One of the textbooks we use in class is Spellbound.  This textbook is unique because it has a fantasy theme. As a fan of the fantasy genre myself, I have really enjoyed using it in class.  As we go through the book, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the Legend of King Arthur. These lessons inspired me to create a lesson and teach the class about the stories and characters from the legends of King Arthur.

I asked Lesley about making a lesson about King Arthur for this class, and she thought it was a good idea.  I spent a few weeks researching and making a PowerPoint presentation for this lesson. It was difficult because many of the symbols and themes from King Arthur come from Christianity, and Japan is a very non-religious country.  I had to take extra time to explain the importance of things like The Holy Grail.  Another problem I had was I got a little too excited to teach a subject I am so interested in. This resulted in my including too much information at one time and potentially confusing students.  I wanted to give them all the information possible when I should have focused on just the most important information. Lesley told me about that mistake after my first lesson and the second week I adjusted, and it seemed to go a lot better. 

Overall, it was a great learning experience for everyone in the class. My favorite moment was the reaction of the students when I told them about Excalibur. There was a chorus of “Ehhhhhhhhh?”  Many students have heard that name before in manga, anime, or movies. However, now they knew the true origin and importance of the name.  The students weren’t the only ones who learned something, I learned a great deal from this lesson. Specifically, tailoring your information for your audience.  I am excited to see the students’ presentations about their Arthurian characters and I hope I inspired some of them to go home and research more about this subject on their own.