 |
|
 |
|
|
Myth Makers
HOW IT WORKS: Myth
Makers is a dynamic program
that encompasses all aspects of language arts: reading, writing, listening,
and speaking. Students begin their
mythological journey by listening to the Greek story of Arachne, in which the
goddess Athena turns a young girl into a spider. Through independent readings and collaborative research,
students identify a myth's basic components, namely: gods or goddesses and an
explanation of how something came to be. Once students learn how to identify
myths, they use books, multimedia encyclopedias, and the Internet to continue
on their mythological journey. Students enhance their oral presentation and technology skills
by sharing research with the class.
Dressed as mythological figures, students "tell their
stories" to the class. Using props and costumes, students dramatically
share information about worldwide myths and historical figures. The final destination on their journey requires students to
incorporate their information about myths into the writing process. As myth makers, students use what
they have learned as a springboard from which they develop their own myths.
Using acquired knowledge and imagination, students create myths to explain
how something originated. The culminating activity allows students to share
their myths with each other. The Students: One hundred twenty-five
sixth grade students with various technology backgrounds create their own
myths. During weekly writing workshops, students work cooperatively and
independently to write, edit, and publish their myths. Before creating their myths, students use books,
multimedia encyclopedias, and the Internet to obtain information about
numerous mythological figures from around the world. Using costumes and visual aides, each
student presents his/her research material to the class. These presentations
motivate students to write their own myths, using existing and newly created
mythological characters. WHAT YOU NEED: In order to implement Myth
Makers in the classroom, students need access to resource materials
such as books, research software, and the Internet. Students need at least
one classroom computer to produce the final version of their myth, which
includes writing and illustrations. Programs like Microsoft Word, and Adobe Photoshop
may be sued for producing the text and images. Since this project has many
steps, students may use the computers while others are writing, editing, or
illustrating their stories. Once their myths have been printed on 8 1/2 x 14
paper (landscape), students will attach the 9 x 14 cover (which they have
decorated) using a long-arm stapler. OVERALL VALUE: Myth
Makers is an interdisciplinary
program that encourages students' creativity. Through independent and cooperative research, students discover
information regarding various mythological figures. Students actually use this acquired information to complete
various tasks. Tasks are designed to involve multiple intelligences. Students must research various sources and analyze their
content for useful information. They
may utilize Internet search engines like http://www.AltaVista.com to find
these resources. Through cooperative learning, students develop speaking
skills by presenting their research to the class. Students utilize computer
technology to facilitate each step of the project. Finally, students take
ownership of a piece of writing that allows them to combine their research
and their creative ideas. During the Myth Makers program, students
benefit from an interactive, authentic learning experience. They take great
pride in their finished products--their own myth books. |
Stacie O'Brien teaches language arts at the Bay Academy for the Arts and Sciences. As a staff developer, she leads workshops on the creation and implementation of classroom portfolios and rubrics. She is the student advisor for Arista/Arcon Honor Societies. Through Myth Makers, Ms. O'Brien's students benefit from an interactive environment, which fosters authentic learning.
CURRICULUM AREAS:
GRADE LEVEL: Middle School
Stacie O'Brien The Bay Academy for the
Arts and Sciences, CSD21 1401 Emmon Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11235 (718) 891-9005 Principal: Marian Nagler E-mail: SOB2X@aol.com |