Standards-Based Lessons Using MY HERO

By Sara Armstrong, Ph.D.

Teachers engage students with stories from the MY HERO online archive in a variety of ways, and meet state standards at the same time.   There are at least a couple of paths to achieving this goal.   One way begins with challenging students to select and read stories from the MY HERO site in a particular hero category, such as Peacemakers, and then reflect on how the stories might affect a change in their school or community.   Another way is to start with a standard and build a lesson that will incorporate MY HERO content.  

Every state has developed standards for reading, writing, technology use, and performance or presentation skills. Particular standards can be be identified and applied to assignments as they are developed.   For example, the Illinois Learning Standard for English Language Arts for late elementary students expects that students will meet three standards:

*          A. Apply word analysis and vocabulary skills to comprehend selections.

*          B. Apply reading strategies to improve understanding and fluency.

*          C. Comprehend a broad range of reading materials.

By reading MY HERO stories, reflecting on the lessons in the stories and applying student ideas to personal and local situations, these standards can be met.

When teachers ask students to select a hero and write about him or her, research, writing, and revision activities address standards.   For example, Grade 5 English Language Arts Standards for Writing in California include Writing Strategies: Evaluation and Revision: 1.6: Edit and revise manuscripts to improve the meaning and focus of writing by adding, deleting, consolidating, clarifying, and rearranging words and sentences.

These writing activities would be undertaken before student work was approved for posting on the MY HERO Web site--adding another dimension to the writing: publishing to a wide audience.   Research shows that students pay more attention to the quality of their written work when they know it will be available to online readers around the world.  

In Texas, Social Studies Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Grade 3 in History include a requirement that "the student understands how individuals, events, and ideas have influenced the history of various communities," and "can identify individuals such as Pierre-Charles L'Enfant who have helped to shape communities."   When students write about individuals they know or find out have been important to the area in which they live, they will have created hero stories to satisfy this standard as well as generated interesting local information to include on the MY HERO Web site.

Alaska's performance standard for Skills for Healthy Life in ages 15-18, Content Standard D suggests that "a student should be able to contribute to the well-being of families and communities." The standards document includes several parts, and states that "a student who meets the content standard should: 

4. identify and evaluate the roles and influences of public and private organizations that contribute to the well-being of communities.

6. use various methods of communication to promote community well-being."   Students who develop stories of local heroes who have made a difference in their communities that would be published on MY HERO address these criteria.

The wider challenge that "students locate, select, and synthesize information from a variety of texts, media, references, and technological sources to acquire and communicate knowledge" required of 5 th graders in Louisiana's English Language Arts standards includes competency in writing, researching, and using technological tools.   Preparing MY HERO stories allows students to participate in all these activities.

Finally, by challenging students to locate heroes on the MY HERO Web site that are of interest and read their stories, standards such as North Carolina's Grade 11 Information Skills Competency Goal 3: "The learner will relate ideas and information to life experiences" can be met in an interesting and engaging way.   Students can then extend their understanding by writing about their own heroes and posting the stories on the MY HERO Web site.

Standards in reading, writing, research, presentation, technology, social studies, and life skills can be addressed by having students read MY HERO stories, research their own heroes, write their stories, and share their ideas with the world.

(For State Standards, along with links to resources on curriculum areas, famous people, and current events, visit netTrekker at http://standards.nettrekker.com/subject/?standards=1).