Overview
Key Staff
Primary instructor
Key Skills
Developing Arts Literacies:
Analyzing and Evaluating - Critique
Global Connections:
Connecting to History and Culture
Creative Thinking:
Communication and Collaboration
Summary
In a world with few real heroes, students will recognize the positive character traits of heroes as depicted in music, art and literature. All cultures and societies have produced folk, military, religious, political, and artistic heroes. In this lesson, the class will break into groups and write a working definition of a hero which they will present to the class. Students will discuss multi-media representations of heroes as well as cultural differences among who is considered a hero. The teacher will provide various works of art depicting heroes, and the students will choose one hero to research for an essay.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Identify characteristics that are common to heroes, and recognize qualities that are exceptional in certain heroes.
- Recognize heroes from many diverse cultures.
- Discuss how heroes can be any type of person who has accomplished an inspiring action.
- Work in groups to create a working definition of a hero.
- Present their findings to the class.
- Examine works of art, literature and music that depict historical, legendary, or contemporary heroes.
- Individually select a hero from one of these media to research as the subject of an expository essay topic.
- Research the style, medium, and time period in which this hero was depicted.
Teaching Approach
- Arts Inclusion
- Interdisciplinary
Teaching Methods
- Discovery Learning
- Self-Directed Learning
- Research
- Cooperative Learning
- Direct Instruction
Assessment Type
Determined by Teacher
Preparation
What You'll Need
Materials
Resources:
Required Technology
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- 1 Computer per Classroom
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- 1 Computer per Learner
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- 1 Computer per Small Group
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- Projector
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- Speakers
Lesson Setup
Teacher Background
Teachers should read The Hero in Classical Music.
Prior Student Knowledge
Students will need:
Prior Activities
Hero Quotes
Physical Space
Classroom
Grouping
- Large Group Instruction
- Small Group Instruction
Staging
Post hero quotes around the classroom
Accessibility Notes
English Language Learners should be encouraged to reference the art, literature, and traditions of their native cultures.
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Instruction
Resources in Reach
Here are the resources you'll need for each activity, in order of instruction.
Engage
Build Knowledge
Apply
Reflect
Assessment Rubric
Introduction
The hero plays an important role in every culture through its art, music, drama and especially its literature. It reflects the values of a culture as well as its ideals.
Engage
1. Begin by introducing the concept of a hero in society.
2. Read aloud a well-known account of a hero and heroic action, such as a Greek myth.
3. Using this character as an example, have the class begin to draft a list of the characteristics and qualities of a hero that were presented in the story. Widen their concept of a hero by guiding the discussion to talk about heroes from areas such as politics, religion, history, folktales, and art.
4. Brainstorm a list of as many heroes as possible and then create a chart with the heroes on one axis and the characteristics on the other. Check off the qualities as they apply to each hero. You may wish to distribute the Heroic Qualities handout located under 'Resources in Reach' so students can create their own charts.
Build Knowledge
1. Have student groups create working definitions of a hero. Break the class into small cooperative learning groups. Instruct the groups to create a working definition of a hero including every possible description of this individual. Encourage them to explore and answer the questions in the small group discussion questions handout, located under 'Resources in Reach'.
2. Have each group present its findings to the class. Keep running lists of the traits that were most common amongst the groups and of the most unusual adjectives and descriptions for a hero.
3. Lead the students in a group discussion of the variety of types and qualities of heroes.
4. Introduce different works of art depicting deeds of heroic figures, available on the following Web sites:
You may wish to project the images from the Internet using an LCD projector or pass out copies of the works to the class.
5. Comment on the various examples presented. Identify styles of art, media, historical periods, composition, and interpretation of subject matter.
Apply
1.
Students will independently examine depictions of heroes in a variety of media, including art and music.
Encourage the students to examine these depictions of heroes while keeping in mind the depictions of heroes questions in the Discussion Questions handout located under 'Resources in Reach':
Reflect
Each of the students will select a work of art depicting a hero and write an expository essay on this piece. They may either select from the reproductions shown in class or select a work of art on their own, subject to approval. Students will each write a two-page, double-spaced expository essay on this work of art. You may find the hero analysis writing prompt under 'Resources in Reach'.
Assessment Rubric
Evaluate students’ essays on the following criteria using the assessment rubric located under 'Resources in Reach'
Recommended Resources
Key Vocabulary
hero: a character whose actions are inspiring
mythic: existing only in myth; legendary, relating to traditional stories originating in pre-literate societies
composition: the organization of parts; design of a work of art
descriptive analyses: method to classify and explore an artists' style, medium, historical period, and
interpretation of subject matter
medium: a mode of artistic expression, technique, materials
style: a distinctive or characteristic manner
theme: an idea, point of view, or description embodied in a work of art
Extending the Learning
Have students refine their scripts in a writer’s workshop format (integrating peer and faculty feedback). Then, have them cast and rehearse the scene. Scenes could be performed for other students or parents and teachers.
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Standards
The National Standards For Arts Education:
Theater
Grade 9-12 Theater Standard 2: Acting by developing, communicating, and sustaining characters in improvisations and informal or formal productions
Grade 9-12 Theater Standard 4: Directing by interpreting dramatic texts and organizing and conducting rehearsals for informal or formal productions
Grade 9-12 Theater Standard 5: Researching by evaluating and synthesizing cultural and historical information to support artistic choices
Language Arts
Language Arts Standard 7:
Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational...
