The Odyssey Unit

Prepared by Heide AW Kaminski

February 2012

Day One

Introduction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdTigtNMmDQ

Pretest (I know… eeeek!)

About Homer (the Greek guy,

not Homer Simpson )

Explanation of your unit projects

(Activity booklet and some FUN stuff!)

Your Choices for Final ProjectsThink about what you are good at when you chose which project to

commit to!You may chose a partner or work alone, however, whatever choice you

make today will have to remain for the rest of the project.

1) “About Me” PowerPoint (about one of the characters in the novel, not you ) You will need to be allowed to use the computer for this one!

2) Board game3) Diary from Odysseus to his son (you have to like writing a lot!)4) Travel brochure about places Odysseus traveled to (you will have

to be creative and make gloomy places sound like an awesome place to travel to!)

5) Book Report (at least two 12 pt font typed or four handwritten pages)

6) Children’s book version, one picture per chapter and one or two sentences capturing the chapter, all need to make sense as the entire story

Now Let Us Begin!!!

We will read the entire novel, however, as it is at times complicated to understand we will begin with the graphic novel today

Day 2

• Read chapter one, then answer questions (all of our questions will be answered discussion-style)

• Read chapter two, then answer questions• Discuss the travel map and the social map: we

will have one on the board and you each have one in your activity booklet. As we read through the book, we will add places and people’s names together. YOU WILL NEED THESE FOR CREATING A SUPER FINAL PROJECT, SO PAY ATTENTION!

• Work on draft for final project

Chapters one and two

BOOK ONE1. Where is Odysseus?

2. What or whom is Athena disguised as?

3. Why do Telemachos and his mother need Odysseus?

4. Why does Odysseus's wife have suitors?

5. What does Athena advise Telemachos to do?

BOOK TWO1. Describe the trick that Penelope plays on her suitors.

2. What specifically does Athena do to help Telemachos in this book?

3. Why does Telemachus get mad at the suitors?

DAY 3

• Read chapters three and four and answer questions

• Begin to fill in definitions for the “frequently used words in Greek Mythology” chart (which is a part in your activity booklet!)

• What is an “epic” anyway?• Add names and places to the social and travel

maps, word search in your activity booklet, definitions for a few more “frequent words”

• Work on draft for final project

Chapters three and four

BOOK THREE

1. What is Nestor's opinion of Odysseus

2. What type of ceremony do we learn about in this chapter?

3. Describe Nestor's reaction when he realizes that Telemachos's companion is Athena.

BOOK FOUR

4. What clues cue Menelaos and Helen that Telemachos is Odysseus's son?

5. How did Odysseus infiltrate the walls of Troy?

6. What is Menelaos' opinion of Odysseus?

7. Describe Antinous' plan to destroy Telemachos.

8. How do the suitors respond to Telemachus’ plans?

Day 4

• Read chapters five and six and answer questions

• Who, what, when, where, why and how Write a short newsflash about what you know

about the Odyssey so far (at least one handwritten page, write legibly, if I can’t decipher it, I can’t grade it!)

• Add names and places to the social and travel map, definitions for a few more “frequent words”

• Work on final

BOOK FIVE1 Who is Hermes, and what is his mission?2. What can Hermes do with his wand?3. Who is holding Odysseus captive?4. What is Calypso's reaction to having to let Odysseus go?5. What is the main problem Odysseus faces while traveling by sea?6. What happens to Odysseus at the end of Book 5?

BOOK SIX1. What "subliminal" message does Athena give to Nausicaa while she lies sleeping?2. Who is the only person who doesn't run away from the terrifying Odysseus? Why

doesn't she run away?3. Is it pure luck that Nausicaa helps Odysseus? Explain.4. What does the fact that Odysseus won't bathe in front of the girls tell us about the kind

of person he is?5. Does Nausicaa believe her parents will help Odysseus?6. Why won't Nausicaa let Odysseus ride in her cart?7. What instructions does she give Odysseus?

Chapters five and six

Newsflash

Odysseus (who) was spotted (what) near Ithaca (where) last night (when). Witnesses believe he might still be alive and is trying to return home (why). It is still not confirmed that this is true (how).

12 points, one each for addressing the questions and one each for the answer being

consistent with what we read so far.

http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Sesame_Street_News_Flash

Day 5

• Read chapters seven and eight, answer questions

• Add names and places to the social and travel map, definitions for a few more “frequent words”

• Try the crossword puzzle in your activity booklet

• Work on your final project

Chapters seven and eightBOOK SEVEN1. What are the Phaiacians best known for?2. How is Odysseus treated as a guest?

BOOK EIGHT1. Describe the activities that King Alcinoos arranges to entertain

Odysseus.2. Who is Demodocos?3. How is King Alcinoos helping Odysseus to get home?4. What is Odysseus's reaction whenever Demodocos sings about the

Trojan War?

Day 6

• Read chapters nine, answer questions• Cyclopes, minotaurs, and other creatures

in mythology, learn about them and then:• CREATE YOUR OWN! Draw it, describe it,

give it character• If time: work on your final

Chapter nineBOOK NINE

1. What was the effect of the Lotus plant?2. How heavy is the door of the Cyclops' cave?

3. What is the first villainous thing the Cyclops does? 4. Why doesn't Odysseus kill the Cyclops when he has the chance?

5. What does Odysseus give the Cyclops as a gift?6. What gift does the Cyclops give in return?

7. What does Odysseus tell the Cyclops that his name is?8. How do Odysseus and his men sneak out of the Cyclops' cave?

9. What foolish thing does Odysseus do?10. What did a soothsayer once predict would happen to the Cyclops?

11. What does the Cyclops ask his father Poseidon to do for him?

Design Your Own Mythological Creature

http://art-zoo.tripod.com/artgallery/id27.html

10 points: describe at least three physical features (3), give it at least three characteristics (3), give it a name (1) and draw it (3)

Day 7

• Read chapters ten and eleven and answer questions

• PUPPETSHOW! With one or two partners, pick a scene, write a script and make some puppets. Presentations will be tomorrow!

• If time: work on final

Day 7

BOOK TEN1, Who is the god of wind?

2. What favor does he do for Odysseus and his men?3. What dumb mistake do some of the men make on the

ship?4. How do even more men die after the bag accident?5. What does Circe do to some of Odysseus's men?6. How does Odysseus get her to release his men?

7. What instructions does Circe give Odysseus?

Chapters 11 and 12BOOK ELEVEN

1. What does Odysseus do to call the souls of the dead to him?2. Who is Teiresias and what does Odysseus want from him?

3. What does Teiresias predict for Odysseus?4. What should Odysseus do to the suitors at his house?

5. What does Teiresias say Odysseus should do after dealing with the suitors?6. What is the name of Odysseus's mother and how did she die?

7. Why can't Odysseus hug his dead mother?

BOOK TWELVE1. Why should Odysseus be wary of the Sirens?

2. What should he and his men do to keep safe from the Sirens?3. Describe Scylla.

4. What will Charybdis do if Odysseus's ship gets too close?5. What does Odysseus keep secret from his men?

6. Describe the circumstances of Odysseus's shipmates' deaths. Is it Odysseus's fault?

Puppet Show

15 points, script at least two pages long (5), details in the script are correct (5), performance (5)

http://www.birthdayexpress.com/Sesame-Street-Puppet-Theater/65628/ProductDetail.aspx

Day 8

• Read and discuss chapters thirteen and fourteen

• SHOWTIME! Present your puppet show to the class

• If time: work on final

Chapters 13 and 14BOOK THIRTEEN

1.Describe Odysseus's journey home from Scheria.2. What does Poseidon initially want to do to the Phaeacian ship?

3. What decision does Alcinoos make because of the wrath of Poseidon?

4. Why and for how long does Athena want Odysseus to be in disguise?

5. What does Athena instruct Odysseus to do now that he has returned to Ithaca?

6. Whom does Athena instruct Odysseus to visit first?

BOOK FOURTEEN1. What is the name of the swineherd?

2. What does Odysseus tell the swineherd about himself?3. Describe Odysseus's disguise.

Day 9

• Read and discuss chapters fifteen and sixteen• Make post cards: pick three places Odysseus

has traveled to so far, design and write one postcard for each place, one to Penelope, one to Telemachus and one to Circe

• Add names and places to the social and travel map, definitions for a few more “frequent words”

• If time: work on final

Chapters 15 and 16BOOK FIFTEEN

1. How has Eumaios proven his faithfulness in this and previous books?

2. Who do you think will be the first person to know Odysseus for who he really is?

BOOK SIXTEEN1. What does Telemachos call Eumaios? Why?

2. Describe Athena's changes to Odysseus's appearance.3. Who does Telemachos think Odysseus is when Athena removes his

disguise?4. What do Odysseus and Telemachos plan to do?

5. Describe Penelopeia's confrontation with Antinoos.

Postcards to Ithaca

6 points, front picture (1), back message and address (1) for each of three post cards

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/03/grand_jury_prob_1.html

http://www.afn.org/~alplatt/paris.html

Day 10

• Read and discuss chapters seventeen and eighteen• “Fictional Friends” If you could be friends with any of the people, Gods,

Goddesses, or creatures we have read about so far, who would you want to be friends with? Answer the following: who, why and what kind of things would you do together? Should be at least one page! Write legibly!

• Add names and places to the social and travel map, definitions for a few more “frequent words”

• If time, guess what: work on final

Chapters 17 and 18BOOK SEVENTEEN

1. What does Theoclymenos prophesy to Penelope?2. How does Odysseus test the suitors?

3. Who recognizes Odysseus right away? How does he recognize him?4. Describe Melanthios.

5. Who makes Odysseus extremely angry?6. Why does Odysseus want to test his servants and his wife before

revealing his identity?

BOOK EIGHTEEN1. Why does Odysseus get in a fight with Iros? Who wins?

2. What trick does Penelope play on the suitors in this book?3. Which three characters anger Odysseus in this book?

Fictional Friend

5 points, who (1), why (1), three things you would do together or talk about (3)

http://www.commentsyard.com/comments/best-friends/

Day 11

• Read and discuss chapters nineteen and twenty

• Pick a character and write a poem… a bio poem! I will give you a paper that explains what components you have to put into it

• And then… the usual, perfect your final, it is due in a few days! Might want to show me what you’ve got, to make sure you are on the right track!

Chapters 19 and 20BOOK NINETEEN1. What does Odysseus the beggar tell Penelope about Odysseus?2. How does Eurycleia recognize Odysseus?3. How did Odysseus get the scar on his leg?4. Describe Penelope's challenge for the suitors

BOOK TWENTY1. Name two people who are cruel to Odysseus the beggar.2. Who proves himself to be a kind and faithful servant?3. What do you think Odysseus is going to do to the suitors?

Bio Poem

15 points, name (1/2), four traits (1/2 point each), three relatives (1/2 point each), lover of three people/things (1/2 point each), three feelings (1/2 point each), three needs (1/2 point each), three fears (1/2 point each), gives three things (1/2 point each), three things he/she would like to see (1/2 point each), resident of (1/2)

Day 12

• Read and discuss chapters twenty-one and twenty-two

• Meeting of the Gods/Goddesses: with one or two partners, prepare a script. Each of you is going to play one of the Gods/Goddesses in the book and you need to create a meaningful conversation, show time is tomorrow

• Is your final coming along???

Chapters 21 and 22BOOK TWENTYONE

1. Whom does Odysseus trust to help him defeat the suitors?2. Why don't the men want Odysseus to try to string the bow?

3. How does Odysseus prove his true identity?

BOOK TWENTYTWO1. What did Odysseus prove about his abilities when he shot the arrow through the

twelve axes? Why is that important now?2. Whom does Odysseus kill first and why?

3. How does Eurymachos plead his case with Odysseus?4. Whom does Telemachos catch raiding the storeroom of weapons and what do they do

with him?6. Which two servants who spared?

7. How does Odysseus identify the unfaithful maids?8. What does Odysseus do to the unfaithful maids?

9. What is done to Melanthios?

Meeting of the Gods/Goddesses

5 points, pick a God/Goddess (1), make a nametag (1), introduce yourself (1), tell a short story about yourself (2)

http://www.bestofalltopics.com/the-titans-the-first-greek-gods/

Day 13

• The final count-down: read and discuss chapter 23

• Show time: present your meeting of the God/Goddesses to the class

• Final about ready???

Chapters 23

BOOK TWENTYTHREE1. How does Penelope test Odysseus?

2. Why does she test him?

3. Describe the one last task that Tieresias told Odysseus to complete. What will be his reward

for this task?

4. After Odysseus tells Penelope about all his adventures, he sets off again. What does he go

to do? What does he tell Penelope to do?

Day 14

• Last stretch!• Your activity booklet is due by the end of

today! If it is not complete you will be graded on what you have so far, because it is DUE!

• Work on perfecting your final

Day 15

• “Odysseus Needs a Job” – now that we have read everything we need to get a good idea about what kind of a person Odysseus is, we need to help him find a job!

• Make finishing touches on your final!• If we have time, we will play “Odyssey

Bingo”

Odysseus Needs a Job!

http://theofficeprofessional.com/category/free-tag-topics/job-search

14 points, you have seven jobs to evaluate for Odysseus, one point each for a reason why these jobs are good for him and one point each for reasons why these jobs are not good for him.

Day 16

• Finish your final! I need to approve it for tomorrow’s presentation! I can’t wait to see what my awesome students have come up with! If it is not done, you can only turn it in for partial credit

• If we have time, we can play a non-violent game: Trojan War (nope, no violence!)

Day 17

• Present your final project to the class! • During the last ten minutes of class, you

will write a “Dear Author” letter, in which you will tell Homer what you think of his epic (use nice words!!!!!)

Dear Author

http://www.lettersaboutliterature.org/

10 points, one page (2), nice handwriting (2), address the author (1), tell him about yourself (2) and what you liked/disliked about his book (2), don’t forget the greeting at the end (1)!

Day 18

Finish presenting finals

http://www.psychotactics.com/blog/why-boring-marketing-creates-a-comfortable-business/

Day 19

• Post test• Movie time! • We will watch a • cartoon version • of the Odyssey • WE ARE DONE! WHEW! WASN’T THAT FUN????????????????

http://www.dnanutrition.com/?p=311