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Subject

English Language Arts (NYS P-12 Common Core)

Description

Students will work with vocabulary from The Odyssey and continue reading Part 1 of the epic. Students will read and discuss "Siren Song," a poem by Margaret Atwood, and make predictions for Part 2. We will begin reading Part 2 and also update Mind Maps.

For an overview of the entire unit on The Odyssey, or to view the other lessons within this unit, visit: The Odyssey by Homer: Unit Overview.

Duration

One 80-minute class period

Objectives

• Students will review vocabulary terms and create visual images to help them remember the meaning.
• Students will identify main characters, themes, literary elements/devices and events from the epic.
• Students will read and respond to the poem "Siren Song" and discuss how it relates to the epic.
• Students will answer questions about Part 1 of the epic and begin reading Part 2.

Essential Question(s)

• Why is it important for people and cultures to construct narratives about their experience?
• What is the role of a hero in a culture?
• How do our values and beliefs shape who we are as individuals and influence our behavior?

Materials & Resources

• The Odyssey - we use the excerpts found in the textbook Glencoe Literature Course 4 by McGraw Hill
• Colored pencils and markers to update Mind Maps
• Part 1 review worksheet (one copy per student)
• The poem "Siren Song" by Margaret Atwood
• Vocabulary worksheet (from Lesson 2)

Odyssey Part 1 review.doc

Step-by-Step Procedure

Anticipatory Set: Students will be asked to review Part 2 vocabulary words and create illustrations for the words.

1. Students share illustrations with a partner. Teacher will review definitions with students from both Part 1 and Part 2.
2. Students take out their Mind Maps and as a class review action from Part 1 and continue reading the rest of Part 1.
3. Students will update their Mind Maps.
4. Teacher will pass out the Part 1 review worksheet. Allow students ten minutes to answer questions. There are two sides to this worksheet!
5. Review the answers to the questions. Discuss students' responses to Part Two of the worksheet focusing on character traits.
6. Read the poem, "Siren Song," by Margaret Atwood. Remind students that they viewed a picture of a vase depicting the Sirens when we viewed the PowerPoint in Lesson 1.
7. Ask students to make predictions, based on the poem, for what will happen in Part 2.
8. Begin reading Part 2 .
9. Discuss with the students how Odysseus outsmarted the Sirens and how the poem, "Siren Song," could be altered.

Closure: Have students re-write the last stanza of the poem, "Siren Song," based on what happened with Odysseus and the Sirens.

Assessment

• Student participation in reading poem and discussing predictions for Part 2.
• Student participation and completion in continuing/re-writing "Siren Song" based on Part 2 event with Odysseus and the Sirens.
• Student performance on Part 1 review worksheet.

Related Academic Standards

New York State

9-10R4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings. Analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning, tone, and mood. Examine technical or key terms and how language differs across genres. (RI&RL)

9-10R9 Choose and develop criteria in order to evaluate the quality of texts. Make connections to other texts, ideas, cultural perspectives, eras, and personal experiences. (RI&RL)

AS.R.9 Analyze and evaluate texts using knowledge of literary forms, elements, and devices through a variety of lenses and perspectives.

AS.L.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in word meanings.

RL.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

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