Everyday Heroes

Unit Overview: Each year the 8th graders in English Language Arts classes read novels such as
The Lightning Thief and The Outsiders. Each of these novels has an unlikely yet everyday hero.
The Lightning Thiefs main character is Percy Jackson, a teen with ADHD and dyslexia who
discovers that he must overcome his problems to help rescue the world from the battling Greek
gods and goddesses. In The Outsiders, Johnny Cade is a Greaser, a gang member from the poor
section of town. Even though Johnny is hiding from the police after a crime, he is still a hero by
risking his life to save children from a burning building.
The English Language Arts (ELA) classes are often receive assistance from the media specialist
who can locate resources, help with lesson plans, and assist with classes. The entire current ELA
unit is entitled " Heroes. The second section of the overall unit is about historical heroes. The
main literary focus is fictional work including parts of novels, short stories, poems, and multimedia, and the minor literary focus is on informational texts that support the same theme.
Students also do research and technology assignments to connect the theme to their 21st-century
inquiry skills and digital fluency. Three of the lessons contained in this overall unit are as
follows:
Mini Lesson #1 What is a Hero?
Mini Lesson #2 Heroes among Us
Mini Lesson #3 Which Superhero am I?

Mini Lesson #1 What is a Hero?

After reading the novel of their choice as well as the support texts in Springboard,
students will begin a research and extension project based on heroes. The first lesson deals with
ethical use of technology while researching their topics and information. This lesson will take
two class periods in the media center and classroom.
Guiding Question: What is a hero really other than a character in a comic book?
Standards (CCGPS): CC.6.R.I.1 Key Ideas and Details: Cite textual evidence to
support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from
the text.
CC.6.SL.2 Comprehension and Collaboration: Interpret
information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively,
orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.

Standards (AASL): 1.1.4 Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions.
1.3.1 Respect copyright/intellectual property rights of creators and
producers.
4.1.2 Read widely and fluently to make connections with own self, the
world, and previous reading.
1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g.,
textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.
3.3.3 Use knowledge and information skills and dispositions to engage in
public conversation and debate around issues of common concern.
4.3.2 Recognize that resources are created for a variety of purposes.
4.4.4 Interpret new information based on cultural and social context.
Digital Fluency and Inquiry Learning: During this mini lesson, students will learn about
ethical digital citizenship (giving credit for sources), how to find the information they are
looking for, and how to judge how good (the quality) of their sources. Part of their inquiry
learning for this lesson is to use technology effectively and deepen their understanding of how to
search for info as well as what a hero is.
Technology Tools: Students will be using resources such as a Bag the Web list of research and
ethical use sites and search engines such as Google and Galileo. These technology tools will be
used to enhance students' learning and research skills. Students will also be using a web 2/0
creation tool (Wordle, Tagxedo, Tagul, Thinglink, Storyboardthat, Glogster).
Technology Link for Lesson: http://www.bagtheweb.com/b/mBhZQo (copy and paste URL
into browser address bar for best results). This Bag the Web list will allow students to view
videos on copyright, plagiarism, and fair use laws. There are also links for them to see how to
cite the information they find during their searches for the next two lessons. Finally students can
take the scavenger hunt or copyright quiz to test their understanding.
Activity/Assessment: Students will use the Bag the Web list to review information on
copyright, plagiarism, and fair use laws. This activity is to help with remembering and
understanding of the concepts (Bloom's Taxonomy) so that they can apply them in later lessons.
After viewing and interacting with the links, quizzes, and videos, students will also use a web 2.0
tool to create their definition of what a hero is (based on the readings the students did from the
unit). This definition will help students prepare for lesson #2 when they research heroes in their
communities or lives and activate prior knowledge of examples of heroes.
Student Checklist for Lesson #1

Item

Completed (Initial When

Done)

Follow Up (Questions,
Comments for the Teacher)

1. View copyright videos

from BagtheWeb
2.
View all links on
BagtheWeb
3. Take at least one of the
online quizzes to check for
knowledge
4. Create "hero" definition
and email URL to teacher

Mini Lesson #2 Heroes among Us

After the lesson on ethical use of technology, students will research heroes as well as
identify heroes in their own lives, community, or the world. This lesson will take three class
periods in the media center and classroom.
Guiding Question: How do heroes impact the lives of others and make their world better
because they are a part of it?
Standards (CCGPS): CC.6.R.I.7 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: Integrate
information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as
well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.

Standards (AASL): 1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g.,
textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.
1.1.7 Make sense of information gathered from diverse sources by
identifying misconceptions, main and supporting ideas, conflicting information, and point
of view or bias.
2.1.1 Continue an inquiry-based research process by applying critical
thinking skills (analysis, synthesis, evaluation, organization) to information and
knowledge in order to construct new understandings, draw conclusions, and create new
knowledge.
2.1.3 Use strategies to draw conclusions from information and apply
knowledge to curricular areas, real world situations, and further investigations.

Digital Fluency and Inquiry Learning: During this lesson students will have the opportunity
to connect to experts as well as make appropriate use of technology to search for deeper
understanding of the theme "everyday hero." Students will demonstrate ethical citizenship
during their computer usage by evaluating their sources, sharing their information, and citing
evidence. Students will have to know the type of information they are looking for, finding the
information, assessing the information, and using it.
Technology Tools: Technology for this lesson will be used to enhance the theme of "heroes" and
make a real-world connection to what a hero can be. Students will use the List.ly curation tool
provided by the instructor as a starting point for researching local and everyday heroes. Students
then expand on this list by finding their own examples of heroes and sharing these examples.
Before students share their findings, they will have the opportunity to interview their hero (if
local and applicable), Skype their hero (if applicable), or post comments to their heroes blog,
Twitter, or site (if applicable) to use technology as a tool to collaborate and extend learning
outside the classroom environment.
Technology Links: https://www.listly.it/1198 (copy and paste URL into browser address bar for
best results)
This List.ly curated list provides students with a starting point to develop, refine, and extend
their definition of an everyday hero. This link will provide video clips, news articles, websites,
and other sources to provide real-world examples of heroes.
Activity/Assessment: Students will be using Bloom's Taxonomy levels of analyzing and
evaluating during this activity. Once students view the information provided in List.ly, they will
use a variety of internet tools (Skype, Twitter, search engines, email) to find an example of an
everyday hero. This hero can be local, in their family, or someone they have discovered through
their search.

Mini Lesson #3 Which Superhero am I?

Students will develop plans to improve their own community and the world by becoming
heroes themselves. For example, students may develop an after-school tutoring program to help
struggling readers, may donate time at a local animal shelter, or may create a program for at-risk
teens. This lesson will take three class periods in the media center and classroom, but students
can then continue to work on their community projects throughout the year.
Guiding Question: What can I do to make my community, world, and those around me better?
Standards (CCGPS): CC.6.SL.2 Comprehension and Collaboration: Interpret
information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively,
orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.

CC.6.W.2.a Text Types and Purposes: Introduce a topic;

organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition,
classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g.,
headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding
comprehension.

Standards (AASL): 1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g.,
textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.
3.3.3 Use knowledge and information skills and dispositions to engage in
public conversation and debate around issues of common concern.
4.3.2 Recognize that resources are created for a variety of purposes.
4.4.4 Interpret new information based on cultural and social context.
1.1.1 Follow an inquiry-based process in seeking
knowledge in curricular subjects and make the real world connection for using this
process in own life.

Digital Fluency and Inquiry Learning: Students will show success and a deep understanding
of the theme of "everyday hero" by using the knowledge gained in previous lessons and readings
to create authentic assessments which require students to move beyond searching the internet to
creating new materials and sharing them on the internet. These ideas can then be used by
themselves and others to help, assist, and improve the world for others.
Technology Tools: Students will use a variety of tools to research, create, and present their
plans for becoming everyday heroes. Groups of students have the option to create a blog, wiki,
or infographic to develop and share their plan. Students may also use tools such as Movie Maker
or Camtasia to record an infomercial for their plan. These technology tools are used to extend
student learning into the world and make learning relevant and "real."
Technology Links: http://learni.st/users/BowenTide/boards/112219-everyday-hero-creationtools (please copy and paste the URL in the browser address bar for best results)
The instructor will provide a Leani.st list for students as a resource for their presentations.
Students may collaborate in groups as large as five, but they may also work with additional
groups and help others with their creations by editing, posting, or revising.
Activity/Assessment: The activity and assessment for this lesson will use Bloom's Taxonomy
levels of evaluate and create. Students will research a need that they see in their area or in the
world. Students will then create and develop a plan to help meet that need. The assessment will
be the infographic, infomercial, wiki, or blog created to assist with the need. For example,
students have previously created a "meet the need" group whose purpose was to help school
children in Africa. These children did not have the necessary shoes needed to help them walk to

school. The "Meet the Need" group gathered old blue jeans and other materials in order to make
recycled sandals and then shipped them overseas.