Instructions for a Hero Study, Report, or Presentation

Hero Study 

Remember, the main point of studying a hero is to find the heroic qualities you admire about them and apply those qualities to your own life! 

Choose a person you admire from the time period we’re studying (approximately 1500 to 1850). Research and take notes on that person. This could include a founding father or mother, an inventor, musician, religious leader, author, ancestor, or someone else you admire and want to learn more about. Use a book from our recommended hero book list, or find other sources with the approval of your parents. 

(Note: Wikipedia is not allowed. Copying and pasting is not allowed. This needs to be in your own words.)  

Here are some ideas of thing you could include in your notes: 

• your hero’s life and experiences
• how you think they filled the mission God sent them to live
• how their hard work
• education
• talents
• life challenges helped them become a better person and do something worthwhile
• how you can see God's hand in his or her life
• what Christlike characteristics that person had that you admire 

Hero Report

From the notes you wrote about your hero, type up a report. See Sister Edwards' example for ideas.  Read the report to the class.  

Hand in your report so we can see that you did it. It won't be graded or anything. If you'd like to become a better writer, you can write at the top "Feedback please." 

Hero Presentation

If it's your week to present your hero report (you'll sign up for a turn), have fun with it!  After researching your hero and taking notes, find some fun ways to present your hero to us!  Although most inspirements are about 2-3 minutes, a hero report is meant to be 5-10 minutes, so stretch yourself and make it great!   

Here are some ideas: 

• Dress up as your hero and read us your hero report
• Show pictures of your hero and some of the things he or she did to make the world a better place 
• Perform part of a speech your hero gave, or play part of a musical composition he or she wrote
• Show us a short video clip about your hero as part of your presentation
• Create a skit that portrays your hero’s characteristics and what he or she accomplished 
• Write a poem about your hero 
• A short game to help you teach the class interesting things about your hero
• Be sure to include what characteristics you admire about your hero, and your plan to develop one of those characteristics.

Scripture to Memorize by October 2, 2013

Alma 31:5

"And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just -- yea, it had had more powerful affect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them -- therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God."

Apprentice Readings & Inspirements

October Theme: 

Citizenship, Christian Principle of Self-government

Study  – Know

1. Before you begin:  Plan your studies for the week and discuss it with your parent(s).
Use a SAR (Student Accountability Report) or another planner-type tool.  Discuss your plans and progress with your parents in your weekly parent mentor meeting. (Estimated time: 30 minutes)

2. Read a poem a day (from Sister Bates) in American History in Verse. Read the poems to “________”.  (Estimated time: 30 minutes)

3. Read Carry On, Mr. Bowditch. If you own the book, mark it up. Highlight things that stand out to you. Make notes in the margins. Circle your favorite quotes.

4. Word Study. Do a word study on ONE of the following words: citizenship, society, community. (Estimated time: 30 minutes)

Teach – Understand

Choose ONE of the following inspirements: (Estimated time: 30 minutes or more)

• Research a navigational skill from the book, and come to class with a diagram or model and be prepared to teach us how to do it. Some examples are: using a sextant to “shoot the sun,” telling time by the Big Dipper, or keeping a log.
• Choose one of the following quotes from the book. (Page numbers are approximate as they may be slightly off depending on what copy you have.)

- “Being happy takes a lot of practice, don't you think?” (pg. 73)
- “Sometimes, if you look at the stars long enough, they sort of shrink your troubles down to size.” (pg. 86)
- “We can't have freedom – unless we have freedom.” (pg. 90)
- “It did things to a man, Nat thought, to find out he had a brain.” (pg. 139)
- “The best way to stay at peace is to be prepared for war.” (pg. 170)
Reread the part of the story that includes the quote. Write a few paragraphs on what you think that quote means and if you agree or disagree with it. Be prepared to share your thoughts in class.

• Do a character T chart on Nat Bowditch using quotes from your reading. Choose one of the qualities that he had that you would like to develop in yourself. Do a word study on that quality and include a paragraph on how you can build that quality in yourself.
• Study the types of boats they had in the late 1700's and make a physical representation on one of them (drawing, sculpture, model, etc) and then come to class and teach us about the parts of the boat that we learned about in this book.
• Do a skit or make a movie to show the class your favorite part of the book.

Serve –Become

Choose ONE of the following inspirements : (Estimated time: 30 minutes or more)

• President Gordon B. Hinckley said he was fascinated by the North Star. Regardless of the earth’s rotation, the North Star maintained its position in the heavens and never moved. He said: “I recognized it as a constant in the midst of change. It was something that could always be counted on, something that was dependable, an anchor in what otherwise appeared to be a moving and unstable firmament.” (Sheri L. Dew, Go Forward with Faith: The Biography of Gordon B. Hinckley (1996), 5–6)

Noting the unwavering, absolute position of the North Star, one writer told the contrasting story of a young boy who became lost on a camping trip. When his father finally found him, his father asked if he had remembered to pick out something in the landscape that he could always see. This, his father said, would have helped him to fix a steady position. The boy said, “I did.”“What was it?” the father asked. “That rabbit over there,” the boy said.  Think about what the navigation stars are in your life.  What things in your life do you use to measure truth?  Which of the things that you use to measure truth truly provide you with truth and which things don't?   Spend some time thinking about this and decide on something you could do better on in your life and work on it this week.

• It takes Nat several years to learn Latin well enough to read “Principia”. Have you ever spent a year or more working on or towards something? Why did you spend that much time? Was it worth it? What did you learn from the experience? Write your thoughts down and be prepared to share in class.  If you have never spent that long working on something, think hard about something you would like to learn or do that might take that long and set a goal to accomplish it.  Be prepared to share your plan with the class.

October Journeyman Readings & Inspirements

Study  – Know

Read ALL of the following: 

1. How: Essential Skills for Living the Gospel. Say a prayer and then choose one of the chapters to read.  Read that chapter, marking your favorite parts as you read.  In your journal make note of any spiritual promptings you receive while you read so you can act on those.  (Estimated time: 30 minutes)

2. Promises of the Constitution: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow. Read pages 125-157. Mark anything that stands out to you. (Estimated time: 2 hours)

3. Hero Study. Research and take notes on a person you admire from this time period (1500 to 1850). (Estimated time: 1 hour)

Teach – Understand

Choose ONE of the following inspirements: (Estimated time: 30 minutes or more)

• Teach the Vanguard group the skill you chose to learn from the "How book."  Strive to work on this new habit all four weeks until the next Leadership Academy class, by writing it on your SAR and discussing it with your parents. You could teach this in a variety of ways: create a poem or song, Prezi or Power Point , white board discussion, object lesson, poster board that displays the main points, prepare a talk, or write a paper about it to read to the class. Limit your presentation to 2-3 minutes. 
• Write a hero report.  Read the report to the class. Hand in your report to Sister Edwards.  It won't be graded; we just want to read it. If you'd like to become a better writer, you can write at the top "feedback please."
• If you signed up for this week, give your hero presentation. See instructions on the Yahoo group files. 
• When reading Promises of the Constitution, write a summary at the end of each tiny chapter.  Take one of those main concepts and choose a way to teach it to the class. You can use a Prezi or Power Point presentation, white board discussion, object lesson, short game or activity or simulation, or find a video online to help you teach the concept.
• Answer the following questions from Promises of the Constitution in your notebook: 

- What ways are people are supposed to be equal and ways they aren’t (pages 150-51).  
- Draw a diagram of government’s horizontal powers and vertical powers (pages 148-9).
- Explain the what, why, and who of the Federalist Papers (pages 126-7). 
- List the rights God has given us on pages 142-3. 

Serve –Become

Choose ONE of the following inspirements : (Estimated time: 30 minutes or more)

• Teach a family home evening lesson on one of the things you studied this month: your skill from the “How book,” a government principle from the Promises of the Constitution book, your hero, or Carry On Mr. Bowditch. 
• Write down promptings you receive while doing your readings and inspirements. Act on one that serves someone else. Come to class ready to share. 
• Teach a family member or friend the main points of the things you've learned from your studies this week. Be sure to tell them how you're going to improve your life from the things you've learned. Come to class ready to share. 
• Or choose a “Serve-Become” from the apprentice or master level.
• Find three scriptures and three quotes that relate to something you learned this week. Write a summary of them in your notebook. What is God teaching you from these? Record your thoughts. 

Remember to memorize the scripture for this month!

It goes along with our 2013-24 theme of "Joy in the Journey!" We'll be passing it off at Leadership Academy class on September 4, 2013.

John 16:33 --  "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."