Myths and Legends Curriculum
This one semester course is designed to guide students through many
different facets of the study of mythology with a cross-cultural
analysis of different cultural myths, legends folk tales and fairy tales.
This course integrates humanities studies with language arts content
standards that address reading, writing, and literary analysis skills.
On-going activities include regular in-class reading, group discussion,
analytical and creative writing, and a culminating project.
Unit Overview
Unit 1: Origins
Unit 2:
Jungian
Hero’s
Journey
Lens:
Beginnings
and
Foundations
pp. 2-7
Unit 3 :
Mythical
Beasts and
Legendary
Places
Unit 4: Seasonal
Mythology
Unit 5: Modern
Heroes
Lens:
Lens: Cultures
Commonality
Lens: Holidays
and
celebrations
Lens:
Archetypal
Interpretation
pp. 8-13
pp. 20-26
pp. 27-35
pp. 14-19
Updated November, 2013
1
Grades 9-12  Unit 1
Origins: Beginnings and
Foundations
“When we lose our myths we lose our place in the universe.”
--Madeleine L'Engle
“The belief that myths are somehow less true than the symbolic dream we call 'reality'
may be the greatest myth of all.”
― Eric Micha'el Leventhal
OVERVIEW
This three-week unit, which begins the class, introduces students to important
terminology for examining different mythologies throughout the semester while
examining creation myths and origin myths
Suggested time: 3-4 weeks
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS



The different creation myths reveal common archetypes.
Myths are developed in cultural regions.
Myths have a psychological aspect.
GUIDING QUESTIONS







What are commonalities between creation myths?
How can the Jungian archetypes illuminate the myths?
How is the world divided culturally?
What are the creation myths of different regions
What do the similarities of the myths say about the regions?
What does the creation myth fulfill for us psychologically?
What are the effects of different creation myths on different cultures?
STUDENTS WILL KNOW AND UNDERSTAND







Archetype
Creation myths
Culture(s)
Jungian
Archetypes
Opposites
Regions of
Influence
Sacred narratives







Components of creation myths
Different cultural regions
Different cultural regions of the world
Jungian archetypes
Similarities and differences between creation myths
Story components have deeper symbols that relate to
us personally
The definition of archetype
Updated November, 2013
2
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO
Humanities Standards—Interdisciplinary
9-12.I.1.1.3
9-12.I.1.2.4
9-12.I.2.1.2
9-12.I.2.2.4
9-12.I.3.1.1
9-12.I.3.1.2
9-12.I.3.2.2
9-12.I.3.2.3
9-12.I.3.3.1
9-12.I.3.3.4
Illustrate how an artifact symbolizes and reflects a particular culture and/or
time period
Create an original work that shows the relationship between two or more
arts and humanities disciplines.
Compare and contrast works or ideas from at least two cultures, historical
periods, or geographical areas.
Discuss the significance of artworks in a society (as mythology is art)
Discuss the role of diverse cultures within the arts and humanities.
Identify universal themes in the arts and humanities disciplines.
Interpret how a literary/artistic work relates to the history and/or culture
from which it originated.
Replicate or imitate a literary/artistic masterpiece, composition, genre, or
style through its distinguishing characteristics.
Express, through means other than expository writing, an understanding
and appreciation of the arts and humanities.
Create a literary work that targets a universal theme by writing an original
creation myth.
Reading: Literature
Key Ideas and Details

RL.9-10.3
RL.11-12.3
Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting
motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other
characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme
Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop
and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how
the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and
developed).
Craft and Structure
RL.9-10.4
RL.11-12.4
RL.9-10.5
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the
text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the
cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g.,
how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal
or informal tone).
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the
text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact
of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with
multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or
beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)
Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text,
order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g.,
pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
Updated November, 2013
3
RL.11-12.5

RL.9-10.6

RL.11-12.6
Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific
parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the
choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall
structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a
work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide
reading of world literature
Analyze a case in which grasping a point of view requires distinguishing
what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire,
sarcasm, irony, or understatement).
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

RL.9-10.7

RL.11-12.7


Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

RL.9-10.10
RL.11-12.10
Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different
artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each
treatment (e.g., Auden’s “Musée des Beaux Arts” and Breughel’s
Landscape with the Fall of Icarus).
Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g.,
recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry),
evaluating how each version interprets the source text. (Include at least
one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American dramatist.)
By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literature, including stories,
dramas, and poems, in the grades 9–10 text complexity band
proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend literature, including
stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the grades 9–10 text
complexity band independently and proficiently.
By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literature, including
stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 11–CCR text complexity band
proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend literature, including
stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the grades 11–CCR text
complexity band independently and proficiently.
Writing
Text Types and Purposes


W.9-10.3
W.11-12.3

W.9-10.3.a
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event
sequences.
Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or
observation, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing
a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of
experiences or events.
Updated November, 2013
4

W.11-12.3.a


W.9-10.3.b
W.11-12.3.b

W.9-10.3.c

W.11-12.3.c


W.9-10.3.d
W.11-12.3.d


W.9-10.3.e
W.11-12.3.e
Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or
observation and its significance, establishing one or multiple point(s) of
view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth
progression of experiences or events.
Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description,
reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or
characters.
Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one
another to create a coherent whole.
Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one
another to create a coherent whole and build toward a particular tone
and outcome (e.g., a sense of mystery, suspense, growth, or resolution).
Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to
convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or
characters.
Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is
experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative.
Production and Distribution of Writing


W.9-10.4
W.11-12.4


W.9-10.5
W.11-12.5

W.9-10.6

W.11-12.6
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
(Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–
3 above.)
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing,
rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most
significant for a specific purpose and audience.
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update
individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s
capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly
and dynamically.
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update
individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback,
including new arguments or information.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge


W.9-10.7
W.11-12.7
Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a
question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow
or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on
the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under
investigation.
Speaking and Listening
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

SL.9-10.4

Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely,
and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the
organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to
purpose, audience, and task.
Updated November, 2013
5

SL.11-12.4 


SL.9-10.5 
SL.11-12.5


SL.9-10.6 
SL.11-12.6
Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a
clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of
reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the
organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to
purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks.
Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual,
and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of
findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.
Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating
command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
Language
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use



L.9-10.5

L.11-12.5
L.9-10.5.a

L.11-12.5.a


L.9-10.5.b
L.11-12.6
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships,
and nuances in word meanings.
Interpret figures of speech (e.g., euphemism, oxymoron) in context and
analyze their role in the text
Interpret figures of speech (e.g., hyperbole, paradox) in context and
analyze their role in the text.
Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations.
SUGGESTED WORKS
DIGITAL CONTENT
Media
 “Snake”: To some, snakes are the symbol or rebirth and to others a symbol of
evil. Asian and aboriginal societies revere them in creation myths and as a good
luck symbol, while Christianity views them as evil. (copied from discovery Ed.)
http://app.discoveryeducation.com/player/view/assetGuid/9B1CB006-810F48B3-A595-982C70317966
 “An Oral Tradition: Iroquois Storytelling”: The Iroquois conveyed their values and
their sense of history through myths and legends, which were communicated
orally rather than written down. The Iroquois creation myth, in which North
America grows on the back of a turtle, explains many natural phenomena and
stresses the importance of animals in Iroquois cosmology. (copied from
Discovery Ed.) (Can link to this if Discovery Ed. is open or open Discovery Ed. and
search by this title.)
 “Creation Myths and Life After Death”: The Ancient Egyptians based their
mythology around the Sun God, Ra. They also built pyramids to protect their
pharaohs in the afterlife.(copied from Discovery Ed.)
http://app.discoveryeducation.com/player/view/assetGuid/81A25086-67344C72-9A2C-54398910B018
Updated November, 2013
6
SAMPLE ACTIVITIES AND ASSESSMENTS
ACTIVITIES
1. JUNGIAN ARCHETYPES (9-12.I.3.2.3, RL.9-10.3, RL.9-10.10, RL.11-12.3, RL.11-12.10):
Read about and create models that represent the Jungian archetypes.
2. MAP (9-12.I.3.1.1, 9-12.I.3.2.2, 9-12.I.3.3.1): Use a map to determine boundaries for
cultural research units. Research the art and literature of that culture. Express
understanding of that culture by some method other than expository writing.
3. A DEFINING EVENT (W.9-10.3, W.9-10.3.a, W.9-10.3.b, W.9-10.3.c, W.9-10.3.d, W.910.3.e, W.9-10.4, W.9-10.5, W.9-10.6, W.11-12.3, W.11-12.3.a, W.11-12.3.b, W.11-12.3.c,
W.11-12.3.d, W.11-12.3.e, W.11-12.4, W.11-12.5, W.11-12.6): Write a personal narrative
that describes an event in your life that has helped you become the person you are
today.
4. ORIGIN MYTH (9-12.I.3.3.4, W.9-10.3, W.9-10.3.a, W.9-10.3.b, W.9-10.3.c, W.9-10.3.d,
W.9-10.3.e, W.9-10.4, W.9-10.5, W.9-10.6, W.11-12.3, W.11-12.3.a, W.11-12.3.b, W.1112.3.c, W.11-12.3.d, W.11-12.3.e, W.11-12.4, W. 1-12.5, W. 1-12.6): Write a fantastic
origin myth for something that you use every day or see in nature.
5. MYTHICALLY SPEAKING (W.9-10.7, W.11-12.7, SL.9-10.4, SL.9-10.5, SL.9-10.6, SL.11-12.4,
SL.11-12.5, SL.11-12.6): Research creation myths at
http://library.thinkquest.org/29064/ (Genesis project) and present a comparison of
two to the class using a visual aid Power Point, etc.)
SUGGESTED PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
Purpose: To show understanding of origin myths.
Targets: Write original creative works including prose and poetry to accomplish one or
both of the following.
1. TWO OR MORE (9-12.I.1.1.3, 9-12.I.1.2.4, 9-12.I.2.1.2, 9-12.I.2.2.4, RL.9-10.7, RL.1112.7): Create an original work that shows the relationship between two or more
arts and humanities disciplines.
2. UNIVERSAL THEME CREATION MYTH (9-12.I.3.1.2, W.9-10.3, W.9-10.3.a, W.9-10.3.b,
W.9-10.3.c, W.9-10.3.d, W.9-10.3.e, W.9-10.4, W.9-10.5, W.9-10.6, W.11-12.3, W.1112.3.a, W.11-12.3.b, W.11-12.3.c, W.11-12.3.d, W.11-12.3.e, W.11-12.4, W.11-12.5,
W.11-12.6): Create a literary work that targets a universal theme by writing an
original creation myth.
Updated November, 2013
7
Grades 9-12  Unit 2
Mythical Beasts and
Legendary Places: Cultures
“After all, I believe that legends and myths are largely made of
'truth', and indeed present aspects of it that can only be
received in this mode; and long ago certain truths and modes of
this kind were discovered and must always reappear.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
OVERVIEW
This unit covers topics of Mythical Beasts and Legendary Places through the lens of
various cultures. Fairies, trolls, centaurs, monsters, dragons, and tricksters, shape shifters,
repeatedly play a role in mythology. Additionally, specific places have come to be
renowned for their own mythology, including Atlantis, Stonehenge, Avalon, Delphi,
Gotland, and The Tomb of Tutankhamen. The study of myths and legends can focus on
other culture’s mythology based on geography. For example, Bigfoot, the Yeti, and
Sasquatch exist in many cultures, yet are very similar.
Suggested time: 3-4 weeks
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS



Many cultures have sacred or mythical sites
Many cultures share mythical creatures like dragons, mermaids, and Bigfoot.
The myths of East, West and Native cultures differ and share common elements.
GUIDING QUESTIONS



What do these scared or mythical sites tell us about a culture?
What does the shared nature of these creatures across cultures tell us about their
prevalence?
What does mythology tell us about what’s important to a culture?
STUDENTS WILL KNOW AND UNDERSTAND





Dragons
Native
American
Myths
Other Cultures
Mythical
Creatures
Mythical Places





Myths from different cultures.
Various mythical places significance and history.
Cross-culture similarities and differences in mythical
creatures.
What cultural imperatives may be viewed through the
culture’s mythology?
How myths and legends contribute to the culture.
Updated November, 2013
8
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO
Humanities Standards--Interdisciplinary
9-12.I.1.1.2
Demonstrate the ways in which arts and humanities reflect events
9-12.I.2.2.2
Describe the influence of religion on government, culture, artistic
creation, technological development, and/or social conduct.
Discuss the role of diverse cultures within arts and humanities.
9-12.I.3.1.1
9-12.I.3.2.1
Express, through means other than expository writing, an understanding
and appreciation of the arts and Humanities.
Reading: Literature
Craft and Structure

RL.9-10.6.

RL.11-12.6
Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work
of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of
world literature
Analyze a case in which grasping a point of view requires distinguishing
what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire,
sarcasm, irony, or understatement).
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

RL.9-10.7

RL.11-12.7


Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

RL.9-10.10
RL.11-12.10
Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different
artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each
treatment (e.g., Auden’s “Musée des Beaux Arts” and Breughel’s
Landscape with the Fall of Icarus).
Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g.,
recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry),
evaluating how each version interprets the source text. (Include at least
one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American dramatist.)
By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literature, including stories,
dramas, and poems, in the grades 9–10 text complexity band proficiently,
with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend literature, including
stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the grades 9–10 text
complexity band independently and proficiently.
By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literature, including
stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 11–CCR text complexity band
proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend literature, including
stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the grades 11–CCR text
complexity band independently and proficiently.
Updated November, 2013
9
Reading: Informational Text
Key Ideas and Details

RI.9-10.3

RI.11-12.3
Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events,
including the order in which the points are made, how they are
introduced and developed, and the connections that are drawn
between them.
Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how
specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the
course of the text.
Writing
Text Types and Purposes


W.9-10.2
W.11-12.2

W.9-10.2.a

W.11-12.2.a

W.9-10.2.b

W.11-12.2.b

W.9-10.2.c

W.11-12.2.c

W.9-10.2.d

W.11-12.2.d

W.9-10.2.e
W.11-12.2.e
W.9-10.2.f
W.11-12.2.f


Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex
ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the
effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to
make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g.,
headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to
aiding comprehension.
Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so
that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a
unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures,
tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts,
extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information
and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and
relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other
information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of
the topic.
Use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the
text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas
and concepts.
Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major
sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among
complex ideas and concepts.
Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the
complexity of the topic.
Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such
as metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the
topic.
Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending
to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports
the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications
or the significance of the topic).
Updated November, 2013
10
Production and Distribution of Writing


W.9-10.4
W.11-12.4


W.9-10.5
W.11-12.5

W.9-10.6

W.11-12.6
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
(Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–
3 above.)
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing,
rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most
significant for a specific purpose and audience.
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update
individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s
capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly
and dynamically.
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update
individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback,
including new arguments or information.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge


W.9-10.7
W.11-12.7


W.9-10.8

W.11-12.8
Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a
question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow
or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on
the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under
investigation.
Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital
sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of
each source in answering the research question; integrate information
into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism
and following a standard format for citation.
Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital
sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and
limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience;
integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of
ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and
following a standard format for citation.
Speaking and Listening
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

SL.9-10.4

SL.11-12.4 

Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely,
and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the
organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to
purpose, audience, and task.
Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a
clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of
reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the
organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to
purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks.
Updated November, 2013
11


SL.9-10.5 
SL.11-12.5


SL.9-10.6 
SL.11-12.6
Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual,
and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of
findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.
Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating
command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
SUGGESTED WORKS
DIGITAL CONTENT
Media
 Living Legends: Bigfoot and Coelacanth: Animal species, some unknown for
millions of years, have recently been discovered. (copied from Discovery Ed.)
http://app.discoveryeducation.com/player/view/assetGuid/8D0049F3-4EDA4DF8-BFA7-59076FBF0610
SAMPLE ACTIVITIES AND ASSESSMENTS
ACTIVITIES
1. MYTHICAL PLACE (9-12.I.3.1.1, RL.9-10.6, RL.9-10.10, RI.9-10.3, W.9-10.7, RL.11-12.6,
RL. 11-12.10, RI. 11-12.3, W. 11-12.7) Research a mythical place, examining the
role of the setting in mythology, its characteristics and any similarities with other
locations from other cultures’ mythology.
2. MYTHICAL CREATURE (9-12.I.3.1.1, RL.9-10.6, RL.9-10.10, RI.9-10.3, W.9-10.7, W.910.8, RL.11-12.6, RL. 11-12.10, RI. 11-12.3, W. 11-12.7, W. 11-12.8): Research a
mythical creature, examining the role of the creature in mythology, its
characteristics and any similarities with other creatures from other cultures’
mythology.
3. MYTHICAL BEAST BROCHURE (9-12.I.2.2.2, RL.9-10.7, W.9-10.2, W.9-10.2.a, W.910.2.b, W.9-10.2.c, W.9-10.2.d, W.9-10.2.e, W.9-10.2.f, W.9-10.4, W.9-10.5, W.9-10.6,
RL.11-12.7, W. 11-12.2, W. 11-12.2.a, W. 11-12.2.b, W. 11-12.2.c, W. 11-12.2.d, W.
11-12.2.e, W. 11-12.2.f, W. 11-12.4, W. 11-12.5, W. 11-12.6) Create a brochure on
an individual mythical beast. The brochure should include details of the creature
from different cultures.
4. VACATION COMMERCIAL (9-12.I.1.1.2, 9-12.I.2.2.2, 9-12.I.3.1.1, 9-12.I.3.2.1, SL.910.4, SL.9-10.5, SL.9-10.6, SL.11-12.4, SL. 11-12.5, SL. 11-12.6): Create a TV
commercial for a vacation to one of the legendary places.
Updated November, 2013
12
SUGGESTED PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
Purpose: To assess student’s ability to research a subject and create a technical
brochure sharing the student’s research.
Targets: Describe the influence of religion on government, culture, artistic creation,
technological development, and/or social conduct. Write technical or scientific text
that identifies a sequence of activities or processes. Use appropriate technology to
produce a final draft. Share writing with intended audience.
1. ENHANCED MYTHICAL BEAST BROCHURE (9-12.I.3.2.1, 9-12.I.2.2.2, RL.9-10.7, W.910.2, W.9-10.2.a, W.9-10.2.b, W.9-10.2.c, W.9-10.2.d, W.9-10.2.e, W.9-10.2.f, W.910.4, W.9-10.5, W.9-10.6, RL.11-12.7, W.11-12.2, W.11-12.2.a, W.11-12.2.b, W.1112.2.c, W.11-12.2.d, W.11-12.2.e, W.11-12.2.f, W.11-12.4, W.11-12.5, W.11-12.6)
Students will create a technical brochure on a mythical beast or place, including
the major characteristics/features of the creature/location, the place or role in its
culture, an explanation of the mystery behind the creature/location, and
similarities between it and similar creatures or locations in other cultures.
Mythical Beasts and Legendary Places Brochure Rubric
Rubric
4 Advanced
3 Proficient
Content
-Relevant
-Major Characteristic
described
-Role in culture addressed
-Mystery behind
creature/location explained
-Similarities between it and
other cultures’
creatures/locations
All 5 elements All 5
addressed
elements
creatively
addressed.
and
professionally.
Technical elements of the
brochure
-Organized by topic
-Visually pleasing
-Includes 5 appropriate
pictures
-Information correctly cited
-Error-free (grammar and
mechanics)
All 5 elements
addressed
thoroughly.
2 Basic
1 Below
basic
3-4
elements
addressed.
1-2
elements
addressed
3-4
elements
addressed.
1-2
elements
addressed
Each
element is
welldeveloped.
All 5
elements
addressed.
OR
Lacks
appropriate
citations
Updated November, 2013
13
Grades 9-12  Unit 3
The Jungian Hero’s Journey:
Commonality
“Does progress mean that we dissolve our ancient myths? If we forget our legends, I
fear that we shall close an important door to the imagination.”
― James Christensen
OVERVIEW
The unit will introduce students to the common features of many hero stories.
Carl Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and founder of the school of analytical psychology.
His studies took him across the globe where he observed many different cultures. He
was interested in tracing the analogies between the contents of the unconscious in
Western man and the myths, cults, and rituals of primitive peoples. From his studies he
extracted the common elements of the hero’s journey.
Joseph Campbell adapted Jung’s Hero’s Journey into 10 basic elements. Campbell’s
archetype of the hero’s journey can be applied in parts and as a whole to almost every
hero’s journey.
Knowledge of this pattern helps students to see the commonality in cultures and myths.
Suggested time: 3-4 weeks
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS



There are common features to most hero stories regardless of when they were
written.
Plot predictions can be made based on the pattern of the hero’s journey.
Jung’s hero’s journey serves as an indicator of what a culture views as important
qualities of a hero.
GUIDING QUESTIONS








How does the hero’s journey reflect the values and structure of modern society?
What can we identify as cultural imperatives?
How do Hero’s stories from different time periods, and cultures compare?
What universal values can be identified in the hero’s quest?
What does the hero’s journey show us about plot?
How does knowledge of the hero’s journey help identify foreshadowing?
What common characteristics do we look for in a hero?
What do these characteristics show us about what we value in a hero figure?
Updated November, 2013
14
STUDENTS WILL KNOW AND UNDERSTAND
 Jung’s cultural study
of heroes
 Joseph Campbell’s
archetype of the
hero’s journey
 Other Cultures
 The mono myth cycle
 Jung’s study of similarities in cultural mythology.
 The 10 elements or steps of the hero’s journey as
identified by Joseph Campbell.
 Commonalities between stories.
 How to write using the hero’s journey as a
template.
 How to identify cultural imperatives, and universal
themes.
 How to predict future action in a story based on the
steps of the hero’s journey.
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO
Humanities Standards--Interdisciplinary
9-12.I.1.3.1
9-12.I.3.1.2
Identify the ways the structure of an art or discipline mirrors the structure
and values of society.
Research and present findings about the role of artworks [mythology] in
society
Identify universal themes in the arts and humanities disciplines.
9-12.I.3.1.3
Select and exhibit works that communicate a common meaning.
9-12.I.2.1.3
Reading: Literature
Key Ideas and Details

RL.9-10.2

RL.11-12.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its
development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is
shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of
the text.
Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze
their development over the course of the text, including how they
interact and build on one another to produce a complex account;
provide an objective summary of the text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

RL.9-10.7

RL.11-12.7


Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RL.9-10.10
Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different
artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each
treatment (e.g., Auden’s “Musée des Beaux Arts” and Breughel’s
Landscape with the Fall of Icarus).
Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g.,
recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry),
evaluating how each version interprets the source text. (Include at least
one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American dramatist.)
By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literature, including stories,
dramas, and poems, in the grades 9–10 text complexity band proficiently,
with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
Updated November, 2013
15

RL.11-12.10
By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend literature, including
stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the grades 9–10 text
complexity band independently and proficiently.
By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literature, including
stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 11–CCR text complexity band
proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend literature, including
stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the grades 11–CCR text
complexity band independently and proficiently.
Writing
Text Types and Purposes


W.9-10.3
W.11-12.3


W.9-10.3.a
W.11-12.3.a


W.9-10.3.b
W.11-12.3.b

W.9-10.3.c

W.11-12.3.c


W.9-10.3.d
W.11-12.3.d


W.9-10.3.e
W.11-12.3.e
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event
sequences.
Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or
observation, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing
a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of
experiences or events.
Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description,
reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or
characters.
Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one
another to create a coherent whole.
Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one
another to create a coherent whole and build toward a particular tone
and outcome (e.g., a sense of mystery, suspense, growth, or resolution).
Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to
convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or
characters.
Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is
experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative.
Production and Distribution of Writing


W.9-10.4
W.11-12.4


W.9-10.5
W.11-12.5
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
(Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–
3 above.)
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing,
rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most
significant for a specific purpose and audience.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge


W.9-10.7
W.11-12.7
Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a
question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow
or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on
Updated November, 2013
16
the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under
investigation.
Speaking and Listening
Comprehension and Collaboration

SL.9-10.1

SL.11-12.1 


SL.9-10.1.a
SL.11-12.1.a


SL.9-10.1.b

SL.11-12.1.b

SL.9-10.1.c

SL.11-12.1.c

SL.9-10.1.d

SL.11-12.1.d

SL.9-10.2


Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions
(one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades
9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing
their own clearly and persuasively.
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions
(one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades
11–12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing
their own clearly and persuasively.
Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material
under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence
from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a
thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
Work with peers to set rules for collegial discussions and decision-making
(e.g., informal consensus, taking votes on key issues, presentation of
alternate views), clear goals and deadlines, and individual roles as
needed.
Work with peers to promote civil, democratic discussions and decisionmaking, set clear goals and deadlines, and establish individual roles as
needed.
Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate
the current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively
incorporate others into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge
ideas and conclusions.
Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that probe
reasoning and evidence; ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on
a topic or issue; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions; and
promote divergent and creative perspectives.
Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of
agreement and disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify
their own views and understanding and make new connections in light of
the evidence and reasoning presented.
Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments,
claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve
contradictions when possible; and determine what additional
information or research is required to deepen the investigation or
complete the task.
Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or
formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and
accuracy of each source

Updated November, 2013
17

SL.11-12.2 
Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats
and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed
decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of
each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.
SUGGESTED WORKS
DIGITAL CONTENT
Websites
 “Hero’s Journey”: http://www.thewritersjourney.com/hero’s_journey.htm
 “Hero’s Journey”: http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/studentinteractives/hero-journey-30069.html
 “Joseph Campbell and the Hero’s Journey”:
http://www.innerquest.com/josephcampbell.html
 “The Hero’s Journey—Mythic Structure of Joseph Campbell’s Monomyth:
http://www.movieoutline.com/articles/the-hero-journey-mythic-structure-ofjoseph-campbell-monomyth.html
SAMPLE ACTIVITIES AND ASSESSMENTS
ACTIVITIES
1. THE JUNGIAN HERO’S JOURNEY (9-12.I.3.1.2, 9-12.I.3.1.3, SL.9-10.1. SL.9-10.1.a, SL.910.1.b, SL.9-10.1.c, SL.9-10.1.d, SL.11-12.1. SL.11-12.1.a, SL.11-12.1.b, SL.11-12.1.c, SL.1112.1.d): As identified in the adaptation of Carl Jung’s work by Joseph Campbell,
identify and discuss:
 mysterious origins of many heroes
 call to adventure
 the helpers or amulet in the early stages of the journey
 crossing the threshold
 the tests a hero will face
 the role of a helper
 the final battle or climax
 the flight of the hero
 the return of the hero
 the elixir
SUGGESTED PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
Purpose: To assess students understanding of the commonality of hero’s stories based
on Jung’s Hero Journey.
Targets: Synthesize the content from several sources on a single issue; paraphrase ideas
to demonstrate comprehension. Identify the ways the structure of an art or discipline
mirrors the structure and values of society. Read and respond to literature from a variety
of genres. Apply organizational strategies to plan writing. Write responses to literature
that demonstrate an understanding of the significant ideas of literary works
1. HERO’S JOURNEY POSTER (9-12.I.1.3.1, 9-12.I.2.1.3, 9-12.I.3.1.3, RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.7,
RL.9-10.10, W.9-10.3, W.9-10.3.a, W.9-10.3.b, W.9-10.3.c, W.9-10.3.d, W.9-10.3.e,
W.9-10.4, W.9-10.5, W.9-10.7, SL.9-10.2, RL.11-12.2, RL.11-12.7, RL.11-12.10, W.1112.3, W.11-12.3.a, W.11-12.3.b, W.11-12.3.c, W.11-12.3.d, W.11-12.3.e, W.11-12.4,
Updated November, 2013
18
W. 1-12.5, W. 1-12.6, SL.11-12.2): Students will watch or read a hero story. Then
students will create a poster that maps the hero’s journey in the story, correlating
it to the Jung’s archetype. The poster should clearly show how the story
incorporates elements of the hero’s journey.
The Journey of the Hero Rubric
4 Advanced
3 Proficient
2 Basic
1 Below
basic
One or
more
characterist
ic missing.
Poster/Map
-Labeled correctly
and consistently
-Neat and easy to
read
-Error Free
Content of Hero’s
Journey
-Includes visual
representations
-Visual
representations
accurately
correlate to each
step in the journey
Written Summary
-Clear
-Accurate
-Concise
Addresses all
three
characteristics
creatively and
thoroughly.
Addresses all
three
characteristics.
Addresses all
three
characteristics,
though
inconsistently.
Addresses
both
characteristics
creatively and
thoroughly.
Addresses both
characteristics.
Addresses both
characteristics
inconsistently.
One
characterist
ic missing.
Addresses all
three
characteristics
masterfully.
Addresses all
three
characteristics.
One or
more
characterist
ic missing.
Class Presentation
-Verbal delivery is
easy to understand
-Correct use of
grammar
-Well-organized
with beginning,
middle and end.
Addresses all
three
characteristics
masterfully.
Addresses all
three
characteristics.
Addresses all
three
characteristics,
though
inconsistently.
Addresses all
three
characteristics,
though
inconsistently.
One or
more
characterist
ic missing.
Updated November, 2013
19
Grades 9-12  Unit 4
Seasonal Mythology: Holidays and
Celebrations
“A myth... is a metaphor for a mystery beyond
human comprehension... A myth, in this way of
thinking, is not an untruth but a way of reaching
a profound truth.”
― Brian Godawa, Hollywood Worldviews:
Watching Films with Wisdom and Discernment
OVERVIEW
During this unit students research how different cultures have focused celebrations
around seasonal changes and how they continue today in our culture.
Suggested time: 3-4 weeks
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS





Many of our traditions today come from different cultural celebrations.
Many holidays are tied to seasonal cycles and events.
Holidays not only mark significant seasonal events but also have positive and
negative psychological effects.
The cycle of life and death has many symbolic manifestations in nature and in
our perception of the world.
Literature can be used as a source of historical and cultural data for a given
society.
GUIDING QUESTIONS















What holidays are important to us today?
What are the different traditions that enhance these holidays?
Where do the traditions of the holidays come from? (Santa, Christmas tree,
mistletoe, Easter Bunny, May Pole, New Year’s, Halloween, Thanksgiving,
Valentine’s Day, etc.)
What are the common holidays between cultures?
What is the significance of the dates that holidays fall on?
Why celebrate seasonal events?
Why do we value traditions?
How do we create our own personal traditions?
What psychological effect do holidays/ celebrations/ traditions have on us?
Why should we continue traditions?
What are the seasonal stresses that people develop?
How do different cultures symbolize the annual cycle?
How is the yearly cycle tied to life cycles?
How do these symbols occur in mythology and the hero’s journey?
How do holiday stories define our traditions?
Updated November, 2013
20


How are holiday stories, themselves, traditions?
How can a comparison of holiday stories from different cultures show us
differences between those cultures?
STUDENTS WILL KNOW AND UNDERSTAND





Cycle of death and rebirth
Role of holidays in today’s
world
Summer and fall traditions
Easter and spring
celebrations
Christmas






The cycle of life and death is a reoccurring
theme in most mythology.
Seasonal holidays and how they relate to the
cycle of life, death, rebirth.
How holidays have changed over time.
The meaning behind traditions.
The benefit of traditions.
Historical and psychoanalytical literary theories.
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO
Humanities Standards--Interdisciplinary
9-12.I.1.1.1
9-12.I.1.1.2
9-12.I.1.1.3
9-12.I.1.3.1
9-12.I.2.2.2
9-12.I.2.3.1
9-12.I.2.3.2
9-12.I.3.2.1
9-12.I.3.3.3
Identify, in context, events and people influential in the development of
historical events and/or movements and living cultures.
Demonstrate the ways in which the arts and humanities reflect events.)
Illustrate how an artifact symbolizes and reflects a particular culture
and/or time period.
Identify the ways the structure of an art or discipline mirrors the structure
and values of society.
Describe the influence of religion on government, culture, artistic
creation, technological development, and/or social conduct.
Establish a set of aesthetic criteria and apply it in evaluating one’s own
work and works of others
Create an original work that offers a response to a human problem
Illustrate or document the potential of the arts and humanities to
enhance and expand one’s worldview.
Create an artistic work that expresses the uniqueness of a historical period
or cultural influence.
Reading: Literature
Key Ideas and Details

RL.9-10.2

RL.11-12.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its
development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is
shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of
the text.
Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their
development over the course of the text, including how they interact and
build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective
summary of the text.
Updated November, 2013
21
Craft and Structure

RL.9-10.6
Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of
literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world
literature

RL.11-12.6
Analyze a case in which grasping a point of view requires distinguishing
what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire,
sarcasm, irony, or understatement).
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

RL.9-10.7

RL.11-12.7

RL.9-10.9

RL.11-12.9
Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different
artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each
treatment (e.g., Auden’s “Musée des Beaux Arts” and Breughel’s
Landscape with the Fall of Icarus).
Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g.,
recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry),
evaluating how each version interprets the source text. (Include at least
one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American dramatist.)
Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a
specific work (e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or
the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare).
Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentiethcentury foundational works of American literature, including how two or
more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics.
Reading: Informational Text
Key Ideas and Details

RI.9-10.1

RI.11-12.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the
text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the
text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including
determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
Writing
Text Types and Purposes

W.9-10.2
W.11-12.2

W.9-10.2.a

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex
ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the
effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to
make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g.,
headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to
aiding comprehension.
Updated November, 2013
22

W.11-12.2.a

W.9-10.2.b

W.11-12.2.b

W.9-10.2.c

W.11-12.2.c

W.9-10.2.d

W.11-12.2.d

W.9-10.2.e
W.11-12.2.e
W.9-10.2.f
W.11-12.2.f




W.9-10.3
W.11-12.3

W.9-10.3.a

W.11-12.3.a


W.9-10.3.b
W.11-12.3.b

W.9-10.3.c

Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so
that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a
unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures,
tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts,
extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information
and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and
relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other
information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of
the topic.
Use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the
text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas
and concepts.
Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major
sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among
complex ideas and concepts.
Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the
complexity of the topic.
Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such
as metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic.
Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending
to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports
the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or
the significance of the topic).
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event
sequences.
Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or
observation, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing
a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of
experiences or events.
Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or
observation and its significance, establishing one or multiple point(s) of
view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth
progression of experiences or events.
Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description,
reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or
characters.
Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one
another to create a coherent whole.
Updated November, 2013
23

W.11-12.3.c

W.9-10.3.d
W.11-12.3.d



W.9-10.3.e
W.11-12.3.e
Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one
another to create a coherent whole and build toward a particular tone
and outcome (e.g., a sense of mystery, suspense, growth, or resolution).
Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to
convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or
characters.
Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is
experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative.
Production and Distribution of Writing




W.9-10.4
W.11-12.4
W.9-10.5
W.11-12.5


W.9-10.6

W.11-12.6
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
(Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–
3 above.)
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing,
rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most
significant for a specific purpose and audience.
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update
individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s
capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly
and dynamically.
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update
individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback,
including new arguments or information.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge

W.9-10.7
W.11-12.7

W.9-10.8

W.11-12.8

W.9-10.9
W.11-12.9

Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a
question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow
or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on
the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under
investigation.
Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital
sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of
each source in answering the research question; integrate information
into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism
and following a standard format for citation.
Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital
sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and
limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience;
integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of
ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and
following a standard format for citation.
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
Updated November, 2013
24
Speaking and Listening
Comprehension and Collaboration

SL.9-10.1.d

SL.11-12.1.d

SL.9-10.3

SL.11-12.3
Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of
agreement and disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify
their own views and understanding and make new connections in light of
the evidence and reasoning presented.
Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments,
claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve contradictions
when possible; and determine what additional information or research is
required to deepen the investigation or complete the task.
Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and
rhetoric, identifying any fallacious reasoning or exaggerated or distorted
evidence.
Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and
rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice,
points of emphasis, and tone used.
SUGGESTED WORKS
DIGITAL CONTENT
Media
 “How to Grow a Mandala”: http://youtu.be/g16B64myG-E
 “How to Make a Mandala”: http://youtu.be/-v0QRrayVlE (Background noise is
loud.)
 “Mandala Video 1 by Connie”: http://youtu.be/PTekq2TJH1Y
 “Origins of Christmas: History Channel Documentary”:
http://youtu.be/xYOD46JbDGU
SAMPLE ACTIVITIES AND ASSESSMENTS
ACTIVITIES
1. A CHRISTIMAS CAROL BY DICKENS AND DISNEY (RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.7, RL.9-10.9,
RL.10-11.2, RL.10-11.7, RL.10-11.9 ): Read A Christmas Carol and watch Disney’s
Mickey Mouse version. Compare language, complexity, ideas, values and
audiences
2. HOLIDAYS OVER TIME (9-12.I.1.1.3, RI.9-10.1, RI.10-11.1): Make a timeline that
identifies how a holiday has been celebrated over time. Trace the beginnings of
traditions for holidays. Trace the evolution and characteristics of specific holiday
celebrations.
3. COMPARING HOLIDAYS (9-12.I.3.2.1, RL.9-10.6, W.9-10.2, W.9-10.2.a, W.9-10.2.b,
W.9-10.2.c, W.9-10.2.d, W.9-10.2.e, W.9-10.2.f, W.9-10.7, W.9-10.8, W.9-10.9, RL.1112.6, W.11-12.2, W.11-12.2.a, W.11-12.2.b, W.11-12.2.c, W.11-12.2.d, W.11-12.2.e,
W.11-12.2.f, W.11-12.7, W.11-12.8, W.11-12.9): Research a seasonal holiday and
compare it to a holiday celebrated at the same time in a different culture.
Updated November, 2013
25
4. FAMILY HOLIDAY TRADITIONS (W.9-10.2, W.9-10.2.a, W.9-10.2.b, W.9-10.2.c, W.910.2.d, W.9-10.2.e, W.9-10.2.f, W.9-10.4, W.9-10.5, W.9-10.6, W.11-12.2, W.11-12.2.a,
W.11-12.2.b, W.11-12.2.c, W.11-12.2.d, W.11-12.2.e, W.11-12.2.f, W.11-12.4, W.1112.5, W.11-12.6): Write a personal essay that illustrates the benefits (or ill effects)
of a holiday tradition your family has.
5. ORIGINS OF CHRISTMAS: DOCUMENTARY (9-12.I.1.1.1, 9-12.I.1.1.2, 9-12.I.2.2.2, SL.910.1.d, SL.9-10.3, SL.11-12.1d , SL.11-12.3): View documentary “Origins of
Christmas: History Channel Documentary”
6. MANDALA (9-12.I.1.3.1, 9-12.I.3.2.1): Create a mandala using your own symbols to
illustrate the life/seasonal cycle.
SUGGESTED PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
Purpose: To show understanding of holidays and celebrations.
Targets: Create an artistic work that expresses the uniqueness of a historical period or
cultural influence.
1. RESPONSE TO HUMAN PROBLEM (9-12.I.2.3.1, 9-12.I.2.3.2): Establish a set of
aesthetic criteria and apply it in evaluating one’s own work and works of others.
Create an original work that offers a response to a human problem.
2. HOLIDAY FROM ANOTHER CULTURE OR ANOTHER TIME (9-12.I.3.3.3, W.9-10.7, W.910.8, W.9-10.9, W.11-12.7, W.11-12.8, W.11-12.9): Choose a culture or historical
period. Create an artistic work (drawing, painting, song, etc.) which represents a
holiday from that culture or historical period.
3. HOLIDAYS ARE FOR SHARING (9-12.I.3.3.3): Share your work in an informal art
exhibition.
Updated November, 2013
26
Grades 9-12  Unit 5
Modern Day Heroes:
Archetypal Interpretation
“Myths tell us what those like us have done, can do, should do. Without myths to lead
the way, we hesitate to leap forward. Listen to the wrong myths, and we might even
go back a few steps.”
― N.K. Jemison
OVERVIEW
Comic super heroes and heroes in popular films have caused a mass culture creation
and perpetuation of mythos.
Modern Mythology is based upon Carl Jung’s work on archetypal interpretation and
the hero’s journey. Comics and popular films follow Jungian patterns for heroes as
adapted by Joseph Campbell.
This unit will study modern heroes, villains and sagas which follow the Jungian
archetypal Interpretation.
Suggested time: 3-4 weeks
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS





Modern heroes are based upon Jungian Archetypes and follow the Jungian
Hero’s journey as adapted by Joseph Campbell.
Modern Hero’s deal in symbolic currency based on the underlying beliefs of
society.
Modern Sagas are extensions of the basic hero’s quest as outlined by Jung.
Modern villains reflect Jung’s shadow self and are designed to represent the
human potential for good or evil as the hero’s shadow self.
Modern myth is patterned from classical mythology.
GUIDING QUESTIONS




How do heroes, like Batman, follow the hero’s journey while reflecting society’s
ambivalence toward the vigilante?
What do the contradictory storylines and personalities of female superheroes
such as Wonder Woman reveal to us about women’s roles historically?
How do super heroes such as Superman not only symbolize power and justice
but serve as an incarnation of our faith in human kind?
Movies including Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and The Matrix are simple
illustrations of the hero’s journey; the call to adventure, refusal, supernatural aide,
etc. Why are we so drawn to this pattern?
Updated November, 2013
27


How is a hero’s nemesis another side of themselves?
What connections can be made between classical mythology such as The
Odyssey, and modern stories such as The Harry Potter series?
STUDENTS WILL KNOW AND UNDERSTAND





Female Heroes
Vigilante Heroes
Hero embodiments
Sagas
Villains
Students will Know…
 The Collective Unconscious and its impact on the
hero’s journey.
 What Symbolic Currency is and its impact on
mythology.
 The Hero’s journey.
 The contradictory role of women in modern
hero stories.
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO
Humanities Standards--Interdisciplinary
9-12.I.2.1.1
Relate arts and humanities disciplines to ethical and/or human issues.
9-12.I.2.2.1
Analyze an artifact or idea and debate its meaning in the context of
societal values.
Interpret how a literary/artistic work relates to history and/or culture from
which it originated.
9-12.I.3.2.2
Reading: Literature
Key Ideas and Details

RL.9-10.2

RL.11-12.2

RL.9-10.3

RL.11-12.3
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its
development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is
shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of
the text.
Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze
their development over the course of the text, including how they
interact and build on one another to produce a complex account;
provide an objective summary of the text.
Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting
motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other
characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop
and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how
the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and
developed).
Craft and Structure
RL.9-10.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the
text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the
cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g.,
Updated November, 2013
28
RL.11-12.4
RL.9-10.5
RL.11-12.5

RL.9-10.6

RL.11-12.6
how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal
or informal tone).
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the
text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact
of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with
multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or
beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)
Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order
events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing,
flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific
parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the
choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall
structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work
of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of
world literature
Analyze a case in which grasping a point of view requires distinguishing
what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire,
sarcasm, irony, or understatement).
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

RL.9-10.7
Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different
artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each
treatment (e.g., Auden’s “Musée des Beaux Arts” and Breughel’s
Landscape with the Fall of Icarus).
Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g.,
recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry),
evaluating how each version interprets the source text. (Include at least
one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American dramatist.)
Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a
specific work (e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid
or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare).
Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentiethcentury foundational works of American literature, including how two or
more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics.

RL.11-12.7

RL.9-10.9

RL.11-12.9

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

RL.9-10.10
By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literature, including stories,
dramas, and poems, in the grades 9–10 text complexity band proficiently,
with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend literature, including
stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the grades 9–10 text
complexity band independently and proficiently.
Updated November, 2013
29

RL.11-12.10
By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literature, including
stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 11–CCR text complexity band
proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend literature, including
stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the grades 11–CCR text
complexity band independently and proficiently.
Reading: Informational Text
Key Ideas and Details

RI.9-10.1

RI.11-12.1

RI.9-10.2

RI.11-12.2

RI.9-10.3

RI.11-12.3
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what
the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what
the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including
determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the
course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined
by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their
development over the course of the text, including how they interact
and build on one another to provide a complex analysis; provide an
objective summary of the text.
Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events,
including the order in which the points are made, how they are
introduced and developed, and the connections that are drawn
between them.
Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how
specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the
course of the text.
Craft and Structure
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

RI.9-10.7

RI.11-12.7
Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a
person’s life story in both print and multimedia), determining which details
are emphasized in each account.
Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in
different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in
words in order to address a question or solve a problem.
Writing
Text Types and Purposes


W.9-10.2
W.11-12.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex
ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the
effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
Updated November, 2013
30

W.9-10.2.a
W.11-12.2.a

W.9-10.2.b

W.11-12.2.b

W.9-10.2.c

W.11-12.2.c

W.9-10.2.d


W.11-12.2.d

W.9-10.2.e
W.11-12.2.e
W.9-10.2.f
W.11-12.2.f


Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to
make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g.,
headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to
aiding comprehension.
Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so
that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a
unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures,
tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts,
extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information
and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and
relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other
information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of
the topic.
Use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the
text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas
and concepts.
Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major
sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among
complex ideas and concepts.
Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the
complexity of the topic.
Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such
as metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the
topic.
Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending
to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports
the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications
or the significance of the topic).
Production and Distribution of Writing


W.9-10.4
W.11-12.4

W.9-10.5
W.11-12.5

W.9-10.6

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
(Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–
3 above.)
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing,
rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most
significant for a specific purpose and audience.
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update
individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s
Updated November, 2013
31

W.11-12.6
capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly
and dynamically.
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update
individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback,
including new arguments or information.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge

W.9-10.7
W.11-12.7

W.9-10.8

W.11-12.8

W.9-10.9
W.11-12.9


Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a
question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow
or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on
the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under
investigation.
Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital
sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of
each source in answering the research question; integrate information
into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism
and following a standard format for citation.
Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital
sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and
limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience;
integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of
ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and
following a standard format for citation.
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
Speaking and Listening
Comprehension and Collaboration

SL.9-10.3
Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and
rhetoric, identifying any fallacious reasoning or exaggerated or distorted
evidence.

SL.11-12.3
Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and
rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice,
points of emphasis, and tone used.
SUGGESTED WORKS
DIGITAL CONTENT
Media
 10 Real Life hero stories on News10:
http://www.news10.net/news/article/217406/339/10-Real-Life-Hero-stories-onNews10
 Modern Hero Stories (Some of these may be listed as suggested materials in the
grade level curriculums.)
Updated November, 2013
32
o
o
o
o
o
“Dick & Rick Hoyt: Ironman Triathlon”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDnrLv6z-mM
“Sports Illustrated Kid of the Year”: http://www.wimp.com/sportsillustrated/
“Ex-refugee Lomong Lopez making the run of his life”:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/olympics/2008/writers/tim_layden/08/08
/lopez.lomong/
“U.S. Flagbearer Lomong has amazing story of personal triumph”:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/olympics/2008/writers/tim_layden/08/08
/lopez.lomong/
“How I Overcame Disability to Become a National Champion by Tamika
Catchings”: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tamika-catchings/wnbachampionship-indiana-fever_b_2122469.html
“Bethany”: http://bethanyhamilton.com/about/bio/
o
Websites
 “Hero’s Journey Movies”: http://www.imdb.com/list/U--U5IZii_w/
 Modern Hero Stories (Some of these may be listed as suggested materials in the
grade level curriculums.)
o “The Wheels of Life”:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1184410/1/index
.htm
o 2012 SportsKids of the Year: Conner and Cayden Long:
http://www.sikids.com/blogs/2012/11/20/sportskids-of-the-year-conner-andcayden-long
 Monomyth Home: http://orias.berkeley.edu/hero/index.htm
SAMPLE ACTIVITIES AND ASSESSMENTS
ACTIVITIES
1. MONOMYTH (RL.9-10.5, RL.11-12.5): Discuss elements of the Hero’s Journey.
Complete Hero’s Journey scope wheel, the Monomyth.
2. MODERN DAY HERO’S AND CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY (9-12.I.2.1.1, RL.9-10.2, RI.910.1, RI.9-10.2, RI.9-10.3, W.9-10.2, W.9-10.2.a, W.9-10.2.b, W.9-10.2.c, W.9-10.2.d,
W.9-10.2.e, W.9-10.2.f, W.9-10.4, W.9-10.5, W.9-10.6, W.9-10.7, W.9-10.8, W.9-10.9,
RL.11-12.2, RI.11-12.1, RI.11-12.2, RI.11-12.3, W.11-12.2, W.11-12.2.a, W.11-12.2.b,
W.11-12.2.c, W.11-12.2.d, W.11-12.2.e, W.11-12.2.f, W.11-12.4, W.11-12.5, W.1112.6, W.11-12.7, W.11-12.8, W.11-12.9 ): Interpret connections between modern
hero stories and classical mythology.
3. MODERN DAY HEROES AND VILLAINS (9-12.I.2.2.1, RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.7, RI.9-10.1,
RI.9-10.2, RI.9-10.3, RI.9-10.7, W.9-10.2, W.9-10.2.a, W.9-10.2.b, W.9-10.2.c, W.910.2.d, W.9-10.2.e, W.9-10.2.f, W.9-10.4, W.9-10.5, W.9-10.6, W.9-10.7, W.9-10.8,
W.9-10.9, RL.11-12.2, RL.11-12.7, RI.11-12.1, RI.11-12.2, RI.11-12.3, RI.11-12.7, W.1112.2, W.11-12.2.a, W.11-12.2.b, W.11-12.2.c, W.11-12.2.d, W.11-12.2.e, W.11-12.2.f,
W.11-12.4, W.11-12.5, W.11-12.6, W.11-12.7, W.11-12.8, W.11-12.9 ): Compare
and contrast a variety of modern media depicting modern-day heroes and
villains.
Updated November, 2013
33
4. MODERN DAY HERO’S IN FILM (9-12.I.3.2.2, RL.9-10.9, SL.9-10.3, RL.10-11.9, SL.1011.3) View films that depict the hero’s journey through the experience of
modern-day heroes, including women.
SUGGESTED PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
Purpose: To identify students ability to correlate, compare and contrast modern hero’s
using Archetypal Interpretation
Targets: Clarify an understanding of text by creating outlines, notes, annotations, charts,
and/or diagrams; Read and respond to literature from a variety of genres ; Evaluate the
importance of character development over time; Compare and contrast themes
across works of prose, poetry, and drama); Analyze significant literary devices including
irony and symbolism.
1. COMPARE/CONTRAST HEROES (9-12.I.3.2.2, 9-12.I.3.3.2, RL.9-10.3, RL.9-10.4 RL.9-10.6,
RI.9-10.7, RL.9-10.10, RL.11-12.3, RL.11-12.4 RL.11-12.6, RI.11-12.7, RL.11-12.10):
Students will create a comparison/contrast chart showing the different types of
heroes and their journeys and how these relate to the time period in which they
were created.
Updated November, 2013
34
Compare/Contrast Graph Rubric
Rubric
Compare/Contrast
Chart
-Clearly labeled
-Compares
information
-Contrasts information
Example:
Hercules compared
to Superman etc…
History and cultural
values in hero’s
journey
-History
identified/explained
-Cultural values
identified/explained
Written Summary
-Clear
-Accurate
-Concise
4 Advanced
Addresses all
three
characteristics
thoroughly.
3 Proficient
Addresses all
three
characteristics.
2 Basic
Addresses all
three
characteristics,
though
inconsistently.
1 Below basic
One or more
characteristic
missing.
Addresses both
characteristics
masterfully.
Addresses both
characteristics.
Addresses both
characteristics,
though
inconsistently.
One or more
characteristic
missing.
Addresses all
three
characteristics
masterfully.
Addresses all
three
characteristics.
One or more
characteristic
missing.
Class Presentation
-Verbal delivery is
easy to understand
-Correct use of
grammar
-Well-organized with
beginning, middle
and end.
Addresses all
three
characteristics
masterfully.
Addresses all
three
characteristics.
Addresses all
three
characteristics,
though
inconsistently.
Addresses all
three
characteristics,
though
inconsistently.
One or more
characteristic
missing.
Updated November, 2013
35