 Tuesday, March 16, 2004
again ..
8:34:02 PM  
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NUNTII: More Middle Schoolers Show Their Stuff
Another great idea:
Dayna White´s advanced Language Arts classes at Coronado Junior High culminated their study of Greek mythology by hosting a live Larry King-type talk show complete with a special guest host, Burt Mummolo, from KCBD-News Channel 11.
The panel, which included 17 characters from Greek mythology, was interviewed about their trials and triumphs.
Burt Mummolo (center standing), questioned each guest about their escapades and why they made the choices they did.
Representing their Greek counterparts were Travis Begley, who portrayed Zeus, supreme ruler of Mount Olympus and of the Pantheon of gods who resided there; Tiera Gomez, who portrayed Hera, queen of Olympian deities and one of Zeus´s wives; Julie Vasquez as Medea, Jason´s wife; and Arthur Ortiz as Jason, of the Argonauts and Golden Fleece fame.
[...]
All students researched their characters and created posters, which were on display, telling about the Greek character they chose to portray. Students who were interviewed by Mummolo auditioned for the parts.
The study of the unit on Greek mythology is not yet finished. The students are now working in cooperative groups and the assigned group project is for the students to create a Greek mythology newspaper, or to dramatize one of the myths by writing the dialogue and stage directions, or, to stage a courtroom trial for one of the characters.
Mrs. White got the idea to ask Mummolo to be the live talk show host when she learned he was an English major. Mrs. White said, “When Burt was in Plainview to do “Streets of Speed Plainview” (as part of a weekly segment on streets in Channel 11´s coverage area where motorists drive too fast), he ended up in my mother´s driveway. I sent him an e-mail trying to get a copy of her interview. After that, we exchanged a few e-mails, I told him I was an English teacher and that´s when he told me he was an English major.
“I found the idea for the talk show in the mythology unit that Hope English, advanced academic services coordinator for the district, gave me, I asked Burt if he would do it and he agreed,” said Mrs. White
Last Wednesday´s performance in front of parents, staff, and school board members showed that the students had really learned a lot from their research as they portrayed what they learned in the dramatic presentation. Mummolo even had a cameraman with him and the interview was taped. [more from the Planview Daily Herald]
8:15:55 PM
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THIS DAY IN ANCIENT HISTORY
ante diem xvii kalendas apriles
- Festival of Mars (day 16)
- 37 A.D. -- death of the emperor Tiberius at Misenum
- 284 A.D. -- martyrdom of Hilarius and companions
7:42:36 AM
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CHATTER: Of the Idle Sort
Hey ... a journalist gets it right. From the Journal Standard:
Beware the "Ides of March," as it was forewarned by the soothsayer to Julius Caesar. He would have been wise to heed that warning in 44 B.C. as on that day he was slain at the Pompey Theater in Rome. Brutus and other conspirators took the life of what many call "The Last Dictator."
Some folks commonly mistake Ides to refer to the 15 day of any month, but this is incorrect. I myself have inadvertently referred to April 15 as the "Ides of April," in thinking that there is some impending doom that associates itself with April 15, other than that doom exacted by the IRS.
Well, it isn't so. In Caesar's day the Roman Calendar, devised by Romulus, recognized three days each month, and counted the rest of the days by subtracting or adding using these benchmarks. The Kalends referred to the first day of each month. The Nones were recognized as the seventh day of March, May, July and October; and as the fifth day of the remaining months. The Ides referred to the fifteenth day of March, May, July and October; and the thirteenth day in other months.
We'll keep our eyes open for the 'Ides of April' mistake ...
7:34:22 AM
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TTT: Crucifixion Article
A badly-written piece in a Malaysian newspaper with a broken url reled me to/reminded me of an excellent article on crucifixion by Joe Zias which folks might be interested in reading:
Crucifixion in Antiquity
7:22:14 AM
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NUNTII: Night of the Living Dead Languages IV
What a great idea:
"Beware the Ides of March," warned professors and students who read poetic and dramatic works in several ancient and modern languages last night. The evening event, Night Of The Living Dead Languages IV, was scheduled on the anniversary of Julius Caesar's assassination and was hosted by the Undergraduate Classics Club in the Big Red Barn. The night featured ancient and modern Greek; Latin; medieval Arabic and Italian; and Old Church Slavonic.
Readings included a section of Aristophanes' The Acharnians, read by Prof. Hunter R. Rawlings III, classics, and a dramatic performance of a selection from book four of Virgil's Aeneid, complete with costumes and music. The performance was staged by Brent Hannah grad, Ally Boex grad, Molly Layton grad and John Wynne grad.
About 45 people attended the event, which the event's advisor, Prof. David P. Mankin, classics, said "was an exciting turnout." According to Mankin, the event's attendance was better than it has been the last two times it was held.
"It was the fourth one, and it was the best one yet," said Lauren Schwartzman '04.
According to Lauren Butt '04, the evening included more languages in its program than its past instances. Butt said that one of the purposes of the evening is to expose people to languages in ways they might have not experienced before.
"People get to hear languages that are usually only read. It makes them seem more relevant to today's world," Butts said.
Mary Burkhauster '05 enjoyed this aspect of the night, saying that "we're learning about them, but you so rarely get to hear them spoken."
Burkhauster said that she especially enjoyed a reading of Statius' Thebaid by Prof. Frederick M. Ahl, classics, and the performance of the Aeneid.
Ahl's selection depicted the Roman god Jupiter pressing the god of war, Mars, to start a war between two Greek cities. Ahl introduced his reading saying that he chose the passage, which contrasts the urge for war with a gruesome and unappealing depiction of its effects, because of its relevance to current events. [more from the Cornell Sun]
7:17:09 AM
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AWOTV: On TV Today
8.00 p.m.|DISCC| Unsolved History: Roman Colosseum
Completed in 80 A.D., the Colosseum was inaugurated with 100 days of
games showcasing gladiatorial contests, wild beast hunts, public
executions and variety shows.
9.00 p.m.|DCIVC| Rome: Power and Glory: Legions of Conquest
dna
9.00 p.m. |HISTC| Metropolis: ALEXANDRIA
Rome. Alexandria. Carthage. Athens. These cities were the centers of
power, religion and trade. This four-part series examines urban life
in these hubs of the ancient world. The mighty cities of antiquity
evolved from a scattering of settlements to major centres, each in
its own unique fashion, cultural environment, and prevailing
historical circumstance.
9.00 p.m. |DISCU| Seven Wonders of Ancient Rome
Recreate these spectacular, awe-inspiring monuments. The men who
envisioned the Pantheon, the Aqueducts of Rome, the Via Appia, the
Baths of Caracalla, Trajan's Markets, Circus Maximus and the
Colosseum created the epitome of human achievement.
Channel Guide
6:45:50 AM
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