Explore themes of social justice, human rights, womens' rights, and more
with lesson plans and curated content from MY HERO's Multi Media Library
National Day of Service and Remembrance: September 11th
MY HERO recommends middle school and high school students view this animated film as a remembrance of September 11th. The film depicts September 11th events, in which the principle character is the wife of a New York firefighter.
A touching animation following the wife of a firefighter during 9/11.
Read and Listen
Great for ESL Students
The story about Stephen Siller, the inspiration for the annual Tunnel to Tower Run in New York City, is available in text and audio.
Stephen Siller was a firefighter who bravely sacrificed his life to save others on 9/11.
International Day of Peace: September 21
Read stories about peace activist and Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic, and young poet and peacemaker Mattie Stepanek.
Ron Kovic: best selling author, activist and artist is honored at the MY HERO Celebration of Peace.
Mattie's poems of peace and hope have touched millions of lives.
Collection of Films about Peace for Elementary, Middle and High School Students .
Film resources for celebrating the UN International Day of Peace in the Classroom!
Hispanic Heritage Month: September
Activist Marilyn Huerta portrayed by artist Marilyn Huerta.
Hispanic activists Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez depicted by artist Marilyn Huerta.
Cesar Chavez Hispanic heritage hero and labor organizer (UFW), who tirelessly fought for farm workers in California.
Additional stories with text and audio available in the Hispanic Heritage Lesson Plan.
Story about Dr. France Cordova who is the director of the US National Science Foundation.
Story about Julissa Acre, a Mexican immigrant and social justice advocate.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Third Monday in January
Story about Martin Luther King Jr. by Congressman John Lewis.
Art by Marilyn Huerta.
John Lewis was inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr. as a young man during the Civil Rights Movement.
Marilyn Huerta paints Martin Luther King Jr's portrait as a civil rights leader and non violent activist.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day:January 27
Holocaust Survivor Dana Schwartz recounts her life in the Lvov Ghetto during the Holocaust.
Two films about Holocaust Survivors .
Tipping Scales' follows the journey of a young woman on the Kindertransport from Vienna to London in 1938.
This story about Anne Frank is in text and audio so students are able to read and listen.
Black History Month: February
Black History Month: Civil Rights and World Leaders
Black History Month: Heroes in Music, Art, and Literature
Black History Month: Heroes in Sports.
Black History Month: Heroes in the Sciences
Women's History Month: March
Story and photograph of the first United States Congresswoman Jeanne Rankin. Additional resources in the Women's Equality Day link.
Story about Jeanette Rankin, the first Congresswoman in the United States.
Jeanette Rankin speaks to a crowd in Montana.
Women's Equality Day Lesson Plan
Global Youth Service Day: April 12-14
Film and story about youth making a difference.
Additional resources available in the Global Youth Day Multimedia Lesson Plan.
Young Olivia loves birds, and created over 500 paintings of her feathered friends to raise funds for Audubon's bird rescue.
Having survived the February 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting Florida, Emma co-founded the gun-control groups Never Again and March for Our Lives.
International Day of UN Peacekeepers: May 29
Defying Death in South Sudan is a short film directed by Francis Mead. The film tells the remarkable story of hero Ken Payumo who protected thousands of civilians in South Sudan during the height of the violence in the country in December 2013.
Hero Ken Payumo protected thousands of civilians in South Sudan.
World Refugee Day: June 20
Film about three Syrians are forced to adapt to new lives as refugees in Jordan's Zaatari camp.
The film Bashir's Dream centers around Qusai Bashir Masaama, a 14-year-old Syrian refugee in Jordan shot in the back.
The Global Refugee Mural created by Joel Bergner with Action Ashe! Global Mural Project is in Maryland.
International Youth Day: August 12
Youth Hero Stories:
Bilaal Rajan is working to make the world a better place for disadvantaged children. Greta Thunberg has become a global climate activist.
Bilaal Rajan is the founder of Making Change Now and Canada's child ambassador to UNICEF.
On the first day, Greta Thunberg, a climate activist with aspbergers, who has become a leader of youth.
Mendy Kanu started the Children's Foundation of Technology in Sierra Leone to bring education to children in poverty. Listen to his students' song. (4:32 minutes)
Mendy started the Children's Foundation of Technology Sierra Leone to serve the disadvantaged youth in his community. Slater is a climate activist who has become a documentary film maker.
Director Slater Jewell-Kemker shares her journey with MY HERO.
World Humanitarian Day: August 19
This spectacular film follows the work of doctors who provide eye surgeries to the people of Nepal.
Films about humanitarian heroes in Nepal and Somalia.
Dr. Hawa Abdi's began treating and housing local people fleeing the fighting on her family farm in Somalia.
International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition: August 23
Art and Essays About Former Slaves who Became Abolitionists.
Portrait of Frederick Douglass by Robert Shetterly, Americans Who Tell the Truth.
Frederick Douglass courageously spoke out against slavery and was a trusted advisor to Abraham Lincoln.
Portrait of Sojourner Truth by Robert Shetterly, Americans Who Tell the Truth.
Sojourner Truth born into slavery, worked for the freedom of all.
The House of Slaves in the Island of Goree where slaves had been kept prior to being shipped overseas. The artist portrays the symbol of pain but also the doorway to emancipation.
MY HERO Multimedia Social Studies Lesson Plans
A national holiday celebrating the contributions of Hispanic and Latino heroes.
Share the importance of the heroes of 9/11 with your students.
International Day of Peace Multimedia Lesson Plan.
Learn about a New Hero Every Day of the Year: Use the MY HERO Calendar in the Classroom
Students can share their Hero Essays, Films and Art through our Create Program
Outstanding essays submitted to MY HERO will be considered for a certificate/t-shirt prize or be featured on the Story Homepage.
Submit your artwork to be entered in the MY HERO art contest or to be exhibited on our Gallery Homepage.
Students can submit their films for free with a waiver to the MY HERO International Film Festival.
Organizer created on 8/21/2019 8:38:29 AM by Laura Nietzer
Last edited 12/30/2019 3:34:33 PM by Laura Nietzer
