Part I – Remember, Understand.
I have given you a lot of resources that you need to delve into the literature and we need to do something with that information to retain it. There are a lot of ways we can approach this, but I want to do something that has immediate value. So, please write four multiple choice questions for any combination of the sources. (I say any combination because I know that some sources will be more interesting to you than others. However, remember that you are required to view all of the sources. Show me that you are.)
Here’s an example:
The earliest tablets that contain fragments from the Epic of Gilgamesh date back to approximatly what year?
*A. 2000 BCE
B. 3000 BCE
C. 500 BC
D. The same time Moses was alive
HINT 1: This should be a way for you to record main ideas that stood out to you. Writing the multiple choice options helps you to be specific in the ideas that you put together. To answer this question I have to think about the timeline as a whole. (When do scholars think Moses was alive? Do I remember how much earlier these fragments are than the records of the Bible? Have I really understood the timeline as a whole?
Hint 2: I (and I hope most of you are with me) don’t think silly specific details are going to help my overall understanding of these concepts. What’s the bigger picture? What key points do I need to remember to tell the story of this culture and this time? What specific details DO stick out to me because they help me understand this culture and this time?
Part II: Analyze and Evaluate
This part is about moving our thinking to the next stages of thinking. Now write 3 multiple choice question and answers that specifically ask you to analyze or evaluate a part of the literature or the concepts from the unit.
Example One:
How did the Ancient Mesopotamians view their gods?
A. As almighty beings who only supervised the world
B. As beings who interacted with humans in order to “parent” or help humanity.
*C. As individuals with their own personalities, faults, and strengths
Example Two:
How did the ancient Mesopotamian’s belief that the gods were all individuals with their own personalities, faults, and strengths affect the themes of the Epic of Gilgamesh?
A. This view allowed for more drama because the gods could be in conflict with themselves and humanity. (While this may be true, it does not really address the question.)
*B. This view showed that a hero does not have to be perfect because even the gods have faults, but that those who are heroes try to use their strengths to compensate for weaknesses or grow in order to benefit those around them.
HINT: These types of questions are not just what happened in the text. They help us think about why the text is the way it is.
HINT TWO: These types of questions might ask about specific moments, or quotes, and ask how they relate to the piece as a whole.
Part III – Apply and Create
Most of you have recently lived through (or near) some flood stories. Create at least 150 words of your own flood narrative. The specifics of this assignment are completely up to you. Be as creative as you are. Some of you may write a poem, the beginning of a short story, a description of a flood, a journal entry recounting the things you “learned” from your own flood experience, etc. This is all you!
