THE EPIC HERO IDOL!!!

HEROISM UNIT CULMINATING WRITING TASK

READ THE FOLLOWING QUOTE:

“When we quit thinking primarily about ourselves and our own self-preservation we undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness.” (Joseph Campbell)

DIRECTIONS FOR WRITING TASK:

Keeping in mind all that we have discussed about heroism in this unit, and considering what Campbell states concerning what makes a true hero in the above quotation, choose your FAVORITE character from The Iliad. As the BEST FRIEND of that character, you are to write a speech/song/poem (songs and poems are appropriate since we are dealing with an epic poem) addressing your fellow students as if they were a body of voters deciding who will be inducted into the HERO HALL OF FAME. Your speech/song/poem must offer at least four examples of how the character meets the criteria that we have set forth as defining an epic hero. You must discuss why these criteria are important to the notion of an epic hero, why you believe them to be worthy of induction, and how or why this individual has either changed or stayed the same in regards to their “heroism” during the Trojan War.

You must reach AT LEAST 3 minutes in length for a speech (poems and songs may be shorter, please clear with me first for questions about appropriate length).

You will also be providing a written copy of your speech/song/poem (approximately 250 words for speech/four stanzas for a poem or song…again, clear it with me first) to each member of the class for further review, and voting will take place the day after the proposals have been made.

This will be graded both as a writing task AND as a presentation task.

Be mindful that while your audience is composed of your classmates, this is a formal piece of writing and will be considered for portfolio submission. Treat your classmates as if they were an authentic panel of voters – you are, after all, trying to sway them to YOUR side of the argument. Your speech should be authentic to the Homeric style that we have discussed, and it must maintain and analyze YOUR personal definition of heroism as evidenced by referencing your REFLECTIVE DAILY JOURNALS.

Connections to Core Content & DOK Levels 3 & 4:

WR-HS-1.1.0

Purpose/Audience: Students will establish and maintain a focused purpose to communicate with an authentic audience by

· Narrowing the topic to create a specific purpose for writing

· Establishing a controlling idea, theme or thesis about the topic

· Choosing a perspective authentic to the writer

· Analyzing and addressing the needs of the intended audience

· Adhering to the characteristics of the form

· Applying a suitable tone

· Allowing voice to emerge when appropriate

WR-HS-1.1.3

In Transactive Writing,

· Students will communicate as an informed writer to provide new insight through informing, persuading or analyzing.

· Students will develop an effective angle to achieve a justifiable purpose.

· Students will justify what the reader should know, do, or believe as a result of reading the piece.

· Students will apply characteristics of the selected form (e.g., letter, feature article, editorial, speech, analytical lab report, historical journal article, literary analysis) for an intentional effect.

· Students will sustain a suitable tone.

· Students will allow voice to emerge when appropriate.

WR-HS-2.3.0

Organization: Students will create unity and coherence to accomplish the focused purpose by

· Engaging the audience

· Establishing a context for reading when appropriate

· Communicating ideas and support in a meaningful order

· Applying transitions and transitional elements to guide the reader through the piece

· Developing effective closure

WR-HS-2.4.0

Sentence Structure: Students will create effective sentences by

· Applying a variety of structures and lengths

· Maintaining parallel structure

· Developing complete and correct sentences unless using unconventional structures for an intentional effect when appropriate

WR-HS-2.4.3

In Transactive Writing,

· Students will develop complete, concise sentences or apply unconventional structures for an intentional effect when appropriate.

Students will maintain parallel structure.

SCORING RUBRIC FOR CULMINATING WRITING TASK

*Note that all formats for rubric are taken from Rubistar.com and teach-nology.com*

Oral Presentation Rubric: Student can achieve ABOVE maximum of 100 pts. Anything more than 100 pts. Will be counted as bonus.

Criteria

Points

	4 Distinguished	3 Proficient	2 Apprentice	1 Novice
Body Language 17 pts.	Movements seemed fluid and helped the audience visualize.	Made movements or gestures that enhanced articulation.	Very little movement or descriptive gestures.	No movement or descriptive gestures.	____
Eye Contact 17 pts.	Holds audience’s attention with direct eye contact throughout presentation.	Consistently makes direct eye contact with audience throughout presentation.	Minimal eye contact is made with audience during presentation.	No eye contact is made with audience during presentation.	____
Introduction and Closure 17 pts.	Student delivers open and closing remarks that capture the attention of the audience and set the mood.	Student displays clear introductory or closing remarks.	Student clearly uses either an introductory or closing remark, but not both.	Student does not display clear introductory or closing remarks.	____
Pacing 17 pts.	Good use of inflection, tone, and appropriate pitch – presentation reaches but does not exceed or does not reach time limit.	Student is somewhat attentive to volume, tone and pitch. Presentation exceeds/does not reach time limit by more than 1 min.	Student is somewhat attentive to volume, tone and pitch. Presentation exceeds/does not reach time limit by more than 2 mins.	Student is somewhat attentive to volume, tone and pitch. Presentation exceeds/does not reach time limit by more than 3 mins.	____
Poise 17 pts.	Student displays relaxed, self-confident nature about self, with no mistakes.	Makes minor mistakes, but quickly recovers from them; displays little or no tension.	Displays mild tension; has trouble recovering from mistakes.	Tension and nervousness is obvious; has trouble recovering from mistakes.	____
Voice 17 pts.	Use of fluid speech and inflection maintains the interest of the audience.	Satisfactory use of inflection, but does not consistently use fluid speech.	Displays some level of inflection throughout delivery.	Consistently uses a monotone voice.	____
				Total---->	____

Teacher Commentary and Evaluation

Section will also be included for written presentation rubric, but is not here due to length.

Written Presentation Rubric:

Criteria

Points

	1	2	3	4
Organization 25 pts.	Sequence of information is difficult to follow. Student uses no transitions and does not relate to actual examples of heroism from text.	Sequence of information is difficult to follow. Student uses several transitions, and one example of heroism from text.	Sequence of information is not difficult to follow. Student uses transitions, especially in paragraph transiton, and relates to more 3 or more examples of heroism from text.	Sequence of information is easily followable. Student uses transitions within and between paragraphs, and relates 4 or more examples of heroism from text.	____
Grammar and Spelling 25 pts.	Work has six or more spelling errors and/or grammatical errors.	Presentation has four misspellings and/or grammatical errors.	Presentation has no more than two misspellings and/or grammatical errors.	Presentation has no misspellings or grammatical errors.	____
Neatness 25 pts.	Work is Illegible.	Work has three or four areas that are sloppy.	Work has one or two areas that are sloppy.	Work is neatly done.	____
Format 25 pts.	Work is not correct length, is formatted improperly (four or more errors), and includes no appropriate textual examples of heroism.	Work is not correct length, is formatted improperly (three errors), and includes 1-2 appropriate textual examples of heroism	Work is not (or may be) correct length, is formatted improperly (two errors), and includes 3 appropriate textual examples of heroism	Work is correct length, is formatted properly (one error), and includes 4 appropriate textual examples of heroism.	____
				Total---->	____