At this point in our first unit, you've worked through your “Unlikely Hero” choice text, examining the characteristics of emerging heroes, both stereotypical and unlikely.
We've also discussed some "big idea" generalizations about heroism and the settings from which heroes arise.
Now, let's take a look at nonfiction texts -- at stories about everyday people who become unlikely heroes.
You will choose from the nonfiction articles linked below. Be sure you include one article demonstrating the Cause and Effect text structure and one article demonstrating the Problem/Solution structure. Use the provided Cornell Notes template called "Nonfiction: Everyday Heroes" to gather information about each article. Be sure to carefully respond to each part of the Cornell notes template.
After you've read and taken notes on the articles on "Everyday Heroes," creating separate sets of Cornell notes, answer the following questions in the section entitled BIG IDEAS: What generalizations can you draw about everyday heroes? How do they compare with literary heroes in your choice novel?
You can utlize the resources on Text Structures and Text Features to help you prepare complete and rich Cornell notes. See the buttons below for quick links to those resources.
Nonfiction Texts: Everyday Heroes Jarrett Krosoczka - Lunch Lady Author "The Lunch Lady is a subversive superhero. Her special power: attracting reluctant young readers."
Dr. Georges Bwelle - Doctor "Almost every Friday, he and up to 30 people jam into vans, tie medical supplies to the roofs and travel across rough terrain to visit villages in need."
Andrea Sreshta and Anna Stork - Inventors "So for a class project on designing around disaster, Sreshta teamed up with classmate Anna Stork, who had a background in engineering. Together, they decided to create lighting for the thousands of Haitians living in the so-called "tent cities" that sprang up around the country, particularly on the outskirts of the capital, Port-au-Prince."
Richard Nares - Children's Champion "Nares, who lost his son, Emilio, to cancer in 2000, started a program called "Ride With Emilio" to provide transportation for low-income families and their children battling cancer."
Sister Margaret Ann - She Rocks "The road was blocked, we couldn't get through...And I saw somebody spin in the mud and almost go into a wall, going off the road. So, there was a need, I had the means -- so I wanted to help out."
Marley Dias - 11 year old on a mission "Marley Dias is like a lot of 11-year-olds: She loves getting lost in a book. But the books she was reading at school were starting to get on her nerves."
Anahi Alvarez and Naomi Martinez - The Anti-Bullies "Lillian Skinner was thrilled when she was told she'd been nominated for homecoming queen at Grand Prairie High School in North Texas. But the news turned out to be a cruel joke made by some unnamed girls at her school."
Chad Pregracke - Environmentalist "In the past 15 years, Chad Pregracke has helped pull more than 67,000 tires from the Mississippi River and other waterways across the United States. But that's just scratching the surface."
Jeison Aristizabal - Educator "When I was a young boy, a doctor told my mom that I would amount to nothing," said Aristizabal, who grew up in one of the poorest areas in Cali, Columbia.
Kakenya Ntaiya - School Builder "In 2009, she opened the first primary school for girls in her village, the Kakenya Center for Excellence. Today, Ntaiya is helping more than 150 girls receive the education and opportunities that she had to sacrifice so much to attain."
Dale Beatty - Home-Builder for Veterans "When the renovation work is finished on these donated homes, the house is appraised and Purple Heart Homes will help the veteran get a mortgage for 50% or less of its value. Beatty and Gallina discovered that many veterans struggle with poor credit, so by making affordable payments on a mortgage, they are able to improve their credit score and build equity."
Trisha Prabhu - Teen heads into the 'Shark Tank' "When the season premiere of 'Shark Tank' airs on Friday night, a Naperville teen will be making her television premiere as well."