Learning Activity

Odysseus's Plight: A Long Road Home

Subject Area

English Language Arts

Grade(s)

9

Overview

This activity is designed to provide students with a closer look at Odysseus's voyage home. Once students have completed the preliminary assignments from the "Odysseus: Masterful Leader or Arrogant Risk taker?" they are prepared to begin reading the actual text. As they read, students will complete Cornell Notes to ensure understanding of the text. Once we have read Part One of the Odyssey, students will complete a One-Pager depicting their understanding of one of the books read and discussed in class.

This activity was created as a result of the ALEX Resource Development Summit.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.R2

Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts to develop a literal and figurative understanding as appropriate to the type of text, purpose, and situation.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.9.R2

Vocabulary

  • Literary texts
  • Literal understanding
  • Figurative understanding
  • Text
  • Purpose
  • Situation

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Necessary skills to read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Strategies to analyze literary text to develop a literal and figurative understanding.
  • Literary texts have different intended meanings depending on the genre, purpose, and situation.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Develop literal and figurative understanding of literary texts appropriate to the text, purpose, and situation.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Literary texts can be understood on both a literal and figurative level.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.4

Analyze how authors use characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view to create and convey meaning in a variety of texts.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.9.4

Vocabulary

  • Characterization
  • Connotation
  • Denotation
  • Figurative language
  • Literary elements
  • Point of view

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors choose to write from a particular point of view and use specific literary elements and vocabulary words to convey their intended meaning.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view in a variety of texts.
  • Analyze how characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view creates and conveys meaning in a variety of texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Authors select particular literary elements and devices to create and convey meaning within their written work.

Phase

During/Explore/Explain
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

Following this activity students will be able to:

  • demonstrate an understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings (one-pager)
  • analyze how complex characters develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme (Cornell notes)

Activity Details

This activity will begin by introducing students to the reading of the Odyssey by showing an introductory overview. Students will then read the introduction to Part One (pages 1-17 in the text linked) of the Odyssey. Students will be given a copy of the Cornell Notes Template to use during the reading of the text. The Cornell Notes will allow students to analyze Odysseus and his actions throughout the text and gain insight on his character as it develops. Discussion questions can be used by the teacher to assess student understanding of the text. Students will complete Cornell Notes for each book of Part One. Part One includes Books One, Five, Nine, Ten, Eleven, and Twelve (pages 18-55 of the text linked). The next step in this activity is the creation of a One Pager. The one-pager allows teachers to assess student understanding while allowing the students to be artistically creative. This one-pager will assess students' ability to identify figurative language, vocabulary and key themes and details. The rubric for the one-pager is included in the one-pager directions.

Assessment Strategies

Assessment Strategies

The following methods will be used to evaluate the students' mastery of the objectives:

  • Cornell Notes answering text-dependent questions to analyze and assess student understanding of how complex characters develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
  • One pager to demonstrate student understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

Approximate Duration

Total Duration

31 to 45 Minutes

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

To better prepare for this activity I suggest the following:

1. Students have access to "The Odyssey" either via Google Classroom or hard copies.

2. Markers, crayons, colored pencils, and paper to complete the one-pager.

3. Student copies of the one-pager criteria and rubric.

Digital Tools / Resources

Odyssey Introduction Part I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bufVw5zJo0c

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

sbonner3
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