Literature Elective- World Mythology
This course is designed for upperclassmen high school student, who has a strong passion for literature and story-telling. The course is a survey course in nature, looking at the ancient, cultural myths from ancient societies across the globe, focusing on how these myths impacted ancient societies in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Students will become familiar with the various forms of mythological story-telling, and look for patterns across cultures. Students will ponder the ancient question related to the value of mythology among cultures. Were myths reflective of a certain time period? Were they some long-lost truth? Or were they merely a distraction, a way of explaining the unexplained? Students will read myths and literary criticism each week, and work collaboratively with classmates on discussion boards in an effort to develop their own, critical paper on a myth and culture of their choosing. Students will utilize technology to participate in recorded audio conversations, watch videos relevant to the myths being studied, and to submit assignments. The course culminates in a 8 to 10 page research paper.