Lesson Title/Focus: The Teacher: Sabrina

Hero’s Journey Kyle

Date: October
School: Chinook 15/16, 2019
Classroom: ELA 10-1 High School

OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES

General General Outcome 1 Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to explore
Learning thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences.
Outcomes: General Outcome 2 Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to comprehend
literature and other texts in oral, print, visual and multimedia forms, and respond personally,
critically and creatively.

Specific 1.1.1. b. form tentative understandings, interpretations and positions on ideas and
Learning issues communicated in literature and other texts by expressing own explorations
Outcomes:
and considering others’ explorations

2.1.2. d. describe the personality traits, motivations, attitudes, values and relationships of
characters developed/persons presented in literature and other texts; and identify how the use of
archetypes adds to an appreciation of text
2.2.1. c. describe a variety of organizational patterns and structural features that contribute to
purpose and content
2.3.1. a. identify and consider personal, moral, ethical and cultural perspectives when studying
literature and other texts; and reflect on and monitor how perspectives change as a result of
interpretation and discussion
2.3.1. c. compare choices and motives of characters and people portrayed in texts with choices
and motives of self and others

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

 Students will be able to identify key stages in the hero’s journey.

 Students will be able to summarize the elements of the hero's journey in preparation for
reading a more advanced text.
 Students will be able to explain what makes a hero and the elements of the heroic journey.
 Students will be able to analyze a literary work for the heroic archetype.
 Students will be able to analyze a piece of literature for elements of the hero and the heroic
journey.
 Students will be able to explain the role of Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey in Literature.
 PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

The idea of the hero is something that even very small children understand at some level. As students get
older, their exposure to different manifestations of the hero broadens. They encounter heroes in literature,
movies, books, magazines, the news, and even on the pages of their local newspapers. The idea of the hero is
a theme in all media- books, music, art, and film. American author Joseph Campbell is best known for his
work with the myths of the world and how they connect us. His basic argument is that all heroes in virtually
all cultures share a predictable and recognizable pattern. In this unit, we will be using a variety of different
mediums such as film, literature, and pictures to explore this concept. Students will reflect on how they see
themselves within their personal global context, and how their personal context influences their own
understanding of heroism. We will examine how heroes have been portrayed across space and time in a
variety of different cultures. This class will allow students to compare and contrast their definition of a hero
with other authors we are exploring. This will get students thinking about the importance of heroes in our
society and what a cultures heroes can tell you about their values. Today we will be moving onto analyzing
stages in the Hero’s Journey.

ASSESSMENTS

Visual  Power Point Presentation

Project  Hero’s Journey PowerPoint and Booklet

Key  What is the Hero’s Journey?

Questions  What are the stages of the Hero’s Journey?
 Who is Joseph Campbell and why is he important?

Performances Formative Assessment.

PRE CLASSROOM SETUP

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
TEACHER WILL …

 Write the daily agenda on the - Hero’s Journey Booklet

board - Power Point Presentation
- The Hero’s Journey
- Joseph Campbell
- The Stages of the Hero’s
Journey
- Examples in Film and
Popular Culture

CLASSROOM PROCEDURE

INTRODUCTION TIME
Initial  Greet students as they come into the classroom.
Instructions  Take attendance.
 Catch up students who missed last class.
 Recap where we are at in the course, and where we are
going.
 What we covered during last class? We began to look at
heroes in literature and the journeys they go on
throughout their stories.
 We will then discuss any of the similarities we noticed
between the journeys our chosen characters went on and
make note of them in order to springboard into our
introduction of the Hero’s Journey.

Attention  Display the movie posters for Harry Potter, Mulan, Lord of the Rings
Grabber and Star Wars. In groups, ask students to have a discussion about what
these four films have in common. After students have small group
discussion, open it up to whole classroom conversation.

Transition to  Display the Hero’s Journey slide on the board with a variety of
Body different heroes in our literature.

BODY TIME

Teacher will … Formative/

Students
will …

Learning  What is an archetype?

Activity #1  An archetype is a typical character, an action, or a
situation that seems to represent universal patterns of
human nature.
 They are recurring patterns that occur in stories across
cultures and time periods.
 Carl Jung
 Review Carl Jung and his role in developing archetypes.
 Review the idea of the collective unconscious and
shared and universal human experiences that was
covered in our Archetypes Unit.
 Introduce Joseph Campbell
 March 26, 1904- October 30, 1987
 American Professor of Literature at who worked in
comparative mythology and comparative religion
 Influenced by Carl Jung, who we learned about in our
Archetypes Unit.
 His work covers many aspects of the human experience.
 In books like The Hero with a Thousand Faces, The
Power of Myth, and The Inner Reaches of Outer Space,
Campbell reported on the synthesis he found while
comparing the myths and legends of many cultures.
 Defined the Hero’s Journey in his book The Hero with A
Thousand Faces
 Campbell argues that the great enduring myths from
around the world all share an underlying structure he
calls the “monomyth.”
 The Hero’s Journey outlines the steps a character will
likely on his or her path to becoming a hero.
 Introduce the Hero’s Journey
 The Hero’s Journey was his all-embracing metaphor for
the deep inner journey of transformation that heroes in
every time and place seem to share, a path that leads
them through great movements of separation, descent,
ordeal, and return.
 Why does it matter?
 TED ED Video- What makes a hero? Matthew
Winkler
 The Hero’s Journey is a great technique for analyzing all
kinds of stories- whether they be myths, legends, films,
novels, short stories, plays, or even comic books.
 The Hero’s Journey encourages one to think about:
 Plot structure
 Character motivation
 Theme
 Introduce the three main steps of the Hero’s Journey
1) The Departure- The Hero leaves the Ordinary World.
2) The Initiation- The Hero ventures into unknown
territory and faces various trials and challenges.
3) The Return- The Hero triumphs.
Learning  The 12 Stages of the Hero’s Journey
Activity #2  Use Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to explain the 12
Stages of the Hero’s Journey.
 Students will follow along and write down the examples in
their chart.
 1) The Ordinary World- This is where the Hero's exists
before his present story begins, oblivious of the adventures
to come. It's his safe place. His everyday life where we
learn crucial details about our Hero, his true nature,
capabilities and outlook on life. This anchors the Hero as a
human, just like you and me, and makes it easier for us to
identify with him and hence later, empathize with his
plight.
 Harry Potter lives in the cupboard under the stairs at 4
Privet Drive
 2) Call to Adventure- The Hero's adventure begins when
he receives a call to action, such as a direct threat to his
safety, his family, his way of life or to the peace of the
community in which he lives. It may not be as dramatic as a
gunshot, but simply a phone call or conversation but
whatever the call is, and however it manifests itself, it
ultimately disrupts the comfort of the Hero's Ordinary
World and presents a challenge or quest that must be
undertaken.
 Harry receives a letter inviting him to attend Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
 3) Refusal of the Call- Although the Hero may be eager to
accept the quest, at this stage he will have fears that need
overcoming. Second thoughts or even deep personal doubts
as to whether or not he is up to the challenge. When this
happens, the Hero will refuse the call and as a result may
suffer somehow. The problem he faces may seem to much
to handle and the comfort of home far more attractive than
the perilous road ahead.
 Harry doesn’t believe he could be a real wizard.
 4) Meeting the Mentor- At this crucial turning point where
the Hero desperately needs guidance he meets a mentor
figure who gives him something he needs. He could be
given an object of great importance, insight into the
dilemma he faces, wise advice, practical training or even
self-confidence. Whatever the mentor provides the Hero
with it serves to dispel his doubts and fears and give him
the strength and courage to begin his quest.
 Hagrid takes Harry to Diagon Alley, where Harry purchases
his wand and school equipment
 5) Crossing the Threshold- The Hero is now ready to act
upon his call to adventure and truly begin his quest,
whether it be physical, spiritual or emotional. He may go
willingly or he may be pushed, but either way he finally
crosses the threshold between the world he is familiar with
and that which he is not. It may be leaving home for the
 first time in his life or just doing something he has always
been scared to do. However the threshold presents itself,
this action signifies the Hero's commitment to his journey
and whatever it may have in store for him.
 Harry learns about his parents deaths at the hands of
Voldemort
 6) Tests, Allies, and Enemies- Now finally out of his
comfort zone the Hero is confronted with an ever more
difficult series of challenges that test him in a variety of
ways. Obstacles are thrown across his path; whether they be
physical hurdles or people bent on thwarting his progress,
the Hero must overcome each challenge he is presented
with on the journey towards his ultimate goal. He may earn
allies and meet enemies who will, each in their own way,
help prepare him for the greater ordeals yet to come. This is
the stage where his skills and/or powers are tested and
every obstacle that he faces helps us gain a deeper insight
into his character and ultimately identify with him even
more.
 Harry adjusts to life at Hogwarts.
 7) Approach to the Inmost Cave- The inmost cave may
represent many things in the Hero's story such as an actual
location in which lies a terrible danger or an inner conflict
which up until now the Hero has not had to face. As the
Hero approaches the cave he must make final preparations
before taking that final leap into the great unknown.
 At the threshold to the inmost cave the Hero may once
again face some of the doubts and fears that first surfaced
upon his call to adventure. He may need some time to
reflect upon his journey and the treacherous road ahead in
order to find the courage to continue. This brief respite
helps the audience understand the magnitude of the ordeal
that awaits the Hero and escalates the tension in
anticipation of his ultimate test.
 Harry, Ron, and Hermione plan to get to the philosopher’s
stone before Professor Snape.
 8) The Ordeal- The Supreme Ordeal may be a dangerous
physical test or a deep inner crisis that the Hero must face
in order to survive or for the world in which the Hero lives
to continue to exist. Whether it be facing his greatest fear or
most deadly foe, the Hero must draw upon all of his skills
and his experiences gathered upon the path to the inmost
cave in order to overcome his most difficulty challenge.
 Harry, Ron, and Hermione overcome the obstacles set up to
protect the philosopher's stone.
 9) The Reward (Seizing the Sword)- After defeating the
enemy, surviving death and finally overcoming his greatest
personal challenge, the Hero is ultimately transformed into
a new state, emerging from battle as a stronger person and
often with a prize.
 The Reward may come in many forms: an object of great
importance or power, a secret, greater knowledge or insight,
 or even reconciliation with a loved one or ally. Whatever
the treasure, which may well facilitate his return to the
Ordinary World, the Hero must quickly put celebrations
aside and prepare for the last leg of his journey.
 Harry enters the room where the philosopher’s stone is
hidden.
 10) The Road Back- This stage in the Hero's journey
represents a reverse echo of the Call to Adventure in which
the Hero had to cross the first threshold. Now he must
return home with his reward but this time the anticipation
of danger is replaced with that of acclaim and perhaps
vindication, absolution or even exoneration.
 But the Hero's journey is not yet over and he may still need
one last push back into the Ordinary World. The moment
before the Hero finally commits to the last stage of his
journey may be a moment in which he must choose
between his own personal objective and that of a Higher
Cause.
 Harry faces Professor Quirrell, who has been hosting
Voldemort in his body.
 11) The Resurrection- This is the climax in which the
Hero must have his final and most dangerous encounter
with death. The final battle also represents something far
greater than the Hero's own existence with its outcome
having far-reaching consequences to his Ordinary World
and the lives of those he left behind.
 If he fails, others will suffer and this not only places more
weight upon his shoulders but in a movie, grips the
audience so that they too feel part of the conflict and share
the Hero's hopes, fears and trepidation. Ultimately the Hero
will succeed, destroy his enemy and emerge from battle
cleansed and reborn.
 Harry wakes up in the hospital, Dumbledore explains that
Harry was protected by his mother's love.
 12) Return With the Elixir- This is the final stage of the
Hero's journey in which he returns home to his Ordinary
World a changed man. He will have grown as a person,
learned many things, faced many terrible dangers and even
death but now looks forward to the start of a new life. His
return may bring fresh hope to those he left behind, a direct
solution to their problems or perhaps a new perspective for
everyone to consider.
 The final reward that he obtains may be literal or
metaphoric. It could be a cause for celebration, self-
realization or an end to strife, but whatever it is it represents
three things: change, success and proof of his journey.
 Harry returns to 4 Privet Drive for the summer, happy to
belong and have a family at Hogwarts.

CLOSURE OR CLIFF HANGER Time

Closure of  Star Wars
Lesson/ Lead  George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, claims that
in to next
lesson. Campbell’s monomyth was the inspiration for his
groundbreaking films. Lucas also believes that Star
Wars is such a popular saga because it taps into a
timeless story-structure which has existed for
thousands of years.


Transition To  During our next class, we will analyze a short story and have the
Next Lesson chance to identify the stages of the Hero’s Journey.

Rationale

- How does this The idea of the hero is something that even very small children understand at
individual lesson some level. As students get older, their exposure to different manifestations of
scaffold learning the hero broadens. They encounter heroes in literature, movies, books,
opportunities for magazines, the news, and even on the pages of their local newspapers. The
students? idea of the hero is a theme in all media- books, music, art, and film. American
author Joseph Campbell is best known for his work with the myths of the
world and how they connect us. His basic argument is that all heroes in
virtually all cultures share a predictable and recognizable pattern. In this unit,
we will be using a variety of different mediums such as film, literature, and
pictures to explore this concept. Students will reflect on how they see
themselves within their personal global context, and how their personal
context influences their own understanding of heroism. We will examine how
heroes have been portrayed across space and time in a variety of different
cultures. This class will allow students to compare and contrast their
definition of a hero with other authors we are exploring. This will get students
thinking about the importance of heroes in our society and what a cultures
heroes can tell you about their values. Today we will be moving onto
analyzing stages in the Hero’s Journey.

- How are we - Written visual agenda/organizer for the day for students to reference
differentiating the throughout class. This provides structure and organization for
lesson for all
all students. 
students in our
classroom? - Verbal transition time warnings to give students adequate time to
prepare for transition into the next activity. 
- Individual, partner, group, and whole class discussions. 
- Variety of visual representations used such as pictures, videos, and
graphic organizers. 
- PowerPoint without the inclusion of red or blue font or background
for a color-blind student.
- Chunking and scaffolding learning opportunities.