is over. Any student IEP will be studied by the teacher and followed at all times. Lesson Outline: 1. Introduction (5minutes)- A. Make sure that the students dont have any questions before the test is handed out.

B. Remind the students of proper test-taking etiquette. No talking, nothing else on the desk, no electronic devices. C. Make sure they relax and read each question thoroughly before answering. 2. Exam (40 minutes)- A. Hand out the exams to every student. B. Let them know that they will have up until 5 minutes before the end of class to complete the test. C. If they have any questions, they can come up to the teacher and ask, but dont ask out loud. D. If they students finish before the allotted time, they may take out a book and read for the remainder of the class period. 3. Closure (5 minutes)- A. Call for all tests to be handed in. B. Get feedback from the students on what they thought of the test while it is still fresh in their minds. C. Teacher should take notes on the classs opinion so this information can be used on future exams. D. Let the class know what the next unit is on.

Assessment: Students receive a summative assessment from their exams and from the essays that they handed in at the beginning of class. Homework: Be safe and have a fun weekend!

Name:________________________________ Date: _________ Unit Exam Multiple Choice: (6pts.) For this section, circle the best answer for each multiple choice question. 1. What do we find out about Sals mom at the end of the novel? A. She ran away with another man B. She moved in with family in California C. She died in a bus accident D. She is coming back to be with Sal 2. What is the order of these major parts of The Heros Journey? A. the departure; the return; the abyss B. the return; the departure; the abyss C. the abyss; the return; the departure D. the departure; the abyss; the return 3. Who are Sals mentors during her journey? A. Her grandparents B. Phoebe C. Her mom D. Mrs. Corpse 4. Who is the lunatic? A. Phoebes moms secret lover B. Phoebes real dad C. Phoebes step-brother D. Phoebes long lost uncle 5. What aspect of an essay is helped with transitions? A. The flow of the thoughts B. Completing the research C. Formulating ideas D. Revising and editing 6. Which of these is not proper formatting of an MLA work cited page? A. Alphabetical order B. Indented first line of a source C. Indented second line of a source D. Authors name comes first when citing a novel

Short Answer: (4pts.) In this next section, fill in each blank with a transition that would work. All transition words must be unique! Each transition is worth 1 point. For many years, human beings and business have been polluting the air and water around us. _______________, the world has become a very polluted place, and global warming threatens our ability to survive on this planet. _______________, we can still change this and protect our future. _______________ we have already polluted the earth too much, there are several things that we can do to stop global warming. First, it is important to recycle the things that we use. _______________ recycling requires our time and energy, it is necessary to save the earths resources.
Essay section: (10 pts.) For this section, answer 2 out of 3 of the questions to the best of your ability. Each question should be answered in about 5 sentences on a piece of lined paper. Make sure to be clear and answer the questions fully. 1. How does the expression walk two moons tie into the book? How does Sal live true to this expression? 2. Why do you think that Sal spends much of the book telling her friend Phoebes story? Why are her grandparents so interested in hearing about Phoebe? 3. Why did Sal have to finish her journey alone? How did that fit into The Heros Journey?
Comment [41]: I like how this addresses the various things youve done during the unit J What made you decide to put this after the essay? UNITY

Synopsis of The Odyssey

borrowed from < http://www.mythweb.com/odyssey/index.html>

Background In the tenth year of the Trojan War, the Greeks tricked the enemy into bringing a colossal wooden horse within the walls of Troy. The Trojans had no idea that Greek soldiers were hidden inside, under the command of Odysseus. That night they emerged and opened the city gates to the Greek army. Troy was destroyed. Now it was time for Odysseus and the other Greeks to return to their kingdoms across the sea. Here begins the tale of the Odyssey, as sung by the blind minstrel Homer.

Book One "Oh Goddess of Inspiration, help me sing of wily Odysseus, that master of schemes!" So Homer begins his epic, though the hero himself is still offstage. We are treated to a glimpse of life among the supreme gods on Mount Olympus. Urged on by Athena, the goddess of war, they decide that Odysseus has been marooned too long on the island of the nymph Calypso.

Book Two Meanwhile, the mansion of Odysseus is infested with suitors for the hand of his wife Penelope. Everyone assumes Odysseus is dead. His son Telemachus calls an assembly to ask for help, and Zeus sends an omen of the suitors' doom. Two eagles swoop down, tearing throats and necks with their talons. Afterwards Telemachus sets sail for the mainland to seek news of his father. Book Three Telemachus consults King Nestor, who led a contingent in the Trojan War when he was in his nineties. Nestor tells what he knows of the Greeks' return from Troy: "It started out badly because of Athena's anger. Half the army, your father included, stayed behind at Troy to try to appease her. The rest of us made it home safely -- all except Menelaus, who was blown off course to Egypt, where he remained for seven years. Seek advice from Menelaus. I'll lend you a chariot to travel to his kingdom."

Book Four Menelaus tells what he learned of Odysseus while stranded in Egypt after the war. He was advised by a goddess to disguise himself and three members of his crew in seal pelts and then pounce on the Old Man of the Sea. If they could hold him down while he transformed himself into various animals and shapes, he would send them on their homeward way and give news of their companions. Menelaus did as instructed and was informed that Odysseus was presently being held against his will by the nymph Calypso.

Book Five Zeus, the King of the Gods, sends his messenger Hermes skimming over the waves on magic sandals to Calypso's island. Though the goddess isn't happy about it, she agrees to let Odysseus go. But the raft on which he sets sail is destroyed by his enemy, the god Poseidon, who lashes the sea into a storm with his trident. Odysseus barely escapes with his life and washes ashore days later, halfdrowned. He staggers into an olive thicket and falls asleep. Book Six Odysseus awakens to the sound of maidens laughing. Princess Nausicaa of the Phaeacians has come down to the riverside to wash her wedding dress. Now she and her handmaids are frolicking after the chore. Odysseus approaches as a suppliant, and Nausicaa is kind enough to instruct him how to get the king's help in returning to his home. Odysseus follows her into town. Book Seven Odysseus stops on the palace threshhold, utterly dazzled. The very walls are covered in shining bronze and trimmed with lapis lazuli. The blacksmith god Hephaestus has even provided two brazen hounds to guard the entrance. Odysseus goes right up to the queen and puts his case to her as a suppliant. The king knows better than to refuse hospitality to a decent petitioner. He invites Odysseus to the banquet which is in progress and promises him safe passage home after he has been suitably entertained.

Book Eight The next day is declared a holiday in honor of the guest, whose name the king still does not know. An athletic competition is held, with foot races, wrestling and the discus. Odysseus is invited to join in but begs off, prompting someone to suggest that he lacks the skills. Angered, he takes up a discus and throws it with such violence that everyone drops to the ground. That night at a banquet, as the court bard entertains with songs of the Trojan War, Odysseus is heard sobbing. "Enough!" shouts the king. "Our friend finds this song displeasing. Won't you tell us your name, stranger, and where you hail from?" Book Nine "My name is Odysseus of Ithaca, and here is my tale since setting out from Troy. We sacked a city first off, but then reinforcements arrived and we lost many comrades. Next we visited the Lotus Eaters, and three of my crew tasted this strange plant. They lost all desire to return home and had to be carried off by force. On another island we investigated a cave full of goat pens. The herdsman turned out to be as big as a barn, with a single glaring eye in his forehead. This Cyclops promptly ate two of my men for dinner. We were trapped in the cave by a boulder in the doorway that only the Cyclops could budge, so we couldn't kill him while he slept. Instead we sharpened a pole and used it to gouge out his eye. We escaped his groping by clinging to the undersides of his goats." Book Ten "Next we met the Keeper of the Winds, who sent us on our way with a steady breeze. He'd given me a leather bag, which my crew mistook for booty. They opened it and released a hurricane that blew us back to where we'd started. We ended up among the Laestrygonians, giants who bombarded our fleet with boulders and gobbled down our shipmates. The few survivors put in at the island of the enchantress Circe. My men were entertained by her and then, with a wave of her wand, turned into swine. Hermes the god gave me an herb that protected me. Circe told me that to get home I must travel to the land of Death."

Book Eleven 'At the furthest edge of Ocean's stream is the land to which all journey when they die. Here their spirits endure a fleshless existence. They can't even talk unless reanimated with blood.' Accordingly, I did as Circe instructed, bleeding a sacrificed lamb into a pit. Tiresias, the blind prophet who had accompanied us to Troy, was the soul I had to talk to. So I held all the other shades at bay with my sword until he had drunk from the pit. He gave me warnings about my journey home and told me what I must do to ensure a happy death when my time came. I met the shades of many famous women and heroes, including Achilles, best fighter of the Greeks at Troy. Book Twelve "At sea once more we had to pass the Sirens, whose sweet singing lures sailors to their doom. I had stopped up the ears of my crew with wax, and I alone listened while lashed to the mast, powerless to steer toward shipwreck. Next came Charybdis, who swallows the sea in a whirlpool, then spits it up again. Avoiding this we skirted the cliff where Scylla exacts her toll. Each of her six slavering maws grabbed a sailor and wolfed him down. Finally we were becalmed on the island of the Sun. My men disregarded all warnings and sacrificed his cattle, so back at sea Zeus sent a thunderbolt that smashed the ship. I alone survived, washing up on the island of Calypso." Book Thirteen
Comment [42]: Like that this includes section headings and images to make it more accessible J

When Odysseus has finished his tale, the king orders him sped to Ithaca. The sailors put him down on the beach asleep. Athena casts a protective mist about him that keeps him from recognizing his homeland. Finally the goddess reveals herself and dispells the mist. In joy Odysseus kisses the ground. Athena transforms him into an old man as a disguise. Clad in a filthy tunic, he goes off to find his faithful swineherd, as instructed by the goddess. Book Fourteen Eumaeus the swineherd welcomes the bedraggled stranger. He throws his own bedcover over a pile of boughs as a seat for Odysseus, who does not reveal his identity. Observing Zeus's commandment to be kind to guests, Eumaeus slaughters a prime boar and serves it with bread and wine. Odysseus, true to his fame as a smooth-talking schemer, makes up an elaborate story of his origins. That night the hero sleeps by the fire under the swineherd's spare cloak, while Eumaeus himself sleeps outside in the rain with his herd. Book Fifteen Athena summons Telemachus home and tells him how to avoid an ambush by the suitors. Meanwhile back on Ithaca, Odysseus listens while the swineherd Eumaeus recounts the story of his life. He was the child of a prosperous mainland king, whose realm was visited by Phoenician traders. His nursemaid, a Phoenician herself, had been carried off by pirates as a girl and sold into slavery. In return for homeward passage with her countrymen, she kidnapped Eumaeus. He was bought by Odysseus' father, whose queen raised him as a member of the family. Book Sixteen Telemachus evades the suitors' ambush. Following Athena's instructions, he proceeds to the farmstead of Eumaeus. There he makes the acquaintance of the tattered guest and sends Eumaeus to his mother to announce his safe return. Athena restores Odysseus' normal appearance, enchancing it so that Telemachus takes him for a god. "No god am I," Odysseus assures him, "but your own father, returned after these twenty years." They fall into each other's arms. Later they plot the suitors' doom. Concerned that the odds are fifty-to-one, Telemachus suggests that they might need reinforcements. "Aren't Zeus and Athena reinforcement enough?" asks Odysseus. Book Seventeen Disguised once more as an old beggar, Odysseus journeys to town. On the trail he encounters an insolent goatherd named Melantheus, who curses and tries to kick him. At his castle gate, the hero is recognized by a decrepid dog that he raised as a pup. Having seen his master again, the old hound dies. At Athena's urging Odysseus begs food from the suitors. One man, Antinous, berates him and refuses so much as a crust. He even hurls his footstool at Odysseus, hitting him in the back. This makes even the other suitors nervous, for sometimes the gods masquerade as mortals to test their righteousness. Book Eighteen

Now a real beggar shows up at the palace and warns Odysseus off his turf. This man, Irus, is always running errands for the suitors. Odysseus says that there are pickings enough for the two of them, but Irus threatens fisticuffs and the suitors egg him on. Odysseus rises to the challenge and rolls up his tunic into a boxer's belt. The suitors goggle at the muscles revealed. Not wishing to kill Irus with a single blow, Odysseus breaks his jaw instead. Another suitor, Eurymachus, marks himself for revenge by trying to hit Odysseus with a footstool as Antinoos had done. Book Nineteen Odysseus has a long talk with his queen Penelope but does not reveal his identity. Penelope takes kindly to the stranger and orders her maid Eurycleia to bathe his feet and anoint them with oil. Eurycleia, who was Odysseus' nurse when he was a child, notices a scar above the hero's knee. Odysseus had been gored by a wild boar when hunting on Mount Parnassus as a young man. The maid recognizes her master at once, and her hand goes out to his chin. But Odysseus silences her lest she give away his plot prematurely. Book Twenty The next morning Odysseus asks for a sign, and Zeus sends a clap of thunder out of the clear blue sky. A servant recognizes it as a portent and prays that this day be the last of the suitors' abuse. Odysseus encounters another herdsman. Like the swineherd Eumaeus, this man, who tends the realm's cattle, swears his loyalty to the absent king. A prophet, an exiled murderer whom Telemachus has befriended, shares a vision with the suitors: "I see the walls of this mansion dripping with your blood." The suitors respond with gales of laughter. Book Twenty-One Penelope now appears before the suitors in her glittering veil. In her hand is a stout bow left behind by Odysseus when he sailed for Troy. "Whoever strings this bow," she says, "and sends an arrow straight through the sockets of twelve ax heads lined in a row -- that man will I marry." The suitors take turns trying to bend the bow to string it, but all of them lack the strength. Odysseus asks if he might try. The suitors refuse, fearing that they'll be shamed if the beggar succeeds. But Telemachus insists

and his anger distracts them into laughter. As easily as a bard fitting a new string to his lyre, Odysseus strings the bow and sends an arrow through the ax heads. At a sign from his father, Telemachus arms himself and takes up a station by his side. Book Twenty-Two Antinous, ringleader of the suitors, is just lifting a drinking cup when Odysseus puts an arrow through his throat. The goatherd sneaks out and comes back with shields and spears for the suitors, but now Athena appears. She sends the suitors' spearthrusts wide, as Odysseus, Telemachus and the two faithful herdsmen strike with volley after volley of lances. They finish off the work with swords. Those of the housemaids who consorted with the suitors are hung by the neck in the courtyard, while the treacherous goatherd is chopped to bits.

Book Twenty-Three The mansion is purged with fire and brimstone. Odysseus tells everyone to dress in their finest and dance, so that passers-by won't suspect what's happened. Even Odysseus could not hold vengeful kinfolk at bay. Penelope still won't accept that it's truly her husband without some secret sign. She tells a servant to make up his bed in the hall. "Who had the craft to move my bed?" storms Odysseus. "I carved the bedpost myself from the living trunk of an olive tree and built the bedroom around it." Penelope rushes into his arms.

Book Twenty-Four The next morning Odysseus goes upcountry to the vineyard where his father, old King Laertes, labors like a peasant. Meanwhile, the kin of the suitors have gathered at the assembly ground, where the father of the suitor Antinous fires them up for revenge. Odysseus, his father and Telemachus meet the challenge. Laertes casts a lance through the helmet of Antinous' father, who falls to the ground in a clatter of armor. But the fighting stops right there. Athena tells the contending parties to live together in peace down through the years to come.
Borrowed from : < http://www.mythweb.com/odyssey/index.html>

Stuart Dent Teaching Communication Dr. Sherry December 4, 2010 Unit Plan Decisions I finally finished my unit plan and I am still amazed by the amount of decision making

and structuring that goes into creating a full unit. In the past, I have created single lessons where there are some very important decisions to be made, but nothing even close to the scale of what is required when given a ten day block of classes that have the be seamlessly unified and working towards a set goal. In the following pages, I will try to walk through some of the big decisions that I had to make and some of the decisions made that I figured would raise the most questions. The first decision that I made, and perhaps the biggest decision of the entire project,

was what topic to do my unit on. The reason I decided to look at Walk Two Moons in my unit is that I really enjoyed this story when I read it in Literature for the Young Adult last year. I thought it was a story that students can really get into while keeping them entertained and always in suspense. Another reason that I really wanted to do a unit on Walk Two Moons is that Sals story ties in perfectly with The Heros Journey. Big archetypes, such as The Heros Journey, are sometimes hard to teach in the classroom because teachers feel as though they are stuck with the long epics in order to get the ideas across. Walk Two Moons, in my opinion, is the perfect way to teach a major archetype while also keeping the students interested. A second big decision that I made about the general direction of my unit was to include

a lot of teaching on the writing process and how students were going to produce their final

essays. This direction was definitely not my intent from the beginning. The reason that I decided to devote so much instruction time to writing workshops and in class writing is that I believe students dont really get good writing instruction very often. Since I knew that I was going to be asking my students for an essay as a final project, I figured I had to teach them what I would be looking for. This was an example of my backwards approach to writing this unit, which is a method that I think is important for every teacher to keep in mind when planning classes. My decision to have writing instruction be such a big part of my unit came after I watched the writing workshop that was attempted during our collaborative unit. After this workshop, I realized that a one-time, quick lesson is not the way to go about teaching 8th graders how to write. I also came to the conclusion that it was unfair of my to ask my students for such a high quality piece of writing if I did not make sure they were all on the same page with their writing comprehension. As I mentioned before, I took a backwards approach to writing this lesson, which means

I thought out my assessments and the major standards that would be addressed first, and then decided how I would build lessons to get to these end points. I believe that this helped my alignment exponentially. I knew where I was going, so building the path was so much easier. Knowing my endpoints also helped me to plan different class activities along the way. For instance, I brought up The Heros Journey diagram very early on because I knew it would be the example I would use in The Heros Journey Diagram project I required as a major assessment. Another example of this type of thinking is that I required my students to write frequent journals because I knew that they would be writing for a final assessment, so all of the

practice they could get would do them good. I think that my approach to alignment worked out very well and I am happy with the direction that my unit took. After some of the major-direction decisions were out of the way, I had to make some

decisions about the way I would meet the needs of all of the students in the classroom. First, I wanted to make sure that my assessments were fair and interesting. I strived to assess my students fairly by making detailed rubrics for the two projects that would answer any question a student would have. In addition, I decided to assign my assessment early-on so that students would have ample time to work on their projects and make sure everything was up to par. I believe my exam was fair because everything on it would have been taught in the classroom. In addition, I gave them an option to pick two out of three essays on the exam so that the students would not feel cornered into answer a question they were not comfortable with. To meet the special needs of certain students, I also included a small Differentiated Learning section onto each lesson. I found this task very daunting at first because this project is for a hypothetical classroom and it is hard to say what types of disabilities or special requirements I would really meet in the classroom. I know that differentiated learning is very important in todays classroom so I took on this daunting task as best as I could. I decided to specify hearing and visual impairments because I knew that they were some of the most common to impact the way a classroom is set up. To make my differentiated learning more bullet-proof, I felt that by saying I would know and implement any IEP, I was also taking on any disability recognized by the school. The reason I did not specify any examples of IEPs is that there is such a wide array of possibilities that this would have to be handled with a case-by-case approach.

One decision that I made at the last minute, and which I am not certain how it would be

viewed by other teachers, is that I gave the winning group of a review game an extra two percentage points on the test. My reason for doing this was to make sure that the game was competitive, fun, and that all of the students were paying attention. I know that competition in the classroom is not always looked at in a positive light, but I thought it would make for an interesting lesson. From doing this project, I learned how frustrating and time consuming the creation of a

unit can be. In addition, I learned how rewarding a fulfilling it is to make a well thought out unit that you are proud of. Some of the decisions I made were tough and I felt like the entire project was a problem solving drill. I had to write lessons that I thought students would benefit from while also constantly asking myself if there was a way that things could go wrong or something wouldnt be understood. All together, even though this unit took a lot out of me, I would say that this project was a positive experience and will fit nicely into my portfolio. It feels good to know that Ill be going to my first interview with this unit in my arsenal.