JANUARY 11-15, 2016 American Literature

11 January 2016 Quickwrite: What is a myth? What myths do you know about? What are the purposes of myths? Essential Questions: What is a myth? What do myths reveal about a society’s culture? What myths am I familiar with?

Binder Set-Up 1. Syllabus 2. Standards 3. Goal Sheet (to be given tomorrow) 4. Table of Contents for Unit 1

Vocabulary Myth: stories created in cultures to explain how a feature of the world was formed or how a specific custom began. Origin Myth: a traditional story that explains how life began. Archetypes: patterns, symbols, or character types that repeat across culture. Oral Tradition: stories passed down by word of mouth.

Characteristics of Native American Myths a belief in the Great Mystery, Creator or Great Spirit. an interplay between the sacred and the natural world. the assistance of animals the key role that women play in the myths — Earth Woman; Spider-Woman; Fair Weather Woman.

Characteristics Continued explanation of the universe that often depicts the bending or breaking of the laws of nature The woman, by virtue of being the vessel for the creation of life, plays an essential role in many of the creation myths of the First Peoples. Many Native American emergence myths represent events that bend or blend the laws of nature. For instance, animals talk to humans, or fly to the stars.

A Brief History ON YOUR OWN PAPER:While watching the video, take down four key facts. Answer the following questions: 1. What are the goals of Native Americans today? 2. In what ways are Native Americans trying to reach these goals? 3. Why do you believe it is important for Native Americans to reach these goals?

Oral Traditions Read pages of your literature book. Get out a piece of paper and label it “Oral Traditions.” Answer the following questions ON YOUR OWN PAPER: 1. What is an oral tradition? 2. What communities do we know of participate(d) in oral traditions? What might be the benefits of having an oral tradition? What might be the drawbacks? Explain your reasoning. 3. What is a winter count? What was a winter count made of? What was the winter count used for? 4. What does the author mean when she says, “Our lives are our stories?” Explain. Do you agree with her? Why or why not?

Closing Define myth Define oral tradition Turn In: 1. Quickwrite/Closing 2. A Brief History facts/questions 3. Oral Tradition Questions 4. Group Myth Questions

12 January 2016 Quickwrite: What is your favorite animal and why? If this animal were to be a god, what would the animal be a god over (ex: An Eagle being a god of War)? Why? Essential Questions: What are the characteristics/qualities of Native American Myths? How do myths reflect the beliefs and culture of a society/group of people?

The First People Native Americans immigrated over the land bridge from Asia in 35,000 BC The first Europeans enter North America in 1600’s. The last colonies were settled in 1732

Native American Myths A myth is a traditional story, passed down through generations, that explains why the world is the way it is. Events usually result from the actions of supernatural beings. Contain supernatural elements Often explain the unexplainable Have also been told in order to teach a moral lesson. All cultures have myths, though often do not see their stories myth but as fact.

Oral Tradition Native American myths started out as stories that were passed down by word of mouth. Most stories were passed down through lullabies, bedtime stories, and performances.

The Four Functions of a myth 1. To awaken us to the mystery and wonder of creation 2. To explain the workings of the natural world: every corner, every rock, hill, stone, and flower has its place and its meaning. 3. To pass down the moral and ethical codes that support and validate social customs. 4. To teach: to guide the people through the trials of living

Creation Myths Explain how the universe, the earth, and life on earth began. Essentials: 1. To instill awe 2. Explain the workings of the natural world 3. To support customs 4. Guide people through the trials of living

A Common Archetype The Trickster- someone is creative and curious and often gets into trouble. Will sometimes find wisdom through their curiosity. The trickster is an archetype--a recurrent symbol or motif in literature, art, or mythology

To Sum it All Up Oral Traditions Integration of the natural world with the human world No separation of spiritual and physical Importance of ancestors Trickster figure – often a coyote Rich literary tradition – developed mythology Extremely diverse

Each Group Will Be Assigned A Myth Each group will read pages 19, 24-26, and their assigned myth(s). Choose one of the three assigned pages/myths and answer the following questions ON YOUR OWN PAPER: 1. What myth did you have? What Native American group created your assigned myth? 2. What was your assigned myth about? Why do you believe it was created? 3. What animals/plants were mentioned in your myth? What do you believe each animal represents based on your reading (note, this will not always be said outright in your myth. You must infer, or conclude based off of evidence and reasoning)? List at least two. 4. Summarize what happened in your myth.

Turn In Today At The Tray Group Myth Questions Myth Jigsaw

13 January 2016 Quickwrite: Create a list of as many natural phenomena outside of human control that you can think of (i.e. tsunamis, rain, volcanic eruptions, etc.). Next, make a list of animals that each natural phenomena makes you think of (volcanic eruptions make me think of vultures). Essential Questions: What are the characteristics/qualities of Native American Myths? How do myths reflect the beliefs and culture of a society/group of people?

Your Task You will be creating an origin myth. I will hand out two cards to help you get started. Writing of the Origin Myth: Narrative Format with personified animals, elements of the natural world (earth, fire, wind, water), to explain to the creation of either humans, the Earth, OR both. There must be an explanation of at least two other natural phenomena outside of human control (i.e. rain, earthquakes, daytime/nighttime, etc.). There must be a lesson in your myth of personal cultural value (i.e. forgiveness, hospitality, friendliness, etc.).

Illustration of your myth: You must create a cover for your myth using a whole sheet of 8.5 x 11 computer paper. This illustration must visually represent the creation of at least ONE of your phenomena. The entire sheet should be colored in. Explanation: You must write at least a paragraph explaining how/why your myth is a valid creation myth. Explain the roles of the animals, elements, and spirits/gods play in your myth, as well as how the cultural value manifests itself and how it is important to the myth.

14 January 2016 Quickwrite: What are the characteristics of Native American Myths? What did these myths typically do for Native American peoples? How were these myths passed down? Essential Questions: What are the characteristics/qualities of Native American Myths? How do myths reflect the beliefs and culture of a society/group of people?

Your Task for Today – Review your Rubric for Help Your origin myth. Remember, it must reach three main goals: 1. Explains the origin of human, earth, or both. 2. Explains 2 other natural phenomena 3. Has personified animals, spirits, and/or elements of nature. Origin Myth Cover: This illustration must visually represent the creation of at least ONE of your phenomena. The entire sheet should be colored in. Explanation: You must write at least a paragraph explaining how/why your myth is a valid creation myth. Explain the roles of the animals, elements, and spirits/gods play in your myth, as well as how the cultural value (moral lesson) manifests itself and how it is important to the myth.

15 January 2016 Quickwrite: Pretend you are a settler going to a brand new island that has never been inhabited before. You can only bring three things (and it can’t be technology like cells phones and computers). What do you bring and why? Essential Questions: What is colonialism? What types of writing did Colonists bring? How did colonialism influence today’s literature?

Welcome To Colonialism The first migration to the Americas was not by the British. The first migration occurred 20 – 40,000 years ago when Ice Age Hunters traveled from Siberia to Alaska. Slowly these people and their descendants migrated south. When European exploration began, these were the people who were living in the “New World.”

In 1492, Columbus “discovered” America. Taking Native Americans with him to Spain, stories began to circulate about the wonders of the New World, about its exoticism and bountifulness.

Spanish and French explorers wrote about this new world in over-exaggerated styles, praising its beauty, making it appear as El Dorado (the place of hopes and dreams). America was viewed as the land of plenty, the land of peace and hospitality, the land of riches

This brought hope for those who were being prosecuted across the world. When Europeans began voyaging to this world, they unleashed diseases such as smallpox, measles, typhus, and so on, on the Natives, who were also enslaved and mistreated. In the face of this, Native American population began to decline rapidly, and thus, Spain introduced African slavery in 1501.

The period of European exploration brought with it a huge body of literature that is referred to as a literature of witness or exploration narratives. The early settlers brought with them their knowledge of written communication with its particular style and content. They wrote about their new experiences in forms that were familiar to them – letters, factual records, sermons, and poems.

A little Background Take down 3 facts from each video on your Notes.

Jane from Jamestown

Jamestown Colonies Resort To Cannibalism You have a new annotation! The Infinity symbol is to show you made a connection between what you are reading and something else. Basically, if what you are reading reminds you of something else—write it down!

Read & Annotate the Jamestown article. You need at least 3 annotations per page (3 on front, 3 on back—in total you should have 12 annotations). Once you are done reading and annotating, discuss the following questions with a partner. Write your own answers on YOUR OWN paper: 1. What challenges did Jamestown face? How did they approach these challenges? Explain in detail using evidence from the article. 2. If you were a Jamestown colonist, what would you have done to survive? Would you have done what the others had? Why or why not? What would you do instead?

Closing What types of literature/writing did colonist bring to the “New World”? Give at least two types. Turn In: 1. Quickwrite/Closing 2. Video Facts 3. Jamestown Annotations/Questions