Folk Literature Unit

Folk Literature Unit Outline

Objectives

·         Understand folk literature and “The Hero’s Journey”

·         Understand and be able to use the Social Class Lens to analyze a text

·         Be able to connect how Greek culture has influenced folk literature

·         Participate in class discussions

Correlation/Standards

(In Class Discussions and end of unit project)

RL2 CCR: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.  

RL2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

·         Analyze ideas, literary techniques, and specific details in a text that develop a theme or central idea.

·         Objectively summarize a text by including the appropriate details.

·         Participate actively and appropriately in discussions about literature.

(In Class Discussions)

RL3 CCR: Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.   

RL3: Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

·         Analyze and explain how complex characters develop, interact, and change over

the course of a text.

·         Analyze, explain, and evaluate the impact of complex characters on advancing the

plot and developing the theme in a text.

(In Class Discussions)

RL6 CCR: Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.

RL6: Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.

·         Understand, appreciate, and make connections with different cultures and points of view.

·         Identify, analyze and explain the influence, effect, or impact of historical and/or cultural experience on narrative text.

Texts & Materials

·         The Odyssey (text)

·         Gilgamesh (short story)

·         The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell (documentary)

·         Critical Encounters in High School English by Deborah Appleman: Chapter 4’s Social Class Lens/ pass out a summative worksheet

·         Unit Project prompt & rubric

·         Monty Python and the Holy Grail (movie)

Weekly Lesson Plans/Assignments

Week 1:

·         Watch: The Power of Myth documentary by Joseph Campbell to define the theory of myth

·         Introduce: The Social Class Lens: What, how & Why worksheet

·         Introduce: Folk Literature & “The Hero’s Journey”

·         Assigned Reading: Gilgamesh by next class

Week 2:

·         In Class Discussion: Summary of Gilgamesh & analyze how characters develop throughout the text

·         Assigned Reading: The Odyssey (first half)

·         Research: Greek (culture) folk literature for in-class discussion

·         In Class Discussions: Greek culture and folk literature connection to Gilgamesh & The Odyssey

Week 3:

·         Assigned Reading: The Odyssey (second half)

·         In Class Discussions: Use the Social Class lens to relate to one of the characters

·         In Class Discussions: Summation of first half of The Odyssey and “The Hero’s Journey”

Week 4:

·         In Class Discussions: Summation of the second half of The Odyssey and its themes

·         Project: Create a pamphlet discussion what we learned in the unit as well as a summary of either Gilgamesh or The Odyssey (Due at the end of the week)

·         Watch: Monty Python and the Holy Grail