PROJECTS
8th Grade Mythology Unit: Cooperative tasks and independent tasks.
Oral presentations by cooperative groups (nine groups of three)
Cooperative Groupings will complete these tasks:
1. Read mythology package together with the three people in your group. (Return entire package to me unharmed, please.)
2. You will teach a lesson about the information contained in your mythology package (up to 30 minutes).
3. Teach this lesson in a creative, cooperative way.
4. A visual aid is required.
5. A handout summarizing the information is required and must be given to me in advance of your presentation so that I can reproduce enough copies for each in the class.
6. Create a test of the information you teach.
Presentations should be ready to go on Monday, March 15, 1999 (9 groups of 3)
1. Introduction to Mythology
2. Stories of Pygmalion, Dryope, Venus and Adonis, Apollo and Hyacinthus
3. Stories of Apollo and Daphne, Pyramus and Thisbe, Cephalus and Procris
4. Stories about the Graeae and the Gordons, Perseus and Medusa, Atlas, Andromeda
5. Stories about Proserpine, Glaucus and Scylla
6. Midas; Baucis and Philemon
7. Monsters, Giants, The Sphinx, Pegasus and The Chimera, The Centuars, The Griffin and The Pygmies
8. The Golden Fleece
9. The Trojan War
You can ask me for additional resources. You will have to make a trip to the library and conference with each other by phone to complete your plan for the lesson.
Independent Readings -- Due Wednesday, March 24, 1999: textbook pages 537-571.
1. Read each of these stories in the textbook: Zeus; Posiden; Persephone; Arachne; Daedalus;
Phaeton; Baucis and Philemon.
2. Write a summary of each story.
3. Complete "Content Review, Thinking Skills #1-6" on page 571 (in complete sentences).
4. Complete "Composition Review: Writing to compare and contrast" in column two of the same page.
SHAKESPEARE:
Keep all of your Shakespeare projects, notes, papers together in a folder or binder together.
Due Monday, Feb 1: Biography (*200 word minimum narrative summarizing his life). Timeline (must include significant dates in his life and at least 3 world events that happened during his lifetime. Quiz.
Due Monday, Feb 8: Essay discussing Elizabethan life and times (*200 word minimum). What was it like to live in 16th century London?
* you will probably write more than 200 words easily -- research and study the topic, then summarize, best you can, the important information that will teach me something about Shakespeare, London life or the choice character from Romeo and Juliet.
Due Tuesday, Feb 16: CHARACTER STUDY
Choose one character from the play and discuss motivations, personality, behavior and purpose in the play's action.
Your task is to write a composition about a character: state an opinion about that person.
1.Begin with a thesis statement (for example, "Tybalt in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is a hostile character."
2.Describe actions by that person which lead you to believe that label fits.
Your paper MUST:
1. Begin with a strong thesis statement which names the character, the play, the author and states your opinion of the character.
2. Provide details of the character's actions to support your thesis statement.
3. Include examples in your supporting details.
4. Include a strong closing sentence stating how your details support your thesis statement.
5. Spellcheck, grammarcheck. Neat. Organized. Type. Double-spaced.
6. Word count depends on what you have to say and how well you are saying it!
Due Monday, Feb 22: Plot Summary of Romeo and Juliet (hope you've been taking good notes). This is simply a list of the major events in order.
You plot summary should:
1. Be divided according to the acts of the play.
2. Include all the important events of each act.
3. Identify the characters.
4. Complete sentences. Neat. Organized. Spellcheck. Punctuate.
FUTURE PROJECTS:
TERM PAPER = topic = LEADER AND LEADERSHIP
We will begin this assignment when we finish the grammar mechanics review. Since our focus during the second semester is on writing, the term paper will be a major product.
You may want to begin thinking about who you will choose to learn about:
Leaders are everywhere. What is leadership? How do we recognize who is a leader? Are they made that way? Or, do situations and events produce leadership?
THINK about who you will want to learn about: political, military, religious, social, educational, sports, business leaders...this is a start. I will provide a list of potential choices once we begin the project.
The Literary Publication will also be important (7th grade will manage this but 8th graders will contribute).
Past Due Projects about Advertising:
January 11: Collect three samples of advertising that directly appeal to teenagers (print ads from junk mail, magazine or newspaper advertising).
January 25: Televised and print advertisements have an enormous impact on the buying power of Teenagers. You need to become aware of the influence used in ads to make them appealing to buyers.
The Five Propaganda Techniques used in advertisements are these:
1. BANDWAGON - persuading people to do something by letting them know others do it.
2. TESTIMONIAL -- using words of a famous person to persuade you.
3. TRANSFER -- using names or pictures of famous people, but not direct quotations.
4. REPETITION -- the product name is repeated over and over (at least four times).
5. EMOTIONAL WORDS -- words that will make you feel strongly about someone or something.
Required Activities:
1. Use the advertisements you collected (January 11). Identify the propaganda technique used in each of the ads.
2. List 5 reasons why certain propaganda techniques are used to sell products.
3. Write your own advertisement (for any product) using propaganda techniques (one or a combination) that will influence others to buy a product.
4. Write a short paragraph (five sentences minimum) describing how learning to recognize propaganda techniques can help other students when it comes to making purchases.
And choose one (1) of the following:
1. Create a propaganda collage using several magazine ads. Choose ONE technique and find pictures that display that technique.
2. Design your own product and advertisement using one or more techniques. Be ready to explain what the product is and why anyone needs to buy it. (yes, related to #3 above)
Grading influenced by:
NEATNESS, ORIGINALITY
PROOF OF PLANNING PROCESS (REWRITING, DRAFT)
FULFILLED REQUIREMENTS
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