The Odyssey Happens Everyday

Eleven Dollars Well Spent

As a rule, I don't pay for lesson plans. If I can't find it/make it for free then you can count me out. When a colleague suggested that I check out the Curly Classroom, i took her advice spending hours scouring their blog for everything those great ladies give away for free. But, as I continued download after wonderful download, I knew I wasn't going to be able to stop. Then, those curly-headed sirens tempted me with the Odyssey Skills by Scene. And I needed it. 

Remember, I had just spent half of the previous month creating something like that for Romeo and Juliet and the thought of going through all of those painstaking hours again when all I had to do was hit the checkout button made forking over the cash an easy decision. I will not post any of the actual activities from the Skills by Scene; however, I will go through the supplements I added to "The Homecoming of Odysseus."

Homecoming Week

The students thought it very strange when they walked in my classroom and saw signs for Homecoming Week everywhere. (Next year I plan to make a tiny mum, or something like it, for everyone). They walked in and I had their attention immediately, mostly because they thought I had lost my marbles. But, if that's what it takes to get their attention in the third to last week of the school year, I will TOTALLY take it. 

Skills by Scene has great graphic organizers for different sections of Odysseus' Homecoming and I used the heck out of those things. I taped them up around my room as my "homecoming decorations" with directions and pointers to filling them out. (Next year, I'll add streamers.) And the best part was the kids got to do the rest of the work. I just sat back and watched it happen. Some days we "celebrated" homecoming in table groups, sometimes, they had partners, sometimes they were working individually, but it was a whole week of analysis, practical application of things they have learned throughout the year, and it was magical. 

But I couldn't let that be the end (mostly because I still had one more week to fill after Odysseus got home). That's where this article entered the scene. I wanted to bring the Odyssey into the modern era, and this New York Times article is the best. Thinking of Odysseus in terms of a veteran coming home made the Odyssey real for a lot of my kids. I saw their eyes grow wide as they thought about how their brother, sister, uncle, aunt, grandfather, mom and dad were like Odysseus, this bigger than life hero. And... it's expository... double wham!

But I didn't stop there. There's this poem that has followed me through my life since college. Every year, I put my favorite quote from it in my room, on the class passes I give to students who go above and beyond, and on every recommendation I am asked to write. "To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield." Of course, it from "Ulysses" by Alfred Lord Tennyson. When I have a chance to teach this poem I take it, and I wasn't going to miss this chance. 

The E Word

We analyzed, we compared, we laughed, we watched this TEDtalk about veterans missing war, then we took a test. I know, so anti-climactic, but it's the end of the year and that's what we have to do. BUT I couldn't leave all our veteran day talk as just talk. I wanted the kids to put into action what we have been learning about. So, I spent all week before the test scaring them by saying the E word. You know the one... essay. Over and over I warned them about the scary essay at the end of the exam. It loomed until I had kids fill my tutoring time with questions about what it would be about, could they use a notecard, would they have to use text evidence. I have never had so much interest prior to a test. 

Then test day arrived. I handed out the test and all of them flipped it to the back and read the "essay" directions:

Letter Writing: Write a letter to a veteran. Be sure to stay within the requirements listed below (20pts).

Formatting Requirements:

·          Correct letter format

o   Greeting

o   Date

o   Paragraphs

o   Salutation

o   Signature

o   One full page

·          Content Requirements

o   You CAN:

§  Thank the veteran for his/her service

§  Offer encouragement

§  write about yourself

§  write about this assignment

o   You CANNOT:

§  Write about religion, politics, death or killing (this is a requirement used by Operation Gratitude)

     The letter is a requirement for the test; however, I hope to send them along to a veteran. If you DO NOT want me to send your letter, please write “DO NOT SEND THIS” at the top of your paper. I will still read/grade it based on the requirements outlined above. 

I got many kinds of looks. The knowing look, the eye roll (I like to think it's because I made such a HUGH deal of seemingly nothing), the appreciative smile, the sigh of relief. 

But the letters they wrote were truly thankful for the veterans who fought so they could be sitting in my classroom and taking a test, so they could enjoy movies, family, friends. So they could live free. I can't think of a better way to celebrate D-Day than by writing letters to those who deserve our respect,

honor, and gratitude.