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Part I
PBL Units![]()
1
The Superhero Unit
A unit based on superhero science, science-fiction narratives, and advocacy writing, culminating in an issues-based presentation to the “United Nations.”
Table 1.1 Superhero Unit Facts
| Subjects Integrated | Writing: narrative, advocacy, executive summary |
| Science: student choice |
| Reading: informational |
| Technology: website design, Twitter, word processing, Internet literacy for research, presentations, infographics, online ethics, hyperlinking |
| Art: student choice |
| Oral presentation |
| Skills Used | Collaboration |
| Problem solving |
| Creativity |
| Communication |
| Critical thinking |
| Questioning |
| Duration | One quarter–one semester |
| Driving Question | What makes a hero? |
Overview
This totally immersive unit can span up to a full semester or be accomplished in less time, depending on the lessons utilized.
The Superhero Unit is an extensive PBL unit that focuses on student role-play. The first quarter focuses on fact-based narrative writing and internet research. Students will develop a new superhero character and write a science fiction-based origin story about that persona. They will also develop an informational newspaper article that reports on the How, What, Where, When, and Why of an event signaling the first sighting of that superhero in action.
The second quarter focuses on advocacy writing and oral speaking. The superhero characters developed earlier in the semester are then tasked to find an issue that relates to his or her superpowers or origin story. (For instance, because of Aquaman’s relationship to water, he might support the fight against ocean pollution.) The student must research that problem (local, state, national, or international) and research or devise a possible solution. They then must pitch their solution (in costume, of course) to an audience made up of ambassadors to the United Nations.
Meanwhile, the students in the audience will be roleplaying as the ambassadors themselves. Prior to the presentation, the students will all have previously researched different countries, so that they might, as a UN body, then vote on which superhero’s problem/solution they should fund. Therefore, both the student presenter is role-playing during their pitch to the UN, while the audience members are also role-playing as ambassadors from a country randomly assigned to them.
The elements of PBL this unit supports are as follows:
- blended writing genres
- experts in the classroom
- oral presentation
- role-play
- subject integration
- advocacy/problem-solution
- collaboration
- real world connections.
It is a long-lasting and deep-thinking unit that submerges the students in engaging role-play, fueled by the buy-in of student choice, and propelled through the academic rigor of research and communication skills.
Step-by-Step Lessons
As with many PBL units, you want to start each with a bang. I start this narrative-focused unit with a short iMovie, set to music, which introduces the students immediately to the character and heart of the unit. This sets the tone of the overarching project.
The short presentation will show images of superheroes, photographs and animated images, set to an excerpt from John Williams’ Superman main title sequence. It’s a great score. The text in the iMovie will say the following:
This school year, you are embarking on an adventure. Are you up for the challenge of a lifetime?
- If you were a superhero, who would you be?
- If you were a superhero, what would you stand for?
- If you were a superhero, what would be your superpower?
- If you were a superhero, what would be your Achilles heel, your weakness?
- If you were a superhero, for whom would you fight?
Welcome to 8th grade, and the Semester of the Superheroes . . .
In time for the second quarter and advocacy, I then join them in the role-play, producing another short video, this time with me as the chairman of the United Nations calling on their superhero to help fix the problems of the planet. I like roleplaying too, after all. Why should the students get to have all the fun?
Back to first quarter. Once the motivational iMovie has been viewed, it’s time to get down to business. I pass out a checklist of assignments that give the students an overview of what will be expected of them this quarter. The checklist is intended to both help students with time management and communicate to parents and families about the rationale of the unit. This will give the students an overview of the work they will need to accomplish and the deadline for different tasks. I’ll be giving them time in class to work through it all, with homework being reserved for assignments not finished in the 45 minutes we have together daily. I’m not a big homework fan otherwise.
ELA First Quarter Checklist: Narrative
All superheroes came from somewhere. Where they came from and how they became heroes are called origin stories. A great origin story isn’t just about writing a fun story. Believable origin stories are seeded with facts. In this case, you will be given the choice of writing a science fiction story or a historical fiction story. This will take research as well as a thorough knowledge of your character and his or her abilities, foibles, and background.
Table 1.2 First Quarter Checklist
| Assigned | Assignment | Due | How to Submit |
| Inquiry chart
Science fiction
(Classwork) | N/A | |
| Select book (bring it in daily) | | |
| Finish book | | |
| Character analysis | | |
| Research check #1
Bibliography uses MLA or APA format
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
http://www.easybib.com/ | | |
| Research check #2
Bibliography uses MLA or APA format | | |
| Pixar’s rules of storytelling analysis
http://i.imgur.com/DH1lF.jpg | | |
| 16 fancy literary techniques explained by Disney | | |
| Google advanced search screen shot due | | |
| Linking text | | |
| TED speeches notes check | | |
| Hooks and The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest (http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/) | | |
| Grammar lessons (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry-NYbMEbgc&sns=fb) – Google Matrix Assignment | | |
| Rough draft narrative due | | |
| Final draft narrative due | | |
| Finding different text structures in a real-world text | | |
| Newspaper article due | | |
Throughout the course of this first quarter, we will be working towards the goal of refining our skills as narrative and informational writers. To do so, we are using this checklist as a means to remain organized and on task. This checklist should be at school every day, as sometimes things will be deleted, dates might adjust, or assignments may be added. I ask that you be flexible. Note: being flexible is far easier if you don’t leave assignments to the last minute.
This unit honors the 4Cs: Creativity, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, and Communication. It also expects that you submit some assignments online and some in class. You have access to me daily, so make sure that you have questions answered and issues resolved, so you can hit deadlines on time.
I have included links as resources to help in your own independent learning. The expectation is that you are learning with others and on your own. You are also expected to be your own advocate. Have questions? Freaking out? Talk to me. I’m your guide, and I’m here to help you achieve these goals to the best of your ability. I’m also here to push you to challenge what you think of as your best.
Good luck, and reach out to me anytime.
Mrs. Wolpert-Gawron
This letter and the checklist in Table 1.2 give students and families an overview, but the real teaching starts when you dive in and get your hands dirty with the lessons and deadlines.
1 Pick a book: within five days, a student needs to select a science-fiction novel to read in conjunction with the unit as it unfolds. The goal is to be reading a science-fiction book while writing a science-fiction origin story. The students can be inspired by the elements in their book, and the reading reinforces the writing.
Somewhere within the unit, periodically ask to see summaries or the like proving their progress through the book. Their final assignment should be a dual-entry journal in which they identify 10 real science facts and 10 science-fiction “facts” from their book described using quotes from the text. Read the students to see how long they will need in order to accomplish this task.
2 Brush up on narrative writing: the superhero unit begins with students writing an origin story. An origin story is a kind of narrative that tells the tale of how the superhero came ...
