From the Americans Who Tell the Truth portrait series
MY HERO Project seeks unique works of art by professional and student artists that celebrate the lives and courageous acts of heroes who work to promote change by positively affecting others and their communities. Completed artwork should reflect thoughtful ideas to show how the selected hero demonstrates heroic action and creates positive social change.
Enter the MY Hero Songwriting/Music Video Contest!
Oct. 1st Deadline!
Students will define what a hero is and discuss various interpretations of heroism.
Students will understand the qualities and characteristics that make someone a hero.
Markers/Chalk
Sticky notes or index cards
Projector/Screen (optional for multimedia)
Handouts with guiding questions (optional)
1. Introduction (10 minutes)
Warm-Up Activity: Start with a brief discussion asking students to think of a person they consider a hero. This could be someone from their personal life, a historical figure, or a fictional character.
Objective Overview: Explain that today’s lesson will focus on defining what makes someone a hero and exploring different perspectives on heroism.
2. Definition of a Hero (15 minutes)
Group Brainstorming: Divide students into small groups. Ask each group to brainstorm and write down their definitions of a hero on sticky notes or index cards.
Class Discussion: Have each group share their definitions with the class. Write these definitions on the whiteboard to create a comprehensive list of ideas.
Discussion Points: Discuss common themes and differences in the definitions. Highlight key characteristics such as bravery, selflessness, and impact on others.
3. Characteristics of Heroes (15 minutes)
Guiding Questions: Pose questions to the class to explore the qualities of heroes. For example:
What qualities do all heroes have in common?
Can heroes be ordinary people? Why or why not?
How do heroes make a difference in their communities or the world?
Class Discussion: Use the whiteboard to list these qualities and discuss how they apply to different examples of heroes.
4. Real-Life and Fictional Heroes (10 minutes)
Examples: Provide examples of both real-life heroes (e.g., activists, scientists) and fictional heroes (e.g., superheroes, characters from literature). Discuss what makes these examples heroic.
Student Input: Ask students to provide additional examples and explain why they consider these figures to be heroes.
5. Wrap-Up and Reflection (10 minutes)
Summary: Summarize the key points discussed during the lesson. Emphasize that heroism can take many forms and is often defined by personal and cultural perspectives.
Reflection Activity: Have students write a short paragraph or draw a picture reflecting on what they learned about heroism and who they consider to be a hero in their own lives.
Hero Journal: Ask students to start a hero journal where they can write about or draw their thoughts on heroism throughout the unit. They can use this journal to document their reflections, ideas, and any heroes they encounter in their daily lives.
Hero Journal: Students to start a hero journal where they write about or draw their thoughts on heroism throughout the unit. They can use this journal to document their reflections, ideas, and any heroes they encounter in their daily lives.
