Epic Tales

Eighth grade students have been learning about and creating a Hero’s Journey. To analyze the Hero’s Journey archetype, they watched and read different Hero’s Journey narratives, such as Pixar’s Big Hero 6, The Odyssey, A Wrinkle in Time, and The Drummer Boy of Shiloh. They applied the elements of a Hero’s Journey archetype into their own illustrated narrative with a complex, original hero who not only embarks on a challenging journey to overcome a major feat but also teaches the reader a valuable lesson about life. After they completed the steps in the writing process, including drafting, sharing and responding with peers, and revising, they published and read their stories aloud to their classmates. Their teacher, Mrs. Sheldon, says, “We have some very talented writers in 8th grade. Who will submit their Hero’s Journey to a real publisher? I’m confident there are best sellers in this collection of stories!”