Your Personal Odyssey Project

This project is designed to help you to creatively illustrate your life’s journey up to this point. If done thoughtfully, the end result will be something you will want to keep for years and years—perhaps even so that you might share it with your own children one day. Do your best!

Step 1: Answer the questions on the accompanying handout. Be honest, but politically correct (you know what that means…).

Don’t get all bogged down if you can’t think of anything at first. Ask your friends and family—those who know you best—to help you think of examples for each category.

Step 2: Place each story in order as it has occurred in your life. Some stories (like the one called for in “Singing Your Praises”) can go anywhere, but most of them can be lined up chronologically.

Step 3: Label the category boxes on the 3-page timeline provided. (Obviously, you will start with “The Journey Begins” to tell about your birthdate and any of the stories you know about the day you were born.) Below each box, estimate the year, or the age you were when these things occurred.

Step 4: Complete a “Map to Organization” graphic organizer for each one of your stories. See the diagram on the back of these instructions for suggestions for each category on the graphic organizer. You will have 15 (yes, fifteen) when you are done.

Step 5: Locate pictures or artifacts that you can use to enhance each element of your story. If you have no pictures, you are welcome to draw or sketch things that will make your story appear more interesting.

CONGRATULATIONS! All of the above counts as 1 summative (test) grade. However, you are only 75% complete! At this point, Ms. B. needs to review your work. When it is returned to you, you can then put it in its final form.

Step 5: The final project. Remember, this project represents your journey. The presentation of this journey can be in one of the following forms:

A. A poster or set of posters that include each part of your journey in a linear fashion (timeline with the stories indicated on it).

B. A hand-made scrapbook/journal with each of your stories on a different page. (See examples from Ms. Blankenship.)

C. A computer Powerpoint or Prezi show. Note, this will have to be completed outside of the classroom, but can be accepted via email, flash drive, or CD.

D. A personal web page. Each element must be properly identified.

Remember, this is ultimately a WRITING project. The creative element is important, but it should not supersede your WRITING.

Here are suggestions for how to complete the graphic organizers for each element of your odyssey. This becomes the backbone of the story, but does NOT constitute the final project! Once you have done this, you should have a good idea of what each part of your story will look and sound like.