Planner for Quarter 3

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
30	31 Introduction to the course:  Expectations and Syllabus Start Unit 1 Discuss essential questions:  What is the role of stories in our lives?  What do stories tell us about ourselves?  Specifically, what does Star Wars tell us about ourselves? Homework:  read the Linda Seger article for 2/8; annotate the article for her claim and 3 most important pieces of evidence	1	2 Discussion of Joseph Campbell and the hero quest template (what you'll fill out as we watch the movies) Watch and discuss disc 1 of PBS documentary (with viewing guide)	3
6 Mini lesson on metaphor:  the vehicle and tenor TED talk on Metaphor The myth of Icarus:  identify the metaphor and compare the tenor in each vehicle	7	8 Discuss Seger article Unit 2 Discuss the hero quest—how has it changed from Ancient Greece (The Odyssey) to now (YA literature, video games, film).   Journal:  Why do we still read about or watch the hero’s quest if we know how it will turn out? Read “The Art of Immersion:  Why Do We Tell Stories?” in class; identify the claim and supporting evidence	9 SNOW DAY	10
13 Read (and view)”You Won’t Live to See the Final Star Wars Movie”; again, identify the claim and evidence Homework: Read “An American Mythology: Why Star Wars Still Matters;" identify claim and evidence	14	15 Review elements of argument: claim, sub-claims, evidence DYRT quiz on last three articles Discuss storytelling and what Lucas was trying to do with Star Wars:  is he crafting mythology?	16	17 Unit 3 Read “Watch Star Wars in the Best Order to Avoid Spoilers” Discuss in pairs; report out to the group
FEBRUARY BREAK
27	28 Watch "The Mythology of Star Wars": interview of George Lucas by Bill Moyers Review elements of argument: Claim Counterclaim Evidence Appeals	1	2 Argument essay Construct a short argument  regarding the best order to watch Star Wars	3

Icarus: myth and metaphor

• First, read a children's version of the myth.

• Now, examine the painting:  Landscape with the Fall of Icarus.  The vehicle is a painting-- but what is its tenor?  

• With a partner, work through your assigned poem.  What is the poet's claim?  What illustrative details support the claim?  What, then, do you believe is the tenor of that poem?  We will report out and discuss the motif of Icarus-- has the tenor changed over time?

(And then there's this...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4w2BZXL6Ss)