Introduction
This is a Social Studies lesson that compares the students'
perspective of a Hero with Heroes from long ago. Students
will research and compare biographies and will explore the
lives of actual people who have made a difference in their
everyday lives.
Subject: Heroes
Topic: Social Studies
Grade Level: Second Grade
What is a Hero?: Student Page
Standards
Addressed
Second Grade
Social Studies: People Who Make A Difference( 2.5 )
Students understand the importance of individual action and
character and explain how heroes from long ago and the recent
past have made a difference in other's lives (e.g., from biographies
of Abraham Lincoln, Louis Pasteur, Sitting Bull, George Washington
Carver, Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, Jackie Robinson, Sally Ride).
- Students will be able to define specific characteristics of heroes.
- Students will be able to list at least 3 contributions of individuals from various backgrounds who have influenced the history of the United States.
- Students will write a biography of their hero that will be at least 5 sentences in length and will include the characteristics that make the person a hero.
Student
Activities
- The quest to answer the question, "What is a hero?" begins with a student brainstorming session in small groups. Utilize the students ideas by compiling a class chart detailing the characteristics or traits of a hero.
- Model how to search for heroes on the Kids Click! web site. Then, navigate through the site: Biographies of famous people.
- Reinforce the class list of hero traits by using the software, "Inspiration" .
- Students will use their Hero journal to record three contributions of individuals from different backgrounds. (President, Scientist, Sports figure)
- Students will then research heroes by reading various categories of heroes on the and the "Biographies of famous people" Web page. They will record the additional information in their Hero Journal.
- Students will then write a biography of their favorite hero, including 3 traits that make a hero. The biography will also include at least 3 contributions the hero has made to influence our U.S. History. Bographies will be shared orally on 'Hero' Day. Students will dress in costume as they simulate their hero. Biographies may be published on the My Hero web page.
Have the students break into cooperative groups to brainstorm, "What is a Hero?" (What are the contributing factors to becoming a hero?, What risks did the person take to become a hero? If the person failed, how did they overcome this?) Give each group a large piece of paper and colored markers. Have the students write their team characteristics of a hero on their group papers. Have the groups present their ideas to the whole class. Keep the individual charts posted in the front of the room. Once all groups have presented, highlight the common characteristics. Utilizing the students' characteristics of heroes, view Kids Click! . and the Biographies of famous people web pages. Model the hero search by choosing specific categories to view as a whole class. Compare the traits of a hero that the students came up with to each hero viewed on the web page. Use the program, "Inspiration" to conclude this activity. Create a class web of the characteristics of a hero. Refer to some of the heroes that were researched on the web page.
- In small groups, students will formulate a definition for heroes.(Use chart paper,colored pens. Follow activity with the Inspiration Software)
- Students will be researching and reading about various historical people and their contributions to our culture.(Use Web links and books..See Additional Resources.)
- Students will be compiling their research in a table titled:
- Students will be writing a biography of their hero.
Upon the conclusion of the unit, designate a "Hero Day." Have each student come to school dressed as their hero. They will read their biography to the class. Biographies may then be published on the"My Hero" web page.
Assessment
Prior to beginning this unit, the students will discuss what they think a hero is within each cooperative group. Each group will chart their own responses.
Pre-test Template
After completing this unit , each student will be able to write a biography of his/her hero and the biography will include: a minimum of 5 sentences, 3 specific characteristics of a hero, the reason why the hero was chosen and the contribution the hero made that influenced their life.
Posttest Template
Biography Rubric Template
Results
After implementing your lesson (sometime between January & March), insert a chart of your pre-test, post-test, and culminating assessment data.
Web
Resources & Supplementary Materials
Introductory Activity:
Chart paper and
markers for individual groups
Kids Click! Biographies:
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/searchkids.pl?searchtype=subject&keywords=biography&title=Biography
My Hero:
http://myhero.com/home.asp
Inspiration Software:
http://inspiration.com/
A Great Oaks Library
Site: Biographies of famous people: http://www.roundrockisd.org/greatoaks/library/Bio_ind.htm
Biography of Ben Franklin: http://sln.fi.edu/franklin/inventor/inventor.html
Notable People: http://204.98.1.2/isu/ss/k2hist/k2noteres.html#TRsecond
Additional Resources:
John Glenn, The American Hero:http://www.pbs.org/kcet/johnglenn/
Jackie Robinson:
http://www.aafla.org/Publications/SpecialTopics/JackieRobinson/jaafbb.htm
American Presidents:http://www.dist102.k12.il.us/resources/presday/presday.htm
Martin Luther King:
http://www.martinlutherking.org/dream.htm
King Speeches: http://www.stanford.edu/group/king/
Amazon.com:
Biographies/Memoirs (Second Grade Level)
Enabling
Resources:
Permission
to Publish Student Work On-line
Teacher
Template for the "My Hero Journal"
Student
Template for the "My Hero Journal"
Happy
Valley Primary School
Anderson
Ca
Janet
Tufts (Second Grade Teacher)
Last Revised:
12/20/2000