Tales and Myths from Ancient Civilizations – Retold and  Modernized

 

History/Language Arts Challenge

Adapted by work from Miz Insigne, Alfonso Ambriz, and Candy Zhang, students at Colby College, 2023

 

Submission Due Date: April 5, 2024

Designed for Middle and High School Students

Table of Contents The Challenge Assumptions and Logistics The Process Meridian Support Resources Presentation of Learning Evaluation Rubric Essential Questions Student Proficiencies Curricular Correlations – Common core and C3 Framework

Range of Activities  Ancient Civilization Overview Study Deep Analysis of Select Tale/Myth/Story from Civilization Transfer of Ideas from Society Then to Society Now Character and Scene Creation Digital Literacy Skills – Video – Pre-production, Production and Post- production Human Skills – Creativity, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Presentational Skills

The Challenge

The study of history and past civilizations is essential in understanding the current state of the global world, countries, and relationships between societies and their people. In addition, studying the past allows us to examine and learn from past mistakes to establish better ways for a society, or nation, or the global community as a whole, to thrive. Many past civilizations used oral storytelling as a way to pass important information, like their beliefs, way of life, social hierarchy, economic and political conditions, etc., to future generations; after the establishment of a writing system, these civilizations would record their short stories and information in writing, devaluing the importance of human memory and symbolizing the start of history. Short stories, derived from oral storytelling traditions, are “brief work[s] of fiction, usually written in prose and running 1,600 to 20,000 words in length,” and are an efficient and effective way of communicating important ideas and themes (Wimmer & Blakeley, 2021).

In this challenge, your team is asked to pick and read a short story from an ancient civilization, such as Ancient Greece, China, Egypt, Maya, Aztec, etc., that you are studying and write a short summary. Make three connections between the story and the ancient civilization from which the story came and begin your digital story presenting the basics of the story and the culture from which the story was written. Then, retell that story, set in today’s times, with minimal props and appropriate narration and dramatic representations, bringing to the fore how that story, adapted, resonates in society today.

Deliverables include:

• Then to Now Digital Story (this is the only Meridian Stories deliverable)
• Short Story Summary and Civilization Connections (at teacher’s discretion)
• First Draft Script (at teacher’s discretion)

 

 

Assumptions and Logistics

• Time Frame – We recommend that this digital storytelling project takes place inside of a three to five-week time frame.

• Length – All Meridian Stories submissions should be under 4 minutes in length, unless otherwise specified.
• Slate – All digital storytelling projects must begin with a slate that provides: 
  • the title of the piece;
  • the name of the school submitting;      
  • the wording ‘Permission Granted’ which gives Meridian Stories the right to a) publicly display the submission in question on, as linked from, related to or in support of Meridian Stories digital media; and b) use or reference it for educational purposes only, in any and all media; and
  • We strongly recommend that students do not put their last names on the piece either at the start or finish, during the credits.

• Submissions – Keep in mind that each school can only submit three submissions per Competition (so while the entire class can participate in any given Challenge, only three can be submitted to Meridian Stories for Mentor review and scoring).
• Teacher Reviews – All reviews by the teacher are at the discretion of the teacher and all suggested paper deliverables are due only to the teacher. The only deliverable to Meridian Stories is the digital storytelling project.
• Teacher’s Role and Technology Integrator – While it is helpful to have a Technology Integrator involved, they are not usually necessary: the students already know how to produce the digital storytelling project. And if they don’t, part of their challenge is to figure it out. They will! The teacher’s primary function in these Challenges is to guide the students as they engage with the content.  You don’t need to know editing, sound design, shooting or storyboarding: you just need to know your content area, while assisting them with organization and time management issues. See the Teachers Role section of the website for further ideas about classroom guidance.
• Digital Rules/Literacy – We strongly recommend that all students follow the rules of Digital Citizenry in their proper usage and/or citation of images, music and text taken from other sources. This recommendation includes producing a citations page at the end of your entry, if applicable. See the Digital Rules area in the Meridian Stories Digital Resource Center section of the site for guidance.
• Location – Try not to shoot in a classroom at your school. The classroom, no matter how you dress it up, looks like a classroom and can negatively impact the digital story you are trying to tell.
• Collaboration – We strongly recommend that students work in teams of 3-4: part of the educational value is around building collaborative skill sets. But students may work individually.

 

The Process

Below is a suggested breakdown for the students’ work.

During Phase I, student teams will:

• Look through your notes on different ancient civilizations you have studied and decide with your teammates on a civilization you all would like to know more about.

• What fascinates you about them? What do you want to learn more about? Their beliefs and values? Their way of life? Their government? Important inventions?

• As a team, pick a short story from that specific civilization.

• Think about what counts as a short story: myths, fables, fairy tales, and parables are all considered short stories.
• Examples include: The Oracle at Delphi, Atlantis, Pele Goddess of Kilauea, Rama’s Bridge, The Chimera.

• Read the short story individually.

• Pay attention to the setting, characters, conflict, character’s actions, dialogue, and interactions with others, etc.

• Come together as a team to write a short summary of the story.

• How are the beginning scenes set? What do we learn about the characters and setting of the story?
• What is the inciting incident – the point in the story where it starts to pick up, or that you could tell that something is wrong?
• How does the character(s) react to the conflict and what does it tell you about them and the civilization that they represent?
• What scene is the climax – the turning point – of the story? Why do you think so as opposed to another scene?
• How does the character(s) resolve the conflict and what do you learn about them and about the culture at large? How have they changed since the beginning of the story?
• What do you learn from the resolution of the story? What did the story creators want you to take away? This can be applied to both within the parameters of the civilization and …universally.
• Identify three ideas or themes that connect this story to your understanding of the ancient civilization you have selected. In short, why is this story important for or indicative of, your civilization? Are there values or characters or decisions that strongly reflect on your select culture?
• Teacher’s Option: Short Story Summary and Civilization Connections – Teachers may require that teams hand in a fully written summary of the story and its meaning inside of the culture in which it is written, concluding with the three themes that bridge the story to the culture of the civilization.

• This content represents the first part of your digital story – lasting no more than one minute. How will you present this historical content, visually, aurally, and verbally? How will you visually educate the audience on what you know and have learned about this civilization, through your analysis of this story, as preparation for your re-telling of that story?
• Create an outline or storyboard of this minute of your digital story.
  • This part of the Challenge can be presented very simply – talking heads straight to camera, if desired, with a graphic or two thrown in. Concision is your friend here. No need for a huge investment in production value, as that goes into the second part of the Challenge: the creation and shooting of the new story; the new visualization.

During Phase II, student teams will:

• Brainstorm with your teammates how you can change the story to make it applicable in today’s world and society.
  • In other words, the setting of the story is now the 21st century and you have to tweak the events in the story to fit in our modern technological age.
  • Think about how the actions, reactions, dialogues, and beliefs of the characters would change now that they are characters of modern time.
    • Pay attention to the conflict and the resolution of the conflict. How might those change or translate to contemporary society?
  • Explore the theme(s) of the story and how they might change from their original time period to the current age of technology.
• Write a first draft script of your newly modernized story.
• Teacher’s Option: First Draft Script – Teachers may require that teams hand in their first draft script for review and feedback.

• Visualize your Film:
  • What visual elements could enhance your story? Colors? Clothing? Lighting? Masks and Facial expressions? Gadgets or accessories?
  • Will there be an oral narrator, or will it be more compelling to have the characters’ actions and dialogue speak for themselves?
  • Remember, you can only use minimal props, so think about what the most important props for your story are.
  • In addition, since you will have less props to help you in your scenes, pay close attention to the dialogue, actions, reactions, and facial expressions your characters make; the emotions the characters have when saying their lines; and how the characters interact with each other and their setting, etc.
    • Part of the inspiration for using only minimal props is to stay close to the oral traditions from which this story may have originated. Oral storytelling and the use of minimal props places more emphasis on words and characters for narrative impact.
  • Will there be a soundtrack that might include natural, ambient sounds; sound effects; and/or music?
• Pre-produce the scene:
  • Scout locations for shooting
  • Prepare the logistics for the actual shooting of the scene; and
  • Rehearse the scenes.

During Phase III, student teams will:

• Shoot the video.
• Edit the video, adding stills and graphics as desired.
• Post-produce the video, adding music and sound effects as desired.

 

 

 

Meridian Support Resources

Meridian Stories provides two forms of support for the student teams. 1. Media Innovators and Artists – This is a series of three to four-minute videos featuring artists and innovative professionals who offer important advice, specifically for Meridian Stories, in the areas of creativity and production. 2. Meridian Resources – These are short documents that offer student teams key tips in the areas of creativity and production. Recommended review, as a team, for this Challenge include:
Meridian Innovators and Artists	Media Resource Collection
·       On Fiction Writing – Lily King ·       On Acting – Janet McTeer ·       On the Importance of Character in Storytelling – Scott Nash ·       On Video Production – Tom Pierce	·       “Creative Brainstorming Techniques” ·       “Building Characters” ·       “Scene Work: Camera Angles and Movement” ·       “Creating Storyboards, Framing the Shot”

Presentation of Learning

Meridian Stories is a proud partner of the non-profit Share Your Learning, which is spearheading the movement of over five million students to publicly share their work as a meaningful part of their educational experience.

The workforce considers Presentational Skills to be a key asset and we encourage you to allow students to practice this skill set as often as possible. These digital storytelling projects provide a great opportunity for kids to practice their public presentational skills. This can be achieved in a remote learning environment by inviting parents to a Zoom/Google/Skype screening of the student’s digital stories.

According to Share Your Learning, Presentations of Learning (POL) promote…

• Student Ownership, Responsibility & Engagement. POLs can serve as a powerful rite of passage at the end of [a project]. By reflecting on their growth over time in relation to academic and character goals, grounded in evidence from their work, students are encouraged to take ownership of their learning. Just as an artist wants their portfolio to represent their best work, POLs encourage students to care deeply about the work they will share.
• Community Pride & Involvement. When peers, teachers and community members come together to engage with student work and provide authentic feedback, they become invested in students’ growth and serve as active contributors to the school community.
• Equity. POLs ensure that all students are seen and provide insight into what learning experiences students find most meaningful and relevant to their lives.

Meridian Stories’ own research indicates this to be a really useful exercise for one additional reason: Students actually learn from their peers’ presentations – it is useful to hear a perspective that is not just the teacher’s.

It is with this in mind that we you encourage you to plan an event – it could be just an end-of-the-week class or an event where parents, teachers and student peers are invited – to allow the students to showcase their Meridian Stories’ digital storytelling projects. For more free resources that will support this planning, visit Share Your Learning.

Evaluation Rubric – Then to Now  

Content Command
Criteria	1-10
Story Understanding – Then	The original story is told clearly and is well situated inside of the civilization in which it originates.
The Three Connections	The three connections between the story and the civilization are thoughtful and thought provoking
Story Creation – Now	The reenacted tale is compelling and thought-provoking, opening up new channels for discussion while adhering to the original structure.

Storytelling Command
Criteria	1-10
Original Story	The original (Then) story is told with concision and emotion, effectively communicating its power and affect
Character Creation/Alteration	The Now characters are compelling, resonating with their originals but well suited as people of today
The Now Story	The Now story is creatively conceived, clearly structured, and very engaging, effectively capturing the themes of the original and translating them into a contemporary mindset, opening new paths of understanding and thought
Use of Props	The minimalist requirements of the storytelling are met with the effect of amplifying your story’s narrative impact

Media Command
Criteria	1-10
Acting	The acting is exciting and engaging, contributing to the video’s success.
Setting and Cinematography	The setting and use of the camera enhance the action of the story, creating the necessary tension and tone.
Editing and Music	The video is edited cleanly and effectively. The selective use of music and sound effects enhances the tensions inherent in the story.

Human Skills Command (for teachers only)
Criteria	1-10
Collaborative Thinking	The group demonstrated flexibility in making compromises and valued the contributions of each group member.
Creativity and Innovation	The group brainstormed many inventive ideas and was able to evaluate, refine and implement them effectively.
Initiative and Self-Direction	The group set attainable goals, worked independently, and managed their time effectively, demonstrating a disciplined commitment to the project.

 

Essential Questions

1. What is the relationship between a civilization and its stories? How does one reflect and shape the other, and vice-versa?
2. How does your close-reading and analysis of a short story from an ancient civilization strengthen your understanding of that civilization?
3. In reimagining a short story in the new setting of today’s world, what have you learned about the universality of themes and ideas from Then to Now? In other words, in seeing history played out in today’s society, what have you learned …about history?
4. How can we begin to understand storytelling in oral cultures; in civilizations where writing either didn’t exist or was in its nascent stages?
5. How has reimagining a short story in a different time period impacted the characters, the plot, and overall theme(s) of the story? What has changed and is this change …good?
6. How has immersion in the creation of original content and the production of digital media – exercising one’s creativity, critical thinking, and digital literacy skills – deepened the overall educational experience?
7. How has working on a team – practicing one’s collaborative skills – changed the learning experience?

Student Proficiencies

1. The student will understand the overall power of stories as vehicles to understand larger societal norms and interests.
2. The student will have a deeper appreciation and understanding of a specific ancient civilization and the ideas they valued.
3. The student will gain an appreciation of how history informs the present; is part of the present, no matter how much time has passed.
4. By using minimal props, the student will pay close attention to their acting to deliver full and realistic characters. The types of sounds, music, and special effects added, which are all important aspects of digital storytelling, reinforces the connection to oral cultures that may be at the foundation of the original story.
5. The student will have created new characters, written dialogue and prepared an original story as part of an exploration of bringing ideas from history alive in the present day.
6. The student will utilize key Human Skills, with a focus on creativity, critical thinking, and digital literacy, in their process of translating historical content into an original story.
7. The student will have an increased awareness of the challenges and rewards of team collaboration. Collaboration – the ability to work with others – is considered one of the most important Human Skills to develop in students as they prepare for life after secondary school.

Curricular Correlations

The Then and Now Challenge addresses a range of curricular objectives that have been articulated by two nationally recognized sources:

1. The Common Core Curricular Standards – English Language Arts & History/Social Studies; and
2. The C3 Framework for Social Studies, as outlined by National Council of Social Studies (NCSS).

Below please find the standards that are addressed, either wholly or in part.

Common Core Curricular Standards – English Language Arts Standards & History/Social Studies

Standard	8th	9th/10th	11th/12th
RL1   READING LITERATURE   Key Ideas and Details	Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.	Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.	Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
RL2   READING LITERATURE   Key Ideas and Details	Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.	Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.	Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.
RL3   READING LITERATURE   Key Ideas and Details	Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.	Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.	Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).
W1    WRITING   Text Types and Purposes	Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.	Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.	Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
W3 WRITING Text Types and Purposes	Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.	Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.	Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences. or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
W4   WRITING   Production and Distribution of Writing	Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.	Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.	Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
W5 WRITING Production and Distribution of Writing	With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well the purpose and audience have been addressed.	Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.	Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.
W6 WRITING Production and Distribution of Writing	Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others.	Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.	Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.
SL1 SPEAKING AND LISTENING Comprehension and Collaboration	Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.	Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.	Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on- one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
SL6 SPEAKING AND LISTENING Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas	Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.	Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.	Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
L1 LANGUAGE Conventions of Standard English	Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.	Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.	Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
L2 LANGUAGE Conventions of Standard English	Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.	Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.	Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
L3 LANGUAGE Knowledge of Language	Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.	Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.	Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
L5 LANGUAGE Vocabulary Acquisition and Use	Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.	Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.	Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

C3 Framework for History

D2.His.6.3-5. Describe how people’s perspectives shaped the historical sources they created.	D2.His.6.6-8. Analyze how people’s perspectives influenced what information is available in the historical sources they created.	D2.His.6.9-12. Analyze the ways in which the perspectives of those writing history shaped the history that they produced.
D2.His.12.3-5. Generate questions about multiple historical sources and their relationships to particular historical events and developments.	D2.His.12.6-8. Use questions generated about multiple historical sources to identify further areas of inquiry and additional sources.	D2.His.12.9-12. Use questions generated about multiple historical sources to pursue further inquiry and investigate additional sources.
D2.His.13.3-5. Use information about a historical source, including the maker, date, place of origin, intended audience, and purpose to judge the extent to which the source is useful for studying a particular topic.	D2.His.13.6-8. Evaluate the relevancy and utility of a historical source based on information such as maker, date, place of origin, intended audience, and purpose.	D2.His.13.9-12. Critique the appropriateness of the historical sources used in a secondary interpretation.
D2.His.16.3-5. Use evidence to develop a claim about the past.	D2.His.16.6-8. Organize applicable evidence into a coherent argument about the past.	D2.His.16.9-12. Integrate evidence from multiple relevant historical sources and in- terpretations into a reasoned argument about the past.