The Trustworthy Hero

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Tier 1

Lesson Plan

The Trustworthy Hero

Students will analyze how a character's dependability affects the plot of a story and articulate how self-management contributes to being a reliable group member in a collaborative project.

Understanding character reliability helps students deeply analyze literature and connect fictional scenarios to essential real-world collaboration skills, preparing them for future academic and professional settings.

Audience

12th Grade Students

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Through discussion, analysis of literary examples, and reflective activities.

Materials

Digital Projector or Smartboard, Analyzing Character Dependability Slide Deck, Warm-Up: Unreliable Characters, Activity: Think-Pair-Share Scenarios, and Exit Ticket: My Reliability Pledge

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Review the Analyzing Character Dependability Slide Deck and lesson plan.
- Print copies of the Warm-Up: Unreliable Characters (optional, can be projected).
- Prepare to project the Activity: Think-Pair-Share Scenarios prompts.
- Print copies of the Exit Ticket: My Reliability Pledge (optional, can be done digitally).
- Ensure access to a digital projector or Smartboard for the slide deck.

Step 1

Warm-Up Discussion: Unreliable Characters

10 minutes

Begin by distributing or projecting the Warm-Up: Unreliable Characters.
2. Ask students to individually brainstorm a character from literature, film, or real life who demonstrated unreliability.
3. Facilitate a brief class discussion, asking students to share their examples and explain how the character's unreliability impacted others or the story.
4. Transition by stating that today's lesson will focus on the opposite: trustworthy heroes and the impact of reliability.

Step 2

Introduce Key Vocabulary & Concepts

5 minutes

Use the Analyzing Character Dependability Slide Deck to introduce key concepts: Character Analysis, Plot Development, Self-Management, Collaboration, and Dependability.
2. Briefly define each term and provide a quick example, focusing on how they interlink.

Step 3

Analyze a Character's Reliability

15 minutes

Present a literary example of a 'trustworthy hero' from the Analyzing Character Dependability Slide Deck (e.g., Samwise Gamgee from The Lord of the Rings, Hermione Granger from Harry Potter).
2. Lead a guided analysis using the slide deck, prompting students to identify specific actions or traits that make the character reliable.
3. Discuss how this character's reliability directly influenced the plot and the success of their objectives.
4. Encourage students to share their own examples of trustworthy characters and discuss their impact.

Step 4

Connect to Personal Experience: Self-Management & Collaboration

10 minutes

Introduce the Activity: Think-Pair-Share Scenarios from the slide deck or as a handout.
2. Ask students to 'Think' individually about the provided scenarios related to group projects and personal reliability.
3. Have them 'Pair' with a partner to discuss their thoughts and share how self-management (a key aspect of dependability) contributes to successful collaboration.
4. Conclude with a brief 'Share' session where pairs present their insights to the class.

Step 5

Exit Ticket Reflection

5 minutes

Distribute or project the Exit Ticket: My Reliability Pledge.
2. Instruct students to complete the exit ticket, reflecting on what they learned about reliability and making a personal pledge for how they will demonstrate self-management and dependability in future collaborative efforts.
3. Collect the exit tickets as students leave, or have them submit digitally.

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Slide Deck

The Trustworthy Hero: How Reliability Shapes a Story

Essential Question:

How does a character's dependability impact the plot and themes of a story, and what does this teach us about effective collaboration?

Welcome students and introduce the day's topic. Explain that today we'll be exploring what makes a character trustworthy and how that impacts a story, and then connect it to real-life reliability. Ask students to think about the opposite: unreliable characters.

Unreliable? What Happens Next?

Think about a story where a character was not dependable.

What were the consequences of their unreliability?
How did it change the plot or affect other characters?

Introduce the concept of unreliable characters as a lead-in to discussing trustworthy heroes. This ties into the warm-up activity they just completed. Ask them to consider the consequences of an unreliable character's actions.

Key Vocabulary & Concepts

Character Analysis

Examining traits, motivations, and development.

Plot Development

How events unfold and drive the story forward.

Dependability/Reliability

Being consistently trustworthy and accountable.

Self-Management

Organizing and controlling one's own tasks and time.

Collaboration

Working together to achieve a shared goal.

Go through each key vocabulary term. Encourage students to offer their own brief definitions or examples before revealing the provided one. Emphasize the connection between these terms and how they relate to both literature and real-life group work.

Case Study: Samwise Gamgee

The Ultimate Wingman

Loyalty: Never abandons Frodo, even in the darkest times.
Perseverance: Pushes through immense challenges for their shared goal.
Selflessness: Puts Frodo's needs and the mission before his own.

How does Samwise's dependability directly impact the success of Frodo's quest to destroy the One Ring?

Present a clear example of a trustworthy hero. Samwise Gamgee is an excellent choice as his reliability is central to Frodo's quest. Discuss his actions and traits that exemplify dependability. Ask students for other examples and why they fit.

Reliability in Real Life: Group Projects

The qualities that make a fictional hero trustworthy are the same qualities that make you a great teammate!

Think-Pair-Share Scenarios:
Let's consider some common group project challenges and how dependability (and self-management) play a role.

Transition from literary analysis to real-world application. Explain that the same principles of dependability apply to group projects. Introduce the Think-Pair-Share activity and the scenarios.

Scenario 1: The Missing Piece

Scenario: Your group is working on a presentation, and one member consistently misses deadlines for their assigned sections. The presentation is due tomorrow.

Think: What impact does this have on the group? How does it make you feel? How could self-management have prevented this?

Pair: Discuss with your partner strategies to handle this situation and prevent it in the future.

This slide sets up the first scenario. Give students time to 'Think' individually before pairing up. Circulate and listen to their initial thoughts.

Scenario 2: The Communication Breakdown

Scenario: A group member promises to send important research notes by Tuesday, but you don't hear from them until Thursday, delaying everyone else's progress.

Think: How does this lack of communication affect the group's workflow and morale? What does effective self-management look like in terms of communication?

Pair: Brainstorm ways to improve communication and accountability within a group.

This slide sets up the second scenario. Again, allow individual thinking time before pairing. Encourage deeper discussion about the consequences of unreliable communication.

Exit Ticket: My Reliability Pledge

On your Exit Ticket: My Reliability Pledge, reflect on today's discussion and make a personal pledge for how you will demonstrate self-management and dependability in your next collaborative effort.

What is one specific action you will take?

Conclude the lesson by having students complete the exit ticket. This provides an opportunity for personal reflection and a commitment to applying what they've learned.

Warm Up

Warm-Up: Unreliable Characters

Think about a character from a book, movie, TV show, or even history who was unreliable. This means they weren't dependable, didn't follow through on promises, or couldn't be counted on.

Who is the character?
In what ways were they unreliable?
What were the consequences of their unreliability on the plot or other characters?

Be prepared to share your thoughts with the class!

Activity

Activity: Think-Pair-Share Scenarios

Instructions: Read each scenario below. First, Think individually about the questions. Then, Pair with a partner to discuss your thoughts. Finally, be prepared to Share your insights with the whole class.

Scenario 1: The Missing Piece

Your group is working on a major research presentation that counts for a significant portion of your grade. Everyone has been assigned specific sections. One member, Alex, consistently misses deadlines for their assigned parts. The final presentation is due tomorrow, and Alex has still not submitted their section.

Think (Individual Reflection):

What impact does Alex's unreliability have on the group's ability to complete the presentation on time and to a high standard?
How might this situation affect the morale and trust within the group?
How could Alex's self-management (or lack thereof) have contributed to this problem?

Pair (Discussion with a Partner):

What strategies could the group employ to address this specific situation with Alex right now?
How could the group have established better expectations or check-ins at the beginning to prevent this type of unreliability?

Scenario 2: The Communication Breakdown

A group member, Sarah, promises to send important research notes and a draft of her section by Tuesday evening so others can review it before the next meeting on Wednesday morning. Tuesday evening comes and goes, and you don't hear anything. You try to reach out on Wednesday morning, but she doesn't respond until Thursday, explaining she "forgot."

Think (Individual Reflection):

How does this lack of communication affect the group's workflow and overall progress?
What feelings might this situation evoke among other group members?
What does effective self-management look like in terms of fulfilling commitments and communicating potential delays?

Pair (Discussion with a Partner):

How can a group ensure clearer communication and accountability regarding shared resources and deadlines?
What steps can individual members take to improve their own dependability in terms of communication within a team?

Cool Down

Exit Ticket: My Reliability Pledge

Instructions: Reflect on today's discussion about dependable characters in stories and the importance of reliability and self-management in real-life collaboration. Complete the following questions.

Summarize in your own words: What is one key takeaway you learned today about how a character's dependability affects a story's plot or themes?
Looking ahead: Think about your next group project or collaborative effort. What is one specific action you will take to demonstrate strong self-management and be a more dependable group member?
My Reliability Pledge: I pledge to ____________________________________________________________________ to ensure I am a reliable and effective collaborator.