Heroes and Heroines

Activity 1 - My hero

What makes someone a hero? Who do you look up to in your family? Did you have a hero
at school? Tell us about him/her. Can you think of any anti-heroes?
Think of a famous hero and imagine you are that person. Stand at the front of the class
and answer the students' questions. You can only answer 'yes' or 'no'. They will try to
guess who you are. (Ask for volunteers, and if they can't think of a hero give them one
of these.)

Mahatma Gandhi, James Bond, Nelson Mandela, Superman, Robin Hood,

Bob Marley, Princess Diana, Che Guevara, Neil Armstrong, Mother Theresa,
Abraham Lincoln, Leonardo da Vinci, Joan of Arc, Martin Luther King

Activity 2 - Balloon debate

(Elicit the names of two historically important people. Then draw a picture of a balloon on
the board, with someone jumping out of it.)

Work in two groups. (Allocate one of the important people to each group.) The balloon has
a leak and it can only carry one person. Convince me that your person should be the one
to survive. Why is he/she more useful to the human race than the other person? Discuss
your arguments and take turns to present them. I'll decide who has to jump.

Work in groups of five for another balloon debate. Each choose a famous person and
prepare the reasons why you should stay and the others should jump. When you have
finished, vote for the winner.

(Variation: This can be played with professions instead of individuals, e.g. lawyer, doctor.)