![]() ![]() Instead, their Modernist focus was on a mundane world that has no place for mythic events, filled with individuals who were too wrapped up in their daily business to consider the larger world around them. Auden and William Carlos William rejected the moral lesson of the myth by rejecting the authority of myth itself. Daedalus, the father, can represent both a patriarchal law bringer and a wise teacher, and his son is a metaphor for disobedience against society’s guidance. By its framing as a father attempting to seek freedom for him and his son, the lesson of this myth takes on a social and moral dimension. This post this post may contain affiliate links.The tale of Icarus, the boy who flew too high and fell into the sea, is an ancient lesson on the need for moderation. While my sophomores don’t have a mythology-specific unit, they do have a unit focused on using short works to practice synthesis. Because synthesis requires teachers to use texts that are related (by genre, theme, or content), this is a good place to incorporate mythology. In the past, I’ve described curriculum spirals focused on Penelope and Helen from Greek mythology. However, sometimes those figures aren’t familiar enough for students. To build a mythology-based unit focused on allusion and synthesis, it’s really best for students to focus on a story, figure, or archetype that’s familiar. With that in mind, I decided to build a synthesis unit focused on the story of Icarus and Daedalus. By high school, students are usually familiar with this story. Additionally, the story has a clear lesson, which helps students evaluate how different authors adjust that message. Beginning Synthesis with ComprehensionĪlthough students usually know the story of Icarus by the time they reach high school, it would be silly not to review the story if it’s going to be the focus of the unit. Assuming too much prior knowledge just leads to frustration for everyone. Plus, a quick review means everyone starts on the same page. Also, this means everyone has a chance to build success before working on a difficult skill like synthesis-thinking. It’s often more challenging to find mythology written with the rigor, depth, and complexity that high school readers need and deserve.Īdditionally, this review also helps teachers gauge student ability at the beginning of a unit.Īs a high school teacher, it’s easy to find mythology written for elementary and middle-school readers. ![]() For this reason, I chose an excerpt from Josephine Preston Peabody’s Old Greek Folk Stories Told Anew.Īt the end of the day, this is the familiar myth written at a little higher level. My favorite part of this text is actually its creative use of similes! Evaluating Mythology in Poetry It also provides a great basis for this unit because teachers can review many skills, including inference and main idea. When teaching synthesis, I often rely heavily on poetry because of its brevity. In a few days or weeks, students can encounter the same story, allusion, myth, or figure several times in different poems. If we were doing this in prose, it would take much longer for students to see the repetition of ideas. When designing this mythology-based synthesis unit, I kept poetry close to my heart and chose poems to help students synthesize the allusion to Icarus across texts.įirst, “Poor Icarus” by Florence Earle Coates is a great place to begin. ![]() While Peabody’s version of Icarus’ story is pretty straightforward, Coates’ interpretation is a great exercise in tone. My favorite part of this poem is Coates’ ability to change tone and meaning through repetition of the title phrase: “Poor Icarus!” Read it here. Secondly, “Icarus” by Maurice Baring provides a different take on Icarus’ story. This poem takes place at Icarus’ graveside and challenges students to reconsider whether or not Icarus’ story is a cautionary or celebratory tale! The difference in setting provides students with an opportunity to evaluate how Baring’s allusion differs from Coates’ allusion. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |