Thursday and Friday, 7/31 - 8/1 - Biblical Overview

• P&P

Adam and Eve are driven from the Garden of Eden

• (Groups 2-3) Let's begin by reviewing the beginning of our story: Genesis 1-4 
• Ch 1 - The Creation of the World
• Ch 2 - Adam and Eve
• Ch 3 - The Fall
• Ch 4 - Cain and Abel

• 

  Cain slays his brother, Abel

  Unfortunately, we don't have much time to go through many Bible stories, but we can take a look at David and Solomon, the most well-known Kings of Israel, from whom comes Jesus Christ, who is known as King of kings and Lord of lords. When Jesus spoke of himself He said, "Something greater than Solomon is here." This sounds pretty crazy if you ask me . . . unless it's true, which is crazier! So . . . let's meet these two kings who preceded their greater Son, Jesus.
  • David is anointed King of Israel
  • David defeats Goliath
 

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HW: 

• (3) Read the whole Bible (JUST KIDDING!)

Wednesday, 7/30 - And to Wrap Things up . . . The Bible

Gustave Dore's David and Goliath (1866)

• Prayer & Poetry

• Group 3 
• "Once upon a Time" by Nadine Gordimer
• What fairy tale motifs does this story invert or parody? 

• Now that we have covered Faerie Tales and their motifs rather extensively, let's learn where many of these tales derive their
• themes  
• the small warrior--or underdog--often triumphs over his giant foe with unexpected weapons), 
• motifs  
• three times/days
• good ultimately defeats evil
• crossing the threshold), and  
• characters . . . they find their origins in the Bible, which means, "the Book."

• Let's begin by reviewing the beginning of our story: 
• Genesis 1-4

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HW: 

• (1) Work on pronouncing "the third"
• (2) None
• (3) Read Genesis 1-4 and write down any motifs you observe

Tuesday, 7/29 - One More Fairy Tale?

• P&P

• Announcement: students will not go to the cafeteria but will return to the dorm after their last period; lunch will be provided on your field trip. 

• "Aschenputtel (Cinderella)" motif homework check.

• An unusual version

• Let's read/discuss one more together - "Sleeping Beauty" 

• Group 3 - Dig this: a little Sleeping Beauty context 
•  "Once upon a Time" by Nadine Gordimer

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HW: Take a break!

Monday, 7/28 - Cinder(ella)s and Ashe(nputtel)s!

"Aschenputtel"

• Prayer & Poetry

• Review HW 

• Discuss motifs in "Snow White"

• Read "Aschenputtel" (the German name for "Cinderella")

Aschenputtel and her evil stepsisters - Arthur Rackham

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HW: 

• (2-3) Make a list of as many fairy tale motifs as you can from "Aschenputtel." See if you can identify some new ones if you can!

Fairy Tale and Biblical Motifs

• motif
• recurring object, structure, character type, phrase, or concept in a work and/or numerous works of art.
• Fairy Tale Motifs:
• i.e. the poor family, the weak father, the evil stepmother, the forest (unknown), enchantment (magic), destruction of evil, wedding, sympathetic animals, naive protagonist(s), etc. 
• Biblical motifs:
• i.e. creation-recreation, three days, seven days, the eighth, the garden, the serpent-dragon, the forbidden fruit (tree), banishment from the garden, brother-murder, breath of life, new creation
• "In the beginning God [was the Word]" (found in Genesis and John)
• Seventh Day of Rest: God rested on the seventh day after creating the world; Jesus "rested" (died) after re-creating the world just as the sixth day was ending
• Adam in the Garden (of Eden); Jesus in the Garden (of Gethsemane)
• Serpent in the Garden; Judas and the soldiers in the garden
• Forbidden fruit; Bathsheba; the cross
• Brother-murder: Cain and Abel, David and Uriah, Jews and Jesus 
• Breath of Life: God breathes on Adam; Jesus breathes on His disciples
• New Creation: Eve from Adam's side; the Church from Jesus's side 

Wednesday, 7/23 - Kids Kickin' It (well, kickin' the bad guys)

A Fairy (Arthur Rackham)

• Prayer & Poetry

• Read "Hansel and Gretel" and try to find and write down as many faerie tale motifs (recurring objects, concept, character type, or structure in a work) as you can.   
• Here are some of the ones we discovered today in class that commonly appear in many faerie tales:
• forest
• poor family
• evil stepmother
• weak father
• threshold (the line that separates the known and unknown worlds)
• enchantment (magic . . . the gingerbread cottage)
• special numbers (3 or 7)  
• can you find some others???

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HW: 

• (2-3) Read "Snow White" and find as many motifs as you can, writing down specific instances.

Tuesday, 7/22 - Faerie Tales

• Prayer & Poetry

• Western Ways - Midterm (Quiz)

• When you finish your quiz today, we will begin our next section of readings . . . out of chronological order. While we have read some selections from the Greco-Roman strand of western tradition, we are going to save the Judeo-Christian strand for the last few days. Right now, we will look at faerie tales.
• So, all groups should begin reading "Hansel and Gretel."

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HW: 

• No HW ; )

Monday, 7/21 - Coming Home

• P&P

• Discuss HW
• (2) Read "Troy" (based on Homer's Iliad)

• Identify one important lesson
• Which character do you like the most and why?
• Which character do you like the least and why? 

• (3) Read "Troy" (based on Homer's Iliad)

• Identify one major theme developed in the story, and cite two examples in the text to support your point
• Which character do you like the most and why?
• Which character do you like the least and why?

• Now let's finish our overview of Greek mythology with a quick reading of one of my favorites: The Odyssey



Odysseus returns home

• Have you ever been stranded far from home—here in America?—and it seemed like everything and everyone was conspiring against your return? Well, imagine trying to get home for ten years only to find a group of punks who were stealing your inheritance and trying to break up your family. How would you deal with them?

 HW: 

• (1) Study the following fables for your quiz tomorrow (Here is the list)

• (2) Study your stories and poem (poetry recitation and quiz tomorrow). Know the characters, plots, and morals.

• Theseus and the Minotaur
• The Boy Who Flew Too High (Icarus & Daedalus)
• Helen of Troy
• Troy
• The Homecoming of Odysseus

• (3) Study your stories and lit terms (quiz tomorrow). Know the characters, plots, and themes.

• Theseus and the Minotaur
• The Boy Who Flew Too High (Icarus & Daedalus)
• Helen of Troy
• Troy
• The Homecoming of Odysseus

Friday, 7/18 - All For a Woman

• P&P

• (3) Review Lit Terms

• (2-3) Review HW
• (2) Of the three myths we've read, which one do you think teaches the most important lesson for your life . . . why?
• (3) Themes and collect love story

•  Helen of Troy
• Read as a class
• (2) Identify an important moral
• (3) Identify one theme

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HW: 

• (1)

• (2) Read "Troy" (based on Homer's Iliad)

• Identify one important lesson
• Which character do you like the most and why?
• Which character do you like the least and why? 

• (3) Read "Troy" (based on Homer's Iliad)

• Identify one major theme developed in the story, and cite two examples in the text to support your point
• Which character do you like the most and why?
• Which character do you like the least and why? 

Wed, 7/16 - Theme and Moral

A detail of Echo and Narcissus by John William Waterhouse (1903)

• Prayer & Poetry

• • Today we are taking a look at the literary term known as theme. While closely related to moral, theme is a bit more nuanced, complex. A moral tells an audience (often a very young audience) how to live (e.g. don't tell lies, hard work eventually pays, etc.). A theme, however, is an author's view of some aspect of life. It's not a moral, but you can often extract, or pull, a moral out of it. Here's an example:
  • theme: "Young people who don't listen to their elders' wisdom often suffer disastrous consequences."
  • Notice that this is a basic insight into some aspect of life.
  • moral: young people should listen to their elders' wisdom.
  • Notice that this is an admonition, a command directed toward youth for their own good, to make them better people.
• Additionally, a theme should be stated in a complete sentence. Here is an example of how to move from a subject, to a topic, to a sub-topic, and finally to a theme.
• Subject: advice
• what kind of advice? from whom?
• Topic: advice of elders
• advice of elders applied to whom?
• Sub-topic: advice of elders for the youth
• what about elders' advice and youth? Do young people often listen to it, or do they disregard it? What's the big deal about not listening to it?
• Theme: "Youth who don't listen to their elders' wisdom often suffer disastrous consequences." 
• Notice that the theme above is stated in a complete sentence. It can also be observed in many stories you will read throughout your lifetime. 
• Now below is how you might state the theme as a thesis statement ( your main argument) in an essay asking you to identify a major theme of a particular myth.
• Thesis: The myth of "Icarus and Daedalus" portrays the unfortunate theme that youth who do not listen to their elders' advice often suffer disastrous consequences.

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HW: (due Friday . . . no class on Thursday!)

• (1) Read (and listen to) one of these fables, and write out what the fable teaches you.
• (2) Of the three myths we've read, which one do you think teaches the most important lesson for your life . . . why?
• (3) 
• Write out two separate themes for "Icarus and Daedalus" and "Phaeton (just one theme for each story).
• Finish your one page love story that ends in tragedy.

Tuesday, 7/15 - Identifying Theme

• Let's read a story about another young man who made a foolish decision: Phaeton

HW:

• (1) No HW
• (2-3) Finish reading the story of Phaeton and be ready to discuss tomorrow.

Mon, 7/14 - Man! I Mythed Up Again!

The Fall of Phaeton (Peter Paul Rubens, 1605)

• Prayer and Poetry

• Continue with Myth 
• "Icarus and Daedalus" (or "The Boy Who Flew Too High")
• Video
• "The Minotaur" (and Theseus)



Theseus slays the Minotaur

• Video 
• "Phaeton" (69-74)

HW: 

• (1) Read two more fables, and write out which one you liked better and why.
• (2) Study your Lit Terms
• (3) Study your Lit Terms and begin writing a one page love story (minimum requirement) that ends in tragedy (Due Friday).

Fri, 7/11 - Mind the Minotaur

• Prayer & Poetry



Peter Paul Reubens' The Fall of Icarus (1636)

• (2-3) Read your fables to the class

• (2-3) Move on to Myth
• "Icarus and Daedalus" (or "The Boy Who Flew Too High")
• Video
• "The Minotaur" (and Theseus)



Theseus slays the Minotaur

• Video 

 ___________________________

HW: 

• (1) Do the assignment that you were assigned on Thursday: read two fables and write out which one you liked better and why. (Jack already did this assignment, and so he does not have homework.)
• (2-3) Copy down all the Lit Terms and their definitions that I've posted on the blog. Begin studying them for a quiz (possibly at the end of next week).

Thurs, 7/10 - Finish Fables and Move to Myth

• Pray

• Homework check

• Now let's read some fables from Aesop, a famous Greek author who may not have existed in the 6th century BC.  
• Fable - a short story that shows how humans often act by using animals as the main characters, from which readers learn a lesson.
• Aesop's Fables 1
• Aesop's Fables 2
• Aesop's Fables (with audio)

_______________________________________
HW: (due Friday)

• (Group 1)
• Read two more fables using the links above and write out which fable you like better and why.

• (Group 2-3)
• Read two more fables
• Write your own fable with a partner
• It should be short
• It should have either talking animals or an animal that does extraordinary things (i.e. the goose that lays golden eggs)
• It should teach a moral, and that moral should be written at the end
• It must be written or typed on blank paper
• It must also have a drawing or painting (not a computer image) that shows the story's action

Wed, 7/9 - Welcome to the West!

• Prayer and Poetry (P & P)

• Today we begin our journey through many of the stories that have shaped the West. Before we begin, however, I'd like for you to do a quick little journal write. Please answer the following questions on a sheet of paper:

• J1 - The Power of Stories
• What is one of your favorite stories?  (It may be a book or a movie)
• Explain why you like it.
• Why do you think people like stories so much?  

• Your own life has the shape of a story. In a very short paragraph, tell the story of your life with you as the protagonist (the main character).

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HW:

• (Groups 1-3)
• Bring a paper journal (binder paper or a booklet)
• Bring a pen or pencil

• (Group 2-3 additional work)
• Finish your personal story