UNIT PLAN
Unit Topic: Unit III - The Glory That Was Greece Grade: 10 Unit Theme: Aegean Civilizations Unit Goals: GCO- Students should understand: How civilization emerged in the Aegean, the influences which shaped that civilization and the influences it exerted on other civilizations. Lesson Title The Importance of the Greek Stage Specific Outcomes SCO #10: Students should be able to identify the Greek contribution to the development of drama, and some of the major themes addressed by Greek drama. Methods/Activities/Procedures
Bellwork: Students will be asked to think of a few of their favorite movies and/or books. Ask students to list a few of their selections, and then label them as either a tragedy or a comedy. Ask students to justify their decisions by explaining what they find 'tragic' or 'comedic' about their choice. During: The class will begin with the question "who remembers Dionysus"? From this, the teacher will elaborate on the students' previous knowledge of the Olympics and of Greek Gods, and will also establish tragedy as the focus point of this class. The instructor will then distribute handout #1 and will choose a few students to read it aloud. After the sheet has been read, the instructor will check for understanding in order to clear up any confusion. After this, the students will be asked to read the first five pages of Oedipus Rex (read until the entrance of Jocasta). Students will be given fifteen minutes to do this. The students who finish quickly will be urged to reread and look deeper into the text. After the allotted time, students will be placed in groups of 3-4 and asked to discuss what they have read in reference to the handout. Ask the students if they found examples of the descriptions listed. Circulate and listen to the conversations taking place. The teacher will eventually ask the groups to each share a short summary of what was discussed at their table. Closing: Students will be asked to finish the reading of Oedipus Rex, and will be assigned a short assignment in the form of a reading checklist (handout #2). Students will be expected to have it completed for the next class.
Resources Handout #1: The Key Elements of Greek Tragedy Handout #2: Reading Checklist Readings of Oedipus Rex *Abridged version available at: http://wwwtc.pbs.org/empires/theg reeks/educational/pdf/o edipus_short.pdf
Assessment Strategies Assessment FOR Learning: The extend of knowledge which the students have towards tragedy and comedy will give the teacher an idea of their previous knowledge. Circulation while the students are discussing will also provide an idea of how much they have taken from the lesson. Assessment AS Learning: A check for understanding after reading the handout will ensure that students have grasped the essential points. Furthermore, the group discussions and their brief explanations of what was discussed will provide the teacher with a window into their students' thinking and level of understanding. Assessment OF Learning: The Reading Checklist assignment will assess what the students have taken away from the class.
The Key Elements of Greek Tragedy
When thinking about Greek Tragedy, consider the following descriptions put forth by Aristotle: Mimesis: Aristotle stated that a tragedy must have mimesis, meaning that it must imitate some part of actual life. For this reason, many Greek tragedies revolve around the shortcomings and mortality of leaders. Action: Aristotle described the action of a Greek tragedy as needing to a "piece of life of serious interest". This means that Greek tragedy was focused on the action of political figures and powerful people rather than commoners and 'underlings'. Because of this, in Greek tragedy, the tragic elements (the bad things) tend to happen almost exclusively to powerful people. Catharsis: Catharsis deals with the function of tragedy, and explains why people became enthralled with the genre. Aristotle states that catharsis is a release of emotions which gradually build within us while watching something tragic. As the play approaches its climax, we are supposed to feel a swell of pain and pity for the tragedy experienced by the characters. However, as the play comes to an end and moral is gleaned, we experience catharsis (a strong release of emotions) which proves to be an overwhelmingly positive experience.
Other characteristics of Greek tragedy: Blindness - Blindness seems to be a theme which is present in tragedy spanning from Sophocles to Shakespeare. The main character in a tragedy is often figuratively blind to a truth which is apparent to everyone else (or which gradually becomes so). Tragic Hero - The tragic hero is the central character to a tragedy. A tragic hero is described as being 'tragically flawed', meaning that they have a personality flaw which usually ends up leading them to tragedy. Fate - The Greeks believed that their lives were predestined by the Gods and that there was no way to escape this. Interestingly enough, the Gods and the question of how 'good' they truly are is often a question present in Greek tragedy. The Chorus - The chorus represents a large group of people (often commoners or underlings) who are described in the play as a single voice. The chorus are often aware of the truths that the tragic heroes are blind to, but are not powerful enough to change the course of action. Because of this, they are often a source of unheard wisdom throughout the Tragedy.
Reading Checklist
A.) Go through the checklist below and identify what elements of Greek you found within this reading. Give examples from the text in order to strengthen your answers! When reading Oedipus Rex, I found: Mimesis -
Action -
Catharsis -
B.) Answer the following questions with the knowledge you have gained from this reading. Who is the tragic hero? What is their flaw?
How important is Fate within this play?
What are your thoughts on the chorus? What is their purpose within the play? Is it important to note that the chorus delivers the final line in the play?
