Blog #3
Hello fellow blog mates,
I got to experience the world of mythology and it was fascinating. Now creating a lesson based around the creation myth of the Genesis Account was a little more challenging than I thought it would be. The premise of the myth itself is that of religion and that God created the world. A myth like this struck me as a challenge considering that it is a topic that can't be discussed in the classroom. Though we found a way to incorporate real world issues to make it a more didactic lesson for students. Rather than harping on the idea that God created the world it was turned into a lesson about environmental practice. Keeping the planet safe and protecting our home based off of learning about the creation of the world.
Having to create my own myth was super exciting and one that I also found challenging. I love creating stories, but for some reason I couldn't think of a myth that hadn't been created yet. As my juices got flowing I was able to lock in and create a myth of my own that was interesting, cool, and overall enjoyable to make. I think creating my own myth enhanced the study of myths because you can analyze the myths of different cultures and which Gods and Goddesses they believe in or just even understanding what a myth is in general. A way of storytelling to interpret an idea that may or may not be true. I think creating a myth just helps enhance your studies because I was more prone to do research and gather more information on cultures or history I didn't know about before.
I think this would be a fun activity for students because it would be a creative writing activity, but jazzed up to make it not as essay format. It is a great tool for students to come up with their own ideas and tell stories of ancient history or even history stories that have never been told before. This will help students form their own interpretations and allowing them a chance to think for themselves rather than listening to what anyone else has to say.
Julia, I really enjoyed reading your post! I like how you took the challenge of teaching the Genesis creation myth and turned it into a discussion on environmental responsibility. That’s such a creative way to make mythology relevant to modern issues while keeping the lesson engaging. I also agree that creating your own myth adds another layer to understanding mythology it forces you to think about how myths develop, what they communicate, and why they matter to different cultures. It’s fascinating how storytelling can be a way to explain the unknown or pass down important values. Having the students create their own myths is great! I think it would help them connect with different mythological traditions while also encouraging creativity and critical thinking.
ReplyDeleteHi Julia,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your journey in creating your very own myth with us, I really liked how you pointed out that when creating a myth of your own, it kind of forces us to enhance our knowledge. For instance, you mentioned how we had to do research on myths and how we used that information and knowledge to create our own. This is a great representation of how the use of research and gathering information can enhance our understanding of a myth. Not only that, but also creating our own by crafting our own individual stories and turning it into a fun and creative, yet very valuable lesson. Yes, I agree. This assignment is a great way to engage students in the use of a free writing pedagogy but also a way for them to think critically and use their own individual thoughts and feelings to create a story.
Hi, Julia! I liked the twist that you and your group mates did for your myth presentation. I think that it is really fitting that you used the Creation story to advocate for caring for the planet. As a Christian myself, I absolutely think that we ought to take care of the Earth because it was beautifully created and it is a blessing for us. If only everyone saw it that way.
ReplyDeleteI also found it difficult to write my myth. I had writer's block in the beginning because I couldn't figure out how to write a myth to explain something that might seem so obvious. I felt like there was so much possibility, but nothing to write about at the same time. I think that it is fun to take inspiration from myths that already exist and to adapt them in your own way. That process allows you to learn about other cultures in the process, as you mentioned. I think that students would also enjoy an assignment like this, like we also have.