Michigan High School

The Iliad

A ten day unit plan for block scheduling

Mike Venner8/17/2010Karen VokeEngl. 4800

Unit Intro.

School

This unit plan is designed to be usable in any school. The unit does require access to

some technology but that has been kept as minimal as possible to provide flexibility.

However, these technologies are critical to the unit so not all schools may be able to

use it. The classroom must be a well maintained environment with excellent

management. This unit expects students to do as they’re told without constant

supervision. The unit also involves a lot of classroom discussion so the teacher must

be effective at leading discussion.

Grade Level:

This unit is aimed at a later secondary level class. Mainly 11th and 12th grade

students will be able to appreciate and grasp this unit. The unit will not only focus on

high level reading material but will also draw on themes from history and other

curricula. In this unit students will be expected to be able to draw and apply previous

knowledge in order to better understand the text. For this reason lower grade students

would have difficulty in completing this unit to it’s full potential.

Content:

Ancient Greece is in many ways the birth place of the modern Western

culture. Greece was the birthplace of democracy and a haven for the arts. Greek

literature was renowned for its creativity and quality. Greek literature filled a number

of genre’s including: drama, comedy, philosophy, poetry and many others. One of

the greatest and most famous pieces of Greek literature was a poetic epic credited to

be authored by Homer. Now whether or not Homer was a real historical figure is

debatable but the Iliad is considered to be one of the greatest epic pieces of poetry

ever composed. In studying the Iliad students will not only examine modern

literature concepts and themes, but will explore ancient Greek history and culture.

State Standards

This unit is based on the standards set forth by the state government of Michigan

Standards Addressed:CE 1.1.1 CE 1.1.3CE 1.1.4 CE 1.1.5CE 1.1.6CE 1.1.7CE 1.1.8CE 1.2.1CE 1.2.2CE 1.3.2CE 1.3.3CE 1.3.4CE 1.3.6CE 1.3.7CE 1.3.8CE 1.3.9CE 1.4.2CE 1.4.3CE 1.4.5CE 1.5.1CE 1.5.2CE 2.1.1CE 2.1.3CE 2.1.4CE 2.1.8CE 2.1.9CE 2.1.10CE 2.1.12CE 2.2.3CE 3.1.1CE 3.1.2CE 3.1.3CE 3.2.2CE 3.2.3CE 3.2.4

Timeline:

Day 1: Introduce novel Resources: 2 different colored stones (one for each student) 1 vase, novels

Day 2: Reading strategies Resources: dictionary

Day 3: preparation for readers theatre Resources: Computer with speakers, Construction paper, Markers

Day 4: Readers theatre Resources: Student made props

Day 5: Audio read a long Resources: audio book of novel, radio to play audio book

Day 6: Movie day Resources: TV, DVD/VCY player, VCR/DVD of Troy

Day 7: Prepare for debates Resources: library time, computers, note cards

Day 8: Lincoln Douglass Debates Resources: Podium, 2 tables

Day 9: Assignment intro and rough draft Resources: paper, dictionary, thesaurus, library time, computers, writing guide

Day 10: Peer Edit Resources: dictionary, thesaurus, writing guide

Readings (and other bibliographical information):Homer, and P. A Draper. Iliad. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2002.

Homer, and Robert Fagles. The Iliad. St. Paul, Minn.: Penguin-HighBridge Audio, 1992.

Pitt, Brad, perf. Troy. Dir. Wolfgang Petersen. 2004. Warner Bros. DVD.

Assessment Plan- Companion Notebook writings (explained in resources

section)- Reader’s theatre- Lincoln-Douglass Debate- Final Essay

Resources:- Readers theatre- Lincoln-Douglass debate- Library time- Computer Lab time- Companion Notebook: this is a resource to organize student

writings. Students will use the notebook not only for their in class writings but also as a sort of journal. Students are to write in it if they have any difficulty while reading. This should allow the teacher to see not only where the students struggled but also whether or not they read.

Lesson Plan 1:

Goal:  Greek literature is an important part of what Western literature has become today.  In order to give students an understanding of contemporary literature the history should be discussed as well.  Homer’s Iliad is one of the great historical pieces of literature. The Iliad not only serves as a great piece of historical literature but also is an excellent example of an epic poem.

State Standards:CE 1.2.1

CE 1.2.2CE 2.1.1CE 2.1.3CE 3.1.1CE 3.1.2CE 3.1.3CE 3.2.2CE 3.2.4

Objectives:-        To introduce students to the importance of Greek influence on western culture-        To introduce students to the culture and history of Greece-        To introduce students to Homer as a historical and mythological figure-        To introduce students to the importance of The Iliad as a historical piece of literature

Prerequisites:none (other than being at grade level (*cough cough*) )

Resources:2 different colored stones (one for each student)1 vase

Procedure:

Warm-up (25 minutes)- Split class in half- Inform the students that each group is create a new rule for the classroom

o Rule can be anything that does not violate any previous classroom rules and cannot take more than 20 minutes a week.

o The rule will last for the duration of the unito Students will also pick several students to say why the class should

adopt their rule.- Once each group has drafted a rule bring the groups together and have

students present why the class should adopt their rule- Tell students that one color stone represents one rule and the other color stone

represents the other rule- Students will then one by one place a stone in a vase- When they are finished which ever color has more stones in the vase is the

winning rule

Transition: (5 minutes)- ask students what they have just modeled (democracy, voting, etc)- Tell students that ancient Greece is considered by many to be the birthplace of

western civilization including democracy and the arts- In ancient Sparta the men would vote on laws in the very same way the

students just did.

Main Activity: (50 minutes)- Have students break up into groups of 4-5- In these groups students will write down everything they know about ancient Greece (people, culture, history, mythos etc)- Then write all the things on the board- Then have students look for trends (democracy-> modern government, philosophy, poetry, plays, literature etc.)- These things are all part of our lives today still- Then ask students if they have anything they want to learn, or curiosities for the upcoming unit (write those down as well)- Next introduce students to the Iliad (novel for the unit)

- The Iliad is an epic poem which historians debate how much truth is included

- The story follows not only the adventures of heroes but also chronicles the Greek gods - The story revolves around a war fought between the Greeks and the Trojans which historians debate whether or not it happened-The Iliad was written by a man named homer. Homer is described as being a deaf poet, and many scholars debate over whether he was a historical figure and who he really was.

- This is due to the lack of credible biographical information about Homer

- Then pass out students their novels, and a small notebook- notebook is to be students “reading companion”

- “reading companion” serves as a place for students to write notes, questions, vocabulary words etc.

- This is so students can contribute in class discussions the next day, or if they choose not to participate to demonstrate some critical thinking

- There is no number of entries per page or chapter but there needs to be a visible effort put forward. - model an example (Open the novel, read a passage aloud to the class, then write in a notebook a discussion question or prompt)

- Have students read the Iliad for the rest of main activity time silently

Transition:- So what is special about this so far? Why should we read it?

Wrap up: (15 minutes)- Have students write down their initial impressions of the text- Then have the class hand them in, save all the writings in an envelope to be

read upon completion of the novelAssessment:

- Student writings will act as assessment

Lesson Plan Day 2:

Goal:After being introduced to the concepts and ideas they will be encountering

while reading the Iliad students will now look at the text. The Iliad is not an overly simple novel so it is important to make sure students understand the language and subtleties of the novel. This lesson should aid students in figuring out their comprehension of the text.

State Standards:CE 2.1.3CE 2.1.4CE 3.1.1CE 3.1.2CE 3.1.3CE 3.2.4

Objectives:- To have students demonstrate their current understanding through writing- To have students recognize the difficulties they have with the text- To give students the strategies for reading a difficult text- To make sure students are comfortable with the text

Prerequisites:- Completion of the previous night’s homework (read the first section of the

novel)

Resources:- novel- dictionary

Procedure:

Warm-up (25 minutes)- have students spend the beginning reviewing their reading from last night- then have students take out their notebook companions - Students are to write about any difficulties they had with the first section, if

they had no difficulties they are to write about the differences in this text and other texts they’ve read this semester

Main activity (45 minutes) - class discussion on their warm-up writings, write answers on board

o What do you find difficult?

o Language or Writing style?o Is the story too complex with so many characters?o Ask students what they do when they find difficulties. Do they reread

the passage? Get a dictionary? Ask a friend? Look things up online? - Then have ask for volunteers to read aloud along with the teacher- Begin reading aloud, when you come across a difficult word stop, grab a

dictionary and read the definition aloud to the class (this model a strategy for difficult words)

- When you find an awkward passage begin a class discussion on what the passage means

- When something describes a specifically Greek idea use one of the computers to look it up online and put it in context of Greek history

- Discuss with students that these are all strategies when reading difficult texts to easily navigate difficult texts

Wrap up: (20 minutes)- have students read individually or together aloud in small groups- make sure they are demonstrating the strategies used in class

Assessment:- student’s participation in class discussion as well as completion of writing

Lesson plan day 3

Goal: The goal for this lesson is for students to demonstrate their learning through unconventional methods. In order to differentiate students from only responding orally and in writing to the materials what they have learned.

State Standards:CE 1.3.7CE 1.3.6CE 1.5.1CE 1.5.2CE 3.1.1CE 3.1.2CE 3.1.3CE 3.2.3CE 3.2.4

Objectives:- For students to demonstrate their retention of previous reading assignments- For students to display unique talents that do not occur in ordinary classroom

settings- For students to work together in groups

Prerequisites:- Students completed the previous night’s homework- Students are caught up with class readings- Students are aware of class discussions and conclusions that the class has

drawn from the literature- Completion of the previous night’s homework (read the next section of the

novel)

Materials:- Novels- Computer with speakers- Construction paper- Markers

Procedure:

Warm-Up (25 minutes): - Class discussion on themes and motifs

o What is Homer’s main goal for writing this piece?

Is it meant to be historical? Religious? Moral? Pure Entertainment?

o Are there any defining groups for characters? (i.e. rulers, heroes, maidens etc)

o How would the story be different if it was told rather than written?o What are the different attitudes of the different sides are they really all

that different? Or does everyone seem Greek?o What are the different attitudes within each side? How do people feel

abot the warMain Activity (45 minutes):

- Place students into groups of 5-6- Have them each reread a passage that was assigned earlier (with each group

having a different passage)- In each group have the students prepare a script for their passage- Have them highlight symbols or metaphors within their passage

o Make sure these are represented in the script- Have students make any props they might need out of construction paper- Make sure that the presentations are 5-10 minutes

Wrap-up (15 minutes):- Have students take out their companion notebooks- Have students write whether or not they found todays activity helpful

o Why or why not-what did they learn today?- if not how could today have been used better?

Assessment:- Wrap up writing is used for completion

Lesson Plan Day 4

Goal:For students to demonstrate their ability to pull information from a text and re

tell it. Students should also be able to recognize literary themes in the retelling. State Standards:CE 1.3.6CE 1.3.7CE 1.5.1CE 1.5.2CE 3.1.1CE 3.1.2CE 3.1.3CE 3.2.3CE 3.2.4

Objectives:- Students can take a passage and transform it into a script- Students can perform a passage as a visual representation- Students can recognize literary devices in the performances

Resources:- large enough classroom/room- Students props

Prerequisites:- have a group from the previous day- have some knowledge of plays or movies- Completion of the previous night’s homework (read the next section of the

novel)

Procedure:Warm Up (15 min):

- Place students back into their groups from the previous day- Have students prepare to present their passage- Have students rearrange the classroom so that there is room for a “stage” are

Main Activity (45 minutes):- have students present their passages- have students write in their companion notebooks the name of the scene, the

characters, what happens in each scene, how is it different from the novelWrap Up (30 min):

- Class discussion: go through each scene and discuss the different things the students wrote down in their notebooks for that particular scene.

Assessment:- student participation in discussion and writing in their notebooks

Lesson Plan Day 5

Goal:For students to be learn how to see the value of oratory and audio in literature

State Standards:CE 2.1.10CE 2.1.12CE 2.2.3CE 3.2.4

Objectives:- Students should be able to follow along to an audio recording of the book - Students should be able to compare and contrast reading vs. listening- Students demonstrate their comprehension of the novel so far

Resources:- Audio book copy of the novel (same as class uses)- Large radio so the whole class can hear

Prerequisites:- completed class readings

Procedure:Warm Up (25 minutes):

- Have students take out their notebooks- Have students write a short 1 page story (based on their favorite birthday)- Then have them with a partner exchange stories and read them silently- Then have the original author read the story out loud to their partner

Main Activity (45 minutes):- Have students in notebooks write down the parts they think are important and

why as they listen- Play audio book- Stop the tape whenever a difficult section is played or students ask questions

Wrap Up (20 minutes)- Class discussion:

o What did the students enjoy more the author reading it or reading it silently? Why?

o What did the class write down as important sections? Why?o Was it the speaker? His tone? How loud his voice was? The music in

the background? Or was it textual?

Assessment:

-notebook writing and participation in class discussionLesson Plan Day 6

Goal:For students to be able to recognize literary elements through film, and

compare and contrast the same story told through two mediums. Students should be able to have a logical opinion on each medium.

State Standards:CE 2.1.8CE 2.1.9CE 2.2.3CE 3.2.4

Objectives:- For students to be able to recognize literary devices in film- For students to be able to recognize the differences between the film and the

novel- For students to be able to compare and contrast the film and the novel

Resources:- television- VCR/DVD player- VCR/DVD of the Iliad (Troy 2004)- Room set up so all students can see the TV

Prerequisites:- Students have some concept of movie making techniques and themes- Have students get permission slips signed so they may watch “Troy”- Completion of the previous night’s homework (read the next section of the

novel)

Procedure: Warm Up (5 minutes):

- have students use their notebooks to write down their favorite passages in the novel so far

- Students should also write down why? Is it characters? The setting? Action?Main Activity (50 minutes):

- Make a list on the board of all the students favorite scenes- Bring up each scene from the list and show it to the students- Have students write down the differences in each scene and the literature- Additionally have students take down the specifics of the scene

o Camera angles, scene perspective, tone, lighting

o What would the students change if they directed the scene (to make it more accurate or just more entertaining)

Wrap up (25 minutes):- Class discussion:

o What would students change with each sceneo Would they add more characters to make it more authentic?o Would the movie be more or less entertaining if it was more like the

book?o Did you like the movie more or less than the book

Lesson Plan Day 7:

Goal:To have students take a theme from the novel and form an opinion on it.

Students should be able back up their opinions with evidence from the text. Students are then to debate

State Standards:CE 1.4.2CE 1.4.3CE 1.4.5CE 1.5.2CE 3.2.4

Objectives:- Have students know the format of the Lincoln douglass debate- Have students effectively prepare for a Lincoln douglass debate- Have students use proper research techniques to provide evidence for their

claims

Prerequisites:- Have basic computer skills- Have some knowledge of how a debate works- Have some knowledge on how to do research in the school library- Completion of the previous night’s homework (read the next section of the

novel)

Resources:- Library time- Computers- Note cards

Procedure:Warm Up (30 minutes):

- Go over Lincoln douglass debate (have students take notes)o One side is positive one side is negativeo Affirmative upholds the resolutiono Negative side attacks ito Both sides present evidence to support their claimo Winner is chosen by a judge (me: grades will not be based on winning)o Split class into groups of 6 (3 per side)o Class resolution: “Achilles’ death is compelled by fate, not by his own

decisions”

o Each side needs at least 3 argumentsMain Activity (55 minutes):

- Bring students to library/computer lab- Have students find pieces of evidence and write them on note cards along with

the argument they support- Students need at least 5 pieces of evidence for each argument- Students need a total of 15 notecards each- Students need to quote the source verbatim and cite it

Wrap up (5 minutes)- Bring students back to classroom- Collect note cards- Allow teams to plan for tomorrow’s debates

Assessment:- Students shall turn in note cards

Lesson Plan Day 8

Goal:To have students demonstrate their ability to successfully hold a debate. Their

skills should be demonstrated not only in their oral debate but in the quality of evidence they provide.

State Standards:CE 1.3.6CE 1.3.7CE 1.3.8CE 1.3.9CE 1.5.2CE 3.2.4

Objectives:- students should demonstrate their understanding of the mechanics of how a

debate is conducted- students should be able to demonstrate their ability to communicate

information orally- students should be able to present their evidence in a clear and simple way

Prerequisites: - student was present in class the previous day - students completed yesterdays class work - Completion of the previous night’s homework (read the next section of the novel)

Resources:- Podium- Two tables for each team to sit behind

Procedure:Warm up (15 minutes):

- Have students get back with their teams to go over their plan for the debate- Make sure that students are ready to present their debate- Set up classroom with a podium in the front and one table on each side

Main Activity (70 minutes):- Randomly select which debates will go in which order - Have students present their debates - While the teams debate have the other students write in their companion

notebooks- Students should write each argument and each piece of evidence backing up

that argument

- This should result in every student having a complete transcript of every debate except their own

Wrap up (5 minutes):- have students turn in their transcripts- Tell students that they will begin their writing assignment tomorrow

Assessment:- student transcripts will serve as assessment

Lesson Plan Day 9

Goal:To have students begin a writing assignment that will allow them to

demonstrate their learning through writing

State Standards:CE 1.1.1 CE 1.1.3CE 1.1.4CE 1.3.2CE 1.3.3CE 3.2.4

Objectives:- Students will demonstrate their learning from the novel through writing- Students will demonstrate their writing ability thus far

Prerequisites:- Students have passed their previous English courses and display a successful

writing ability- Students read the novel and have an adequate grasp of the story

Resources;- Paper- Dictionary- Thesaurus - Library time- Computers- Writing Guide

Procedure:Warm Up (25 minutes):

- Explain the assignment- Take questions- Go over rubric

Main Activity (50 minutes):- Have students begin writing their first draft (does not have to meet length

requirement)- Circle the classroom and make sure students are on task- Answer any questions and help students with any difficulty

Wrap up (15 minutes):- Have students go around the classroom and each student explain what they are

writing on

- Have students turn in their first draft so that completion can be checked- Return to students so they may finish first draft if they haven’t in class

Assessment:- students turn in their first draft

The Iliad: Unit final writing assignment

Premise: Now that you have finished reading the novel you will demonstrate your learning through writing. The Iliad is considered a literary epic therefore your final assignment shall be an epic one as well.

Requirement:- 7-10 page paper (I will always read more)- 12pt font times new roman- 1 inch margins on all sides- Full bibliography- Original title- Typed

Assignments:As there are many heroes in The Iliad each with their own unique story you will have several options on which to write about. The first option is a simple research paper on ancient Greece. The second option is to rewrite your own original to the ending of The Iliad. The final option is to write a new original character into the story.

1.) Research PaperYou may write a paper on any aspect of ancient Greece. You may focus on Homer himself, or Greek mythology, or a specific city state. However, your topic should be tied into The Iliad. Paper topics should be broad enough to allow for the length of the paper but concise enough to be effectively explored. 2.) New EndingPick a point towards the end of the novel and write your own original fictitious ending. Your ending should keep true to the characters and setting of the novel. (ex. Achilles does not wield a firearm, or Patroclus and Achilles are mortal enemies)Your ending may be in prose.3.) New CharacterYou will create your own original character to fit into The Iliad. You will need to create a back story for your character as well as fit him into the story. What battles did he fight in? Who is she influencing? Give the reader an idea of who your character is, why they are involved in the Trojan War, and what they did during the story.

You will be assessed on your grasp of the novel, grammar, flow, focus, originality, evidence from the text, format, and correct ciatations.

Lesson Plan Day 10

Goal: To make sure students are on the right track with their essays. Students

should also display their ability to edit and make corrections to essays.

State Standards:CE 1.1.4CE 1.1.5CE 1.1.6CE 1.1.7CE 1.1.8CE 1.3.2CE 1.3.3CE 1.3.4CE 3.2.4

Objectives: - Students demonstrate their understanding of constructing a good essay- Students demonstrate their ability to edit and revise papers- Students demonstrate their ability to give and receive constructive criticism

Prerequisites:- Students completed their first draft- Students have an appropriate understanding of proper essay writing

Resources:- Dictionary- Thesaurus- Writing Guide

Procedure:Warm Up (20 minutes):

- Short writing lesson- Go over proper grammar {they’re vs. their, we’re vs. were, its vs. it’s, comma

use, semi-colon use}- Go over proper essay writing {thesis, transitions, intro. Body conclusion, in

text citations}Main Activity (60 minutes):

- Have students pass their essay to the left- That student will go over the paper with a black pen and look for formatting

errors (introduction body conclusion, thesis, transitions citations)- Pass the essay back and have a short discussion- Pass the essay right

- Have the students go over the paper in a blue pen looking for topical errors (flow, confusing/awkward sentences, staying on topic)

- Pass the essay back and have a short discussion- Pass the essay to the student behind- Have the students go over the paper in a green pen looking for grammatical

issues (commas, spelling, periods)- Pass the essay back and have a short discussion- Pass the essay forward- Have the student go over with a red pen and find any other possible missed

issues- Pass the essay back and have a short discussion

Wrap Up (10 minutes):- Have students begin second draft- Look over student essays

Assessment:- make sure students have 4 different colors of pen on their draft