Webquest:
We all know these persons are heroes...

But do these folks look like heroes to you?

�HEROES:� SUNG OR UNSUNG?�

hero n, pl heroes 1 a: a mythological or legendary figure, often endowed with great strength or ability b: an illustrious warrior c: a man admired for his achievement and noble qualities d: one that shows great courage

heroic adj 1:resembling heroes, esp. of antiquity 2:a� exhibiting or marked by courage and daring b supremely noble or self-sacrificing 3: of impressive size, power, extent, or effect

hero worship n 1: veneration of a hero 2: foolish or excessive adulation of an individual

�Hey, guy!� You�re my hero!�

The word hero has become so common that TV sportscasters say this at almost every game when they refer to a superior athlete.� In fact, we often hear somebody on the streets call a friend or acquaintance his or her �hero.�

Ever since we were children, we have been told about heroes.� Ever since September 11, 2001, the newspapers have shown us pictures of heroic police, firefighters, rescue workers and victims at the tragic World Trade Center crisis.� We have learned about other heroes from the TV and newspapers.� They come from the worlds of history, sports, politics, science, and perhaps the movies.� Many feel that only special historical events create heroes.

However, some say that these definitions of heroes are false, and nothing but �hero-worship� as defined in definition 2, above.� They say that true heroism, the act of being a hero, is what so-called �everyday people� do every day and night, all over the world.� They say true heroism is really people�s actions and decisions, some little, some big.� They say it never gets on TV and into newspapers.� They sing of unsung heroes.

Task:� We will investigate, compare and contrast these different concepts of �hero, heroism and hero-worship.�

Purpose:� Adult learners will compare and contrast �mainstream media�-disseminated images of heroes and heroism with images of heroes and heroism arising from the daily lives of the learners and others in their community.�

Process:� DRTAs (Directed Reading/Writing/Thinking Activities)�

Strategy:� KWL (What I Know, What I Want or Need to Know, What I Learned).

ACTIVITY I

� Pre-activity:�� Whole group brainstorms and mind-maps the concept, �Hero.�� Facilitator can spur discussion with pointed questions such as, �A firefighter at the WTC senses the imminent collapse, dumps his/her gear and runs out at the last moment.� Is s/he a hero?�� Learners develop a rubric of qualities defining heroes/heroism.

Class divides into two groups.� Members download two documents from the Web:� Grp. 1. a newspaper article (e.g. NY Post, etc.) publicizing popular hero/es; and Grp. 2. a biography of, or writing by �common people� such as Rosa Parks, Sojourner Truth, or the mother of a �disappeared� person in Guatemala.
�Members of each group read their article.� Each group analyzes its article in terms of the agreed-upon rubric, and chooses a writer to jot down salient thoughts on large sheets of newsprint.
The two groups join to further contrast and explore their before/after concepts of heroes/heroism.� Jointly, they write a summary of their findings.

ACTIVITY II

The learners are directed to select one or more articles each from the Internet.� These

Resources will be articles, poems, graphics, songs, which evoke widely varying �hero models.�� Post-reading activities (possibly more writing, discussion and/or loosely-structured debate)will lead to learners� interviewing local people and creating

ACTIVITY III

Product:� Writing pieces describing heroism in their own communities.

Evaluation:� Judging of a writing contest by learners, facilitator and perhaps others in community.� Rubric determined by all participants.� Winning pieces will be published on class web page.� Will culminate in prizes (group and individual).� Possibilities:� field trip to Schomberg Library, movie tickets of winner�s choice..

Length of Webquest:� Three to four weeks.

Last updated January 20, 2002

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