Let's Read The Iliad!

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Students will read the oldest story we have in Western civilization which dates back to the late Bronze Age and was written down by Homer around 850 B.C. The story takes place in the 11th year of the Trojan War, when the great warrior Achilleus abandons his comrades, out of spite for King Agamemnon, and refuses to continue fighting for his cause. Students will develop critical thinking skills by completing the work in the Study Guide, which promotes literary analysis and has no answer key but does contain specific line references. Writing prompts will help students to formulate original ideas, based on their interpretation of the story, and make connections with their life and their world. Video lectures highlight important themes and provide additional instruction for work in the Study Guide; quizzes test for basic understanding. Students may choose to do creative, writing, and/or oratorical assignments for additional coursework, with minor assignments leading up to a major project at the end.

COURSE SCHEDULE & LOGISTICS

Course Duration:

• One quarter to one semester, depending on depth of study
• Course expires after 60 days but can be renewed/extended for up to 14 weeks

Teacher-Student Interaction:

• Office Hours, Fall 2024: Thursdays, 12:00-1:00 p.m. Pacific, 3:00-4:00 p.m. Eastern
• Ms. Finnigan can be hired for additional writing coaching/grading and/or small group, online symposiums
  

Questions?

Email Ms. Finnigan

[email protected]

My Students

• ages 14 and up
• independent learners and homeschoolers; homeschool co-ops or hybrids looking for a unit study; traditional students who want to supplement their education
• decent reading comprehension skills
• like to think about and discuss Big Ideas
• looking for a challenge
• want to focus on depth over breadth
• want to integrate more writing with their literature studies, vice versa
• enjoy Greek mythology or want to learn more about it
• interested in classical education or want to dabble and need a good place to start
  

Learning Outcomes

Improved reading comprehension skills

Improved critical thinking skills, such as analysis, inference, compare/contrast, and reflection

Ability to identify up to 15 literary and poetic devices

Ability to articulate and apply the principles of the Just War Theory of Christianity

Creation of an artifact of learning, such as an essay, speech, or original artistic work

Parent Testimonials

"Ellen Finnigan is an educator in the truest sense of the word. My two high school age children have flourished under her mentorship, both in her literature and writing classes. Her use of the primary texts of The Iliad and Odyssey provides a unique and challenging curriculum for any high school student. Ellen masterfully guides students through this rigorous material with enjoyable and thought-provoking discussion. She engages her students, going out of her way to connect with them personally and creates a camaraderie within the class to facilitate thoughtful discourse. Equally as impressive is Ellen’s ability to teach writing. From inviting topics to prompt feedback, Ellen provides professional critique in a naturally supportive manner that coached my teens to communicate their thoughts and ideas with clarity, creativity, and skill. I cannot thank her enough for her influence in my teens’ intellectual development and life." -Bernadette Reidy

"Mrs. Ellen Finnigan is one of those rare teachers who effectively combines deep subject knowledge, abundant joy, engaging inspiration and captivating creativity in her approach to teaching children. For over six years, Mrs. Finnigan instilled a love for literature and writing to four of my children through her classes in Greek literature and creative writing. Her writing tutorial has been indispensable to preparing my children for college level writing. Mrs. Finnigan’s joy for teaching is genuine and made every class exciting and enjoyable for the children. She enabled her students to recognize the deeper meaning of the great literature of the past and draw on its impact on their lives and its meaning in the modern world. I would sincerely and enthusiastically recommend Mrs. Finnigan to any parent as their child’s teacher." - Greg Simia

"In Mrs. Finnigan you have the stellar combination of a great teacher and an amazing person. Being at the same time professional and warm-hearted, she inspires her students to bring their best into her literature and writing classes. She meets students where they are ability-wise, and brings out the best in them with her encouraging and detailed feedback. She has a great grasp of the literature she teaches and the human nature that lies behind it. She came alongside my daughter in many ways in her life during her high school years, and we are forever grateful." - Amy Grasso

A Note About Religion

This Study Guide is "Catholic and Classical". It deals with moral, spiritual, and philosophical questions from a Christian perspective, and it draws on the 2,000-year-old intellectual tradition of the Catholic Church to articulate and present that perspective. However, this is not a theology course. The religious content is very general and should be acceptable to any Christian, whether Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant.

Not a believer? Perhaps, you will find the religious content interesting from a cultural or historical perspective. After all, the pagans who told these stories for hundreds of years were religious people: They believed in divine beings, they engaged in religious rituals, they worshipped, they prayed. Most of them eventually converted to Christianity. This Study Guide will sometimes ask you to think about differing concepts of the divine, make connections with Sacred Scripture, or engage in introspection and spiritual reflection. If these exercises are not valuable to you, you can easily skip them, because they are clearly labeled, and you will still get a lot out of this study!