Links to TED ed and TED talks

"What Makes a Hero"-- Matthew Winkler

"An Anti-hero of One's Own" -- Tim Adams

"We are the Stories We Tell Ourselves"-- Shekhar Kapur

"How Movies Teach Manhood"-- Colin Stokes

JJ Abrams: The Mystery Box

https://www.ted.com/talks/j_j_abrams_mystery_box

in medias res

in me·di·as res

in ˈmēdēəs ˈres,ˈmādēˌäs/

adverb

1. into the middle of a narrative; without preamble.

   
   

   "having begun his story in medias res, he then interrupts it"

   • into the midst of things.

   
   

The practice of beginning an epic or other narrative by plunging into a crucial situation that is part of a related chain of events; the situation is an extension of previous events and will be developed in later action. The narrative then goes directly forward, and exposition of earlier events is supplied by flashbacks.

We will be turning the saga into this form of narrative by starting in Episode 4, continuing to Episode 5, flashing back to Episodes 1-3, and then ending with Episodes 6 and 7.

There will be a question on the final exam where you will discuss the film saga in this order... so make sure you keep all of your Campbell charts handy!!

March planner

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
6 Discuss the literary device of in medias res TED ed video:  hero AND anti-hero (use a listen / write sheet for notes) Review Campbell theory AND expectations for chart Begin first film:  A New Hope	7	8 Meet in the Little Theater Continue with A New Hope Discuss aspects of the film—how well does it fit Campbell’s model?	9	10 Meet in the Little Theater Continue with A New Hope
13	14 SNOW DAY	15 SNOW DAY	16 Little Theater Finish  A New Hope Discuss chart / collect Watch JJ Abrams TED talk:  The Mystery Box	17 NO SCHOOL
20	21 Little Theater Start Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back	22	23 Little Theater Episode 5	24
27 Little Theater Complete Episode 5 Who was Darth Vader?  Is there credence in watching the films in this order? BEGIN Episode 1	28	29 Little Theater Episode 1 Anakin Skywalker:  hero or anti-hero? Neither?	30	31 Complete Episode 1 How does this humanize the character from Episodes 4 and 5? Complete chart and hand in

Results from your argument papers...

Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7:  8 votes

Episodes 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3, 7:  7 votes

Episodes 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 6, 7:  8 votes

I guess I'll have to break the tie...

The papers were great, BTW.

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)