Week 2: Myth-Folklore Reading A and B, plus Extra

For the reading this week, you'll explore the reading options for the whole semester (that's the Reading A assignment), and then there's a short anthology of stories to read (that's the Reading B assignment). There's also an extra credit reading option this week too if you are looking to rack up some extra credit points now at the start of the semester (which I highly encourage you to do!).

Reading A — Reading B — Extra Credit

Reading A : UnTextbook Reading Options

The first reading assignment for this week is an overview of the Myth-Folklore UnTextbook where you will find all the readings for the rest of the semester: Overview of the UnTextbook. Then, after you have read the UnTextbook overview, you can start exploring the UnTextbook units to see what you think about the different reading options. Plan on spending about a half hour exploring any/all units that grab your attention, bookmarking the pages that you might want to return to later on.

When you are done, write up a blog post with your thoughts about the kinds of reading you think you are going to want to choose. You don't need to make your choices now; the idea is just to get a good idea about what's coming! Include at least three links to reading units and/or specific stories you are most interested in with a sentence or two to remind yourself later what grabbed your attention for each one.

For the blog post, use "Reading Options" in the title, with "Reading, Week 2" as the labels, and include at least one image (with image information). Here is the Declaration for Reading A:

Reading B : Myth-Folklore Anthology... and reading like a writer

For your actual story reading this week, I have prepared an anthology of stories from the UnTextbook that is also a preview of the Google Sites platform where you might be publishing your class project this semester: Myth-Folklore Anthology.

As you read through the stories, you need to start reading like a writer. The idea is not to memorize the contents for a quiz later (there are no quizzes or tests in this class). Instead, the idea is to notice characters, events, and stylistic details that will help you to create your own version of one of these stories. Don't try to take notes on all the stories; you do need to read all the stories carefully (I highly recommend reading out loud!), but then focus your notes on just one or two stories that you think are the most likely candidates for your storytelling this week. You might choose a story to retell because there is something you really like about the story that you want to develop in more detail  OR you might focus on a story that you don't like in its current form but which you think you can improve if you tell it your way. So, for example, if you really hate the ending of a story and want to give the story a totally different ending in your version, you can do that. That will all be within your power as the storyteller!

The idea of "reading like a writer" and taking notes that you will use for your own stories is something that might be new to you, but don't worry: you will be doing reading notes posts like this every week, and you will quickly figure out just what note-taking strategies will work best for you as a writer. For now, enjoy the stories, and write up your Reading Notes in a blog post as you go.

For the post, make sure to include the links to specific stories you mention, along with at least one image (and image information). Use the phrase "Reading Notes" in the title plus something specific (Reading Notes: Anthology, or Reading Notes: Pygmalion and Susanoo, etc.), and use "Reading, Week 2" as the labels. Here is the Declaration for Reading B:

Extra Credit

For this week's extra credit option, you can read the Buddhist Jataka Anthology. That's the Indian Epics reading assignment for this week, and you can see that it follows the same format as the Myth-Folklore Anthology you read for this class.

So, if you want to do the extra credit Reading option for this week, read through all the Jataka stories, and then write up your notes in a Reading Notes post. Then, when we get to the India module in this class in Week 5, you can read some more Jatakas if you want, and you could also use your reading notes from these stories to inspire your storytelling in Week 5. 

For the post, remember to include links to the story (or stories) that made the biggest impression on you, along with your notes about the story. Use "Reading Notes" as the post title plus something specific about the content ("Reading Notes: Jatakas" or "Reading Notes: Monkeys!" etc.), with "Reading, Week 2" as the labels. Include an image in your post also, along with image information. Here is the Declaration for the extra credit reading: