Jillian Vlah, Brianne Lucot, Maggie O’Brien, Ryan Zalla, Dave Ambroso

The Odyssey: Books I-IV

Task 1 – Lesson Plan

Targets – I CAN:
 Compare and contrast Achilles, the primary
hero of The Iliad, with Telemachos, the protagonist of the first
four books of The Odyssey.
 Develop an understanding of Homer’s
representation of a hero using the plotlines introduced in The
Iliad and Section 1 of The Odyssey.
 Define a hero based upon the ideas set forth
in “The Power of Myth” as well as my own impressions after
analyzing Homer’s epics.

Lesson Plan:
1. Warm-up (15 minutes): Allow students to independently
complete the “Achilles vs. Telemachos” Venn diagram
handout. Remind students to consider the heroes’ backgrounds
(from birth until the time their epic takes place), their goals and
actions during the epic, and the type of hero each man
represents according to “The Power of Myth” (a hero who
purposely sets out on a mission versus a hero who finds a task
thrust upon him, etc.). Review the diagram as a class, filling in
the sections of the chart on the Promethean board as students
give responses. As a class, develop a working definition of a
hero based upon their background knowledge and the master
Venn diagram.

2. Main Activity (25 minutes): With the aid of the Prezi

presentation, reinforce the concepts presented within the Venn
diagram. Explain the early lives of both Achilles and
Telemachos, noting important similarities and differences
between the heroes’ backgrounds. Proceed to compare the two
men, focusing upon their initial goals, interactions with the
gods, and heroic deeds within their respective epics. Identify
how Achilles and Telemachos’ journeys through the heroic
cycle are similar, and highlight the stages of the cycle at which
they arrive when their epics draw to a close. During the next
portion of the Prezi, contrast Achilles and Telemachos based
upon such factors as their situations, relationships with other
characters, and ultimate fates (as far as the students are aware at
this point). Find the checkpoints (The Call, Crossing the
Threshold, etc.) of the heroic cycle at which the paths of the
heroes diverge. As a parting thought, ask students to reassess
and possibly readjust their definitions of a hero after comparing
and contrasting Homer’s protagonists in The Iliad and The
Odyssey.

3. Quiz (10 minutes): Assess the students’ understanding of

the concepts featured in the Venn diagram and the Prezi
presentation by using the 12-point quiz. Students may not use
their notes; however, they may work quietly in groups of two in
order to improve their collaboration skills and to expose them
to the viewpoints and ideas of others.