Week at a glance Sept 28 - Oct 2, 2009

Classical Mythology Unit Exam grades - Exam grades are now posted and can be viewed online in Parent Portal. We will go over the exam and answer any questions once all make-up exams are complete.

Curriculum focus: identifies, interprets, and analyzes the use of symbols (1.3.K4i), compares and contrasts character traits (1.4.K7a), compares and contrasts themes across multiple stories ( 1.4.K7b), identifies and describes the protagonist (2.1.K1a), identifies and describes the antagonist (2.1.K1b), analyzes the contextual aspects of setting (historical, social, and cultural) and their impact and influence on characters and events in the story (11.2.1.K2), recognizes ways that literature from different cultures presents similar themes differently across genres (11.2.2.K1), and compares and contrasts works of literature that deal with similar topics and problems (2.2.K2).

This week we finally move away from Classical Mythology and begin what will be a pattern of two-week units exploring various other major mythologies from around the world. Our next unit will focus on the Middle East, specifically Mesopotamia and Egypt. These two regions give us some of the oldest myths and stories that we have in recorded human history. We'll discuss each culture's timeline, its major gods and goddesses, and its primary myths. We'll also use what we learned about mythology in general to look for recurring patterns or archetypes to be discovered in the myths.

• Mon: Mythology review. "The Mesopotamian Cultures: Sumeria and Babylonia" - Discussion and notes in class.
  
• Tues: Sumeria and Babylonia - "The Enuma elish," pgs 153 - 158. Read and discuss in class.
  
• Wed: Sumeria and Babylonia - other myths. Discussion and notes in class.
  
• Thurs: Sumeria and Babylonia - "Gilgamesh," pgs 174 -203. Begin reading and discussing in class. Read to page 203 for Friday.
  
• Fri: Sumeria and Babylonia - "Gilgamesh," wrap up discussion. Assignment due by the end of the hour.