Heroes h45

Heroes h45

Heroes

Introduction

Heroes
In this theme you will focus on Heroes.

What are we going to do?

  • We begin by looking at superheroes – and why they appeal to our imagination.
  • Then we compare and contrast two young people who are considered to be heroes by their communities. These are every day stories that could happen to anyone. But would you have the presence of mind to do what these young people did?
  • Next we look at one of the most popular international teen heroes, Malala who was shot by the Taliban for wanting to go to school. She won the Nobel Peace Prize.
  • Next we return to a reality that you can probably relate to: school lunch time and you have nowhere to sit, or at least you probably know people who are ‘left out’. Well, an app has been developed by a bright young girl to deal with that.
  • To round up this topic of Heroes, you will be asked to find out about an unsung hero,
    or rather, someone who has done something you consider heroic but quietly.

What about you?
What, in your opinion, makes a hero a hero? What do you think an unsung hero is?
Who is your hero? Or are you a hero to anyone?

THink about it, but you don't have to be able to answer these questions perfectly right now.
You will find out the following lessons.

Have fun!

Need to know

What do you need to know?
At the end of this theme, you should be able to talk about Heroes with ease.
But you don't have to be able to do all this perfectly right away! If you take the following lessons you'll find out what you need to know!

  • Read the questions.

  • Form groups of three or four.

  • In your group, select as many questions as there are members of your group.

  • Discuss these questions.

  • Select one question you all think is interesting. Answer these questions and explain your answer.

  • Present, as a group, the results of your discussion to your class mates.

  • Answer, as good as you can, questions of your class mates.

When listening to other presentations, listen carefully and think of questions or things you did not understand.​​

Choose from the following questions

  • What is the meaning of a hero? How would you describe a hero?
  • Do you have a sporting hero?
  • Who are heroes? Do you have any personal heroes?
  • Who were your heroes when you were a child?
  • Do you think soldiers and police officers are heroes?
  • Which superhero do you want to be?
  • Are heroes celebrities?

Can do

In this theme you will focus on the following 'can do' statements.

Listening (B1):

  • I can follow and understand a song text and can answer questions about the song.
  • I can generally follow a radio interview with an author who is talking about the idea of heroes and heroism in our world today.
  • I can catch the main points in a short BBC radio news bulletin about Malala and answer questions.

Reading (B2)

  • I can read and understand an article about superheroes in which the writers express specific attitudes and points of view.
  • I can understand in detail a text about superheroes and a social media app. I can look for synonyms of the vocabulary.
  • I can understand in detail the story about Malala and answer questions.

Speaking (B1)

  • I can start, maintain and close simple face to face conversation on heroic acts.
  • I can maintain a conversation or discussion about combatting bullying. I can express my opinion.
  • I can deal with most situations likely to arise when making travel arrangements through an agent or when actually travelling (also ask for and follow detailed directions).


Writing (B1)

  • I can write a backstory of 'my superhero'.
  • After reading a few articles about heroic acts, I can describe which hero I would give a bravery award and why.
  • I can write a connected text about big decisions in life (of someone I admire) and can express my personal view and opinion.
  • I can write a short story of a local hero for a newspaper.
  • I can write a factual summary about the life of Malala after listening to a BBC news bulletin about Malala.
  • I can write an article explaining my ideas of encouraging students to sit together at school, not alone. 

To do

The theme Heroes contains an introduction, four sections and a finishing touch.
In the schedule below, you can see the titles of the sections and an estimate of the time required for each part.

Lesson Title Activities Time (hours)*
Introduction

Introduction

Need to know

Can do

To do

   0,5 hour

Lesson 1

Superheroes

Listen to a song about superheroes. Read and discuss about superheroes. Write a backstory about superheroes.

3-4 hours

Lesson 2

Young local heroes

Speak about heroic acts. Read about your heroes. Write a story about a local hero.
Grammar: mixed conditionals

3-4 hours

Lesson 3

Malala

Do a quiz about writing. Read a text and watch a video about Malala.
Write a summary.

3-4 hours

Lesson 4

Sit with us

Read a text about the 'Sit with us' app and discuss with a classmate about this app.  

2-3 hours

Finishing touch

Projects

 

Oefenprogramma Engels'

 

Examentraining


Evaluatie

You are going to give a talk to your class about 'quiet heroes'.
You are going to listen to a conversation about heroes.

You are going to practise with the 'Oefenprogramma Engels'.

You are going to prepare for exams: practise taking past versions.

You answer evaluation questions, what did you learn?

3 hours

Total

 

 

16 hours


*hour = lesuur. Eén lesuur komt ongeveer overeen met 2 SLU.

Lessons

Superheroes

Superheroes

Introduction

The subject of this lesson is 'Superheroes'.

  • Form groups of three or four pupils.

Discuss the following questions in your group:

  • A superhero is someone who has courage. Do you agree?
  • Are heroes people who have had to fight for something?
  • What other qualities does a hero have?
  • Write down all the superheroes that you can think of.
  • Have you ever been inspired by a superhero?

This lesson contains 5 steps and an evaluation. Work them through step by step.

Step

Activity

 

 

Introduction

Find out what you already know.

Step 1

Song

Name some superheroes. Watch a video and fill in the gaps in the song text. Answer questions with a classmate. Choose your own superhero.

Step 2

Reading

Discuss questions with a classmate. Read a text about superheroes and do an exercise.

Step 3

Speaking

Answer and discuss questions about the text.

Step 4

Words

Combine words from the text. Complete sentences with words

Step 5

Task

Create your superhero by surfing on an internet site. Write your backstory in 200-250 words.

 

Evaluation

Reflecting on what you have learned.

 

Difficult words? Search these on Cambridge Dictionaries

 

Step 1 - Song

Song: Superheroes
Watch the video with the song Superheroes by The Script.

Do the exercise.

Answer these questions with your classmate about the song.

  1. The singer suggests that a superhero is someone who has a certain amount of drive and ambition. Do you agree?
  2. Do you think that a person can turn the pain into power? How easy or difficult might that be?
  3. Are heroes often people who have had a hard time, and who have had to fight for something? Think of an example.

Go to this website: http://www.thesuperheroquiz.com/
Which is your superhero?

Step 2 - Reading

Reading: The psychology behind superhero origin stories
Discuss these questions with a partner. Give your reasons.

  1. Why do people enjoy superhero stories?
  2. Can superhero stories help us to cope with our own problems? Why/why not?
  3. Have you ever been inspired by a superhero story? Which one? Why?
Read the text.

By Robin Rosenberg
Smithsonian Magazine | February 2013

How does following the adventures of Spider-Man and Batman inspire us to cope with adversity?

“Why is every superhero movie an origin story?” complained Entertainment Weekly film critic Adam Markovitz after seeing a trailer for this summer’s Man of Steel—yet another version of the 75-year-old Superman saga. Perhaps we love origin stories, Markovitz suggested, because they “show the exact moment when a normal guy goes from being Just Like Us to being somehow better, faster, stronger.” I’m inclined to disagree. As a clinical psychologist who has written books about the psychology of superheroes, I think origin stories show us not how to become super but how to be heroes, choosing altruism over the pursuit of wealth and power. I’ve learned this through hundreds of conversations at comic book conventions, where fans have been remarkably candid about their lives and the inspiration they draw from superhero stories.

In one form or another superhero origin story has been around for millennia: A hero battles “supernatural” forces and returns home “from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man,” as the mythologist Joseph Campbell wrote. In my surveys of the genre, I’ve found that superheroes undergo three types of life-altering
experiences that we can relate to. The first is trauma, which lies at the heart of Batman’s origin story, in which Bruce Wayne dedicates himself to fighting crime after seeing his parents murdered. In real life, many people experience “stress-induced growth” after a trauma and resolve to help others, even becoming social activists. The second life-altering force is destiny. Consider Buffy the Vampire Slayer, about a normal teenager who discovers she’s the “Chosen One”—endowed with supernatural powers to fight demons. Buffy is reluctant to accept her destiny, yet she throws herself into her new job. Many of us identify with Buffy’s challenge (minus the vampires) of assuming a great responsibility that compels her to grow up sooner than she wants to. Lastly, there’s sheer chance, which transformed a young Spider-Man, who was using his power for selfish purposes until his beloved uncle was murdered by a street thug. Spider-Man’s heroism is an example of how random adverse events cause many of us to take stock of our lives and choose a different path.

At their best, superhero origin stories inspire us and provide models of coping with adversity, finding meaning in loss and trauma, discovering our strengths and using them for good purpose. (Wearing a cape or tights is optional.) Comic book writers could have chosen not to endow their characters with origin stories. (In fact, Batman’s back story wasn’t published until the comic’s seventh installment.) But those writers were keen observers of human nature. And they were able to translate those observations into captivating stories reflecting aspects of psychology that were confirmed by researchers decades later. In doing so, they tap into our capacity for empathy, one of the greatest powers of all.

Do the exercises.

Step 3 - Speaking

Speaking

Use the article by Robin Rosenberg.

By Robin Rosenberg
Smithsonian Magazine | February 2013

How does following the adventures of Spider-Man and Batman inspire us to cope with adversity?

“Why is every superhero movie an origin story?” complained Entertainment Weekly film critic Adam Markovitz after seeing a trailer for this summer’s Man of Steel—yet another version of the 75-year-old Superman saga. Perhaps we love origin stories, Markovitz suggested, because they “show the exact moment when a normal guy goes from being Just Like Us to being somehow better, faster, stronger.” I’m inclined to disagree. As a clinical psychologist who has written books about the psychology of superheroes, I think origin stories show us not how to become super but how to be heroes, choosing altruism over the pursuit of wealth and power. I’ve learned this through hundreds of conversations at comic book conventions, where fans have been remarkably candid about their lives and the inspiration they draw from superhero stories.

In one form or another superhero origin story has been around for millennia: A hero battles “supernatural” forces and returns home “from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man,” as the mythologist Joseph Campbell wrote. In my surveys of the genre, I’ve found that superheroes undergo three types of life-altering
experiences that we can relate to. The first is trauma, which lies at the heart of Batman’s origin story, in which Bruce Wayne dedicates himself to fighting crime after seeing his parents murdered. In real life, many people experience “stress-induced growth” after a trauma and resolve to help others, even becoming social activists. The second life-altering force is destiny. Consider Buffy the Vampire Slayer, about a normal teenager who discovers she’s the “Chosen One”—endowed with supernatural powers to fight demons. Buffy is reluctant to accept her destiny, yet she throws herself into her new job. Many of us identify with Buffy’s challenge (minus the vampires) of assuming a great responsibility that compels her to grow up sooner than she wants to. Lastly, there’s sheer chance, which transformed a young Spider-Man, who was using his power for selfish purposes until his beloved uncle was murdered by a street thug. Spider-Man’s heroism is an example of how random adverse events cause many of us to take stock of our lives and choose a different path.

At their best, superhero origin stories inspire us and provide models of coping with adversity, finding meaning in loss and trauma, discovering our strengths and using them for good purpose. (Wearing a cape or tights is optional.) Comic book writers could have chosen not to endow their characters with origin stories. (In fact, Batman’s back story wasn’t published until the comic’s seventh installment.) But those writers were keen observers of human nature. And they were able to translate those observations into captivating stories reflecting aspects of psychology that were confirmed by researchers decades later. In doing so, they tap into our capacity for empathy, one of the greatest powers of all.


The author ends the article in Reading by saying ...
'they tap into our capacity for empathy, one of the greatest powers of all.'

With your partner:

  1. What is empathy? What is the difference between empathy and sympathy?
  2. Describe a situation in which you have shown empathy. After you described the situation: can your partner describe in what way he/she thinks you have shown empathy?
  3. Describe a situation in which someone showed empathy to you. After you described the situation: can your partner describe in what way he/she thinks someone has shown empathy to you?

Step 4 - Words

Here are some words from the text 'The Psychology Behind Superhero Origin Stories'.

  • to be inclined to agree/disagree (v)
  • pursuit (noun)
  • candid (adj)
  • reluctant (adj)
  • to cope (verb)
  • captivating (adj)

Use the words in the next exercises.

Step 5 - Task

Writing Task
You are going to create a superhero and write his or her back story.

How you got your superpowers? ..........
What are your superpowers? ..........
What do you wear? ..........
What is your name? ..........


There’s some information here to help you: http://www.springhole.net/writing/naming-superheroes

Now you have some information, you can write your back story.
In other words, how did this all happen! Write 200-250 words.

 

Answer

Evaluation

Fill in the schedule and answer the questions below.

  Activity

 

Needs improvement

​Satisfactory, good

Excellent

Step 1 - Song

I can listen to a song about superheroes and fill in the gaps of a song text.

 

 

 

Step 2 - Reading

I can read a text about superheroes and answer the questions.

 

 

 

Step 3 - Speaking

I can have a discussion about superheroes

 

 

 

Step 4 - Words

I can combine the words from the text.

 

 

 

Step 5 - Task

I can create a superhero and write his/her backstory.

      

 

What have you learned in this lesson?
Answer the following questions:

  • What was the easiest part of this lesson?
  • What was the most interesting part?
  • What was the most difficult part?
  • What was new to you in this lesson?
  • What do you have to ask your teacher?

Young local heroes

Young local heroes

Introduction

The subject of this lesson is 'Young local heroes'.
You're going to speak, listen, read and write about heroic acts.

Looking at superheroes, they appeal to our imagination. But what about local heroes. We compare and contrast two young people who are considered to be heroes by their communities. These are every day stories that could happen to anyone. But would you have the presence of mind to do what these young people did? Let's find out.


This lesson contains 7 steps and an evaluation.
Work them through step by step.

 

Step

Activity

 

 

Introduction

Read the introduction.

Step 1

Speaking

Answer questions about heroic acts. Compare with your partner. Think of three reasons about children who perform a heroic act.

Step 2

Listening

Listen to the audio and do the exercise.

Step 3

Words

Read the definitions and fill in the crossword.

Step 4

Reading

Read two articles about your heroes. Study two pictures. Answer statements. Give four reasons about a bravery award.

Step 5

Grammar

Theory about mixed conditionals. Three exercises about mixed conditionals. Complete sentences and read Grammar Desks.

Step 6

Writing

Make a list of five big decisions. Write a short paragraph (about 200 words) and use mixed conditional sentences.

Step 7

Task

Write a story about a local hero. Use the notes given.

 

Evaluation

Reflecting on what you have learned.

 

 

 

Difficult words? Search these on Cambridge Dictionaries

 

Step 1 - Speaking

Speaking
Answer these questions.
First, write down the acts which you consider to be heroic individually.
Then compare your answers to your partner's.

  1. What do you consider to be heroic acts?
  • rescuing a cat from a tree.
  • giving someone CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
  • calling the police/fire service or ambulance.
  • helping an old person who fell over in a shopping mall.
  • returning a lost dog to its owner.
  • (your own ideas.) ..........

 

  1. Some people think that when a child performs a ‘heroic’ act, it is more ‘special’.
    Why might people think that? Give three reasons.

Step 2 - Listening

Listening
You will hear part of a radio interview with the author Marina Johnston, who is talking about the idea of heroes and heroism in our world today.

Listen.

Do the exercise.

Step 3 - Words

Words
Complete the crossword with adjectives to describe heroes.
You can download and fill in: Crossword heroes

Across

2. showing no fear of dangerous or difficult situations

6. having or showing courage

7. very special, unusual or strange

8. willing to give other people money, help, kindness etc.

 

 

 

Down

1. wanting to do something very much and not letting anyone stop you

3. willing to try new and often difficult or dangerous things

4. showing good judgement and able to be trusted

5. helpful and thinking about other people’s feelings

6. relaxed and not worried, frightened or excited

 

 

 

Answer

Step 4 - Reading

Reading: Young heroes
You are going to read two articles about children who were called ‘heroes’ by their local communities.
First look at the pictures. What can you tell about them from the photos?

Now read the articles.

A 7-year-old Lynnwood Girl Scout was recognized in Edmonds Saturday afternoon for her efforts to save her 18-month-old brother from choking earlier this year. Annberly S., a member of Girl Scout Brownie Troop 43866, received a Medal of Honor from Girl Scouts USA during a ceremony Saturday at Edmonds Methodist Church. Because she is a minor, her parents have requested that her last name not be published.

According to Troop 43866 Leader Elliott Gustavson, the second-grader and her 18-month-old brother Joseph were playing in the bedroom of their Lynnwood home the evening of Jan. 19, 2016, when Joseph started making odd noises. When Annberly turned to him, she saw that his face was changing color.
“Annberly yelled for help, then leapt into action. Imitating what she had seen in a television program, she positioned her brother over her knee and gave him back blows,” Gustavson said. Added Annberly’s mother: “I ran to the room and found Annberly with Joseph over her knee, hitting his back and yelling for me. She gave him one more blow, and a small eraser came flying out of his mouth.” She said her daughter was in tears, clearly terrified for her brother.
The Medal of Honor is a lifesaving award given by Girl Scouts of the USA to girls who have saved or attempted to save a human life under circumstances that indicate heroism, and is reserved for those who have performed heroic acts beyond the degree of maturity and training to be expected at their age. Gustavson submitted the application on the Girl Scout’s behalf, after which Girl Scouts of Western Washington approved the application and forwarded it to Girl Scouts of the USA. “I am so proud of Annberly’s quick thinking, leadership instinct and reliance on skills consistent with Girl Scouting,” Gustavson said. “It’s unusual for a Girl Scout this young to receive the Medal of Honor.” Girl Scout Brownie Troop 43866 has troop members in Mountlake Terrace, Lynnwood and Everett. The girls are in second and third grades.

 

“Little” Oscar, who has Asperger’s syndrome, saw his mum being viciously mauled and having chunks ripped from her leg by their pet German Shepherd on her bedroom floor. Instead of “freaking out”, he tore the raging animal away and locked her in the laundry before carefully wrapping his mum’s leg in a towel and calling an ambulance.

Today, to honour his courage, the 14-year-old Cockatoo boy has been given a Commendation for Brave Conduct as part of the Australian Bravery Decorations. Mum Dana Lyall, 52, said had it not been for her son’s tenacity, she would surely have been killed by the ferocious dog. “Oscar would pull her away and then she’d come back and attack me again about five or six times, it was horrific ... but he never gave up,” she said. “It was a random attack ... had it not been for Oscar, I’m sure I wouldn’t be here today.” Ms Lyall, a single mum, said she was proud of how her boy handled the situation in such a logical manner. “He was completely calm, he just did what had to be done and saved me.”
Victorian Sergeant Deryn Caroline Ricardo has also been given Commendation for Brave Conduct after she helped save a man from a burning Dumbalk home while off-duty. Sgt Ricardo, who was on crutches at the time, helped neighbours and good Samaritans break into the smoke-filled house and safely removed the unconscious man, saving his life on December 16, 2011. Sgt Ricardo and Oscar join 43 other Australians who have been given Commendation for Brave Conduct, along with 25 Bravery Medal recipients, six Star of Courage recipients and seven Group Bravery Citations. Sir Peter Cosgrove said: “We are fortunate as a community to have so many outstanding people willing to put themselves in harm’s way to assist others in need.”
Since 1975 and including the awards announced today, there have been five awards of the Cross of Valour, 153 awards of the Star of Courage, 1,267 awards of the Bravery Medal, 1,998 Commendations for Brave Conduct and 169 awards of the Group Bravery Citation.


Do the exercise.

You have read about heroic acts.
If you had to one bravery award, who would you give it to – Amberley, Oscar or Sergeant Ricardo?

You can only choose one. Give at least four reasons for your choice.

  1. .............
  2. .............
  3. .............
  4. .............

Step 5 - Grammar

Grammar
Let’s look at mixed conditionals.

You know that conditionals can be

  • type 0 (If you heat water, it boils at 100°C),
     
  • type 1 (If I study hard, I will pass my exams),
     
  • type 2 (If I won the lottery, I would go on a world cruise),
     
  • type 3 (If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam).
     

 

situation

result

Present or future time

If + past simple

would, could, might + verb in infinitive/ be + ing

Past time

If + past perfect

would have, could have, might have + past participle

 

Past situation, present result:

If Annberly hadn’t watched TV programmes, her brother would not be alive today.

Past situation, future result:

If Oscar hadn’t been so determined, his mother might have more scars to other parts of her body.

 

Do the exercises.

Have you struggled a bit with the exercises? Do you want to read more theory?
You will find the Grammar Desks here.

The zero conditional

The first conditional

The second conditional

The third conditional

Step 6 - Writing

Writing

  • Make a list of five big decisions that one of your parents/an adult you admire, has made in their life.
  • Consider how their life might be different if any of those decisions had done the other way
    – drawing them on the page as an upside down tree.
  • Pass your imaginary life tree to another group to extend.
  • Write a short paragraph (about 200 words).
    Use lots of mixed conditional sentences.

 

Bron Reddit.com: Decision tree relationships

Step 7 - Task

Writing Task
You work for a local newspaper.
The editor has asked you to write the story of a local hero.
These are the notes you were given.
Write the story in about 200 words.

Use these notes:

  • Boy called Filipe / aged 8
  • In a shopping centre with his parents / saturday afternoon
  • Witnessed an old lady collapse
  • Grabbed his father's mobile phone
  • Called 112
  • Ambulance arrived
  • Boy's fast action = woman's life was saved He had seen lots of ER programmes on TV and knew that he had to act quickly.

Evaluation

Fill in the schedule and answer the questions below.

 

Activity

 

Needs improvement

​Satisfactory, good

Excellent

Step 1 speaking

I can answer questions about heroic acts.

 

 

 

Step 2 listening

I can listen to a radio interview about heroism and answer the questions.

 

 

 

Step 3 words

I can read definitions of words and fill in a crossword.

 

 

 

Step 4 reading

I can read two articles about heroes.  I can write down my reasons, who I would choose to give a bravery award.

 

 

 

Step 5 grammar

I can understand en use the grammar.

 

 

 

Step 6 Writing

I can write a paragraph about decisions. I can use mixed conditional sentences.

 

 

 

Step 7 Task

I can write a story about a local hero.

 

    

 

What have you learned in this lesson?
Answer the following questions:

  • What was the easiest part of this lesson?
  • What was the most interesting part?
  • What was the most difficult part?
  • What was new to you in this lesson?
  • What do you have to ask your teacher?

Malala

Malala

Introduction

The subject of this lesson is 'Malala'.

Malala Yousafzai (born 12 July 1997) is a Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate.

She is known for human rights advocacy, especially the education of women and children in north-west Pakistan, where the local Taliban had at times banned girls from attending school.

This lesson contains 5 steps and an evaluation.
Work them through step by step.
 

Step

Activity

 

 

Introduction

Find out what you already know.

Step 1

Reading and speaking

Do a quiz to find out what kind of diary/journal writer you are.

Step 2

Reading

Read the text about the Profile of Malala. Answer the questions.

Step 3

Words

Match the words with their definition. Complete sentences with words.

Step 4

Watching

Watch a video about Malala's life after the shooting. Answer questions about how her life has changed.

Step 5

Task

Write a summary about Malala's article in 150 words.

 

Evaluation

Reflecting on what you have learned.

 

Difficult words? Search these on Cambridge Dictionaries

 

Step 1 - Reading

Reading, speaking and thinking
Find out what kind of diary/journal writer you are.
Do this quiz, write your answers down.

What kind of writer are you?

1. Which hobby suits you best?

  1. writing or drawing
  2. art
  3. gaming

2. You’re going to write a non-fiction book. What is it about?

  1. buildings
  2. art
  3. your favourite football team

3. Which of the following do you like best for online social interaction?

  1. by writing blog posts
  2. sharing photos
  3. you don’t – you have your own handwritten diary and it’s not for anyone!

4. What’s the best reason to have a diary or journal?

  1. to work out problems
  2. to record your life – it’ll be fun to share with your children!
  3. to keep a track of your life

5. Look back at your past, which of the following adjectives best describes it?

  1. a bit embarrassing
  2. interesting and fun
  3. bittersweet

6. How often do you write?

  1. every day
  2. when you feel like it
  3. rarely to never


Mostly a?
You like writing about your life. You write down the good times and the bad times, and the hmmm rather interesting times!
You either have a blog or you’ve been thinking about getting a blog but you want to make sure that it’s as you want it.

Mostly b?
You do write but really you more often find yourself drawing, or taking photos.
You’re more a visual person. You record your life events with a view to the future.
And you do it more often when you’re on holiday – you have to be in the mood to do it.

Mostly c?
You like to note down what is happening in your life, good times and the not so good times.
If you did have a diary it would probably be handwritten, because you spend a lot of time on the computer already, and you know a lot about privacy settings and how they aren’t always private.

Step 2 - Reading

Reading
Now read an article about Malala.

Profile: Malala Yousafzai

It has only been five years since Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai wrote an anonymous diary about life under Taliban rule in north-west Pakistan. Since then she has been shot in the head by the militants, and has become the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Accepting the award in Oslo on 10 December, she said she was "humbled" and proud to be the first Pashtun and the first Pakistani to win the prize. She also joked that she was probably the first winner who still fought with her younger brothers.

Malala Yousafzai first came to public attention through that heartfelt diary, published on BBC Urdu, which chronicled her desire to remain in education and for girls to have the chance to be educated. When she was shot in the head in October 2012 by a Taliban gunman, she was already well known in Pakistan, but that one shocking act catapulted her to international fame.
She survived the dramatic assault, in which a militant boarded her school bus in Pakistan's north-western Swat valley and opened fire, wounding two of her school friends as well.

The story of her recovery - from delicate surgery at a Pakistani military hospital to further operations and rehabilitation in the UK, and afterwards as she took her campaign global - has been closely tracked by the world's media. She was discharged from hospital in January 2013 and her life now is unimaginably different to anything she may have envisaged when she was an anonymous voice chronicling the fears of schoolgirls under the shadow of the Taliban.

She was named one of TIME magazine's most influential people in 2013, put forward for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013, won the European Parliament's Sakharov price for Freedom of Thought and her autobiography "I Am Malala" was released last year and reversioned for younger audiences. Malala was only 11 years old when her anonymous diary captivated audiences.

She wrote under a pseudonym - Gul Makai, the name of a heroine from a Pashtun folk tale. Militants destroyed scores of girls’ schools in the time the Taliban wielded power over the valley. They had an implacable attitude to female education and this was Malala's primary concern. In January 2009, as the school was closing for winter holiday she wrote: "The girls were not too excited about vacations because they knew if the Taliban implemented their edict [banning girls' education] they would not be able to come to school again. I am of the view that the school will one day reopen but while leaving I looked at the building as if I would not come here again." She documented the anxiety she and her friends felt as they saw students dropping away from class for fear of being targeted by militants, and as the girls began to attend school in plain clothes not uniform, so as not to draw attention to themselves. Eventually, Malala and her family, like many thousands of other Swat residents, fled the valley when a government military operation attempted to clear the region of militancy.
Passionate campaigner
Malala consistently received support and encouragement in her activism from her parents. The idea for the blog was even that of her father Ziauddin, who ran a local private school. In a lengthy profile published in Vanity Fair magazine, one teacher from Swat said that her father "encouraged Malala to speak freely and learn everything she could". And her identity as the girl blogger from Swat eventually became known as she became more vocal on the subject of the right of girls to education. It is a subject she never ceased to be passionate about even after she returned home once the militants had been run out of Swat.
In 2009 a documentary film was even made about her. Many more honours followed: in 2011 she was nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize by The KidsRights Foundation and in 2012 the Pakistani government awarded her the National Peace Award - subsequently renamed the National Malala Peace Prize - for those under 18 years old. She even confronted then US special envoy to the region, Richard Holbrooke, urging him to do something about the state of affairs for women who want an education. When she finally returned to Swat, Malala took advantage of the improved security and went back to school. Malala and her family were the subject of threats and it was on 9 October 2012 that these were borne out. The Taliban said that they targeted her for "promoting secular education" and threatened to attack her again.

Back at school
The bullet hit Malala's left brow and instead of penetrating her skull it travelled underneath the skin, the length of the side of her head and into her shoulder. Amid the outpouring of global support she was flown to the UK and at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in the city of Birmingham she received specialist treatment and had a titanium plate fitted as well as a cochlear implant in her skull to help her hear. She began attending Edgbaston High School in March and her father has been given a job with the Pakistani consulate in Birmingham for three years.
But she has continued her campaign and taken it around the world. A fund set up in her name helps children in education around the world. Among other trips, she has travelled to Nigeria, meeting President Goodluck Jonathan to press for action to free the 200 girls held by Boko Haram Islamist militants. It is all a far cry from the girl who wrote in her diary only four years ago: "Today, I also read my diary written for the BBC in Urdu. My mother liked my pen name Gul Makai. I also like the name because my real name means 'grief stricken'."


Do the exercise.

Step 3 - Words

Words
Here are some words from the article 'Profile: Malala Yousafzai'.

  • heartfelt (adj)
  • catapult (v)
  • wound (v)
  • implacable (adj)
  • threat (n) and (v)

Use these words in the exercises.

 

Step 4 - Watching

Video watching
How do you think Malala’s life changed after the shooting?
List three aspects.

Then watch this video and check your ideas.

 

Step 5 - Task

Task: Summary Writing
Read the article and watch the video about Malala again.
In 2020 she graduated from Oxford University. 


Write a 150 word factual summary about Malala.

Then add about 150 words answering this question:
To what extent do you admire Malala? Is she a hero to you?
Why/Why not?

Here are some ideas on summary writing:

You have to really understand the text to be able to write a story.
So here are some things you can do:
  1. Skim the text with a highlighter. Look at the headings, divide the text into sections and identify the important information.
    (You are writing a factual summary to highlight the facts.)
  2. Take some notes and write down the main points in your own words. Use a dictionary or a thesaurus to help you. On a computer you can right click and see ‘synonyms’.
  3. Write out a text and make changes as necessary.
  4. Ask a fellow-student to read it.

 

Answer

Evaluation

Fill in the schedule and answer the questions below.

 

Activity

 

Needs improvement

​Satisfactory, good

Excellent

Step 1 reading and speaking

I can read and answer questions about different kind of writers.

 

 

 

Step 2 reading

I can read a text about the profile of Malala.

 

 

 

Step 3 words

I can understand and use the words.

 

 

 

Step 4 watching

I can watch a video about Malala's life and answer questions.

 

 

 

Step 5 writing

I can write a summary about Malala's article.

      

 

What have you learned in this lesson?
Answer the following questions:

  • What was the easiest part of this lesson?
  • What was the most interesting part?
  • What was the most difficult part?
  • What was new to you in this lesson?
  • What do you have to ask your teacher?

Sit with us

Sit with us

Introduction

The subject of this lesson is 'Sit with us'.

Sit With Us is a social networking app designed to promote kindness and inclusion in schools.
Kids can use the app’s features to coordinate lunches with their friends.
They can also volunteer to be Ambassadors for their schools and post open lunch events on campus where everyone will be included.
No one needs to eat alone!


This lesson contains 4 steps and an evaluation.
Work them through step by step.
 

Step

Activity

 

 

Introduction

Read the introduction.

Step 1

Reading

Read the text and tick the best summary sentence. Read the text again. Fill in the first sentence in each paragraph of the text.

Step 2

Words

Find the correct word according to the definition. Complete sentences with these specific words.

Step 3

Speaking

Discuss questions about the text with your classmate.

Step 4

Task

Describe in 200 words a way to encourage students to come and sit with you.

 

Evaluation

Reflecting on what you have learned.

 

Difficult words? Search these on Cambridge Dictionaries

 

Step 1 - Reading

Reading
Look at the text. The text is about a girl who is using her phone at lunch time.

The first sentence from each paragraph has been removed.
Look at the sentences in random order.

  1. The app allows students to designate themselves as “ambassadors,”
  2. Hampton, now a junior, is attending a different school and is thriving socially
  3. Hampton might be on to something even more,
  4. A new app makes finding friends in the school cafeteria a piece of cake

Now read the text.

‘Sit With Us’ also aims to help reduce bullying.

[1]

“Sit With Us” helps students who have difficulty finding a place to sit locate a welcoming group in the lunchroom.

[2] thereby inviting others to join them. Ambassadors can then post “open lunch” events, which signal to anyone seeking company that they’re invited to join the ambassadors’ table. Natalie Hampton, a 16-year-old from Sherman Oaks, California, is the designer of Sit With Us, which launched on September 9. She was inspired to create it after she ate alone her entire seventh grade year, she told LA Daily News. The situation left Hampton feeling vulnerable and made her a target for bullying.

[3] Yet, the memory of sitting alone and being bullied still haunts her, especially since she knows her experience isn’t an isolated one. Hampton told Audie Cornish on NPR’s “All Things Considered” that the reason why she felt an app like this was necessary is because it prevents kids from being publicly rejected and being considered social outcasts by their peers.  “This way it’s very private. It’s through the phone. No one else has to know,” she explained to Cornish. “And you know that you’re not going to be rejected once you get to the table.”

[4] especially since she’s asking fellow students to take the stand against bullying. When students ― especially the “cool kids” ― stand up to bullying, it has a significant impact, according to a study conducted by Princeton, Rutgers and Yale University. During a 2012-2013 school year, over 50 New Jersey middle schools provided their most socially competent students with social media tools and encouragement to combat bullying, and saw a reduction in student conflict reports by 30 percent. Hampton told All Things Considered that since she launched the app last week, she’s already getting positive feedback from her peers. “People are already posting open lunches at my school,” she told the program. “So I’m very excited that things are already kicking off with a great start.”

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/..teen-creates-app-sit-with-us-open-welcoming-tables-lunch-bullying_us

 

Do the exercise.

Step 2 - Words

Words
Do the exercises.

Step 3 - Speaking

Speaking
Discuss the following questions with your partner.

  • Do you think this 'Sit with Us' app is a good idea? Why/Why not?
  • Would you use it?
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of this app?
  • When you first read about it, did you think it was an app to help combat bullying?

Consider other ways of combatting bullying and their effectiveness in your context.

Step 4 - Task

Task: Writing
It’s not always easy to make friends at school.

Your English teacher has asked you to suggest other ways to encourage students to come and sit with you. It could be an app, or it could be something different.

Write your article explaining your idea, and how it works. Indicate how it could be implemented in your school (is it self-explanatory? Would teachers have to be involved?).

Write no more than 200 words.

Evaluation

Fill in the schedule and answer the questions below.

 

Activity

Needs improvement

​Satisfactory, good

Excellent

Step 1 reading

I can read a text and tick the best summary sentence.

 

 

 

Step 2 words

I can understand and use the words.

 

 

 

Step 3 speaking

I can discuss about the social network app Sit with us.

 

 

 

Step 4 task

I can write an article about how to encourage students.

 

 

 

 

What have you learned in this lesson?
Answer the following questions:

  • What was the easiest part of this lesson?
  • What was the most interesting part?
  • What was the most difficult part?
  • What was new to you in this lesson?
  • What do you have to ask your teacher?

Finishing touch

Project A: talk about Heroes

Final project - Quiet Heroes
You are going to find out more about people you admire, but about whom not very much is known. They are ‘Quiet Heroes’.

  1. You can choose up to a maximum of three people you admire who have done/or who are making small changes (so not famous sports people or celebrities).
    Do some internet research and find people of different ages/abilities/nationalities so that you can contrast and compare.
  2. You are going to give a talk to your class.
  3. Prepare your Powerpoint presentation and your talk for your class.
    Use the three parts of your presentation to reinforce your message:
    • In the introduction, you tell your audience what your subject is going to be.
    • In the body, you tell your audience your real story.
    • In the conclusion, you summarize the results of your investigation.
  4. Practice your presentation with your partner. Then give your talk to your class.
    Your talk should include a maximum of 5 slides, and should last no longer than three minutes.

Look down and see how your presentation will be judged.

  Good Sufficient Insufficient
Organisation Information is presented in a logical, attractive sequence. Information is mostly presented in a logical, attractive sequence. Information is not presented in a logical, attractive sequence.
Content Interesting, clear information. Information is mostly interesting. Some was already known. There was not much that was of interest in this presentation.
Speaker style Speaks clearly and at an understandable pace. Maintains eye contact with audience. Well-rehearsed. Mostly speaks clearly and a good pace. Mostly keeps eye contact. Has rehearsed a bit. Mostly unintelligible. Does not maintain eye contact. Has not rehearsed.
Language The vocabulary use is very good and the sentence structure is good. Complex sentences are attempted, but not always correct. The vocabulary use is fairly good and the sentence structure is good. Attempts one or two complex sentences. The vocabulary use is not very good, neither is the sentence structure. Does not attempt complex sentences.

Project B: listening Heroes

Listening

You will hear part of a radio interview with the author Marina Johnston, who is talking about the idea of heroes and heroism in our world today.

Listen.

Do the exercise. Fill in the gaps.
Tip: You can stop the audio to fill in the words.

Oefenprogramma Engels

If your school participates in VO-content, you can practice with the English practice program 'Oefenprogramma Engels'.

Here you find a part of this program.
This section fits in well with this theme.
Sign in with your 'School Entree account'!

An American Hero

An American Hero


My hero

My hero

 

On www.oefenprogrammaengels.nl you can of course also practice with other reading, listening or viewing assignments!

Examentraining

On this page you will find Examenkracht exam questions of previous years.
The questions will correspond as much as possible to the exercise you have just finished.

While answering, use as much of what you have learned earlier. If you cannot answer the question right now, try again later. When you have answered a question, you can check and indicate the score yourself.

If you want your results to be saved, you will have to log in on ExamenKracht.

HAVO 2021-TV1

HAVO 2021-TV1 Vraag 42

HAVO 2021-TV3

HAVO 2021-TV3 Vraag 2

HAVO 2018-TV2

HAVO 2018-TV2 Vraag 1
HAVO 2018-TV2 Vraag 40

HAVO 2016-TV1

HAVO 2016-TV1 Vragen 40 en 41

 

More practice?
Go to Examenkracht where you will find the newest exams.

What did you learn?

Can do statements

Take a look at the Can do statements in the introduction - 'Can do'.
Are you able to do what you have to do?
Did you understand and meet the learning goals (can do statements)?

Finishing touch project

  • Did you do both projects? How did it go?
  • Was the 'rubric' at the end helpful for you? Could you indicate yourself?
  • What do you think of working in a group?
  • Did every group member do the same amount of work?

Analyse your mistakes

What did you learn of the mistakes you made in this theme?
You can learn a lot of your mistakes!

Do you recognize one or a few of the mistakes in this schedule?
Copy the schedule in Word.
Fill in other mistakes you made in the free bottom rows.
Fill in the missing tips in the second column. Of course, you can add your own tips for the other mistakes.

Kind of mistake

Tips

I did not learn enough.

You have to plan your learning activities better.
Don't leave it until the last minute. Set up a timetable.

I did not understand.
I did learn the Grammar theory but did not know how to use it.

 

I made sloppy mistakes.
I know how to do it, but I do it incorrectly because I lose concentration.

 

I have to check the Vocabulary.
I use the wrong words, or I did not recognize the words.

You can study the Vocabulary of themes of the 'Stercollecties' in www.studiowozzol.nl.

Here you can practise words in a context.
This will help you to memorize words.
You also can create your own task in Studiowozzol.
.....  
.....  

  • Het arrangement Heroes h45 is gemaakt met Wikiwijs van Kennisnet. Wikiwijs is hét onderwijsplatform waar je leermiddelen zoekt, maakt en deelt.

    Auteur
    VO-content
    Laatst gewijzigd
    28-11-2025 11:48:13
    Licentie

    Dit lesmateriaal is gepubliceerd onder de Creative Commons Naamsvermelding-GelijkDelen 4.0 Internationale licentie. Dit houdt in dat je onder de voorwaarde van naamsvermelding en publicatie onder dezelfde licentie vrij bent om:

    • het werk te delen - te kopiëren, te verspreiden en door te geven via elk medium of bestandsformaat
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    • voor alle doeleinden, inclusief commerciële doeleinden.

    Meer informatie over de CC Naamsvermelding-GelijkDelen 4.0 Internationale licentie.

    Het thema 'Heroes' (h45) is ontwikkeld door auteurs en medewerkers van StudioVO.

    Fair Use
    In de Stercollecties van StudioVO wordt gebruik gemaakt van beeld- en filmmateriaal dat beschikbaar is op internet. Bij het gebruik zijn we uitgegaan van fair use.
    Meer informatie: Fair use

    Mocht u vragen/opmerkingen hebben, neem dan contact op via de
    helpdesk VO-content.

    Aanvullende informatie over dit lesmateriaal

    Van dit lesmateriaal is de volgende aanvullende informatie beschikbaar:

    Toelichting
    Dit thema valt onder de arrangeerbare leerlijn van de Stercollectie voor Engels voor havo, leerjaar 4 en 5. Dit is thema: 'Heroes'. Dit thema omvat de volgende volgende onderwerpen: - Superheroes - Young local heroes - Malala - Sit with us De grammaticaopdrachten gaan over mixed conditionals.
    Leerniveau
    HAVO 4; HAVO 5;
    Leerinhoud en doelen
    Engels;
    Eindgebruiker
    leerling/student
    Moeilijkheidsgraad
    gemiddeld
    Studiebelasting
    16 uur 0 minuten
    Trefwoorden
    arrangeerbaar, engels, h45, heroes, malala, sit with us, stercollectie, superheroes, young local heroes

    Gebruikte Wikiwijs Arrangementen

    VO-content Engels. (2021).

    Malala h45

    https://maken.wikiwijs.nl/104340/Malala_h45

    VO-content Engels. (2021).

    Sit with us h45

    https://maken.wikiwijs.nl/104341/Sit_with_us_h45

    VO-content Engels. (2021).

    Superheroes h45

    https://maken.wikiwijs.nl/104338/Superheroes_h45

    VO-content Engels. (2021).

    Young local heroes h45

    https://maken.wikiwijs.nl/104339/Young_local_heroes_h45

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