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Section 1: Overview

Telemachus and Hospitality

We will study the first four books of The Odyssey, which focuses on the situation in Ithaca, Odysseus’s home. Odysseus’s wife, Penelope, is beset by suitors vying for her hand, while Odysseus’s son, Telemachus, on the verge of manhood, struggles to persuade them to vacate the palace. We will study his struggle through the lens of power and the application of xenia, the ancient Greek ritual of hospitality. We will begin to develop a definition of power that will be refined throughout the unit based on new learning and evolving understanding.

  • Lesson 1:

    We will learn about this unit’s anchor text and the Central Question that will drive our study of it. We will discuss the Culminating Task and discuss what we need to do to succeed on this task. We will then read Book 1 of The Odyssey.

  • Lesson 2:

    We will cocreate a timeline on which we will plot important events in chronological order. We will discuss Telemachus’s perception of his role in the family. We will also read and annotate the beginning of Book 2 and begin to consider Telemachus’s and Antinous’s claims.

  • Lesson 3:

    We will develop a common definition of power, discuss the struggle between Telemachus and Antinous, and add words to our Vocabulary Journal. We will watch a video on xenia and consider its purpose in ancient Greece.

  • Lesson 4:

    We will compare examples of xenia in The Odyssey, read an article on xenia, and begin a Mentor Sentence Journal. We will also review some standard English conventions.

  • Lesson 5:

    We will write and revise a well-developed response that demonstrates our understanding of the characters and how xenia affects their power dynamic.

  • Lesson 6:

    We will examine a sample response to the Section 1 Diagnostic and will review feedback on the Section Diagnostic. We will use the feedback to make revisions to our work.

  • Lesson 7:

    We will commence an Independent Reading Program in which we choose texts to read independently as we progress through the unit. We will learn how to choose texts, what activities we may complete, about the final task, and about any materials we will use as we read our independent reading texts. We will begin by reading our texts, using tools to help us take notes and analyze important textual elements.