05.09 - Siddhartha Kick Off

We started today's class with a recap of our discussion of Buddhism in relation to Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Taoism. Key slides from this presentation are included below. If you would like a refresher on this lecture from Mr. Collins check in after school. This information is to help provide context for the cultural and religious background of Hesse's Siddhartha.

Click Image to Enlarge

Click Image to Enlarge

Click Image to Enlarge

Click Image to Enlarge

Everyone then had the rest of the period to begin reading Siddhartha. We signed out copies of the book in class and everyone got a reading schedule. I also gave everyone copies of the reading logs that we will be keeping for this book (extra copies and information on due dates available below).

Handouts:
Siddhartha Reading Logs 

Homework:

Read to page 34 in Siddhartha.

Begin reading logs for Siddhartha (see handouts above).

Complete any missing assignments and revise assignments that scored below a 92.

Keep up to date on your grades through Pinnacle:
In school: 192.168.8.7/Pinnacle/PIV
Outside of school: http://pinweb.lisbonschoolsme.org/pinnacle/pin 

05.08 - Intro to Buddhism (Part 2)

In our discussion of Buddhism yesterday, we spoke a little about how Hinduism and Buddhism have a relationship that is similar to that which exists between Judaism and Christianity. Today, we explored this a little bit more. We began this exploration by looking at concepts of morality in the Judeo-Christian tradition. We did this by looking at the songs "Stars" and "Soliloquy" from Les Miserables. See videos, directions, discussion questions, and handouts below.

Click Image to Enlarge

 
Norm Lewis - "Stars" from maremaris on Vimeo.

Click Image to Enlarge

 

[Check back for video. YouTube is currently being difficult]

 Following this, we looked at how both Hinduism and Judaism (and some Old-Testament oriented Christianity) has a strong focus on following rules/laws as outlined by the gods/God. Buddhism and Christianity are religions that came out of these two religions and so share a lot of the same ideas, but tend to place more emphasis on goodness achieved through individual compassion than through adherence to religious rules.

As an example of this we talked about The Lord of the Rings in which Frodo spares Smeagol/Gollum's life and this later proves to be good as Smeagol is instrumental in the destruction of the one ring. Tolkien intended this as a Christ-like action of compassion and forgiveness which later saves Frodo as part of God's plan. Frodo would have been within the right to kill the treacherous Gollum (he could argue it was part of his dharma/duty to make sure the ring was destroyed). This is not to say that killing Gollum is something a Hindu or Jew would advocate though (these religions could argue that Frodo killing Gollum would be a selfish action, not what the gods/God wants). This point illustrates the different approaches to moral questions.

Click Image to Enlarge

Tomorrow, we will begin reading Siddhartha.

Handouts:
Order and Morality in the Western Christian Tradition

Homework:

Complete any Sigurd the Volsung Quiz Revisions.

Complete any missing assignments and revise assignments that scored below a 92.

Keep up to date on your grades through Pinnacle:
In school: 192.168.8.7/Pinnacle/PIV
Outside of school: http://pinweb.lisbonschoolsme.org/pinnacle/pin 

05.07 - Introduction to Buddhism

We started today's class with the reading quiz for the Aeneid.
After everyone had a chance to take this quiz, we reviewed the quiz answers.

Next, we began preparing to read Siddhartha by Hermen Hesse. This is a hero's journey story based around Siddhartha who became known as the Buddha. For some background to this story, we took time today to explore the similarities and differences between Hinduism and Buddhism since the Buddha was a person who came out of a Hindu culture (much like Christianity was founded by a person who came out of a Judaic culture). To explore these differences, everyone read quotes that explore some of the key ideas in each religion which we then discussed (specific directions and copies of quotes are below).

Click Image to Enlarge

Click Image to Enlarge

At the end of class, I also handed out quiz revisions for the Sigurd the Volsung reading quiz (see below).

Handouts:
Hindu Quotes
Buddhist Quotes
Sigurd the Volsung Quiz Revisions


Homework:

Complete any Sigurd the Volsung Quiz Revisions.

Complete any missing assignments and revise assignments that scored below a 92.

Keep up to date on your grades through Pinnacle:
In school: 192.168.8.7/Pinnacle/PIV
Outside of school: http://pinweb.lisbonschoolsme.org/pinnacle/pin 

05.06 - The Aeneid

Our work in class today was focused on the Aeneid by Virgil.

There were only a couple people in class today yesterday since juniors were not required to attend due to SATs on Saturday. To get everyone back on the same page, today's class was focused on finishing reading the Aeneid or responding to a prompt question for the story (see handout below).

In the last fifteen minutes of class, I handed out updated grade report sheets, returned assignments, and we reviewed overall class performance on assignments that were returned today. We reviewed the feedback on these assignments to help people focus their revisions and help provide perspective on the assignments for people that have yet to complete them.

Click Image to Enlarge

Click Image to Enlarge

Click Image to Enlarge

Click Image to Enlarge

Handouts:
Aeneid - Writing Prompts

Homework:

Prepare for the Aeneid reading quiz for tomorrow.

Finish reading the Aeneid and respond to one of the prompts (available in the handouts section above).

Complete any missing assignments and revise assignments that scored below a 92.

Reference the mythology reading assignment list sheet for extra copies of reading assignments.

Keep up to date on your grades through Pinnacle:
In school: 192.168.8.7/Pinnacle/PIV
Outside of school: http://pinweb.lisbonschoolsme.org/pinnacle/pin

05.05 - Revisions and Aeneid Reading

Today in class, I returned assignments that were assessed over the weekend to students. Everyone then had the rest of the period to complete or revise assignments as necessary.

 When all assignments were completed or revised, people had time to read from "The Aeneid" in our World Mythology texts (pgs. 113 - 146).

There is not a hero's journey sheet or discussion questions accompanying "The Aeneid." Everyone is just asked to have it read for class tomorrow.


Homework:

Read "The Aeneid" (pgs 113 - 146).

Keep up to date on your grades through Pinnacle:

In school: 192.168.8.7/Pinnacle/PIV
Outside of school: http://pinweb.lisbonschoolsme.org/pinnacle/pin

05.02 - Sigurd Quiz

For today's class we had the "Sigurd the Volsung" reading quiz. After everyone completed their quiz we reviewed and discussed answers that people came up with. Everyone then had time to complete recent assignments that were due for this weekend including; "Johnny Knoxville: A Modern-Day Beowulf?", "Old Heroes, Modern Conflict: Ukraine", "Women in Armor", and the "Sigurd the Volsung" hero's journey note sheet.

At the end of class, we came together to discuss the "Women in Armor" and "Old Heroes, Modern Conflict: Ukraine" assignments. Individuals discussed the way they had responded to these prompts and their overall perspectives on the assignments.

Handouts:
Women in Armor

Hero's Journey Note Sheet (don't forget to reference our work on the ordering of stages)

Johnny Knoxville: A Modern Day Beowulf? (reading and questions)

Old Heroes, Modern Conflict: Ukraine (reading and questions)

Homework:

Begin reading "The Aeneid" from the World Mythology text.


Keep up to date on your grades through Pinnacle:

In school: 192.168.8.7/Pinnacle/PIV
Outside of school: http://pinweb.lisbonschoolsme.org/pinnacle/pin

05.01 - Sigurd Online and Women in Armor

Today in class, we finished up the online discussion of "Sigurd the Volsung" on the LHS Mythology Forum.

During the second half of class we discussed and everyone had time to work on a piece exploring portrayals of female warriors (like Brunhild) in modern stories.

Handouts:
Women in Armor

Hero's Journey Note Sheet (don't forget to reference our work on the ordering of stages)

"Sigurd the Volsung" Discussion Questions

Homework:

Prepare for the Sigurd the Volsung quiz tomorrow.

If you have not done so already, finish the hero's journey note sheet for "Sigurd the Volsung".

Complete missing work and revise any assignment that scored below a 92.

Keep up to date on your grades through Pinnacle:
In school: 192.168.8.7/Pinnacle/PIV
Outside of school: http://pinweb.lisbonschoolsme.org/pinnacle/pin