Greek culture

11/12: Reflection for the odes: Write about the decisions your group made and why (here's where you show me what you understand about the ode, its place, its concerns, etc.), write about how the performance went - what went well and why, what did not and why (what would you have done to fix it), upon reflection, what would you change about the process and why, and anything else you want to tell me.

11/10: Oedipus questions (test prep) + ode iv assessment work. HOMEWORK: revisit the diction word you started with in the play (sight, light, darkness, sickness, blindness). Close read Ode IV and Exodus and make a list of all the words related to your word. Compare to the list you have from earlier in the play and THINK about how it's different: more of less? different person? different emphasis? WHY does this matter?

11/6: We reviewed scene 3 and Ode 3 in an effort to understand the climax and the peripetia. We read scene 4. Groups will perform Ode 4 (same groups as before) for an assessment grade. FOR TUESDAY, read "Exodus" and complete the notecard ("Oedipus Exodus assignment" below).

11/5: Read scene 3 and Ode 3. Revisit Freytag's triangle. On the front of the sticky note, write about the action in scene 3 and try to tie to the triangle: where are we in the structure of the play right now and how do you know that? Given what you know, what strikes you as important in the scene and WHY? ON THE BACK: Use what you learned in class today to work your way through ode 3: what is the tone here and how do you know that? What close reading of the poetics helps to give you a deeper understanding of the chorus, its concerns, its wishes and its warnings and how do you know that? Put the sticky note in the book at Ode 3.

11/3: Make sure you complete the notecard work on the HOME page as well. Read Ode 2 closely and carefully, paying special attention to your group’s stanza. THINK about the section preceding the ode (Oedipus’ revelation about his flight from his home, the killing the men on the highway, Teiresias’ charge and Jocasta’s rejection of the Gods, etc.). THINK too about the role of the chorus. Think about strophe (to turn) and antistrophe (turn back) and how that affects your stanza. Work to memorize your stanza. In your notebook: reflect on all of this and how it shapes your ideas about your stanza, about performance of the stanza (how it should be staged, with what emphasis, what combination of voices, etc.) to be ready for Thursday’s class.

11/2: Close reading of the play in search of words that relate to your category (see "diction" below).

10/30: Reading in class. Homework: go back over the play and complete the "Oedipus + Greek Ideals" worksheet.

10/29: Performing the chorus.

10/28: Reading the Prologue - tonight, paraphrase the Chorus, find three traits Oedipus possesses and tell me how you know it (evidence), look for evidence of effects stressed in the early part of the play (lines, phrases, imagery, relationship, etc.).

10/27: we watched and wrote about a staged version of an excerpt of the play in an effort to see how stylized Greek theater was, to see the interaction between Oedipus and the Chorus and to begin our understanding of the role of the Chorus.

10/26: We started our work on Oedipus Rex today. You should have a handout called "Oedipus timeline," "Greek Dramatic Principles," "Freytag's Triangle."

10/20: We started work on Plato's Cave today: On the back of the notecard:First, write down any questions or confusions you have about “the Cave”Then, answer these to the best of your ability (just number the answers). 1. Which Form is the most difficult and the most important to perceive (it leads t wisdom)? 2. What does he say about the natural state/reaction of the man who has seen the light but then returns to the human world? 3. What does he say is the duty of that man and why? 4. How far should the state being willing to go in order to compel that man to fulfill his duty and WHY?5. Of the –isms we looked at in the “Ideas” packet, which one best describes Plato’s thinking in the Cave and why? In your blue book: divide a page in had and on one side brainstorm the promise of democracy and on the other, brainstorm the problems of democracy. We will continue to refer to this list as we explore Athens.

Finally, we looked at scenes from The Wizard of Oz to "see" how the film suggests aspects of Plato's Cave, in an effort to better understand why the cave allegory is important.

HOMEWORK: I’d like to you to watch sections the PBS documentary called Athens: Road to Democracy of it to get some background about Athens in Socrates’ time. First watch this section (14 minutes). Then keep all of that background in mind, as you watch this from the 10:00 minute mark until the end (I know it cuts off - that's fine) and start this one at 2:30 and watch through (the total viewing time of all of these together is about a half hour). Please take notes. I will ask you to use some of this information as we continue studying Greece in class. Please make sure you’ve done this by Friday.

10/16: We finished How Art Made the World episode "More Human Than Human" today. You can watch it here.

For Tuesday: Read “Plato’s Cave” and “The Application of the Cave” (this is in your course packet after the "Ideas" reading). Draw me a picture of the cave as you imagine it. Label the parts and write me a paragraph that explains why you see it as you do (tie this to text support).Also, read the excerpt from The Disappearing Spoon. This is an excerpt of a chapter from a book about the history of the Periodic Table (I highly recommend it). In this excerpt, Sam Kean is linking Plato’s philosophical ideas with the noble gases on the table.

As you read, use all that you know to help you make sense of Kean’s ideas (bring in what you know about chemistry, what you know about Greek culture in Plato’s time, what you know about Plato’s ideas form the textbook excerpt (make sure you revisit that section – particularly the ideas about the ideal forms after you read this). On the front of the notecard: react to the excerpt. How was the reading? Was it difficult? Easy? Why? What new information about chemistry did you learn, how did it help you to think about Plato, about the ideal forms. Tell me what you know and why, what you think you know and why and what still confuses you and try to work out that confusion. Fill at least the front of the card.

10/7: The Greek assessment is attached below. If you are out on Friday, 10/8, you MUST complete this work on your own and bring it to class on Tuesday, 10/12.