Tuesday, November 4th, 2014

Dear Mythology Kids,

onday, October 29th, 2012

Welcome to your Mosaic assignment....

Dear Mythology Kids,

If you missed class, we completed the following:

1. I introduced the mosaic assignment to each class today.

What is a mosaic? A piece of artwork that is comprised of many different pieces. Please see the examples of mosaics below.

Why were they so important to the ancient Greeks? They took the subjects from their mythology and literally cemented them into mosaic artwork.

Nemean Lion



Demeter

Medusa

I look forward to seeing the subjects you have chosen for your mosaics. For those of you that missed class on today (October 29,2012) we completed the following:

1. Introduction of your "Mosaic Assignment"

•Your mosaic must be at least 11 x 17 in size

•The subject may be any aspect associated with our study of Classical Mythology (gods, lesser gods, heroes, monsters, and specific myths and their characters)

•You need to be passionate about your selection.

•If you elect to draw the subject, extra-credit will be given

•If your mosaic is larger than the required size, extra-credit will be given

YOUR MOSAIC IS DUE THE LAST DAY OF THE TERM!

 

 

Creating your own “Inferno” MYTHOLOGY INTRODUCTION:  For this assignment, I am asking you to reflect on your own value system. It does not matter whether or not you believe in an actual place of  punishment, simply assume that such a place exists. What does matter is that you think long and hard about the nature of sin, and how certain evils should be punished. HISTORY: In Florence, Italy, around 1300, lived a man who began questioning his own value system. Dante Alighier was then 35 years old. What did he really believe? What seemed to him truly good, truly evil? He pondered, examined his conscience, and then pondered some more, and finally sat down and wrote the “Divine Comedy,” one of the finest poems in world literature.             The first part of the Divine Comedy is called “The Inferno.” Dante finds himself traveling through nine circles of hell, watching with horror the sinners assigned to each circle. It is a graded underworld, with the lesser sins punished near the top, and the greater ones punished at the bottom of the pit. As with most Europeans in the year 1300, Dante was a Roman Catholic, but his hell reflected his value system, not that of the church.  That is exactly what you are being asked to do for this assignment; create your own underworld, where you consider what is “good” and what is “evil, and assign appropriate punishments based on the sins.” As we discuss Dante’s hell, notice that the sinners are assigned symbolic punishments which appropriately match each crime, and that several aspects are connected to the Greek underworld. ASSIGNMENT: Living in the 21st century, you may disagree with Dante’s value system. You may not consider gluttony a sin. You may be unconcerned with anger or blasphemy against faith, but for your creation of hell you may want to include other sinners, such as those guilty of prejudice, of selling drugs to the young, or hypocrisy, even possibly leading nations to war, etc.             It is time to explore your value system. Who will occupy your first circle, your fifth, your seventh? What evil in your eyes is the worst? Think carefully and well, as you will also devise suitable punishments, just as Dante has done, and make relevant connections to Hades. 1.      You will develop an underworld with SEVEN sins. Please do not use the “seven deadly sins,” as those belong to non-denominational Christianity. Choose sins that reflect who you are as a person. 2.      Your underworld  needs  to be organized in a written and a visual format. The written format needs to be modeled after the following examples. Within your written response you must include the following: a. You need to identify the sin, b. Explain why you  have included it within your “Inferno.” c. Identify the punishment, with underlined text/bold, and include an explanation as to why it is symbolic of the crime, and this should be written in italicized type. d. Five references to Hades must be included within your underworld. Just as Dante  connected references to Hades within the “Inferno.” An explanation as to why you connected that part of the Greek underworld to your hell, must be included within your explanation. (see example #2) EXAMPLE #1 :   “Wesley’s Wells of Woes” Circle 1: Pessimists: The sinners at the top of my well are those that never seem happy; they are constantly saturnine. They moan and complain about tasks that are a part of life and simply must be completed. I have included them within my “well of woes,” because I feel they “infect” their “sin” upon other people without considering the effect.  Punishment:  These sinners will be required to make lemonade for eternity. This punishment fits the crime. The pessimists were unable to find anything positive about their existence; consequently, they will be required to take lemons, which are sour and bitter, as they chose to be while alive, into lemonade, which is sweet and refreshing. The paper cuts are symbolic of the many times they moans or were negative about living, now while they make lemonade, they will be reminded of their sour and painful attitudes. EXAMPLE #2” Circle 1: Complaining: The sin at the top of my inferno is that of complaining. I feel so frustrated with people who choose to moan about anything, just because they think a job is hard. Rather than finding the benefit from completing a responsibility, they waste energy complaining. They also have a tendency to “pollute” others with their “poison.” Punishment: My punishment comes from the fact that pessimists are like bacteria, and they cause decay among others. For every time they complained, a scratch will appear on their skin, which will in turn grow into a bacteria infested wound. The odor will increase, causing individuals to move away from them, and eventually they will realize that their complaining was like a wound. I have given this part of my underworld the Greek name of IXION, because his burnt flesh is so similar to those “infected with pessimism. He will constantly “reek of rape,” just as those who complain will smell of negativity, due to the rotting flesh. 3.      Your underworld needs to be TYPED, SINGLE SPACED, with double spacing between each explanation. You may use first person pronouns and passive voice for this assignment. Please focus on STRONG WORD CHOICES! 4.      Each punishment must symbolically match the sin/crime. You CANNOT punish the sin with the sin! In addition, please avoid sadistic punishments! 5.      The visual concept of your “inferno” is entirely up to you. Extra-credit will be assigned if a three-dimensional visual is created, and if the artwork included on the visual is ORIGINAL!  The following requirements are compulsory: a.       Each circle must be labeled as to the sin it represents. b.      Your art work, or that of others, must be included to illustrate either the sin or the punishment. c.       The sin and punishment must appear on the visual. The explanation as to why the punishment is symbolic is not required on the visual, but you are welcome to include it if you wish. Work days/_______________________________________________________ Due Date: _______________________________- (written portion and visual representation) Check-off List: _______ 1. Seven sins listed from least to worst in severity. ________2. Sins and why you characterize the action as such. ________3.  A punishment that is suitable for each crime. The punishment must be symbolic. Please no sadistic acts. The punishment for each sin must be written in bold type and underlined. ________4. Five connections to the Greek underworld, and an explanation as to WHY you felt they were appropriate to use for certain sins. ________5. Work is typed, single spaced, Times New Roman print, and double spaced between each explanation. ________6. Diagram portion of your underworld should contain a brief written explanation of each sin and the punishment you assigned to it. _________7. Images that you created, or borrowed from another individual, that illustrate the sin, punishment, or both. _________8. WORKS CITED page if you used illustrations from a book, magazine, or from the internet.
		Due Date for Underworld is Friday, November 14th!

Friday, October 31st, 2014

Dear Mythology Kids,
I hope you have a wonderful weekend! If you missed class, we completed the following:

1. We completed the handout regarding Hades. Please obtain the information from someone in class.

2. Each student received his/her "Is Mythology a Lie" essay back, along with a solid example of what each body paragraph should contain. Students were asked to completed the self-assessment and then  revise the first draft for TUESDAY! If you missed class, please stop by on MONDAY, so I can return your essay to you, and give you the example of a solid body paragraph.

3. Students were introduced to their "Underworld Assignment. " Students were asked to create a list of 7 sins and symbolic punishments to match the sins.  The list can be quite rough for TUESDAY!

4. DON'T MISS TUESDAY!

 Dante's "Inferno"

These are the sinners Dante chooses to place within his "Hell." Who will you place in your Underworld?

This is the citation for your "Is Mythology a Lie" source:
Stoddard, Amy. The Greek Myths. Penguin Book Publishing. NewYork, New York., 2009.

Monday, October 27th, 2014

Dear Mythology Kids,

WELCOME TO HADES!

If I were to ask you to envision Hades, especially now that we have discussed its varying aspects, how would you describe it? This picture is an artist's concept of the entrance to Hades. He clearly DOES NOT know Hades as well as he should. Remember that only a part of Hades was Saturnine, and that of course was Tartarus.

If you missed class today, we discussed the Greek underworld of Hades. Each student received handout, which we completed together. I HAVE INCLUDED A COPY OF THE HANDOUT FOR YOU AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST! Several images were shared with you in relationship to the areas we discussed. I have attempted to include some of the images for you below.


HOMEWORK:
1.  Please read the handout given to you in class about "Tantalus."
2. Please read "Orpheus and Eurydice" pg. 107 in your text. This myth illustrate how just Hades actually was. This myth will appear on your test. 

3. Please read the myth entitled "Danaids" located on page 256 in your book. 

The following pictures should give you greater insights into some of the aspects we discussed on Tuesday. Please make sure you obtain the information from someone else in class BEFORE you return.



This is the character known as Sisyphus. He was destroyed by Zeus due to his inappropriate sexual behavior. His pushes a boulder up a large mountain in Hades, with the one purpose of pushing it over the top. He is never successful in doing so, as the boulder always comes crashing down on him. This punishment is highly symbolic of the crime, as the rock represents Sisyphus' sexual desires. He hopes to overcome them, but he he is unsuccessful in doing so.

These women are known as the Danaids. There are fifty of them, and on their wedding night, all but one, murdered her husband by stabbing him in his heart. Their punishment in Hades is to obtain water from the River Styx with the hope of filling Hades' garden pond; however, their jars have holes in the bottom. They were never able to complete the mundane task of filling the pond. This is symbolic of the fact that they took the trivial and mundane away from their husbands; consequently, they are forever cursed with it.


This is Ixion. He attempted to rape Hera. Zeus had him strapped to a wheel of burning fire. This is symbolic of the fact that a rapist will continue to rape unless caught...hence the wheel. The fire on either side is symbolic of the pain the victim feels. Ixion was constantly burned, but never burned away. OUCH!

Tantalus is another sinner in Hades. He murdered his nephew, and then fed his flesh to the gods in the form of a stew. The Olympians were so appalled by Tantalus' behavior that they cemented him within Styx, being cursed with perpetual hunger and thirst. Each time he attempted to drink from Styx the water would move away from him. There are fruit trees hanging above his head, and yet each time he attempted to grab some of the fruit it, too, would move away from him. He is perpetually hungry and thirty. Can you recognize that each punishment is symbolic of its crime!

THE GREEK UNDERWORLD (handout given on Friday, Oct. 20th)

1. The rulers of the underworld are _________ and his queen _________.
2. The ferryman is called __________________ and he must receive an _________ in order for the dead to cross the River Styx. The coin is placed under the _________ of the deceased.
3. The three most significant rivers in Hades are:
a. The River ______ is the river of the “unbreakable oaths.”
b. The River ________ is the river of the “forgetfulness.”
c. The river Mnemosyne is the “pool of ____________.”
4. The dog __________ guards the gates, and its most distinctive physical feature is ____________________.
5. When ghosts first arrive in Hades, they are taken to the judges of the dead to be tried according to the deeds during life. They are called __________________, ____________________ and _______________.
6. ________________ is the goddess of justice. She determines if the punishments are fair.
7. There are three areas of the underworld:
a. ____________ where people are sent who ______________________________ ________________________________________________________________
b. _____________ for those who lived ___________________________________ _________________________________________________________________
c. _______________ for those who could not _______________________________ __________________________________________________________________
8. A significant motif of mythological stories is justice: defining what is right and wrong and deciding how sinners should be punished. The Greeks were extremely imaginative in punishing those they considered guilty. There are four individuals who have eternal punishment due to their actions on earth.
a. The Danaids:


b. Sisyphus:


c. Tantalus:


d. Ixion:


9. From the surface of the earth, how does one find the entrance to Hades?

10. The FATES determine the length of one’s life. _________________ weaves the thread; the “disposer of lots,” ____________ gives each man their destiny; the most feared is ____________, as she cuts the thread and your life along with it.

11. The god of sleep, ___________________ and the god of dreams, ______________ belong to the retinue of Hades.
12. _____________ is the Greek goddess of Justice.

Posted by Mrs. Crampton at 11:31 AM

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Dear Mythology Kids,

REVIEW FOR YOUR FINAL EXAM! 

Go through the questions on your "Exam #1 Review Handout." Consider your weak areas, and then I highly recommend that you take advantage of the 3x5 card option. MAKE SURE YOU REVIEW THE THEMES (pink sheet) ASSOCIATED WITH EACH MYTH!

I look forward to seeing you on THURSDAY!

Cheers,

Crampton

Tuesday, October 14th, 2014

Dear Mythology Kids,

I love your guts, but not like "Oedipus!"  Okay, if you missed class, you must communicate with someone that was in attendance, as you were given SO MUCH information! You were given the following handouts:

1. Antigone (it is in your textbook pg.273) Please read this myth for TUESDAY, the 21st. Annotate and notate the myth using all your colors!

ANTIGONE, the courageous daughter of OEDIPUS, was introduced to you today!

1. I introduced the myth of "ANTIGONE" (pg. 273). MAKE SURE YOU READ THE MYTH! "Antigone" is the companion piece to "Oedipus." It is the myth of what happens to Oedipus after he blinds himself and is banished from Thebes. Antigone is the oldest female child of Oedipus and Jocata.  It was originally written as a myth, and then retold as a drama by Sophocles. It is a story about doing what is honorable and just, even when you are the only individual who has the courage to behave with such fortitude. Please make sure you are familiar with the characters of Creon, Haemon, Antigone, Etoecles, Polynieces, and Ismene.

2. Review for Exam #1


REVIEW #1

Mythology Exam

You will see 43 different pieces of artwork. Each drawing, painting, sketch, statue, etc. pertains to the areas of mythology we have discussed this term. I will ask you specific questions about each overhead. For example, you may be asked to “identify the myth illustrated” or “identify the god,” or “explain what is taking place in the image, “ etc. The best way to completely prepare for your exam, is to go through each question below, as some aspect will appear on the test.

You may use ONE SIDE of a 3x5 card to assist you with some aspects that you might find difficult to recall. This is not required, but it's a nice form of  “insurance.” You are not penalized for you don't make the care, but if you need it, and you made it, then you can use it. 

One of my goals as your teacher is for you to apply what we have learned in class to the “real world.” So, if you are watching a film, listening to music spending time in a museum, reading a book, etc, and you see/hear references to mythology, you can identify them without hesitation. All of your exams will be application in nature.

Identify the Roman name, symbol(s) and domain(s) for the following Greek gods:

1. Aphrodite 5. Poseidon 9. Zeus 13. Apollo

2 Demeter 6. Hestia 10. Hephaestus 14. Hades

3. Artemis 7. Hermes 11. Athena

4.Ares 8. Dionysus 12. Hera 13. Dionysus 14. Persephone

NOTE: You need to have strong familiarity regarding the parents of each Olympian, and specifics concerning their births. In addition, you must be aware of relationships that the gods have with each other, and the result(s) of these associations. (Example: Poseidon is disrespectful towards Athena because her gift was chosen over his. Consequently, Medusa as we know her is created. (This, of course, is the abbreviated version).

Please respond using complete sentences:
15. Who are the Furies? Describe their roll, “birth,” and appearance.
16. Identify the significance of Greek drama to Mythology
17. Identify the importance regarding the Greek chorus.

NOTE: for18 30. you will need to be familiar with ALL the characters with
in each myth.
. Plotline for “Pandora’s Box”
. “Arachne”
. “Prometheus”
. “Demeter and Persephone”
. “Daphne”
. “Echo and Narcissus”
 
  “Oedipus”
. “Antigone”

. Creation myth (Aphrodite, Crone, Uranus, Rhea,)
.

2. "Mythology is a Lie" essay.....see the explanation below. THIS IS DUE ON TUES., the day you return from FALL BREAK!

IS MYTHOLOGY A LIE?

“Art is the lie that tells the truth.”—Picasso

Introduction: What is truth? Several of you indicated on the first day of school that you felt mythology was a lie. I have no doubt that you have a much different perspective, especially now that we have read and discussed the gods and their corresponding myths. There are several metaphorical truths found in mythological stories. In fact, few great literary works are true in a factual sense, bur their freedom from facts allows the expression of emotional truths in a way factual stories cannot.

Your Assignment:

1.Please respond to the question, “Is Mythology a Lie?” Your response will take the form of a five paragraph response.

2. Discuss truths found in three explanatory myths; you will randomly pull those myths in a few minutes. Those myths will act as the focus for each body paragraph. If you have recorded the information we have discussed in class, then writing your response will not be difficult for you.

3. You must have textual evidence to support your points. The text from the myths will be used to support the truths you choose to discuss for your paper.

4. Please remember MLA Format for your essay.

5. Please write using an ACADEMIC VOICE;  primarily in relationship to no passive verbs, no first or second person pronouns, and focus on strong word choices (NO DEAD WORDS).

May the power of Athena, Hephaestus , Hermes be with you! Please

let me know if I can assist you in any way.

Work Day: ___________________________________________________________

Writing Lab to develop first draft: ______________________________________________

Write your paper using PROMETHEUS, OEDIPUS, and ARCHNE!


 

THE FOLLOWING INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH may be used by each class!

     Many metaphorical truths exist within mythological stories. In fact, few great works of literature contain truth in a factual sense, as their freedom from facts allows the expression of emotional or philosophical truths in ways factually based stories cannot. Themes such as, “attempting to defy fate,” and “the consequences of pride,” offer the reader deeper insight into human characteristics and their faults. As Pablo Picasso stated, “art is the lie that tells the truth,” and myths, as with all art, are lies, and yet they reveal a profound and meaningful realism that helps the reader grasp concepts associated with human nature.

REMEMBER THAT ALL MISSING WORK IS DUE ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15th !

IN ADDITION, REMEMBER THAT OUR 7 a.m. REVIEW for the EXAM WILL TAKE PLACE ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21st!  

ENJOY YOUR FALL BREAK! 

Friday, October 10th, 2014

Dear Mythology Kids,

THE END IS ALMOST HERE, and some of you are attempting to enter "HADES WITHOUT A COIN! " I am here to assist you, but you need to act as an advocate for yourself. COMMUNICATE! ALL MISSING ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE (with your coupon) on or before October 15th. Please visit with me during FLEX or AFTER SCHOOL! I am happy to ASSIST YOU!

If you missed class, we completed the following:

1. Students were each given one of the four questions regarding "Oedipus." Please see the information regarding the quiz in the previous post. If you missed class, then you need to collect the quiz on MONDAY! MONDAY! MONDAY! The quiz is due on TUESDAY! We also discussed the literary device of irony, as it is essential to your quiz!

2. We continued discussing the elements associated the Greek Theater and why they are so essential to Mythology. Students in B1 and B4 had time to finish watching both films, MIGHTY APHRODITE and THEATER HISTORY! B2 only had time to view the first film, so we will complete the second film when you return to class on Tuesday!

NOTE: Please make sure you are here on TUESDAY, the 14th, as we only have one day prior to Fall Break, next week, my young friend!

HOMEWORK:

1. Oedipus Take-Home Quiz is due on TUESDAY!

Take care,
Crampton

Monday, October 6th, 2014

Dear Mythology Kids,

STOP MISSING CLASS, my young friends! I LOVE YOUR GUTS, but the more you miss class the harder it is for you to grasp the material! IF YOU NEED HELP, then COMMUNICATE, so that I CAN ASSIST YOU!

If you missed class, we completed the following:

1. Each student submitted the revised edition of their "Comparison Analysis."
2. Students then worked in their groups and identified TWO THEMES and/or MOTIFS for "Arachne" and "Narcissus." Communicate with a member from your group if you were absent. I promise that all the discussions we have had about the NATURE MYTHS will come in handy.

3. Students were introduced to a new god...DIONYSUS...the god of WINE, MERRIMENT, and THEATER! His ROMAN name is BACCHUS1 Please obtain the information about DIONYSUS from a peer, as it involves a picture.

4. Students were then introduced to GREEK THEATER and their first aesthetic myth entitled "Oedipus" located on page 268 in your textbook. This is actually one of the most famous pieces of Greek literature that still remains in its entirety. It was first written as a myth, and then converted to a theatrical tragedy by a playwright named Sophocles. Students were given a handout in class covering GREEK THEATER. If you were absent, the handout is available in the "Mythology Make-Up Box."

If you missed class today, please make sure you read the myth of "Oedipus" located on pages. 268-273 in your textbook. You will have a QUIZ over the myth and Greek drama on Wed, October 8th! PLEASE READ THE MYTH! What we do in class on Wednesday is important concerning your schema regarding "Oedipus." This is a valuable piece of literature, as it was originally written as a narrative, and then transformed to a play by Sophocles. It also contains the literary element of IRONY, which adds to the plot line.

This image depicts a theater troupe performing "Oedipus Rex. " Oedipus is in the middle, and the Greek chorus is surrounding him.

We reviewed the three different types of IRONY today in class.
1. Dramatic Irony: This occurs when the audience is aware of specific information that characters are not.
2. Irony of Situation or Situational Irony: This occurs when the outcome of a literary work turns out differently than what the audience originally anticipated.
3. Verbal Irony: This occurs when a characters means the opposite of what they say.








Ancient Greek theater mask. The Greeks used masks to help indicated emotion and the type of drama being performed. This image depicts a TRAGIC mask.


.

I introduced the myth of "Oedipus" to you today (Monday, October 6th) as a catalyst for understanding Greek Drama. I have included some additional images from those I shared with you in class. This myth is extremely significant, as it illustrates the ancient Greeks desire and ability to take their myths and transfer them to the genre of drama.

 WEDNESDAY'S QUIZ:The literary tool of irony is significant to the plot of "Oedipus." As part of your quiz on Friday, you will respond to ONE of FOUR quotes. I will ask that you explain the irony of the chosen question in relationship to the plot of Oedipus. Your response must be thorough. Responding with, "This section is ironic because Oedipus does not realize Laius is his father," is not detailed enough. You will need to explain ALL the circumstances behind the quote that you "pull from the bag."  This is why you must READ YOUR MYTH, my fine young friends! You do have access to the questions, as they are below, and you can consider a strong response for each one.

1. "He left his home, Corinth, where he was held to be the son of the king, Polybus, and the reason for his self exile was another Delphic oracle. Apollo had declared that he was fated to kill his father."

2. "...whoever had murdered King Laius must be punished. Oedipus was relieved. Surely the man or men could be found after all these years, and they should know well how to punish him."

3. He spoke to his people..."Let no one of this land give him shelter. Bar him from your homes, as one defiled, companioned by pollution. And solemnly I pray, may he who killed wear out his life in evil, being evil."

4. "No one suffered more than Oedipus. He regard himself as the father of the whole state; the people in it were his children; the misery of each one was his too."

 

Thursday, October, 2nd, 2014

Dear Mythology Kids,
I hope you have a great weekend! If you missed class, we completed the following:

Journal #2 entitled   "Hope"
1.Please consider the following quote by Friedrich Nietzsche. "Hope is the worst of all evils, because it prolongs the torment of man." "Talk" to me about this. Do you agree or disagree with Nietzsche? Explain why? Possibly you see his point of view, but you also view "hope" as a positive entity, as well. Please support your opinion with a personal example.

2.  We completed a self-assessment for the "Comparison Analysis" and students were asked to take their essay home and correct the sections that needed to be revised. The revision is due on MONDAY!

3. Students were given two additional nature myths...."ARACHNE" and "NARCISSUS." Please annotate each myth using GREEN and one other color of your choice/ 5-7/page for MONDAY! 

4. We completed discussing the "TRUTHS" found within the myths of "Prometheus," "Pandora, " and "Demeter." If you missed class, then I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU COMMUNICATE WITH SOMEONE IN CLASS, as what we did in class with be used on a future assignment!

HOMEWORK!
1. Please read "Narcissus" and "Arachne." I gave each student a copy of the myths, but you can also find the in your book! See information above for annotations/notations!

2. Correct your "Comparison Analysis" for Monday!  

Tuesday, September 30th, 2014

Dear Mythology Kids,

STOP MISSING CLASS! I love your guts, but I am going to "call you out!" If you are ill, then by all means stay at home, but many of you are not getting up in time for school, so you are missing first period, or you are going out for lunch, and failing to watch the clock. ARRIVE ON TIME, as it is SO RUDE when you are LATE! FIGURE IT OUT, my young friends. I don't have the time to repeat myself, even though I do that frequently in class. Seriously, I don't have an extra 80 minutes to offer you. VISIT WITH ANOTHER STUDENT IN CLASS, in order to find out what you missed! CHANGE YOURSELVES and if you need help then contact a psychologist! I am happy to act as your "psychologist!" I AM SICK 24 hours a day for the rest of my life, but I figure things out! 

1. Students took a few minutes to review for their "application" quiz covering the gods. 
2. Students took the quiz and then we corrected it. Those of you that missed class, please communicate with me, so we can decide on a time that will work for you to take the quiz.
3. We then discussed "Daphne." Students identified two THEMES within the myth and as a class we recorded those themes on the pink handout that each of you received last class period.
4. Depending on your class, we continued discussing the explanatory myths of "Prometheus, " "Pandora," and "Demeter"

HOMEWORK:
1. Remember that your Comparison Analysis is due on THURSDAY, October 2nd. In addition, remember to have your Works Cited with you, as well!

Cheers,
Crampton

Wednesday, September 25th, 2014 and Friday, September 26th, 2014

Dear Mythology Kids,
If you missed class, we completed the following:

1.WHAT DO ANNOTATE and NOTATE MEAN, Crampton?
 "ANNOTATE" means to underline text in order to strengthen understanding. "NOTATE" means to record information next to text in order to strengthen understanding."

• If you  find a section of text confusing then you would underline it using BROWN.
• Another way to annotate is by asking QUESTIONS about the text. RED is the color you will use for this annotation.
• If you come across a VOCABULARY word that you don't know use PURPLE!
• If a piece of text touches you emotionally, then BLUE is the color for that annotation.
• If a piece of writing is poetic to you, then use BLACK!
• If text gives you insight into THEME or MOTIFS then GREEN is your annotation color.

• ORANGE is the color you will use if you come across text that you find interesting. 

We continued discussing the gods! The remaining information regarding HERMES, ARES, and APHRODITE is located below. REMEMBER THAT YOU WILL HAVE A QUIZ COVERING THE GODS ON TUESDAY!

FRIDAY

Ares….first murderer….first to be acquitted ……cowardly……MARCH…..Romans respected Mars, much more than the Greeks respected Ares (harvest/growth)……Aphrodite….Pain, Panic and Contention ….are their children

Cupid/Eros son of A and A…Sadistic

Aphrodite…..blooms of plants, manipulates with love, She uses Eros/Cupid to assist with manipulation …… H and A and A…magical Girdle …… causes the Trojan War…golden apple

PRACTICE QUIZ
 1. Venerate, Vigil, Valuable, Vigilante, Volume, Viscous...I love words that begin with the letter V. ______________/______________
2. I would make an excellent "shop" teacher. ______________/___________
3. I have a PhD in Statistics. __________/______________
4. I am "President Obama" of the Olympians. _____________/____________
5. I directed a documentary film on grand larceny (look this up). ___________/____________
6. I would do well working in a floral shop, as I have a "magic touch" when it comes to flowers.

_____________/_______________
7. March is my favorite month. ____________/___________
8. I always "hit my mark." __________/_____________
9. I am responsible for desecrating a temple. ____________/_____________
10. Justify your response for #9 ____________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
11. A trick was played to woo me, so "love can not live where there is no trust." ______/_____
12. Justify your response for #11. ____________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________
13. I failed to ask my wife's mother for her hand in "marriage." _________/_________
14. "Make me the most beautiful land animal." __________/____________
15. I gave my father a terrible headache the day I was born. ____________/___________
16. I was in the delivery room when my brother was born. ______________/______________
17. I am "cuckoo" for cuckoo birds_____________/_______________
18. "Beauty" is in the eye of the beholder. _______________/_______________
Justify your response for #18 ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
19. Payment is needed to enter here. __________/__________
20. Two eagles "found" my truth  _______________/__________________.

HOMEWORK/WEDNESDAY:
1. Please read "Prometheus" and "Pandora." Both myths are located in the "make-up" box in the Mythology room. Please annotate and notate each myth/5-7/page/ using all the colors, but primarily GREEN!
2. Read "Demeter" pages 50-55 in your book! If you own your own text, then you are welcome to annotate/notate in it. If not, then please use a sheet of notebook paper. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU PURCHASE YOUR OWN BOOK! Please annotate and notate each myth/5-7/page/using all the colors, but primarily GREEN!

HOMEWORK/FRIDAY:
1. QUIZ covering the Greek gods on TUESDAY! Take advantage of the "practice" quiz above!
2. "COMPARISON ESSAY" is due on THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2nd!   DO YOUR BEST TO COMPLETE YOUR ASSIGNMENT! REMEMBER THAT SOMETHING is ALWAYS BETTER THAN NOTHING!
3. Read "Daphne " pges. 119-120 in your textbook....annotate/notate/7-10 total/all colors/mostly GREEN for TUESDAY!

REMINDER, cute kids! If you did not complete annotating "Demeter" for Friday, I am happy to accept it on MONDAY without your homework coupon. If you give it to me on Tuesday, then I will need your coupon. Please bring your annotations to me on Monday BEFORE school or during lunch. Remember that I have meetings after school! Thanks, guys!
 

Monday, September 22nd, 2014

Dear Mythology Kids,
I hope you had a great weekend! From what I heard, HOMECOMING was amazing, and I have no doubt that you and your date looked JUNOESQUE and APOLLONIAN! If you missed class, we completed the following:

1.Students were introduced to a new writing assignment entitled "Modern Day God. I have included a copy of the explanation for you below. Each of you should have a copy of the assignment in the "Homework" section of your notebook. THIS IS DUE ON OCTOBER 2nd! Please let me know if you have any questions. Don't wait to begin working on the assignment, as you will have other assignments due prior to the 2nd!


Instructions for "Modern Day God" Assignment:

1.Through our class discussions, each student should have a greater understanding concerning the Olympians. Please select ONE Olympian and connect him/her to an individual from past or present society. The god you select does not need to be the same one you research regarding your “Handout” assignment.
2.All of the god's attributes do not need to be obvious in relationship to the individual chosen for connection; however, you must be able to relate at least one (obviously) attribute that both possess. Please go beyond the obvious, by focusing on intrinsic characters rather than appearance.
3.In order to obtain enough information regarding your chosen connection, you will need to complete some research. Please note the citation examples below concerning a book or Internet source.

BOOK: Carter, Joseph. The Life of Mark Twain. Scott Foreman, Pub., New York, NY.

                                1989.

INTERNET: William, Jacob. “Mark Twain.” The Mark Twain No One Knew. August

                               17th, 2001. September 11, 2008.

                                  http://coned.ceu.edu/authors/19thcentury.org

4.Please begin your response by indicating the connection between the god and your chosen individual (Introduction). Your next paragraph needs to indicate aspects concerning the god (Body Paragraph #1). The third paragraph will focus on the individual chosen for comparison (Body Paragraph #2). Finally, your fourth paragraph will justify why you elected to compare the two characters (Conclusion)

5.Please use ACADEMIC VOICE for your response.
6.MLA Format regarding structure and citations also needs to be used. Double space your response, using Times New Roman print, and 12 point font.
7. Please incorporate an image of your “modern day” comparison in your paper.


2. We then continued discussing Hades, Demeter, and Artemis! Please note the information on those gods below!
 
Hades

God of Wealth (precious metals found within the earth)
You must pay to enter his domain with a coin (obolus)
Three levels...people are judged based upon HOW THEY LIVED THEIR LIFE
Just/Rhadamanthine....concept of ethics
Cerberus....three headed dog
Steals Persephone and she becomes "Queen of the Underworld"
Persephone spends three months of the year (winter) with Hades and the remaining months she is with her mother ...Persephone eats four pomegranate seeds confining her to the realm of the dead

Demeter

Goddess of the Harvest
Seasons
When her daughter Persephone is stolen by Hades, Demeter refuses to let anything grow
Zeus requests that she Persephone be returned to her mother
Demeter rarely lost her temper
Horse is created for her by Poseidon


Artemis and Apollo

Artemis and Apollo

VIRGIN!!!!!!!!

Kill for virginity….she asked her father for eternal virginity, change your mind

ACTEON is a hunter….. changes him to stag and his hounds destroy him

ORION is a hunter ….Apollo kills ORION…..

Apollo is jealous of his sister ….scorpion and it stings Orion….Artemis places Orion and the scorpion in the stars

Apollo falls in love with Daphne…VIRGIN (Artemis), REVENGE!

Apollo is competitive…..”ROCK competitive”

2^nd fav. To Zeus…..perfect

Ephesus is her city state.

 Apollo is the god of "Truth." 

His city state is called Delphi

He destroys the Python that tormented his mother and then draped its skin over his throne.

The women that worked for him were called Oracle or Pythian preistesses

He had his own athletic games called the Pythian Games; they were held in honor of the Python that he killed.

Tuesday, September 16th, 2014

Dear Mythology Kids,

If you missed class, we completed the following:

1. We reviewed for the "Greek Pantheon" Test. Those that chose to take the "practice test" took time correcting that, and then students spent a few minutes reviewing together.

2.We then took the test and corrected it!

3. We moved on and started discussing more specific information about the pantheon . Please note the information below, and record this information on your yellow handout that has boxes on it containing images of the gods.

Cheers,
Crampton

I hope you have a great weekend. Those of you attending HOMECOMING don't forget to tell your date JUNOESQUE and APOLLONIAN!



Zeus

• controls all aspects of the weather
• tricks Hera into marrying him by transforming into a cuckoo bird
• Hera is his second wife
• Metis is his first wife (she is the mother to Athena)
• shape shifts into animals in order to woe women
• has numerous affairs
• Just
• has difficulties in making decisions
• god of athletes/athletic events were held in his honor/wore "crown" of oak leaves

Hera

• Zeus transforms into a cuckoo bird. Hera loves animals, and finds a "cuckoo bird" outside her window trapped in a storm. She brings the bird to her breast and states, "I will love you forever, cuckoo bird, and I swear by the River Styx that I will honor this vow." At this point, Zeus returned to his true form, raped Hera, and told her that she had to honor her vow by marrying him. If you swore by Styx your oath could not be broken.
• She loves animals.
• Hephaestus is her son without a father (in some versions) Hera was angry that Zeus had given birth to Athena without the assistance of a mother, so she gave birth to Hephaestus without a father. He was born ugly and unshapen, so she cast him off Mt. Olympus.
• Due to Zeus' affairs, Hera takes her anger and frustrations out on Zeus' lovers and children.Athena
• Zeus swallowed Athena's mother, Metis, because an oracle had informed Zeus that if Metis birthed a son that child would overthrow his father. Zeus felt that he could not risk this, so he swallowed Metis. Athena grew within her father, until one day he experience a terrible headache. Hephaestus, the God of Inventions, sliced open Zeus' head and Athena was born wearing full battle armour and holding a shield and spear.
• Athena values mankind. She taught them how to create tools, use numbers, create nets, weaving and ships.
• Athena expected mankind to give gratitude to the gods of Olympus. If they were disrespectful, she punished them. She turns a mortal woman names Arachne into a spider because she failed to thank Athena for her gift. In addition, she said that she was a better weaver than Athena.
• Athena and Poseidon both wanted Attica as their city-state. The people decided they would select their patron god based upon a gift they offered the people. Athena gave the people an Olive Tree, and Poseidon gave the people a spring of salt water. The people selected Athena as their patron deity; consequently, Poseidon detested Athena.

Poseidon

• God of the Seas
• Created the horse to woe  his sister, Demeter. In the process created all the "misfit" animals (zebra, giraffe, hippo, donkey, etc.)
• Gave the horse to Demeter and created the sea horse for himself
• Earthquakes
• Loved his domain due to the secrets he could keep in it
• Had sex with Medusa in Athena's temple; this angered the goddess. To revenge this wrong, Athena turned Medusa into a GORGON. Medusa was punished for Poseidon's wrong, but Poseidon punished significantly for it.
• Known for his beautiful smile
• Easily angered 
• Highly venerated due to the Greeks being sea faring.

 

Monday, September 7th, 2014

Dear Mythology Kids,

If you missed class on Monday, we completed the following:

1. We corrected the "QUEST".....You did incredibly well on this, and I am proud of you!
2. We continued with the Greek Pantheon! Each class is at a different point, so I ask that you communicate with someone in class, so that you can receive the information for the characters that you missed!

REMEMBER: Wednesday you will be visiting with the counselors concerning the Utah Futures program. Please make sure you have your parent permission form, so that you can experience the entire process; it really is worth it!

HOMEWORK:
1. Please read pages 23-36 in your textbook. This information discusses the Greek Pantheon in greater detail. Please identify THREE points of interest for each god. Record those points for class on FRIDAY! You are welcome to type or hand write the information.
2. You will have a test covering the gods and their Greek/Roman names, symbols and domains next TUESDAY! I have included a PRACTICE TEST for you below. You are welcome to create flashcards for the gods, and use a 1/4 of the ones that you make for Tuesday's test!

NOTE:  Start prepping for your quiz covering the gods (Greek and Roman names, symbols and domains). This quiz will take place on TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER, 16th!

PRACTICE TEST for "The Olympians" NOTE: I did not find an image of Hades that I felt was "accurate." Please be aware of this when taking your quiz. Good Luck..... REMEMBER THAT YOU SHOULD NOT USE YOUR NOTES for this assessment! USE THIS AS A PRE-TEST!



For each image, please identify the Greek and Roman names, the other symbols not present in the image, and all of the god's domains. Please follow this structure for each response.

1.

2.

3..

4.

5.

6.

.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

Thursday, September 4th, 2014

Hello, Mythology Kids!

I hope you enjoy your weekend! If you missed class, we completed the following:

1. We reviewed for the Quest!
2. Took the Quest!
3. Started working on the Olympians in relationship to identifying them by Greek/Roman names, Symbols and Domains! We will continue to work on this next week! Please communicate with someone in class, so that you have the information that you missed.

HOMEWORK!
1. Each student received information from me, that they in turn, were asked to read and underline points that they found interesting for Monday!
2. Remember that you need to have an internet source concerning your god. This, too, needs to be underlined for interesting points.
3. Create a list combining all the points you found interesting from the internet source and the information that I gave each student in class.

NOTE: You are welcome to write the list of combined interesting points.

I look forward to seeing you on MONDAY!

Tuesday, September 2nd, 2014

Dear Mythology Students,

I hope you had a wonderful Labor Day weekend! If you missed class today (Tuesday), we completed the following:

1. Reviewed the Creation myth up to where we "finished" in class last class period. PLEASE COMMUNICATE with a friend in class so that you are prepared for our "Quest" on THURSDAY!

2. We then continued with the Creation story! We started with Cronus killing Uranus and then  the birth of  Cronus and Rhea's children.....Hestia, Hera, Demeter, Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus! Again, communicate with a friend in class.

3. Each student received a copy of the myths entitled "Uranus" and "Cronus." Please stop by and pick up a copy prior to the "quest" on Thursday!

4. I highly recommend that you create FLASHCARDS and complete the PRACTICE QUIZ on the BLOG, my young friends!

STUDY! STUDY! STUDY! STUDY! STUDY! STUDY! STUDY! STUDY! STUDY! STUDY!