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PORTRAIT OF A HERO
Dear parents,
Some people say that kids these days lack heroes. Is that true? If they do have them, who are they, and what makes them heroes?
The term "hero" can be traced back to ancient Greece and was a term used to describe mortals who had done something so extraordinary as to make them legendary. (Remember Hercules?) Today, heroes symbolize human excellence; they inspire us to be our best selves. We need heroes.
In the weeks ahead, grades 5 and 6 are going to explore the topic of heroes as we embark on a different kind of research paper. Today some of us completed an introductory survey titled, "What Makes a Hero?" as a way of framing our thinking about the many heroes/courageous people who have shaped history. Students will choose one of these people to showcase in a powerpoint that will include the following:
• a biography
• a quote that somehow demonstrates the values and beliefs of the person of choice
• a summary of his/her accomplishments
• a photo album
• a page describing how his/her accomplishments changed this person's life, and
• how the world has changed or can be changed because of him/her
• a bibliography
• Options: Videos, Podcasts, Poetry, Music, News Broadcasts, Stop-Motion Animation, Movie-maker clipInteresting Facts
I want everyone to peruse the following sites (and others they may find useful) and be thoughtful in choosing a hero or courageous person with whom they can "connect." (After all, they're going to be spending a considerable amount of time together in the days to come...)
Please help your child sift through the sites below as they conduct their search:
- The MY HERO Project. Click on content to see what they have to offer!
- MY HERO Directory. Choose the type of hero you'd like to research
- Site Map of Many Heroes -- another good directory (look on the left)
- MY HERO Search -- for specific information
- Explorers of Land or Sea
- Explorers of Ideas
- Explorers of the Skies
- Explorers of the Arts
- Inventor Heroes
- Science Heroes
- Environmental Heroes
- Earth Day Heroes
- Earthkeeper Heroes scroll down to find thumbnail descriptions
- Heroes Around the World
- Heroes of History
- Women Heroes. Click on the moving pictures.
- Young Heroes
For later:
Citation Machine--for online help making bibliographies (click on MLA style)
We'll be talking about this a lot more in the days ahead.
Have a good evening, everyone.
Teri
