Exploring Real-Life Heroes
by Marzieh Abedi of iEARNSubject Arts - Visual, English/Language Arts, Social Studies, Character Education
This can be done independently but it is recommended that it follows the Defining and Discussing the Concept of a Hero Lesson Plan. Students will research and discuss real-life heroes, identifying key characteristics that make someone a hero.
Introduction (10 minutes):
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Recap Previous Session: Briefly review what was discussed in the first session about the concept of a hero.
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Introduce Today's Focus: Explain that today, students will explore real-life heroes and understand what qualities make someone a hero.
Activity 1: Hero Research (20 minutes):
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Divide Students: Split students into small groups and assign each group a real-life hero to research. If you have a variety of heroes, ensure each group has a different one to explore.
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Research Task: Each group uses the internet to research their assigned hero, focusing on their achievements, challenges they faced, and the impact they’ve had. They should also identify key characteristics that make this person a hero.
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Worksheet (optional): Provide a worksheet with prompts like "What are the key achievements of this hero?" and "What characteristics of this hero stand out to you?"
Activity 2: Group Discussion (15 minutes):
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Share Findings: Have each group present their hero to the class. They should share:
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Who the hero is
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Major achievements or contributions
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Key characteristics that make this person a hero
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Class Discussion: After each presentation, facilitate a class discussion on the characteristics of heroes, noting common traits and differences.
Activity 3: Reflection (10 minutes):
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Individual Reflection: Ask students to write a brief reflection on which real-life hero they found most inspiring and why. They should mention the characteristics that appealed to them.
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Sharing Reflections: Invite a few students to share their reflections with the class.
Conclusion (5 minutes):
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Wrap-Up: Summarize the key characteristics of heroes discussed and explain how these traits will help them in choosing and presenting their own heroes in future sessions.
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Preview Next Session: Briefly introduce the focus of the next session, where students will start introducing their own heroes.
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Hero Profile Assignment: Ask students to start thinking about a real-life hero they admire (this could be someone from their family, community, or any public figure) and prepare to discuss why they consider this person a hero in the next session. They should note down the key characteristics and achievements of this person.