Module 2:

A Hero's Journey

How does Ramayana: Divine Loophole exhibit the genre expectations of the monomyth?

How does The Odyssey exhibit the genre expectations of the monomyth?

How do translations of The Odyssey and Ramayana expand our understanding of these texts?

How does the monomyth genre persist in and influence the stories we tell?

What is the significance and power of the hero’s journey?

Reading

Module 2: A Hero's Journey

In this module, A Hero's Journey, students will study what makes a hero. Is it simply courage, or something more? What traits do all of us share with the most famous heroes in literature?

Core Texts:

Myths
The Odyssey, Gillian Cross and Neil Packer
Ramayana: Divine Loophole, Sanjay Patel Articles
“The Hero’s Journey Outline,” Christopher Vogler
“A Practical Guide to Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces,” Christopher Vogler

Class Art, Videos & Other Media:

“The Mythology of Star Wars,” Bill Moyers and George Lucas
“Sanjay’s Super Team,” Sanjay Patel
“What Makes a Hero?” Matthew Winkler

Books to Extend Learning at Home:

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Book 1: The Lightning Thief, Rick Riordan
Life of Pi, Yann Martel ▪ Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of The Iliad, Rosemary Sutcliff
Sita’s Ramayana, Samhita Arni ▪ The Hero Schliemann: The Dreamer Who Dug for Troy, Laura Amy Schlitz
The Iliad, Homer (Retold by Gillian Cross)
The Greek Gods, Bernard Evslin, Dorothy Evslin, and Ned Hoopes
The Odyssey, Homer, Geraldine McCaughrean (Adapter)

Writing

Focus: Argumentative (Weeks 4-5), Expository Nonfiction (Weeks 1-3)

*End Argumentative Unit with Writing Performance Task before moving on to Expository Nonfiction

Argumentative skills from 1st Quarter plus:
Research and write about nonfiction topics of interest
Evaluate the credibility of sources and take research notes
Organize information by subtopics and write about findings in a logical order
Employ facts, precise language, and quotations in reports
Use transitional words and phrases
Write introductions that clearly state topics and conclusions
Establish and maintain a formal style
Explore text features to include in reports
Cite sources correctly in a biography

Teacher Mentor Texts

If the World Were A Village

The Technology Behind Everyday Appliances

The Technology Behind Amazing Built Structures

A Teen Guide to Being Eco in Your Community

Ouch!