An Opportunity of Mythic Proportions

My Students

Three years ago, I received approval to start a Mythology class at our High School (as an elective through the English Department). The program has evolved to a brand new Mythology II class (30 students each) eager to learn! No money, though - elective + non-Arts = ORPHAN. Please help - GREAT kids.

My students are in grades 10 - 12 (mixed, in same classroom); prerequisite: Mythology I.

We have discovered (as a student body and in our school) that all kinds of cross-curricular concepts start zipping and popping when students learn about Mythology. All are eager to learn. We are a mixed suburban/rural district, with approximately 1/2 of our students on free or reduced lunch. Because this class is a non-core English elective and not part of the Arts program, we do not have any division funds available for textbook adoption. As things now stand, I will be starting the semester with printouts from computer webpages and whatever other materials I have been able to cobble together for Mythology II. I plan to run the class as a comparative curriculum rather than the survey style that was offered in Mythology I - students will be connecting on a much higher level. I have found the PERFECT textbook through Amazon.com at a very reasonable price but we need donor help to make this happen.

My Project

Students will be comparing world myths and folklore in a series of themed units. They will be making connections to World History, Literature and Arts classes on a daily basis. This new Mythology program has already proven to be a marvelous synthesizer for our students and I am so excited to be able to offer an advanced class for the first time this year. Students will interpret myths in discussion and in project form (dramatization and role playing, for example) and will work individually and in groups to make the myths and folklore contained in our requested text come to life. In addition, students will connect myths to their existing knowledge base of Literature, Art, Music, etc. - It all starts with a book. These days, everyone is short of money and resources - it is just a tough time in Education in general. This particular project will continue to benefit students for years to come - most textbooks have a life of 10 - 12 years and Mythology, by nature, remains constant.

Textbooks legitimize a class.

Acquiring a working knowledge of myth and folklore will help students find deeper meaning, symbolism, imagery and archetypes in every movie, book, song, play, or visual art piece with which they come in contact for the rest of their lives. Our students and parents have consistently requested extensions and expansions to our existing Mythology course offerings. Having a shared textbook would be the 'jumping off point' to make all of this happen. Please help ...