Myths What is a myth?

Essential Questions ► What is a myth and how is it different from legends and folktales? ► What is one function of a myth?

What is a myth? ► a myth is conventionally defined as a sacred narrative explaining how the world and humankind came to be in their present form. ► Many scholars in other academic fields use the term "myth"

What does a myth look like? ► The main characters in myths are usually gods, animals, or supernatural heroes ► As sacred stories, myths are often endorsed by rulers and priests and closely linked to religion ► They explain how the world gained its current form and how customs, institutions, and taboos were established.

Is it a myth, legend, or folktale? ► Unlike myths, folktales can take place at any time and any place, and they are not considered true or sacred even by the societies that tell them. ► Like myths, legends are stories that are traditionally considered true; however, they are set in a more recent time, when the world was much as it is today. Also, legends generally feature humans as their main characters, whereas myths generally focus on superhuman characters.

Personification ► What is personification? ► figure of speech in which human characteristics are attributed to an abstract quality, animal, or inanimate object. figure of speech figure of speech ► Example: “The flowers danced in the wind”…

Primary functions of myths ► One of the foremost functions of myth is to establish models for behavior ► Another function is to provide people with a religious experience ► As a means of explaining the otherwise unexplainable

Creation Myth ► symbolic narrative of a culture, tradition or people that describes their earliest beginnings, how the world they know began and how they first came into it. ► Creation myths develop in oral tradition and are the most common form of myth, found throughout human culture. ► In the society in which it is told, a creation myth is usually regarded as conveying profound truths, although not necessarily in a historical or literal sense.

Examples of creation myths ► -Christian ► In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that [it was] good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which [were] under the firmament from the waters which [were] above the firmament: and it was so.

Examples of creation myths ► Panku- ( Chinese creation myth) ► ► Ancient Egyption Creation Myth ►

Native American Culture/ Oral Tradition: ► What images or ideas come to mind when your hear the term “Native American”? ► Can you think of any culture that has been misrepresented in the media or throughout history? ► “American Indians” have been vastly misrepresented by the public. Can you think of any examples of stereotypes that Native Americans suffer from? ► One assumption until recently ( late 1800’s) was that Native Americans did not have literature, however, their literature was transmitted orally. ► What does it mean when a story is transmitted orally?

Native American Oral Tradition/Culture : ► Scholars did not recognize Native American writing largely because of the fact that they could not understand it. There are hundreds of varying languages within the Native American culture. ► 2000 independent tribes speaking 500 languages ► What is an example of another culture that has more than one language?

Native American Creation Myths: ► Stories teach a moral lesson ► Convey practical information about the natural world (focuses more on nature than Western Civilization) ► Show a keen awareness of the power of metaphors and similes ► Some include songs and chants ► Passed on from generation to generation ► Stories are told with a cyclical nature of existence in mind ( ex: changing seasons, cycles of birth and death, etc.)

Literary Element: Simile ► Simile- ► a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compared, using “like” or “as” ► For example: “she is like a rose.”

Literary Element: Metaphor ► Metaphor- ► The comparison of one thing to another without the use of like or as ► word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing is used to designate another, thus making an implicit comparison ► For example: “The road was a ribbon of moonlight.”

The Sky Tree critical thinking questions: ► After reading the first paragraph, what do you predict the purpose of the sky tree will be? ► What other creation story from another culture features a tree with fruit? What role did the fruit play in that story? Do you think it will effect the plot of this story in a similar way? ► What does the rooting of the tree symbolize? What could be another symbol used in place of this?

Independent Learning Assignment: ► Pick one of the following aspects of Native American culture that you would like to learn more about and list a minimum of 5 interesting facts that you learned and are prepared to share with the class. ► Ceremonies ► Healing ► Dances ► Art ► Environmental Issues ► Chants ► Symbols ► Historical Figures ► Myths ► Possible Web sites: ► ► ►

Closure/E.Q. ► What is a myth and how is it different from legends and folktales? ► What is one function of a myth?

Creation Story ► You tube film clip: The creation story - "God created the world" Genesis - animation ► ► What does the Creation story have in common with the examples of Native American creation myths viewed/discussed in the last class? ► What is your opinion of The Creation Story ?

Coyote Finishes His Work ► How would you characterize the coyote? (4 th par) ► What can you infer from the sentence “Coyote got the girls when he wanted”? What is the equivalent to this in our society?( 5 th par) ► When the coyote attempts to move the lake what happens? What lesson can be learned from this? ► The return of the coyote symbolizes what? How is this similar to another well known creation myth?

The Earth Only Critical Thinking Question ► What message are the old men trying to convey? ► The House Made of Dawn/The Night Chant  What is the purpose of this poem?

The House Made of Dawn/The Night Chant ► What is the purpose of this poem?

Your creation myth ► IN TEAMS, OR IN SMALL COOPERATIVE LEARNING GROUPS, CREATE AN ORIGINAL CREATION MYTH, EXPLAINING SOME FORCE IN NATURE ( EX: THUNDER AND LIGHTNING) ► YOUR MYTH SHOULD BE IN POSTER/POWERPOINT FORMAT /3 PICTURES DEVOTED ENTIRELY TO THE STORY. IF YOU ARE WORKING WITH A PARTNER, ► YOUR POSTER/POWERPOINT SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE ALL OF THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS: ANIMALS AND NATURE, EXPLAIN THE ORIGIN OF SOMETHING MYSTERIOUS TO HUMANS, AND SYMBOLS MUST BE PRESENT ► FINALLY, WHEN YOUR STORY AND ILLUSTRATION IS COMPLETED, YOUR POSTER/POWERPOINT WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE CLASS, OR YOU CAN ACT YOUR STORY OUT IN FRONT OF THE CLASS ► REMEMBER, MYTHS SHOULD BE COMPLETELY ORIGINAL ► THIS IS WORTH (2) TWO TEST GRADES SO PLEASE PUT YOUR BEST EFFORT INTO YOUR PROJECT.

Lets Brainstorm ► CREATION OF: ► EARTH ► HUMANS ► FIRE ► WATER ► STARS ► ANIMALS ► GALAXY: SUN, STARS, PLANETS, BLACK HOLES, ETC.

Getting Started… ► DECIDE ON A TOPIC ► FREEWRITE SOME IDEAS ► OUTLINE YOUR STORY ► WRITE YOUR CREATION MYTH ► POWERPOINT/ POSTER ► ADD PICTURES