Section 2: UNIT TOPIC AND RATIONALE

1. Unit Topic
The topic of my four-week unit revolved around the graphic novel version of The
Odyssey, as well as Greek mythology as a whole. I taught The Odyssey as a way to increase
reading and writing comprehension, as well as progress visual literacy and creation by students.
The graphic novel (written by Gareth Hinds) transforms the ancient story of The Odyssey into a
more accessible text for students, especially those who struggle with reading. The images in the
novel help to guide students in their understanding of a written text. Many of these students do
not possess the skills or comprehension levels to read and understand a complete novel yet. This
graphic novel is used as a bridge for these students, with the hope that they will be able to
eventually read a standard novel without the assistance of images or pictures. Although a graphic
novel is more accessible up front, it provides challenging opportunities for students to dissect
and analyze images. Though the pictures may be a crutch for students, the goal is to challenge
them to read the text as closely as they read the images. Both are equally important in a graphic
novel. This is a skill that transfers beyond this unit.
2. Standards and Curricular Sequence
This unit follows the Common Core State Standards. Below I have listed the three main
standards used throughout most this unit.
- W.9-10.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
- RL.9-10.1: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical
inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions
drawn from the text.
- RL.9-10.3: Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact
over the course of a text.
This is our second unit of the year. We started the year off by watching and analyzing The Blind
Side (film) so that students could learn to read texts outside of purely written works. This was
a great way to hook students and to show them that learning to comprehend texts in a variety of
ways is a valuable skill. We did not want to jump directly into a book following a film, so instead
we decided to use a cross-breed of film and story. That is why our main text for the unit is The
Odyssey. It functions as the first major text that we undergo as a class and lays the foundation for
creating confident and successful readers for the entirety of the year.
3. Significance of the Topic
The significance of reading The Odyssey in its graphic novel form is extremely relevant
in todays day and age. It isnt difficult to figure out that language and images connect people.
They connect people within one area and they connect people across the globe. With the use of
popular social media sites, as well as the internet in general, it is obvious why learning to analyze
and understand images is a useful skill. Beyond these transferrable skills that are gained from

reading the novel, are the personal connections that students make to it. Many students identify
with one or more of the characters in the novel and the situations they are in. This teaches
students to empathize with characters, which in turn, helps them to connect with people in the
real world. Additionally, during this unit students take digital notes, write in their journals, read
independently, and create visual texts. All of these practices help students to learn to reading and
writing skills, which help them to better navigate the world around them.