Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Dear Mythology Kids,
 
Don't forget that you will have a QUIZ covering the irony found within the myth of "Heracles," and how those aspects of irony add to the pathos experienced by our hero on Friday!

"How do I prepare for the quiz, Crampton?"

"Make sure you have read the myth of Heracles found on page 166 in your textbook. In addition, review the storyboard that we worked on in class on Thursday.

"Will there be extra credit for this quiz?"

"Absolutely! I have listed the aspects of irony below. Respond to each one as if you were taking the actual quiz. Originally, I was going to have you complete one of the six questions, but I have changed my mind. You will answer two of the six listed. If you review this way, you will clearly be successful, as you will have two of the six included below, you just don't know which two. You are to discuss the irony found in each excerpt from the myth of “Heracles,” and how the irony adds to the pathos experienced by Heracles. Please be thorough in your response; assume that your audience has no schema on the character of Heracles. Cut and paste the questions into a Word document, and then respond to them on your computer.



1.) Athena “found” the infant Heracles outside the walls of Thebes, where Alcmene had abandoned him in fear of Hera’s jealousy. Athena showed the child to Hera and urged the goddess to pity the beautiful child so cruelly neglected.
2.) The goddess drove Heracles temporally mad, and he killed his children, Megara as well—thinking they were either wild beasts or enemies of Thebes. When his sanity returned, Heracles exiled himself from Thebes for his crime. He traveled to Delphi to ask the oracle how best to atone for his crime. The priestess of the oracle instructed Heracles to go to Tiryns and perform any 10 labors devised for him by King Eurystheus.
3.) Eurystheus directed Heracles to kill the Lernaean Hydra (water snake) as his second labor. Heracles slew the beast by chopping off its immortal head and burying the still-hissing head under a rock. Before returning to Tiryns, Heracles dipped his arrows in the poisonous blood of the Hydra. Thereafter, anyone wounded with one of these arrows would die.
4.) The goddess sent two poisonous serpents with flaming eyes to destroy both Heracles and his half-brother Iphicles. Yet the mighty infant seized one in each hand and easily strangled the serpents, thinking they were toys he found great glee in his kill of the snakes.
5.) The perfect host, Admetus entertained his guest while hiding the fact that he was mourning for his wife, Alcestis. When Heracles discovered his host’s secret, he rushed to Alcestis tomb. Upon bringing her back to Admetus, the host promptly died.
       6) "He sent his servant home to Deianeira in order to obtain the special ceremonial shirt he wore on    these religious occasions. When the servant mentioned to Deianeira that Iole was to accompany Heracles, Deianeira feared that her husband loved the beautiful princess.”

Monday, November 12, 2012

Monday, November 12, 2012

Dear Mythology Kids,

If you missed class, we completed the following:

1. Each student was given another student's nature myth to edit. This assignment is due for everyone on FRIDAY. Please stop by and visit with me, so that I can give you the myth that you will be evaluating.

2. We then continued with discussing the "Hercules" myth. I asked students to read pages 166-179 for Wednesday. Plan on a quiz covering Heracles on FRIDAY.

3. We discussed ALL the labors and how he was able to accomplish them.

Cheers,
Crampton

Thursday, November 8, 2012

November 8th, 2012

Dear Mythology Kids,

If you missed class, we completed the following:

1. Each student submitted their NATURE MYTH! If you missed class, you will need to submit your myth IMMEDIATELY, as you have known about this assignment for such a LONG TIME! I would appreciate receiving it from you BEFORE SCHOOL BEGINS on FRIDAY. Your HOMEWORK COUPON needs to accompany it.

2. Each student completed their quiz covering the "Perseus" myth. We then corrected the quizzes.

3. Everyone was introduced to HERACLES/HERCULES today with a new storyboard. If you missed class, you will need to stop by and obtain the story board, and then visit with a friend in class.

HOMEWORK:
1. NONE!
2. For those of you that have not traced their mosaics yet, you need to do so as soon as possible. The librarians need to complete an inventory concerning all the equipment, so the projectors have to be returned on or before DECEMBER 1st. TAKE CARE OF YOUR TRACING ASAP, my young friends. You are welcome to come before, during or after school.

Your FINAL exam!

Dear Mythology Kids, It's nice to "see" you again. Let me offer some "study guidance" for your final exam. Please ...