Writing process assignments

Topic: Pick a Greek (or Roman) God or (better yet) Hero and write a report.

Modus Operandi

On successive weeks (or two) assign outline, draft, and final version.

In the outline phase, we do most of the research, gathering information, facts, and references, and assemble them in a very rough outline of the paper.

In the draft phase, we write the body of the paper.  We use poetric devices, such as imagery, allusions, irony, assonance, metaphor, symbolism, etc, to achieve greater emotional impact.

In the final phase, after we know what is written the body, we can write the thesis and conclusion.  We carefully consider the audience, and what we want them to know, feel, and do.

I was very impressed with the results the students turned in.

Outline

• 3+ topics
• 5-7+ details on each
• MLA formatted references (at least 3)

Questions to answer:

Discuss in class, and have students help come up with the questions.

• __________________________________ (god of ...?)
• __________________________________ (origin?)
• __________________________________ (relations?)
• __________________________________ (deeds?)
• __________________________________ (at least one story)

Draft

• Write out the body of the report in detail
• At least one paragraph for each topic
• Tell the story using poetic devices

Consider Poetry vs Prose

Read Ray Bradbury short story (The Day it Rained Forever), discuss poetry, and challenge students to use poetic devices (except for rhyme, rhythm, and verse) to make their story more emotionally impactful.

I also told them that since these events were mythical even in Homer's day, they have just as much right to embellish the details of the stories as he did.

Final

• Concentrate on the Thesis and Conclusion
• Consider Audience and know/feel/do
• Run a spellcheck
• MLA format

Ask yourself, "who is your audience?"

Then you are able to ask:
What do you want them to know?
What do you want them to feel?
What do you want them to do?

You must answer all three.  One answer may stand out over the others.
If you want them to know something, end by telling them again, and emphasize why it is important.
If you want them to feel something, end by bearing testimony.
If you want them to do something, end with a challenge.

List of Gods and Heros

Olympians

• Ares / Mars
• Artemis / Diana
• Aphrodite / Venus
• Apollo
• Athena / Minerva
• Demeter / Ceres
• Hades / Pluto
• Hera / Juno
• Hermes / Mercury
• Hephaestus / Vulcan
• Poseidon / Neptune
• Zeus / Jupiter

Minor Gods

• Cronus
• Dionysus
• Eros
• Gaia
• Hebe
• Hestia
• Iris
• Janus
• Rhea
• Pan
• Prometheus
• Nike
• Uranus
• Fates
• Muses

Heros

• Hercules
• Theseus
• Jason
• Castor and Pollux
• Perseus
• Atalanta
• Odysseus
• Achilles
• Bellerophon
• Aeneas
• Orpheus
• Cadmus
• Deucalion
• Agamemnon
• Daedalus
• Pandora