Heroes

Summary

Students will become an expert on a hero from Utah history. They will do research on their assigned hero, both individually and in a cooperative group setting. Students will present their information in small groups.

Materials

Students will need to do research using their Social Studies book, the Internet, encyclopedias, books from the library and their parents. They will also need paper and pencil and a lined piece of poster board (one for each group).

Background for Teachers

Prior to this lesson the teacher needs to instruct the students on the use of the rubric.

Instructional Procedures

First Class Period
1. Divide the class into groups of five students. Assign each member of the group a different hero from Utah history to do research on. This lesson works best when 5 heroes are chosen. Possible heroes include: Jedediah Smith, Jim Bridger, John C. Fremont, William Henery Ashley, Escalante-Dominquez, Brigham Young, John Wesley Powell, John Gunnison, etc.

2. Tell the class that each student needs to gather at least one page of information about their hero. They may use their history book, Internet, encyclopedia etc. Give them the rest of the 45 minutes to start their research.

Second Class Period
1. Have the students that are working on the same hero get together to share information.

2. Give each group about 25 minutes to share the information they have gathered. This new group should decide exactly what information they want to share with their original group, and how they will present it. Have them write the main ideas on their own the poster board. (Each student in this group will need to be able to go back to their original group and, using the group poster, make a 5 minute presentation on their hero).

3. Have each student go back to their original group and give an oral report about their hero while the other students in the group evaluate the presentation with the rubric.

7. Collect the poster boards and go over each one. Talk about why each of these people is a hero. Hang the poster boards up in the room.

8. Talk about one aspect of each person's life that students may want to incorporate in their own lives.

Assessment Plan

Each student will hand in their one page paper of research on their hero. They also will grade each student in their group on their oral presentation using the rubric.