No trees, buses, or trains, only the Seomjin River stood, where they drank most of their water. People had no way of transportation, and South Korea was not remembered as anything. He ate humans, and everyone was afraid of him.”Īnother opened this way: “Many moons ago, in South Korea, a land was formed out of the air that blew the rocks and dirt around. But the lion knew this was an impossible dream. He had beauty and grace, but he had always wished for a friend because he lived alone. A majestic lion lived there, though this lion was not happy. One student’s myth began, “Far in the lands of Egypt, where the blue waters of the Nile River drifted lazily to the north, there was a large and sandy desert cave. As these examples demonstrate, they made the most of this exhilarating exercise. Working diligently, the Humanities students created several drafts before completing their final versions.

Among the requirements, their myths needed to include a balance of good versus evil, a carefully considered plot, a strong conflict, and a description of the main star or constellation’s origin story. Wheatley encouraged their students to be as inventive as possible while staying true to the culture of their choosing.

The website “Figures in the Sky” ( ) served as a fascinating and informative resource, noted Science teacher Anna Mello.ĭuring the writing process, Ms. They also studied the astronomy of constellations and the accompanying myths, which began in Ancient Greece, China, Hawaii, the Navajo Nation, and Western societies, among many others. Dibble, adding that these early lessons helped the students plan, write and revise their pieces. “We started the year looking at story arcs – exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution – and at how conflicts drive stories,” explained Ms. The project began in Jenet Dibble and Nisa Wheatley’s Humanities sections. Through a far-reaching interdisciplinary project in Middle School that combined Humanities, Science and Technology, Class 5 students learned about constellations and the cultures that appointed them as they prepared to write, record and make models of their very own celestial myths. Since prehistoric times, constellations of stars – and the shapes and patterns they form – have inspired a treasure trove of myths, legends and stories from Aquarius to the Big Dipper. The magical night sky has long captured our imaginations.

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