Special thanks to Kristen Grandfield, Yale - New Haven Teacher Institute
Tablets
Translated by Maureen Gallery Kovacs
Electronic Edition by Wolf Carnahan, I998
Activities
Activity #1: I Need a Hero
FFW (5 min): What is a hero? List five to six qualities and two examples of a real life hero
Bracket & Share:
choose top three characteristics of a hero
explain why you chose those
Share Out (as audience, please take notes on others' characteristics of a hero in your notebook)
Create Your Own Hero
Group Work: In small groups, students will begin creating their own epic hero and epic journey.
Each team member writes in their notebook:
Name of Hero
The Force the Hero will battle
The Journey (specifically where will the journey start and finish)
Obstacles the Hero must overcome
How will the epic end
Theme or Real Reason hero took the journey
Student Options:
Draw infographic on poster paper and present to the class
Create a children's book detailing the hero's journey
Act out their mini-epic
Activity #2: I Miss __________ (adapted)
FFW (3 min; 6 sentences): "I wish I could see _______ again because..."
Instructions:
2 min: What emotions did I feel as I remembered someone I had not seen in awhile / miss?
2 min: Why did I choose this particular person?
2 min: Why people might write a lamentation (passionate expression of grief or sorrow; weeping; Lament is a prayer searching for understanding and peace in the midst of suffering or disheartening circumstances. ) for another person?
Group Work: In small groups, students will read Tablet Eight of The Epic of Gilgamesh.
Groups will choose the line that stands out the most and the line they feel expresses Gilgamesh's true emotion over the loss of Enkidu. When groups are done, a representative from the group will come to the board and write their chosen lines. Class will discuss findings and what these lines reveal about Gilgamesh and reveal about loss in general.
Conclusion: Students will write a ten line lament for someone they miss.
Tablet II
FFW (7 min; 14 sentences minimum): In Tablet II, What is Gilgamesh's underlying motivation for this quest? What universal issues and conflicts seem to underlie this Tablet? Use evidence from text for your response (cite line #s).
Activity #3: Gilgamesh Theater
Working in groups of 3 - 4, choose a tablet from The Epic of Gilgamesh
Develop a play to act out your tablet (creative & school appropriate)
Use at least 5 lines directly from the text, as well as paraphrasing
Analyze your tablet and how it relates to the major themes in the epic
Performances will be 5 minutes in length and will begin with a reading of the group's analysis of the tablet
Include dramatic voices, creativity in use of space, etc
Reflection: main takeaways from today's lesson?
Student Demographics Survey (required of all students to receive Bard College credits)