Digital Storytelling: Backward Planning Worksheet
Name: Patrick Moring
Content/Grade Level MYP I Eng/9
Lesson Title: The Odyssey in Pictures
What is it you Want Students to Know and Be Able to Do?
Students will be able to analyze archetypes and synthesize an ancient story
with a modern electronic medium for a book of Homer’s The Odyssey.
Content standards:
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Language Arts Standard 2: Students write and speak for a variety of
purposes and audiences.
Language Arts Standard 6.1
o 2.4 Speak to the reader in a way that is individual, compelling, and
engaging; crafts writing with an awareness and respect for the
audience and the purpose for writing.
o 2.7a Convey clear messages with text and/or graphics
o 2.9 Analyze purpose, audience, and context when planning a
presentation or performance
o 2.11 Use a variety of effective presentation strategies
Language Arts Standard 5: Students read to locate, select, and make
use of relevant information from a variety of media, references, and
technological sources.
o 5.5 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of intellectual
property and identify original creators of any work
o 5.6 Use information to solve problems, communicate ideas, and
create a quality product.
Language Arts Standard 6: Students read and recognize literature as a record
of human experience.
o 6.1 Read, respond to, interpret, and discuss an, increasingly
complex variety of literature (novels, poetry, short stories,
nonfiction, technical material, plays, essays, and speeches)
o 6.2 Compare, contrast, and analyze all forms of literature from
different countries, time periods, and cultures
Big Idea/Essential Question:
What significant archetypes reoccur throughout Homer’s The Odyssey, and what
do they signify about Ancient Greece and the human condition?
Unit Questions:
What is an archetype? How can they be found? What do they signify within the
piece?
Content/Guiding Questions:
What did Odysseus symbolize for the Ancient Greeks?
How is The Odyssey propaganda for the Ancient Greek society (anti-feminist,
cultural concepts, consequences of upsetting the gods, battling fate, etc.)?
Which archetypes do we see more than once, and what do they signify within the
piece? Within the society?
How will you know they know it? (Formative & Summative Assessment
Strategies) The students will be given reading check quizzes, formal and
informal in-class assessments, Socratic seminars, and will eventually produce a
picture story using Photo Story 3 or Voice Thread that interprets the events and
archetypes within one book of the Odyssey.
Formative Assessments:
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Storyboard (rubric)
Quizzes
In-class discussions
One-pager interpretive assignments (rubric)
Summative Assessments:
 Final Photo Story/Voice Thread Project Rubrics
 Unit Test with In-class 5 Paragraph Essay
The “hook” – Show Photo Story of The Iliad that is teacher produced. Use
music, narration, and good transitioning technique. Keep it brief, and make sure
it is something that will hold the students’ attention. Then show them the Homer
vs. Homer video thread. Allow them to understand that they will be producing a
similar final project that isn’t as long, but is otherwise comparable.
Activities/Timeline:
Day 1-2: Show Iliad Photo Story and Homer vs. Homer media presentations.
Hand out the syllabus and project rubrics. Go over all of it with the students and
explain unit project guidelines. Explain archetypes and power point presentation
ancient archetypes and the modern tie-ins. Read book 1-2 with them, pulling out
examples of archetypes.
Day 3-4: Finish books 1-2. Have the students read 3-4 in groups, and make
them responsible for finding examples of archetypes within the piece. Explain
and assign a one-pager assignment, and show them how they would have done
one with the lists they produced in groups. Assign books 5-6 as homework
reading and tell them they need to do a one-pager for each book that identifies
an archetype and its significance.
Day 5-6: Quiz of first 6 books to check for reading and comprehension. Collect
one-pagers and discuss. Assign books 7-8 as homework and go to the computer
lab for Photo Shop 3/Voice Thread tutorials.
Day 7-8: Quiz on 7-8. Work on Storyboards in-class. Assign books 9-10 for
homework.
Day 9-10: Quiz on books 9-10. Go to lab for work days for projects. Assign 1112 as homework, along with a one-pager from the reading.
Day 11-12: Quiz on 11-12. Work days in lab. Projects due the following day.
Day 13-14: Presentations to class of finished pieces.
Day 15: In-class essay assignment.
Day 16: Unit Test