Historic Superheroes and Villains Project | Olympians and Athletes

Description

Looking for a fun, no prep project that integrates history, art, science, and literacy AND keeps students engaged? Your class will love this design Olympians and athletes superheroes and villains project! They will love designing a superhero or villain persona for a famous historic figure, and it will quickly become one of *your* favorite activities too. Perfect as an Olympics, end of year, or after testing activity, students think critically and work independently as they brainstorm an entire character based on a historic figure. They will first decide whether to present their figure as a hero or villain and then create their origin story, powers, accessories, nemesis, and more as they work on their design.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Did you know this resource is also available as part of a bundle? Click here to check it out!

How It Works:

• Learn about the history of superheroes and their design using the 2-page article, by watching a short video, and/or using the included PowerPoint presentation.
• Next, go over the directions for the assignment and learn about the different design elements students will use for their superheroes. Go over the included examples and rubric so students know exactly what’s expected of them.
• Students can brainstorm ideas and take notes using the research graphic organizers and list of guiding questions.
• Students will use the included templates to design a superhero or villain persona for their assigned or chosen figure. They will include information about their origin story, powers & abilities, suit, accessories, etc.
• Finally, students will share why they imagined their figure as a hero or villain and how certain symbols, colors, etc. were chosen to best represent their life, achievements, and impact on society.

Reasons You’ll Love This Design Olympians and Athletes Superheroes Activity:

• Engaging and fun activity that also requires critical thinking
• Multiple & flexible options for use with a reading, PowerPoint, video, and activity
• Integrates literacy, art, history, science, and more!
• Awesome for biography units
• Students can work independently or in groups
• Perfect for end of semester review or as a creative assessment
• Makes an awesome classroom, hallway, or bulletin board display
• Perfect for substitutes and filling multi-day gaps in your planned lessons
• Make it even more fun with a design competition!

What’s Included:

1. Superhero template for each person with & without a cape (see list below)
2. 2-page article + 100% Editable PowerPoint + Optional videos about the history of superheroes and their design
3. Student directions (editable) + Guiding questions + Design tips
4. Research & Brainstorming graphic organizers + List of people
5. 20 examples to share with students
6. Teacher Tips + Grading Rubric
7. Suggested websites + Extension ideas
8. Blank superhero template for additional flexibility

Who’s Included:

1. Billie Jean King
2. Dominique Dawes
3. Duke Kahanamoku
4. Florence Griffith Joyner
5. Greg Louganis
6. Jackie Joyner-Kersee
7. Jesse Owens
8. Jim Thorpe
9. Julie Chu
10. Katie Ledecky
11. Kristi Yamaguchi
12. Laurie Hernandez
13. LeBron James
14. Lindsey Vonn
15. Lionel Messi
16. Lisa Leslie
17. Mia Hamm
18. Michael Jordan
19. Michael Phelps
20. Michelle Kwan
21. Muhammad Ali
22. Naomi Osaka
23. Oscar De La Hoya
24. Roger Federer
25. Serena Williams
26. Simone Biles
27. Usain Bolt
28. Vicki Draves
29. Wayne Gretzky
30. Wilma Rudolph

Bonus Athletes:

1. Alex “Sonny” Sixkiller
2. Andre the Giant
3. Danica Patrick
4. David Beckham
5. Dwayne Johnson
6. Fabulous Moolah
7. Garry Kasparov
8. Ichiro Suzuki
9. Jackie Robinson
10. Jeff Gordon
11. Joe Louis
12. Kacy Catanzaro
13. Pele
14. Peyton Manning
15. Roberto Clemente
16. Steph Curry

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Is there a digital version of this resource? I really tried to make it work digitally, but unfortunately I never found a solution that worked well. So I’m keeping it print for now!
2. How long will this project take? Depending on how you do it and the amount of work time you provide in class, this project could take up to two weeks. However, it can also be done in much less time with just a few tweaks. You can find more guidance included in the teacher tips!
3. Does this resource include information about each person? Information about the individuals is not included. Students can use any source (textbook, video, website, etc.) or the list of suggested resources to learn about their chosen figure.
4. Can this be adapted for younger grades? Absolutely! I recommend just using the PowerPoint as a class instead of relying on the 2-page article about the history of superheroes. Going over the included examples with students will be essential!