Lesson Plan
Title:Defining a Hero: Prometheus
Subject:English/Language Arts
Grade Level:6
Overview:
Students will understand characteristics that make up a hero.
Approximate Duration:2 fifty minute class periods
Content Standards:
  • Standard 1
    Students read, comprehend, and respond to a range of materials, using a variety of strategies for different purposes.
  • Standard 2
    Students write competently for a variety of purposes and audiences.
  • Standard 6
    Students read, analyze, and respond to literature as a record of life experiences.
  • Standard 7
    Students apply reasoning and problem solving skills to reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, and visually representing.

Benchmarks:
  • ELA-1-M4
    interpreting texts with supportive explanations to generate connections to real-life situations and other texts (e.g., business, technical, scientific);
  • ELA-1-M1
    using knowledge of word meaning and developing basic and technical vocabulary using various strategies (e.g., context clues, affixes, etymology, dictionary);
  • ELA-2-M6
    writing as a response to texts and life experiences (e.g., letters, journals, lists).
  • ELA-6-M1
    identifying, comparing, and responding to United States and world literature that represents the experiences and traditions of diverse ethnic groups;
  • ELA-6-M2
    identifying, comparing, and responding to a variety of classic and contemporary literature from many genres (e.g., folktales, legends, myths, biography, autobiography, poetry, fiction, nonfiction, novels, drama);
  • ELA-6-M3
    classifying various genres according to their unique characteristics.
  • ELA-7-M4
    distinguishing fact from opinion and probability, skimming and scanning for facts, determining cause and effect, inductive and deductive reasoning, generating inquiry, and making connections with real-life situations across texts.

Grade-Level Expectations (GLEs):
  • Reading and Responding
Grade 6
Identify word meanings using a variety of strategies, including:
(ELA-1-M1)
Explain the connections between ideas and information in a variety of texts (e.g., journals, technical specifications, advertisements) and real-life situations and other texts
(ELA-1-M4)
Compare and contrast cultural characteristics (e.g., customs, traditions, viewpoints) found in national, world, and multicultural literature
(ELA-6-M1)
Compare and contrast elements (e.g., plot, setting, characters, theme) in a variety of genres
(ELA-6-M2)
Use knowledge of the distinctive characteristics to classify and interpret elements of various genres, including:
(ELA-6-M3)
Analyze grade-appropriate print and nonprint texts using various reasoning skills, including:
(ELA-7-M4)
  • Writing
Write for various purposes, including:
(ELA-2-M6)
Educational Technology Standards:
  • Understand and apply common troubleshooting techniques.
  • Demonstrate the operations of a computer (e.g., touch-keyboarding skills, save, organize and back-up files) and other peripheral devices (scanner, digital and video cameras, VCR, laser disc player) at an intermediate level.
  • Compose and edit a multi-page document with appropriate formatting using word-processing skills. (e.g., menu, tool bars, dialog boxes, spell check, thesaurus, page layout, headers and footers, word count, margins, tabs, spacing, columns, page orientation)
  • Use information, media, and technology in a responsible manner which includes following the school's acceptable use policy, adhering to copyright laws, respecting the rights of others, and employing proper etiquette in all forms of communication.
  • Use multimedia tools and desktop publishing to develop and present computer-generated projects for directed and independent learning activities.

Objectives:
The 6th Grade learner will
• Brainstorm definition of a contemporary hero or heroine
• Collect a variety of magazine and newspaper articles depicting real people in acts of heroism
• Groups will design a hero poster in programs such as Paint
• Read the story of Prometheus recording notes in a program such as Microsoft Word under the headings Action, Motivation & Consequences.
Lesson Materials and Resources:
Magazines or newspapers with articles depicting real people in acts of heroism
Story of Prometheus
Technology Tools and Materials:
Hardware:
Computer
Printer
Palm
Software:
Paint
Microsoft Word
Websites:
•Old Greek Stories

•YouTube Hero Video

Other:
* Monitor this project if you have State computers.
Background Information:
Students will have knowledge of the Paint program
Students will have prior knowledge of what makes up a hero
Lesson Procedures:
1. The teacher will begin with a youtube video. This video will give 4 characteristics that define a hero.
2. The teacher will have students group together to brainstorm the definition of a contemporary hero or heroine, including the character traits that are present in people who act in a truly heroic manner. Each student group will give an analogy about heroes (e.g. “A hero is like a champion, a supporter, Superman, an ally, a partner”) Students will cite specific examples of events or people they have read about or seen that exhibited these traits.
3. Students will collect a variety of magazine and newspaper articles depicting real people in acts of heroism. Groups will suggest ideas for a composite picture of a hero or heroine.This is substitued with the youtube video.
4. Using programs such as paint, students will draw a composite hero and add text with arrows pointing to specific parts of their composite hero, (e.g. a large heart)
5. Under their poster, they will write a definition of a contemporary hero or heroin, referring to their poster and any notes they have made.
6. Read the story of Prometheus recording notes in a program such as Microsoft Word under the headings Action, Motivation & Consequences. After discussion these in their groups, students will use the charts to create a list of traits for Prometheus, e.g. selfless, risked life for others, persevered, suffered for humankind, etc. Students will share their lists and then do a quick write about whether Prometheus was a hero or not and their reasoning.
Assessment Procedures:
6th grade teacher created project rubrics from sites such as
Accommodations/Modifications:
----- written by Jillian Brown
Reproducible Materials:
  • Paragraph about Hero Rubric
  • Drawing of a Hero Rubic

Explorations and Extensions:
Lesson Development Resources:
Comprehensive Curriculum
Unit 4
Activity 2
pg. 45
Reflections:
Contact Information:
Jillian Brown

St. Ignatius
Additional Contacts:
MarcoPolo Lesson:No
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