The Odyssey is an action packed epic that contains a lot of drama, adventure, suspense and even romance. The same things that get the interest of current audiences. It can be presented as the wonderful story that it is.
Also, there are a lot of references to Homer and his epics in modern literature, art, song and even films. If the students can see that this is all of the things they look for in a modern story, and realize the number of times it is mentioned in things with which they are already familiar, they can come to appreciate it.
The following sites contain wonderful resources for teachers.
http://www.mythweb.com.teachers/index/html
http://www.web.com.com/shownet/medea/bulfinch/bullnotes
http://www.randomhouse.com/acmart/odyssey.html
http://www.pantheon.org/mythica
Great Books link to video and other things
Great Books: The Odyssey about the movie
Interactive games that can be purchased for the classroom
Wishbone and the Amazing Odyssey
"Help!" Wishbone is stuck in Ancient Greece and can't get home without you. He's go to get out of here. The only escape is to follow the path of Odysseus.
From The Entertainment Catalog: www.edutainco. com item # 563002
Wrath of the Gods (A CD-ROM game) This game takes you on an adventure through Greece based on the Greek myths of Odysseus, Herakles, and others. Published 1994 by Luminaria, SF. (415 821-2055)
Arizona Standards
The following are exerpts from the Arizona Department of Education standards .
Language Arts Standards for Grades 9-12
Reading
PROFICIENCY (Grades 9-12)
Students know and are able to do all of the above and the following:
R-P1.Apply reading strategies such as extracting, summarizing, clarifying, and interpreting information; predicting events and extending the ideas presented; relating new information to prior knowledge; supporting assertions with evidence; and making useful connections to other topics to comprehend works of literature and documents
PO 1. Extract critical details or elements of literature
PO 2. Summarize the main points
PO 3. Make predictions based on evidence presented
PO 4. Extend ideas presented in the text
PO 5. Connect prior knowledge to information available
R-P2.Recognize, analyze and evaluate an author’s use of literary elements such as mood, tone, theme, point of view, diction, dialog and figurative language (e.g., metaphors, allusions, symbolism, similes) in selections of challenging fiction, nonfiction and poetry
PO 1. Identify the author’s use of literary elements (e.g., theme, point of view, diction, dial
PO 2. Analyze the author’s use of literary elements and figurative language
PO 3. Support a judgment of the effectiveness of the author’s use of literary elements and figurative language
R-P3.Evaluate the author’s persuasive techniques in written selections such as editorials, essays, reviews and critiques
PO 1. Distinguish use of fact and opinion
og, character, setting, plot and figurative language)
PO 2. Identify purpose (thesis, point of view, stand) of a selection and the response desired from the reader
PO 3. Evaluate the author’s bias and use of persuasive strategies to accomplish a purpose
faulty logic
word choice
sentence structure
propaganda techniques
organizational pattern
R-P4.Evaluate technical journals or workplace documents for purpose, organizational pattern, clarity, reliability and accuracy, and relevancy of information
PO 1. Critique consistency and clarity of purpose
PO 2. Critique effectiveness of organizational pattern (e.g., logic, focus, consistency, visual appeal)
PO 3. Evaluate information for
relevance
clarity
understandability
logic
reliability and accuracy (e.g., expertise of author, appropriate use of statistics, diagrams, charts)
R-P5.Analyze classic and contemporary literature selections, drawn from American and world literature, for the universality of themes such as the individual’s role in society, interdependence, and the interaction between man and nature
PO 1. Draw a logical inference about the theme and support the inference with evidence from the selection (e.g., symbolism, setting, characterization, irony, conflict)
PO 2. Compare and/or contrast universality of themes with real-life experiences and/or other works of literature
DISTINCTION (Honors)
Students know and are able to do all of the above and the following:
R-D1.Analyze complex texts drawn from American and world literature in several historical periods and movements to discern the universality of themes such as the individual’s role in society, interdependence, and the interaction between man and nature; and the author’s use of literary elements and styles
R-D2.Use a full range of strategies to judge the reliability, accuracy, effectiveness, and persuasiveness of literary criticism and analysis, professional and technical journals, and professional-level reading materials
R-D3.Develop and support a theme or thesis about the craft and significance of a body of literature, both classic and contemporary, from a diverse selection of writers
Writing
PROFICIENCY (Grades 9-12)
Students know and are able to do all of the above and the following:
Note: In developing the Proficiency Level concepts, students should use the writing process, including generating topics, drafting, revising ideas and editing, to complete effectively a variety of writing tasks. See W-F1 for the performance objectives.
W-P1.Use transitional devices; varied sentence structures; the active voice; parallel structures; supporting details, phrases and clauses; and correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar and usage to sharpen the focus and clarify the meaning of their writings
PO 1. Use transitions (e.g., conjunctive adverbs, coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions) where appropriate
PO 2. Vary sentence structure (e.g., compound, complex, compound-complex)
PO 3. Use active voice as appropriate to purpose (e.g., creative writing, expository writing)
PO 4. Use parallel structure appropriately
PO 5. Sharpen the focus and clarify the meaning of their writing through the appropriate use of
capitalization
standard grammar and usage (e.g., subject-verb agreement, pronoun agreement and consistency of verb tense)
spelling, with the use of a dictionary/thesaurus (as needed)
punctuation (e.g., comma, ellipsis, apostrophe, semicolon, colon)
W-P2.Write a persuasive essay (e.g., an editorial, a review, an essay, a critique) that contains effective introductory and summary statements; arranges the arguments effectively; and fully develops the ideas with convincing proof, details, facts, examples and descriptions
PO 1. Write a thesis statement to convey a point of view about a subject
PO 2. Develop the point of view with ample and convincing support (e.g., details, facts, reasons, examples and descriptions) appropriate to audience and purpose
PO 3. Create an organizational structure that includes an effective beginning, middle and end
PO 4. Use persuasive word choice and sentence structure (e.g., connotation, strong verbs, repetition and parallelism)
W-P3.Write an analysis of an author’s use of literary elements such as character, setting, theme, plot, figurative language and point of view
PO 1. Develop a thesis that states a position about the author’s use of literary elements
PO 2. Support the thesis with relevant examples from the selection
PO 3. Analyze the author’s use of literary elements (e.g., character, setting and theme)
PO 4. Organize the analysis with a clear beginning, middle and end
W-P4.Craft a cohesive research document that develops a logical argument or thesis; contains comprehensive, supporting information from a variety of credible and cited resources; and conforms to a style manual
PO 1. State a point of view, position or argument about the subject
PO 2. Organize with a beginning that states the thesis, a middle that develops the thesis, and an end
PO 3. Support a point of view, position, or argument, utilizing facts, examples, details, and/or quotes from credible, accurate sources
PO 4. Follow the guidelines of a selected style manual consistently
W-P5.Write formal communications, such as a résumé, manuals and letters of application, in appropriate formats, for a definite audience and with a clear purpose
PO 1. Establish a clear purpose for a specific audience
PO 2. Use a clear and appropriate organizational pattern following a standard format for the assigned communication
PO 3. Include only relevant information
PO 4. Use language with an appropriate degree of formality
W-P6.Write a narrative or story that develops complex characters, plot structure, point of view and setting; organizes ideas in meaningful sequence; and includes sensory details and concrete language to advance the story line
PO 1. Write a first- or third-person narrative or story
develop a point of view
present events in a logical order
develop events that convey a unifying theme or tone
include sensory details, concrete language and/or dialog
use literary elements (e.g., plot, setting, character, theme)
DISTINCTION (Honors)
Students know and are able to do all of the above and the following:
W-D1.Expand writing experiences by experimenting with language, form and genres (e.g., poetry, screen plays and public policy documents)
W-D2.Reflect the subtleties of language and polished literary style in their writings including the power of imagery and precise word choice, and the use of such literary devices as foreshadowing, flashbacks, metaphors, similes, symbolism and idioms
W-D3.Analyze, synthesize, evaluate and apply principles of formal logic in expository writing tasks
Listening and Speaking
PROFICIENCY (Grades 9-12)
Students know and are able to do all of the above and the following:
Deliver a polished speech that is organized and well suited to the audience and that uses resource materials to clarify and defend positions
Deliver an impromptu speech that is organized, addresses a particular subject and is tailored to the audience
Deliver oral interpretations of literary or original works
Conduct an interview, taking appropriate notes and summarizing the information learned
Evaluate the effectiveness of informal and formal presentations that use illustrations, statistics, comparisons and analogies
DISTINCTION (Honors)
Students know and are able to do all of the above and the following:
Use clear and concise language when presenting analytical responses to literature, conveying technical information, and explaining complex concepts and procedures
Deliver creative and dramatic interpretations of literary or original works
Communicate information expressively, informatively and analytically through a variety of media to audiences inside or outside of school
Evaluate and improve personal communication skills
Viewing and Presenting
PROFICIENCY (Grades 9-12)
Students know and are able to do all of the above and the following:
Analyze and evaluate visual media for language, subject matter and visual techniques used to influence attitudes, decision making and cultural perceptions
Plan, organize, develop, produce and evaluate an effective multimedia presentation, using tools such as charts, photographs, maps, tables, posters, transparencies, slides and electronic media
Analyze and evaluate the impact of visual media on the intended audience
DISTINCTION (Honors)
Students know and are able to do all of the above and the following:
Conduct research to evaluate the impact of language, subject matter and visual techniques used by the media
Expand abilities in developing multimedia presentations
Research ethnical issues related to the laws, rules and regulations for the use of media