Comparing and Contrasting
Heroes
by Jerrilyn Jacobs, Taft
High School
Subject
Area: All
Grade
level: Adaptable
for all
Overview/Purpose:
To identify qualities and
characteristics that go into making someone
a hero and the values and choices common
to all heroes.
Objectives:
-
To find the similarities
and differences between heroes.
-
To identify values that
drive heroic action.
-
To identify situations
and choices that generate heroic actions.
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Resources/Materials:
Enough computers with Internet
access to comfortably accommodate your class.
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Activities
and Procedures:
Step
One:
Go online to www.myhero.com
and choose two heroes from the same category
in the Directory.
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Step
Two:
Read the first story, with
students taking notes on the person’s
background, characteristics, and actions.
Mark with a star those qualities or actions
which seem most important in making this
person a hero.
Read the second story, with
students taking a second set of notes on
this person’s background, characteristics,
and actions. Mark with a star those qualities
or actions which seem most important in
making this person a hero.
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Step
Three:
Draw overlapping circles
(Venn diagram) or make three long columns
on a piece of paper. Where the circles overlap,
or in the middle column, brainstorm things
that the two heroes have in common. Record
their differences in the outside areas.
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Step
Four:
Use the diagrams to generate
a discussion about what values or actions
the heroes have in common, and what values
seem most important in defining a hero.
Identify categories within the information.
For example:
- How do your heroes compare
when it comes to family background (ethnicity,
geographical location, economic status,
family status)?
- What was their career/job,
and was this work related to their heroism?
- Compare the heroic actions
themselves, analyzing whether individuals
worked alone or as part of a larger group,
if their actions were acceptable or had
critics, etc.
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Extension
Activity Ideas:
Use the information to write
a compare/contrast essay.
Have two students pretend
to be each of the heroes being compared, and
let them present to the class how they are
similar and different, speaking in the first
person. Costumes or props can be added.
Have each student pick a hero
and do a Venn diagram comparing information
about the hero to his or her own life. Also
identify areas where the hero shows inspirational
characteristics the student would like to
emulate in his or her own life.
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Created by Jerrilyn Jacobs, Curriculum Consultant
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