MODERN DAY HEROES: THE RESEARCH PAPER



Modern Day Heroes: The Research Project

Background:

Your (not so easy) Task:

The Final Product:

The Grading:

Step 1: The Hero Selection

Look through the list and find out some information about the people listed. Then, choose a hero and do a bit of research on that person. Then, fill out the “Hero Proposal” for your choice, you’ll write a one-paragraph explanation [grade #1] as to why you want to research this person. Include some background on this person with a source listed. Choices will be made on a first come, first serve basis. I would like each student in the class to research a different hero, so there are no guarantees you will get your first choice.

The Heroes were selected based on distinction in the following categories:

Championing Children -- Commitment to the welfare of young people.

Community Crusader -- Creating solutions to a local program or challenging social issues or racial barriers.

Defending the Planet -- Innovative efforts to preserve and protect the environment and its non-human inhabitants.

Everyday Superhero -- Spontaneous acts of courage in the face of danger by members of the public.

Medical Marvel -- Dedication to the enhancement of human health.

Protecting the Powerless -- Advancing the cause of human or equal rights.

Young Wonder -- Outstanding achievement by a person 25 and under.

Step 2: Research

Once your hero has been chosen, you are ready to begin researching. You will need to fill in the “Note-Taking Form,” which will help you compile and organize the information you find on your hero [grade #2]. You will also be able to access several links from the HEROES RESEARCH WEBSITE that will help you in your research.

You will be visiting the library where you will be directed to several print sources. Please ask the librarians for help. Mrs. Ray and Mrs. Fitch are very familiar with research resources & our topic, and they are more than happy to help you, so please, please ask!

After reviewing some databases and websites for sources, begin looking at credible sources---the librarians and I will help you determine if a source is credible. (Wikipedia is not a credible source, so don’t ask.)

Warnings: Be sure that you write down the source information for all of your sources. This includes publisher, publish year, date of access, etc. REFER TO PERDUL OWL FOR SOURCE INFORMATION! Please note: This is not a biography of the person. While you must provide an overview of the person’s life (early life, family life, challenges, struggles, mentor figures, supreme ordeal, and lessons learned) your primary task is to PROVE how/why this person is a hero.

Step 3: The (tentative) Thesis

First, we will review what a thesis is and what it is not. Then, look over your research. Draw conclusions about your hero. Write a tentative or working thesis that can be sustained (continued) over the course of your entire project [grade #3]. The thesis must argue why the person you chose functions as a hero. Your thesis must be an arguable statement:

“Mother Teresa is regarded as a modern day hero because she helped children.”

NOT A THESIS: This is a statement of fact and cannot be argued.

“Mother Theresa helped children around the world escape poverty and hunger. This is why she is considered a modern day hero.” NOPE! Better, but this thesis is still too factual and it is vague.

You will write your thesis and you must get it approved by me before moving on to the next step, which is writing the initial outline of your project.

Step 4: The Outline

Once your thesis has been approved, you will begin to put together your initial outline [grade #4]. Fill out the “Initial Outline Form.” Complete this form and submit it for approval. At minimum, your initial outline must contain your introduction and thesis and the topic sentences for all of your body paragraphs/presentation sections.

Step 5: The Final Project

Once you’ve turned in your initial outline for review and have had it returned with my comments and suggestions, it’s time to complete your final outline. You will be given a “Final Project Form”---this will help you organize your outline. Once that’s done, you will print out a hard copy to turn it at the start of class on the due date. Remember that MLA format must be followed and all information must be cited. Plagiarized papers will receive an automatic “0” on all parts of the assignment.

THE FOLLOWING PROJECTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR CHOICES:

Digital Video Presentation:

For this project, you will create a movie maker project in three sections. The first section should include your thesis statement and will be about your chosen hero and what makes them a modern day hero. The second section of you video will introduce the character and the work of literature they are associated with and how they are portrayed as a hero in that work. The third and final portion of you video will be showing in detail how your hero and your character are similar to one another. You video should be at least 2:30 and no more than 4:00. There should be text, pictures, and direct quotes from both your sources and the text you are referring to from class. The video should clearly demonstrate why your chosen person and your chosen character are both clearly heroes. You will show your final video to the class for your presentation day.

Written Narrative

For this assignment, you will research a historical figure and discover what makes that person a hero. Once you have established your hero, you will choose a literary character from a work of literature we’ve read this year and create a fictional scenario where both would participate. In other words, if both of these people were in an abstract situation together, how would they react, based on what we know about their character? Your thesis statement should tie into the introduction of your story in some way and for your presentation; you will give a short summary of your story and read a small section of it aloud. An example would be… Marc Antony and Queen Elizabeth both want to rule the world in 2150 and there is going to be a formal speech given at Buckingham Palace where the world will decide their ruler. How does the world react to each person? What would their speeches consist of?

Formal Research Paper

Following MLA guidelines, you will write a formal analytical research paper about your hero and character. You will need to include at least 5 credible sources and the paper should be 3-5 pages, typed, double-space in 12 pt. font, written in MLA format. Please refer to Perdue OWL Online for guidelines on writing a formal paper.

Oral Presentation with PowerPoint

You will create a PowerPoint presentation that will be given to the class. Your PowerPoint should be visually appealing and should explain why both your historical figure and your chosen character are heroes. You should be using photos, video and sound to create your presentation – You may not have more than 10 words per slide, and your entire project can be no more than 20 slides. You may use note-cards while giving your presentation, but YOU MAY NOT READ DIRECTLY FROM THE SLIDES ON SCREEN. You should be using the PowerPoint to enhance your oral presentation of your hero and character. This presentation should introduce your hero, tell the class about them and what makes them a hero and explain why their actions and characteristics are similar to the character you have chosen from literature.

|Breakdown of Grades and Due Dates: |

|1: 1-paragraph explanation for hero choice – (30 points – homework grade) – Due Tuesday, May 28 |

|2: Note-taking form – (30 points – homework grade) – Due Wednesday, May 29 |

|3: Working Thesis – (30 points – homework grade) – Due Friday May, 31 |

|4: Initial Outline – (30 points – homework grade) – Due Monday, June 3 |

|5: Final Project – (100 points x2- test grade) – Due Wednesday, June 5 |

|6: Library Research – (50 points – classwork grade) |

|7: 3 – 5 minute oral presentation – (30 points – classwork grade) –June 5 – 10 |

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This research assignment is an extension of our study of literary heroes, of whom we have seen several over the course of our year together: from George’s heartbreaking decision to save Lennie from a violently painful death, to the downfall of the idealistic Brutus, and finally to the study of a man credited with being the most heroic character in American Literature, Atticus Finch. Modern stories, television programs and films often follow the archetypal pattern of a hero -an imperfect person who displays fierce determination, courage, and resolve in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges. The hero is the person who rises to the occasion—one who others look up to as a figure of hope that the impossible is actually possible to attain.

➢ Create a project from the list provided that shows the comparison of your chosen hero to the character of your choice. All of these projects are ones you’re done previously this year in a group, so you should be familiar with the format before beginning the project:

o Digital Video using Windows Movie Maker

o Formal Research Paper

o Narrative Short Story

o PowerPoint Oral Presentation

➢ Follow all MLA format guidelines

➢ Include a Works Cited page

➢ Include a minimum of 3 credible sources. The information you find from these sources will be woven into and well documented in your research paper

➢ Prepare a three-minute presentation of your final project for the class; you will be speaking directly to class without notes.

1.

You will choose a modern day hero to research and demonstrate through one of the various project choices how their actions are similar to a character from one of the works of literature we’ve read this year. Your objective is to prove that both the person and character you chose merit the distinction of being regarded as a hero with their actions throughout the story and their life. You must research the life of your chosen person and show how this person has overcome obstacles and learned lessons as a result of the challenges they have had to face. You will also need to review the material we’ve read and discussed in class because you must show in what ways this person’s life parallels one of the heroes we have read about in class this year… You must ask yourself: what qualities make this person a hero? What distinguishes this person? What challenges has this person faced? What contributions has this person made to the world? What lessons has this person learned? And finally, how does the achievements of this hero compare to what (insert chosen character) shows in (insert name of story).

Your research paper outline will be completed in stages for 4 homework grades, and the final product will be worth a double test grade.

In addition, you will receive a daily research grade which will translate into a classwork grade at the end of our research time. Note: Please plan to use your school network account; however, a flash drive would be most helpful, as you will most likely end up working on your project both at home and at school.

THE TOTAL POINT VALUE FOR THIS ENTIRE PROJECT WILL BE 400 PTS!

“Heroes are open to new truths, even those that seem to contradict what they’ve known for years.”

-Charles Harper

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