ALEX Learning Activity

This activity is designed to provide students with a closer look at Odysseus's voyage home. Once students have completed the preliminary assignments from "Odysseus: Masterful Leader or Arrogant Risk taker?" they are prepared to begin reading the actual text. As they read, students will complete Cornell Notes to ensure understanding of the text. Once we have read Part One of the Odyssey, students will complete a One-Pager depicting their understanding of one of the books read and discussed in class.

This activity was created as a result of the ALEX Resource Development Summit.

Following this activity students will be able to:

• demonstrate an understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings (one-pager).
• analyze how complex characters develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme (Cornell notes).

This activity will begin by introducing students to the reading of the Odyssey by showing an introductory overview. Students will then read the introduction to Part One (pages 1-17 in the text linked) of the Odyssey. Students will be given a copy of the Cornell Notes Template to use during the reading of the text. The Cornell Notes will allow students to analyze Odysseus and his actions throughout the text and gain insight into his character as it develops. Discussion questions can be used by the teacher to assess student understanding of the text. Students will complete Cornell Notes for each book of Part One. Part One includes Books One, Five, Nine, Ten, Eleven, and Twelve (pages 18-55 of the text linked). The next step in this activity is the creation of a One Pager (click the link for The Odyssey ONE PAGER Assignment for Honors). The one-pager allows teachers to assess student understanding while allowing the students to be artistically creative. This one-pager will assess students' ability to identify figurative language, vocabulary, and key themes and details. The rubric for the one-pager is included in the one-pager directions.

The following methods will be used to evaluate the students' mastery of the objectives:

• Cornell Notes answering text-dependent questions to analyze and assess student understanding of how complex characters develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
• One pager to demonstrate student understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

To better prepare for this activity I suggest the following:

1. Students have access to "The Odyssey" either via Google Classroom or hard copies.

2. Markers, crayons, colored pencils, and paper to complete the one-pager.

3. Student copies of the one-pager criteria and rubric.

This activity provides teachers with a unique way to assess student mastery of a text. This allows students who are artistically talented to infuse their talents into an ELA class.