The Odyssey Unit Activities - Inclusive Text Pairings - The Odyssey Worksheets

Ready to make your ODYSSEY unit more inclusive? This resource is part of a series to help teachers find supplements and updates for core texts in order to add more inclusivity to their curriculum. If you're teaching THE ODYSSEY, this resource will save you tons of time!

Key Elements:

✅ THE ODYSSEY themes

✅ Essential questions for the epic poem

✅ Literary elements in THE ODYSSEY

✅ Three ready-to-go worksheets

For each text, we share easy changes, like paired texts (videos, poems, articles, etc.) you can incorporate on a budget. We also share more difficult changes, like substitutions you could request in the future. 

⭐️ This curated list represents 15+ hours of research. You can use any of these text suggestions as you plan your ODYSSEY unit.

❤️ We are not saying that you need to replace every text -- we want to continue a dialogue on how to make our curricula more inclusive.

>>> Find the rest of Rethinking the Classics resources here. <<<

Your ODYSSEY unit suggestions include:

1. 30+ inclusive text suggestions & annotated ideas organized by teaching topic

⭐️ Essential Questions:

• What is a hero?
• What do stories teach us about culture?

⭐️ Themes:

• Xenia & Hospitality

⭐️ Literary Devices/Techniques:

• Characterization
• Imagery
• Similes/Odes

⭐️ Suggestions for replacement texts

2. Guide for Rethinking the Classics

• Affirmations for Rethinking the Classics
• How to Audit Your Texts

3. Print-and-go worksheets

• Song pairing analysis - What makes a hero?
• Folktale pairing analysis - Hospitality (Xenia)
• Writer's Workshop brainstorming - How to write an ode

❤️ This is a living document, meaning that we may update the Google Doc with more resources and ideas. Be sure to bookmark it. :)

What teachers like you are saying:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “I loved the thoughtfulness that the authors put into this resource.  It helped me think about different ways to broaden my Greek Myth unit with Percy Jackson and diversify my curriculum.  Much needed and appreciated.” -Alexandra S.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “When I found out I would have to teach the Odyssey, I was not excited, but these resources made it so much more fun to approach with my students!” -Alexandra A.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “I've never liked teaching the Odyssey and when I saw this came out I knew I HAD to have it! I love the variety of the text pairings and the breakdown by thematic focus. It inspired me to bring in other texts and media as well.” -Jessica P.

This resource was co-created by Danielle Hall from Nouvelle ELA and Sheila Frye from Teaching Literacy.

About Your THE ODYSSEY Unit Resource:

Your resource is a .pdf with a link to the Google Doc of text suggestions. We'll announce the publication on our Instagrams, @nouvelle_ela and @teachingliteracy. Please let us know if you have any questions! You can also email me (Danielle) at nouvelle.ela@gmail.com. :)

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If you have any questions, I’d love to hear from you!

-Danielle @ Nouvelle ELA