Thematic Unit: Heroes Essential Question: Why Do People Act Heroically?
Thematic Unit: Heroes Essential Question: Why do people act heroically?
Overview: Suggested Grades: 7th-8th Grade Estimated Length: 1 - 2 weeks
In this unit, students will read seven texts that explore why people act heroically. Throughout this unit, students will revisit the essential question: “Why do people act heroically?” Students will read thematically-paired texts from CommonLit and complete a graphic organizer, which will help them track their understanding of the theme and will prepare them for a synthesis essay.
Vision of Mastery Skills to Teach & Reinforce
By the end of this unit, students will analyze seven texts that share a • Writing fluid explanations • Citing evidence from multiple texts to support analysis common theme. Students will write a synthesis essay that uses • Writing a synthesis essay evidence from multiple texts to answer the essential question: Why do • Analyzing the development of themes, central ideas, and perspectives across people act heroically? poetry, mythology, and nonfiction
Final Assessment: Synthesis Essay
Over the course of this unit, you have gathered details from literary and informational texts about heroes. Use the evidence you have gathered to answer the question: Why do people act heroically? Support your answer using reasons and evidence from a variety of the texts covered in this unit.
Alternative Assessment: Alternative Activity
Over the course of this unit, you have studied why people act heroically. Specifically, you’ve read examples of people acting heroically because of a moral conviction, a need to help others, or a desire to spare themselves from the regret of not helping. Research a real-life example of someone who acted heroically. Write a one-page report describing how the person acted like a hero. What was their motivation? Which person from our unit does your chosen hero most closely resemble? Why?
How does this text answer the Assignment Relationship to Theme Essential Question?: How to assign Why do people act heroically?
1 Reading & From the text page, click the “Assign Questions We act heroically when we stand up Text” button or download the PDF. The speaker explains the beauty of a for what we believe in, despite the Have students read the text and "If We Must noble death. consequences. answer the accompanying questions, Die" (7th-8th then update their graphic organizers. Grade)
Reading & Questions From the text page, click the “Assign Jackie Robinson advocated for racial Text” button or download the PDF. "How Jackie justice throughout his life, despite the Standing up for what we believe in will Have students read the text and Robinson possibility of facing severe often compel us to act heroically. answer the accompanying questions, Changed consequences. then update their graphic organizers. Baseball" (7th-8th Grade)
Multiple Choice Question: Part A: Which of the following best identifies Jackie Robinson’s and Claude McKay’s shared perspective on standing up for what one believes in? [RI.3, RL.3] Pairing A. It is best to stand up for what someone believes in because that person Questions for "If will likely help others. After students read each text and We Must Die" B. It is best to stand up for what someone believes in because justice will answer the accompanying questions, and "How Jackie prevail. have them use their annotations and Robinson C. It is best to stand up for what someone believes in, even if there graphic organizer to answer the Changed could be severe consequences. pairing question set. Baseball" D. It is best to stand up for what someone believes in, but they should give in if the situation becomes difficult or dangerous.
Multiple Choice Question: Part B: Select TWO quotations that best support the answer to Part A. [RI.1, RL.1]
2 A. “UCLA had some of the most racially integrated college sports teams at the time, but Robinson was still among a very small minority of non-white athletes on all his teams.” (“Jackie Robinson,” Paragraph 4) B. “In 1938, while still at junior college, he was arrested after disputing the police’s detention of one of his black friends.” (“Jackie Robinson,” Paragraph 5) C. “As he stepped onto the field as first baseman in 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first Major League baseball player to break the color barrier since 1880.” (“Jackie Robinson,” Paragraph 9) D. “round us bark the mad and hungry dogs, / Making their mock at our accursèd lot.” (“If We Must Die,” Lines 3-4) E. “What though before us lies the open grave?” (“If We Must Die,” Line 12) F. “Like men we'll face the murderous, cowardly pack, / Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!” (“If We Must Die,” Lines 13-14)
Open Response Question: How did Jackie Robinson embody the type of heroism identified in “If We Must Die”? [RI.3, RL.3] Answers will vary; students should discuss how Jackie Robinson embodied the heroism described in McKay’s poem because he faced adversity head- on to do what was right and to preserve his dignity. In “If We Must Die,” the speaker discusses the beauty of a noble death, in which one stands up for oneself against “the murderous, cowardly pack” (Line 13). The poem suggests there is a group of people (including the speaker) who are being persecuted by an unruly mob. Because death is inevitable, the speaker argues that fighting against this mob is the only way to reclaim the dignity that the mob is trying to take away from them. Likewise, Jackie Robinson “confronted racism head on,” risking his freedom and livelihood in the process (Paragraph 5). In one incident, Robinson was arrested after “disputing the police’s detention of one of his black friends” (Paragraph 5). Later he was arrested for refusing to sit in the back of a non-segregated bus. In each instance he could have faced stiff jail sentences, but he chose to fight against racism in an effort to preserve his dignity.
3 Reading & From the text page, click the “Assign Questions Text” button or download the PDF. Theseus risks his life to save the lives We act heroically so we can help Have students read the text and "Theseus and the of his people. others who are being treated unjustly. answer the accompanying questions, Minotaur" (5th-6th then update their graphic organizers. Grade)
Reading & Questions From the text page, click the “Assign Harriet Tubman risked her freedom Text” button or download the PDF. We act heroically so we can help "The and life to help African Americans Have students read the text and others who are being treated unjustly. Underground escape slavery. answer the accompanying questions, Railroad" (5th-6th then update their graphic organizers. Grade)
Multiple Choice Question: PART A: Which of the following qualities led to Theseus’ and Harriet Tubman’s successes? [RI.3, RL.3] A. bravery in the face of danger B. patience despite pressure Pairing C. tolerance of others who think differently from them Questions for After students read each text and D. knowledge of their enemies "Theseus and the answer the accompanying questions, Minotaur" and have them use their annotations and Multiple Choice Question: PART B: Select TWO quotations that best support the "The graphic organizer to answer the answer to Part A. [RI.1, RL.1] Underground pairing question set. A. “Theseus insisted that he understood the dangers but would Railroad" succeed. ‘I will return to you, father,’ cried Theseus, as the ship left the harbour wall, ‘and you will be proud of your son.’” (“Theseus and the Minotaur,” Paragraph 9) B. “‘Then I wish you good luck, my son,’ cried his father, ‘I shall keep watch for you every day. If you are successful, take down these black sails and
4 replace them with white ones. That way I will know you are coming home safe to me.’” (“Theseus and the Minotaur,” Paragraph 10) C. “Theseus walked carefully through the dark, foul-smelling passages of the labyrinth, expecting at any moment to come face-to-face with the creature.” (“Theseus and the Minotaur,” Paragraph 19) D. “This was indeed risky business, because slave catchers and sheriffs were constantly on the lookout.” (“The Underground Railroad,” Paragraph 5) E. “She threatened to shoot any slave who had second thoughts with the pistol she carried on her hip.” (“The Underground Railroad,” Paragraph 5) F. “When the Civil War broke out, she used her knowledge from working the railroad to serve as a spy for the Union.” (“The Underground Railroad,” Paragraph 5)
Open Response Question: What motivations do Theseus and Harriet Tubman share? [RI.3, RL.3] Answers will vary; students should discuss how both Tubman and Theseus place themselves in considerable danger to help others. In Tubman’s case, she was an escaped slave who began working on the Underground Railroad to “free her family members” (Paragraph 5). She ultimately expanded her efforts and helped free “about 300 slaves” (Paragraph 5). Similarly, Theseus risks his life to save the “young citizens” of Athens who are sent to Crete to appease King Minos. As he tells his father: “‘We cannot sacrifice any more of our young citizens to this tyrant. When it is time to send the next tribute, I will go as one of them and I vow that it is the last time the Minotaur will be fed with the flesh of any of our people’” (Paragraph 7). In both cases, Tubman and Theseus willing risk their lives in order to save people.
Miep Gies, who helped hide Anne We act heroically because it spares us From the text page, click the “Assign Reading & Frank from the Nazis, preferred not to from the regret of not acting. Everyone Text” button or download the PDF. Questions be called a hero. She acted bravely to is a potential hero — there is nothing Have students read the text and avoid the regret of doing nothing. She
5 "Woman Who also thought that being called a hero Helped Anne would discourage others from acting intrinsically special that makes a answer the accompanying questions, Frank Dies at bravely because they would believe person a hero. then update their graphic organizers. 100" (7th-8th that they did not have what it takes to Grade) be a hero.
Reading & From the text page, click the “Assign Questions Ida B. Wells worked to bring attention Knowing that we are doing what’s right Text” button or download the PDF. to racial injustice and lynching in the gives us the courage to keep going, Have students read the text and "The Story of Ida American South, despite facing death even though it could be dangerous. answer the accompanying questions, B. Wells" (5th-6th threats and many setbacks. then update their graphic organizers. Grade)
Reading & Fighting for something that is “right” or From the text page, click the “Assign The speaker commands his heart to be Questions just gives us the strength and Text” button or download the PDF. resilient and hopeful in difficult times, resilience to continue the Have students read the text and especially when fighting for something "Sonnet" (7th-8th battle. Fighting for a moral cause gives answer the accompanying questions, that is “right” or just. Grade) us resilience and hope. then update their graphic organizers.
Multiple Choice Question: Which statement best identifies a similar central idea in both “The Story of Ida B. Wells” and “Sonnet”? [RI.2, RL.2] Pairing A. Fighting for a moral cause empowers people to act bravely in the After students read each text and Questions for face of threats. answer the accompanying questions, "The Story of Ida B. Setbacks are a normal part of life and can be overcome with hard work. have them use their annotations and B. Wells" and C. Justice will prevail. graphic organizer to answer the "Sonnet" D. It is important to speak up for what one believes in. pairing question set.
Open Response Question: What motivates the speaker in “Sonnet” and Ida B. Wells to act heroically? [RI.9, RL.9]
6 Answers will vary; students should compare the motivations of the poem’s speaker and Ida B. Wells. In “Sonnet,” the speaker wants to keep his “strength and courage” in difficult moments (Line 4). His motivation is that “there is power making for the right” (Line 14). This means that fighting for what is right will give one the strength to keep going. Fighting for what’s right also motivated Ida B. Wells to act heroically. She fought against racism. On one occasion, she risked serious consequences to fight against racial injustice. In 1884, Wells was asked to move into the smoking train car because she was black. She refused and sued the railroad for discrimination. She lost the case in 1887. The injustice she faced on the train motivated her to fight for three years. Later, the murder of her friend Thomas Moss led her to dedicate the rest of her life to “investigating, reporting, and lecturing” about lynching and racism (Paragraph 32).
After students have completed the assignments above and updated their Over the course of this unit, you have gathered details from literary and graphic organizers, download and informational texts about heroes. Use the evidence you have gathered to answer Final Assessment hand out the final assessment. Allow the question: Why do people act heroically? Support your answer using reasons students to use their completed and evidence from a variety of the texts covered in this unit. graphic organizers to support their writing.
Over the course of this unit, you have studied why people act heroically. After students have completed the Specifically, you’ve read examples of people acting heroically because of a moral assignments above and updated their conviction, a need to help others, or a desire to spare themselves from the regret graphic organizers, download and Alternative of not helping. Research a real-life example of someone who acted heroically. hand out the alternative assessment. Assessment Write a one-page report describing how the person acted like a hero. What was Allow students to use their completed their motivation? Which person from our unit does your chosen hero most closely graphic organizers to support their resemble? Why? work.
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