Hero_Webquest

Hero Webquest

Dear Earthlings, Welcome to the planet Smailliw. When our planet was discovered it was cooperatively colonized first by Smailliwians, who named it, and then later by Earthlings. Over time the Smailliw, a highly intellectual people, have gained a majority in the ruling council because of a lack of interest by Earthlings. Smailliw majority rule has been peaceful and beneficial to all. However, in recent years the Smailliw have claimed that Earthlings should be dismissed from the Council. They think this because Earthlings seem to lack the heroic qualities of their Earthling ancestors. Earthling ancestors helped make our colony grow and the Council wise. Many citizens of our world agree with this decree while others think that Earthings deserve a chance to prove themselves worth one final time. Therefore, the Smailliw Council has declared that if Earthlings today can rediscover those heroic qualities, such as the ancient Earthling Homer knew, or qualities that Earthling fictional characters have shown, then the Council majority will may have reason to return to equal rule by both inhabitants. Otherwise, the Smailliw will be forced to rule alone, in the best interests of all. In response, Earthling teams have formed to meet the challenge of the Smailliw! You are now a member of HEROES (Helping Earthlings Retain Order for an Equal Society.) Your team must define the qualities that make a hero and find real and fictional Earthlings who show these heroic qualities. As you journey forth on your quest, you remember a fictional story you have recently experienced. You think, "…heroic?" Yes! The Smailliw said, "heroic qualities." Your team now has an idea of at least one story character that can help you meet the Smail Liw challenge. So I say to all HEROES, go forth and create the Power Point presentation that could save our role as co-rulers on the great planet of Smailliw!

Your Fearless Leader!

**Task**
 * 1) Each student will work in a cooperative group.
 * 2) Each group will define heroism and research the many qualities that make a hero.
 * 3) Each member of the group will research his/her own real person that qualifies as a hero.
 * 4) Each group will construct a Power Point presentation showing their individual and collective efforts.
 * 5) Each member will hand in a written summary of his/her own conclusions about the story and real life people.

**//Process//**
 * 1. In class:** Students will be divided into cooperative groups of three or four. Teacher will go over the goals and processes for the Hero Webquest project. Each group will create a definition of what a hero is. If time, students can browse the resources section to help get a focus for the homework assignment.


 * Homework Day 1:** On 3x5 note cards, each member must identify a heroic quality, give a definition, and at least one example describing how a human may or may not show this quality. **(One note card per two qualities - one on the front and one on the back, four qualities per member)**


 * 2. In class:** As team members you must find at least six heroic qualities your wise ancestors valued. Use the sites listed on Mrs. Williams website to guide you in your search. Divide your efforts among you. Each member of the group must have identified at least four qualities prior to class (see above), but by the end of class, the team are required to decide on at least 6 qualities that **all members** of the group will use for comparison.


 * Homework:** Choose one real-life hero and one fictional hero you plan to focus your research. Each member in the group must have different people - there can be NO repeats. Therefore, it is suggested that you have back-up ideas in case there are duplicates.


 * 3. In class:** As a group decide whether your real people and the story characters previously studied show the same six heroic qualities.Then, each student in the group will **individually** research his/her own real hero, based on **all** **six** heroic qualities chosen in Step 2. **Check the sites under Resources**. You will use the graphic organizer to design your Power Point slides and write what you plan to say about your slides for you presentation.


 * Homework:** Complete the graphic organizers so that you will be ready for creating the Power Point slides. //(Two class periods will be provided for research and design purposes.)//


 * 4. In class:** As a group, students will decide on uniform design elements (font type and size, background color, slide design, transitions, etc.) so that when the individual slides are merged, the presentation looks uniform and professional. You will prepare your individual Power Point presentation slides, using the group guidelines and then save them to the Group Folder (file name: your name-hero-class.ppt). (One class period will be set aside for this process)


 * Homework:** None.


 * 5. In class:** Mrs. McMasters will then spend two class periods with us to teach new skills to enhance your Power Point presentations and to make them look more professional (merging slides, special effects, automating the presentation so that it is like a movie)

Use examples and specific details, from your research, to support your position in your summary.
 * Homework: (Day 1)** Write summary of your own conclusions about your fictional and real-life heroes **(1 paragraph per question - see below)**. (Student only has to summarize his or her heroes - not all heroes discussed in the group presentation)
 * 1) What makes for a hero in literature and in real life?
 * 2) What general conclusions do you draw about story characters and real people as heros?
 * 3) What other ideas or questions does your want the audience (alien rulers of the planet Smailliw) to consider regarding heroes?

6. In class: **share individual summaries of conclusions with group members, write up a group summary, finish final power point slide for group conclusion. Do final editing of Power Point and rehearse presentation.**

Homework: **Rehearse your portion of presentation so that you can get the best grade possible!**

**PRESENTATION REQUIREMENTS:**

POWER POINT SLIDES SHOULD INCLUDE: examples of a real hero compared to one fictional hero. (Each person must prepare his/her own slides)**
 * 2 slides per hero (4 slides per student - 3 heroic traits per slide)
 * bullet points - limited writing on slide
 * one image required per slide (full-size images only - no thumbnails allowed)
 * correct grammar/spelling required
 * Narration for presentation written in Notes section of Power Point to guide you during your presentation.

Title, sub-title, Authors What makes for a hero in literature and in real life? What general conclusions do you draw about story characters and real people? What other ideas or questions does your group want the audience to consider regarding heroes?
 * Additional Required Slides:**
 * Title Page
 * Definitions of Heroism
 * Site Sources
 * Conclusions about heroism.

Resources
 * **Definitions** ||  **Opinion**  ||  **People**  ||  **Related Ideas**  ||
 * __[|What Makes a Hero?]__ || [|__Quotations__] || __[|A Hero’s Story has ?]__ || __[|Directory of Heroes]__ || [|__Characteristics of a Good Leader__] ||
 * [|Archtype Hero] || [|Characteristics of a Hero] || [|__Your Opinion__] || __[|Historical Figures]__ || [|__FOUNDATIONS OF HEROISM__] ||
 * [| Portrait of a Hero] ||  || [| How to be a Hero] || __[|Decades Past]__ || __[|Fictional Heroes]__ ||