During the ORIAS summer institute on History Through Literature, 6th and 7th grade teachers shared resources and sketched out possible lesson plans for introducing epic heroes and villains from the ancient and medieval worlds. During the coming year we will share some of these ideas with you in our newsletters. In this issue we are highlighting lessons for Gilgamesh.

    The historical Gilgamesh was a Sumerian king of Uruk around 2700 B.C. Sumerian fragments of the legend that grew up around him have been found dating back to about 2000 BC. The most complete version of the story comes from twelve clay tablets in Akkadian copied by Shin-eqi-unninni around the seventh century B.C. They were found in the ruins of the Library of Ashurbanipal of Nineveh and, like the earlier Sumerian tablets, were written in the "wedge-shaped" script known as cuneiform. You can find a summary of the story derived from these tablets on the University of Washington's World Cultures Home Page maintained by Richard Hooker at http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/MESO/GILG.HTM

See the bibliography below for suggested student versions of the epic.

Dr. John Hayes, from the Department of Near Eastern Studies, supplied the class with most of the following bibliography of basic books on the Ancient Near East:

Children's version of Gilgamesh

• Zeman, Ludmila. Gilgamesh the King (1992), The Last Quest of Gilgamesh (1994), The Revenge of Ishtar (1995). Toronto: Tundra Books. 1992. Paperbacks.
  

   

• ARAMCO World, "Zeman's Gilgamesh." May-June 1996. (See "Free" section below for contact information.)
• Finkel, Irving. The Hero King Gilgamesh. Illinois: NTC Publishing Group, 19998. (First published in the United Kingdom in 1998 gy British Museum Press.) ISBN 0-8442-4701-4. Hardback. $12.95 Irving Finkel is a curator in the Department of Western Asiatic Antiquities, British Museum. He is the author of several books for children and his retelling of the epic is good for the middle school reader who is ready for a more challenging text than the Zeman picture books offer. It is about 30 pages of text and includes16 excellent reproductions from the museum collections.


Gilgamesh

Readable scholarly translation:

• Kovacs, Maureen Gallery. The Epic of Gilgamesh. 1989. Stanford: Stanford University Press. Paperback.
Interpretive background:
• Maier, John (ed.). Gilgamesh: A Reader. 1997. Wauconda IL: Bolchazy-Carducci. Hardbound. Expensive.
Extension reading for heroes in the Near and Middle East:
    Zenobia
• Readable scholarly presentation of Zenobia, queen of Palmyra: Stoneman, Richard. Palmyra and Empire: Zenobia's Revolt Against Rome at Ann Arbor: Univeristy of Michigan Press, 1992.
    Sindbad the Sailor
• Readable reliable translation: Haddawi, Husain. The Arabian Nights I-II, 1991-95. New York: W.W. Norton. Paperbacks. Watch for Ludmila Zeman's retelling of Sindbad for children this year from Tundra Books.
Collections of Primary Sources:
• 1967 Oppenheim, A. Leo. Letters from Mesopotamia. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
• 1989 Dalley, Stephanie. Myths from Mesopotamia. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• 1995 Foster, Benjamin. From Distant Days: Myths, Tales, and Poetry of Ancient Mesopotamia. Bethesda: CDL Press.
More Popular:
• 1963 Kramer, Samuel Noah. The Sumerians: Their History, Culture, and Character. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
• 1967 Oates, David and Joan Oates. The Rise of Civilization. New York: Phaidon Press.
• 1968 Gray, John. Near Eastern Mythology. London: Hamlyn.
• 1981 Kramer, Samuel Noah. History Begins at Sumer: Thirty-Nine Firsts in Man's Recorded History. Third edition. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
• 1988 Knapp, A. Bernard. The History and Culture of Ancient Western Asia and Egypt. Chicago: Dorsey Press.
• 1989 Saggs, H.W.F. Civilization Before Greece and Rome. New Haven: Yale University Press.
• 1992 Black, Jeremy and Anthony Green. Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia: An Illustrated Dictionary. Austin: University of Texas Press.
• 1995 Saggs, H.W.F. Babylonians. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.
Free
Aramco World Teachers can request a complimentary subscription to Aramco World by writing Aramco World, Box 469008, Escondido, CA 92046-9008.

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Lesson Plans

Gilgamesh Lives

By Deborah Petranek, Winship Junior High, Eureka,CA

Grade: 6th grade / Time: 3-4 weeks

By Deborah Petranek, Winship Junior High, Eureka,CA Grade: 6th grade Time: 3-4 weeks

Procedure:
Create a class book of ancient and medieval "heroes and villains." Small groups each choose an episode of Gilgamesh to retell and illustrate. ¨

Project Extension:
This could be a year-long project with stories from ancient Greece, China and India and stories of other peoples and lands that would be published as a culminating project for the school year.

Materials:

• Ludmila Zeman, Gilgamesh the King. Tundra Books, 1992. (ISBN 0-88776-437-1)
• Ludmila Zeman, Revenge of Ishtar. Tundra Books, 1994. (ISBN 0-88776-436-3)
• Ludmila Zeman, Last Quest of Gilgamesh. Tundra Books, 1995. (ISBN 0-88776-380-4)
• ARAMCO WORLD, May-June 1996, "Zeman's Gilgamesh."
• Ideal technology materials: Class computers with internet access, encyclopedia program such as Encarta, drawing program such as KidPix, graphics presentation program such as Hyperstudio, printer, digital camera.
• Index cards or squares of scrap paper.

In the absence of high technology, good old pen, ink and scissors can be used.

Student Activities:

Read aloud the Gilgamesh story retold by Ludmila Zeman and the ARAMCO World article on Ludmila Zeman. Give students an opportunity to thoroughly view Zeman's illustrations.

Discussion: What is a hero? What is heroic? What is a villain? What is villainous?

Assignment:

1. As individuals or small groups choose an episode of the story of Gilgamesh that illustrates heroic and/or villainous qualities.

2. Research the art of the age, area and people described in the story.

3. Following the 10 Step Project Development Process below, outline the story and create a script.

4. Create a storyboard of the outline.

5. Write the story with illustrations using KidPix (or equivalent drawing program), importing graphics to Hyperstudio (or equivalent presentation program) where text is added.


Ten Step Project Development Process

1. Determine project focus and audience
• Answer these key questions: How does your story illustrate the qualities of heroes and villains? As storytellers, how can you point out these qualities to your audience?
• Generate and organize ideas by brainstorming. Accept all contributions. Ask for details if idea is unclear.
• Use webbing, mapping, or grids to identify the major ideas in your story.
• Categorize and classify the heroic and villainous qualities you want to portray.
• Look for similarities and differences between heroes and villains (compare and contrast).
2. Describe what materials and resources you need and how you will determine if your project is successful

3. Write a three paragraph proposal/ Get first approval signature

• Paragraph One: Why are you doing this? What is your key question?
• Paragraph Two: What is your subject focus? Who is your audience? Name the type of presentation (examples: KidPix, MSWord, PowerPoint, HyperStudio)
• Paragraph Three: How am I going to do this (equipment such as recorders, audio or video, materials, knowledge .)? What resources will be needed (photos, films scripts, text)?
4. Share and revise project proposal Discuss with teammates and instructor:
• Does the project address the criteria set in the first step of the process?
• Do the learners have the knowledge, skills and time to do the project?
• Is the project relevant to the Key Question that was developed?
5. Research books, articles, art history/photos and drawings on the internet, in the library and other available resources.

6. Develop outline, script, and storyboards: Use index cards or scratch paper to outline the project.

• For linear presentations, place the cards in sequence to make a script with enough details to describe text, pictures, video and audio
• For interactive or non-linear projects develop a storyboard for each card and map of the overall project clearly labeling text, pictures, video, audio and links between cards.
7. Get approval for script or storyboard
• Share script or storyboards with the instructor
• Determine whether the learners have the knowledge, skills and time to do the project as planned.
8. Engage in project work
• Monitor and adjust the use of resources as needed
• Monitor you own time so you are able to complete your project
9. Premier projects:
• Share projects with the whole class in a formal presentation
• Participate in an assessment process that engages the presenters, audience and instructor in constructive feedback that will promote growth.
10. Assess projects.
• Review the products in relation to the project criteria established in Step One.

Evaluate the products based on the model identified in Step Two.

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Gilgamesh the Hero

By Johanna Rauhala, Valley View Middle School, Mt. Diablo, CA

Grade: 6th grade / Time: 3 class periods

Materials:

• Ludmila Zeman, Gilgamesh the King. Tundra Books, 1992. (ISBN 0-88776-437-1)
• Ludmila Zeman, Revenge of Ishtar. Tundra Books, 1994. (ISBN 0-88776-436-3)
• Ludmila Zeman, Last Quest of Gilgamesh. Tundra Books, 1995. (ISBN 0-88776-380-4)
• Plain 81/2" by 11" paper for each student, divided into eight squares. (This will become a literature map.)
• Overhead transparency


Activities:

1. Have students fold their plain white paper to make eight squares. Have students set this aside.

2. Put the word "hero" on the board or the overhead. Have students brainstorm any words that come to mind when they hear this. (I sometimes tell students that they can call out their answers, and I try to write as fast as I can so that ideas are kept flowing.) List as many words as possible.

3. Ask: "What makes someone a hero? What does someone have to do in order to be a hero? What do they have to be like?" List some of these on the board. Students should not only begin describing characteristics, but also experiences and personal similarities that heroes share.

4. Take the white paper and have students number the boxes 1 to 8 from left to right.

5. On top of each box, write each stage of the hero's journey from Joseph Campbell's Hero With 1000 Faces.

• Stage 1. The calling
• Stage 2. Helper
• Stage 3. Tests
• Stage 4. "Belly of the whale" or Abyss
• Stage 5. Final struggle ¨ Stage 6. Elixir
• Stage 7. Flight
• Stage 8. Return home
6. Review what each stage means with students. It would probably help to bring in examples from the Star Wars series.

7. Tell students that they are about to hear the story of a Mesopotamian hero named Gilgamesh. They will only be hearing the first part of the story, so remind them that the story isn't finished. They are to listen for: 1) who is Gilgamesh? And 2) how his actions fit into the stages of the hero's journey.

8. Read the first story to students, stopping at points to review basic plot/character elements.

9. Go over, as a class, the first three stages of the hero's journey. Did Gilgamesh do any of these things? Write down, in note-taking form, ideas as appropriate.

10. Repeat this process with the next two books, only allowing students to work in pairs/groups at first and then regrouping to go over Gilgamesh's journey.

11. Once students have filled in their literature maps with the steps of Gilgamesh's journey; discuss whether students think he is a hero.

Extension activities:

• Have students, in pairs, create their own "epic" and hero using the steps of the hero's journey learned in the Gilgamesh stories. They can create a large-scale drawing of their hero and read these out loud.
• Have students create a mini-journal of four entries from the point of view of Gilgamesh or another character in the stories. They must include information about geography, food, clothing and religion.

Have students create a pictorial essay (colored pencil drawing in background, writing in foreground - this is done on legal-sized white construction paper) describing why they think/do not think Gilgamesh is a hero. They must support opinions with facts from the story.


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Gilgamesh the Hero

By Sheryl Hott
Little Oak School, Dobbins, CA
Grade: 1st-6th / Time: 1-2 days

Materials:

• Ludmila Zeman, Gilgamesh the King. Tundra Books, 1992. (ISBN 0-88776-437-1)
• Ludmila Zeman, Revenge of Ishtar. Tundra Books, 1994. (ISBN 0-88776-436-3)
• Ludmila Zeman, Last Quest of Gilgamesh. Tundra Books, 1995. (ISBN 0-88776-380-4)
• Container for clay ¨ Digging tool for clay ¨ Plank for working on clay tablets creekside
• Cuneiform writing tools (case knives, chopsticks whittled to one of 3 shapes, willow or other twigs whittled to shape)
• Modeling clay for cuneiform practice; FIMO Clay to produce a lasting cuneiform product
• Pictures/examples of archaeology, architecture and artifacts of ancient Sumer
• Harp or zither
• World Atlas or map
• Map of Mesopotamia or SW Asia showing Tigris and Euphrates rivers
• 5X7 paper with quote: "You're all fools, heroic fools" -X-Men
• Large bowl of lentils
• Cuneiform example by Prof. John Hayes provided below


Activities:

• Weather permitting, walk to creek, dig clay for cuneiform tablets.
• On a plank, form rounds or tablets and write cuneiform using websites or examples provided by Dr. Hayes below.
• Clean up.
• Provide several opportunities to practice cunieiform. Encourage both true copying and creation or words or phrases. Provide FIMO for permanent product.
• Construct a timeline showing own birthday, personally significant dates, lifetime of Gilgamesh and time epic was written (2600 BCE and 2000 BCE). (See web resources below.)
• Decorate with drawings and pictures of archeological digs, artifacts or architecture of ancient Sumer.
• Begin to understand the magnitude of 2,000 and 7,000 and 600 years by estimating the amounts with palmfuls of lentils or rice. Count 100 kernels into the palm, then estimate the remaining amount by continously scooping equivalent palmfuls.
• During the above project, listen to the background Arabic music (dancing when finished or need a break).
• Look at a world atlas or map locating hometown and SW Asia. On SW Asia or Mesopotamian map locate Tigris and Euphrates rivers and (approximately) Uruk.
• Listen to or read the X-Men quote, "You're all fools, heroic fools." Tell what you think a hero is.
• Listen to the epic retold by Ludmila Zeman. Lightly play the harp or zither during the reading/singing of the book. Talk about the story and Gilgamesh as a hero.


Follow-up:
The following day look at pictures of cuneiform, archaeological digs, artifacts and architecture again.

• Ask what was the most interesting part of yesterday's activities? Where is SW Asia? Who was Gilgamesh? If there is still real interest shown, more Gilgamesh books by Zeman can be read and other creative projects planned.


Cuneiform Example - provided by Dr. John Hayes
Read from left to right.



Transliteration                                         Translation
1: lugal-Ki-en-gi-Ki-uri-ke                          the king of Sumer and Akkad
2: é-a-ni                                                      his temple
3: mu-na-dù                                                 he built

Websites for cuneiform
 

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