Goal: reluctant readers learn how to conduct research AND produce a

research paper.
Focus: research process (as opposed to product)
This process decreases plagiarism because all work is in-class AND the
addition of a second topic lessens directly cutting/pasting from the internet
Write POWER paragraphs one at a time
Using vetted sources (minimum of 3: book, Wikipedia, database article)
Product: format (3-4 page paper plus Works Cited Page)

Our presentation will include:

The details of the process – doing research in pieces and writing individual
paragraphs.
(Secondary benefit of this process: historical connections of 20th century
major events to creation of superheroes reinforces author’s purpose in that
writers respond to the world around them. Helps students make cross-
curricular connections with social studies, as well as real-world connections.)

Other products:
Source and Note sheets – on colored paper (grade each)
Timeline – bulletin board paper
Digital timeline – website through Google sites (use newer version)
https://sites.google.com/a/vbschools.com/4a-superheroes-timeline/
Video reflections

Digital Resources:
Databases – SIRS Decades through elibrary; Biography in Context, Student
Resources in Context through Gale, etc.
For history - http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/
https://www.thoughtco.com/20th-century-timelines-1779957
OWL at Purdue for MLA formatting
Videos - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtQ-pA6uM3c Superheroes: A
Never-Ending Battle through PBS; also available through Amazon Prime
http://www.pbs.org/video/pioneers-television-superheroes/ Pioneers of
Television: Superheroes (PBS)
Achieve 3000 articles – reading and writing activities (“Batman for a Day”
and “Batman?”

Big Hero 6 book about the Disney movie.

TIMELINE
1. Video, “Truth, Justice, and the American Way: Superheroes, A Never-
ending Battle” with viewing guide.
2. Research on history of superheroes. Wikipedia, “List of Superhero
Debuts;” one before 1940 and one after 1940 worksheet.
3. Low-tech timeline activity. Selected events on strips of paper by
decade distributed to groups. Students look up year, write it on strip,
paste strip on bulletin board timeline (hung on wall). Students also
look up years of superhero first appearances to place them on the to
see events happening on or around the time of the superheroes’
debuts. Mark with wars and social movements for added context.
4. Digital timeline activity. Make page on Google sites. Divide page by
decade. Assign each group a decade and grant access to page. Have
group add an overview, major events, images, and video from decade.
Add all superheroes from “List of Superhero Debuts” in Wikipedia in
the appropriate decade of their appearance.
5. Reflection about connection between historical events and the creation
of superheroes. 1 – schoology or 2 – video.
6. Research on approved superhero (American, from the Wikipedia list. 2
of the same per class max.) on Wikipedia (source for superhero only
since the pages are standardized and accurate as far as pop culture)
Worksheet on WHITE paper.
7. Continued research on the chosen superhero – from a book. Library
Media Specialists have compiled quite a collection over the last eight
years. They pull them and put them on a cart for me to have in my
classroom. Students take notes on ORANGE paper.
8. Research and citation practice: students read Disney’s Big Hero 6 and
answer questions in schoology that require them to answer basic
research questions while keeping track of page numbers.
9. POWER Paragraph model. Students write a paragraph about their
superhero on paper. (This is the second body paragraph of their
paper.) Upload to schoology. Grade.
10. Students complete a graphic organizer regarding the time period in
which their superhero appeared.
11. POWER Paragraph regarding the historical time period. What’s going
on in the United States and/or the world when their superhero
appeared? (This is the first body paragraph of paper.) Upload to
schoology. Grade.
12. Choose second topic – stick figure regarding chosen superhero’s
characteristics in order to choose a second, connected topic. (Anything
will work as long as there is a connection. Some examples: Aquaman
and the Lost City of Atlantis; Black Panther and the animal; Flash and
Usain Bolt; Spiderman and Stan Lee; Wonder Woman and the
polygraph machine. BEIGE paper
13. Library visit – to receive instructions on using databases to research
second topic. Students required to either write down bibliographic
information OR capture the citation and save in Google drive. They
take notes on information for their second, connected topic on PURPLE
paper.
14. POWER paragraph on connected topic. (This is the third body
paragraph of their paper.) Upload to schoology. Grade.
15. Students put all three paragraphs together in a properly formatted
MLA document.
16. Students add in-text citations.
17. Students write an introductory and a concluding paragraph.
18. Students create a works cited page of at least 3 required sources: a
book, Wikipedia for superheroes only, and a database article.
19. Students upload to schoology.
20. Reflection – students answer questions about what they’ve learned
through the research process (posted in schoology).