Thursday, January 3, 2019

Announcements and Reminders for Thursday, January 3, 2019: This is Mythology Class and I am Ms. Dorsey.  If you are in the wrong class, now is the time to stand up and head to your correct class.  It’s an easy mistake, and I don’t want you stuck here forever and ever because of a simple mistake.                             Find your seat on the seating chart.  Pick up a supplies handout. Make sure you bring a composition book ASAP.       Cavetime today will be in your second-period classes to review cavetime and emergency procedures.       In case of an evacuation, remember that you should find your A1 teacher -- me.       Cavetime tomorrow will be based on your Term 2 grades.

Targets for Today: I can agree on a working definition of "mythology" for the purposes of this class. I can show what I already know about mythology. I can learn more about -- and/or be reminded of -- creation myths.

Today’s  Agenda: To start off, for at least a few days we are going to have an attendance question.   This is so that I can mark you as present and so that we can all get to know each other better. Today’s question is --What is your favorite mythological creature? Everyone will answer this question.  I’ll give you a minute to think of your answer. Any creature from any mythology that does not exist in the real world but it would be cool or terrifying if they did. Talk with your new neighbor.  Learn their name. And brainstorm some creatures together. We’re going to go around the room.  Tell me your name and your favorite mythological creature. Mine is a dragon. Mrs. Dorsey -- A Bit About Me ____________________________________________ Throughout the semester, when I need your attention, I will use a variety of attentions getters. One is the chimes. When I ring them, by the time they stop ringing I need your eyeballs looking at me, I need your ears facing me, your mouth closed, and the rest of your body still. Practice: Pets. _____________________________________________ What is "Mythology"?         How would you define it?   What could be our working definition for this class?              1)  Create an individual definition.              2)  Create a group definition. -- Create a poster.                            Write large enough to be easily read.                          Divide your poster into four quadrants.                           Each person's definition goes in one corner.                           Your group definition goes in the center.                           Add examples.                         You may illustrate your poster.             3)  Class discussion  Someone called Mythology "a slurpee of knowledge."  The line between myth and religion is blurry. For the purpose of this class, let's eliminate the definition of myth  as it is used to mean "not true." mythos = story -logy = study A myth is a story, but it's a special kind of story that has two primary characteristics: significance and staying power.  Significance  The subject matter is about important, something about how the world works or how the world itself got going or  how things came to be.   Staying power These are stories that have survived centuries, sometimes millennia,  and this is testament to the deep meaning or functional importance  of these stories to the people who hear and tell them. the stories that stick around and get told over and over again through generations They may or may not be true. George Washington is important to the mythology of the United States.   Washington was a real person. Some stories are true (Delaware)  some are not (cherry tree).  Those stories, these myths,  matter and they stick around being told to each new generation, Pioneer stories are important to Utah culture.   Many stories told about the pioneers are true,  and they make up the Utah mythology   They tell us who we are and what our values are.  These stories, these myths, are important to families  here and so they keep getting told. 5)  In the beginning. .  . .  with some warnings --   Be advised.  Mythology is not always pretty.   In fact, it’s usually messy. Mythology talks about sex and beheadings and incest and blood and rape and cannibalism and all sorts of nasty things.   These are significant parts of the human experiences,  so they show up in mythology. Sometimes a lot.  If that’s something that will bother you, you may want to choose a different elective.  But I hope you’ll stick around because these are some really great stories. The human body was revered by Greeks.   They portrayed the human body in their art.   We will sometimes use that art in class.      Creation myths from various cultures   ex nihilo  = out of nothingness   Chaos (according to some cultures) is what we have before a God or Gods create order.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eVFgfQ2694  (12 minutes)  Take notes -- just a few reminders of what you learned.  4:00 Guinea -4:4:58  [Guinea is a country in Western Africa.)  6:48   Mayan of Guatamala from the Popul Vu, The Book of the Community  to about 8:28  Egyptian:  Ra     Native American:

If You Were Absent: See above for what we did.

Vocabulary: Myths:  the stories that stick around and get told over and over again through generations; stories with significance and staying power.

Help and Enrichment  Native American Myths:  https://blackhawkmuseum.org/creationmyths/

Next up? :
10 creation myths:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdsQEfD98EE

If extra time:

Make up an origin myth (2 paragraphs) to explain:

1--why it gets dark at night

2--why cats and dogs don’t get along

3--why it gets cold during winter

4--where stars came from

5--why snakes have no legs

6--how the skunk got its stripes

7--why humans have no tails

8--why wolves howl

9--why bears hibernate

0--how the rose got its thorns