Heroes Program
Heroes Program Curriculum
- Purpose Statement: What will this curriculum achieve?
- Outcome Statement: What will students be able to do with this information?
- Essential Resources: What will you use to teach your class and what will students use to learn?
- Strategy Framework: What teaching approach will you use?
- Verification Method: How will you know that you're effectively teaching?
- Standards Alignment: How well do you adhere to federal, state, and school standards for your course?
- Course Syllabus: What will you teach and when?
- Capstone Project: What final accomplishment will your students use to prove what they've learned in your class?
Purpose Statement: The Heroes Program is a seven-week program in which scientists, artists, cultural leaders, political leaders, sport figures, and business people, of all ethnic groups will be presented and discusses. Additionally, women, LGBTQ, and those with handicaps will be included. The Heroes discussed will encompass those figures who are often not covered in the traditional curriculum taught in school.
Outcome Statement: The participants in this program will be shown examples of how people in a variety of fields overcame social and cultural barriers to achieve their dreams. By showcasing such a wide group of people who defied stereotypes, we will change participants' preconceived ideas of what is possible.
These Heroes are meant to be role models with the purpose of giving the participants the feeling that "I can do that too," and imparting a personal sense of pride from identifying with a hero.
Essential Resources: Video clips, audio recordings, white boards or chalk boards, reference materials, and a computer for online learning.
Strategy Framework: A blended learning approach of lectures, audio and video clips and other resource materials. Each week there will be time devoted to a group discussion during which the participants can ask questions and or voice their own observations and/or opinions about the heroes.
Verification Method: To establish any internal biases, at the beginning of the program participants will be asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire. At the end of the program a similar anonymous questionnaire will be distributed to determine how and if those biased ideas have changed.
Standards Alignment: Not yet available.
Heroes Program Course Syllabus
Week 1: African American Heroes
- Abolitionists
- David Walker
- Frederick Douglas
- Sojourner Truth
- Civic and Social Leaders
- Janie Porter Barrett
- Marcus Garvey
- Stokely Carmichael
- Angela Davis
- Political and Government Figures
- John Lewis
- Thurgood Marshall
- Dorothy Chisholm
- Sports Figures
- Jesse Owens
- Jackie Robinson
- Jim Brown
- Earl Lloyd
- Artists
- Hattie McDaniel
- Dorothy Dandridge
- Sidney Poitier
- Business Leaders
- Madam CJ Walker
- Clara Brown
- Ursula Burns
- Scientists
- Percy Lavon Julian
- Harold Amos
- Patricia Bath
Week 2: Latinx
- Civic and Social Leaders
- Gloria Anzaldúa
- Cesar Chavez
- Sylvia Mendez
- Political and Government Figures
- Maurice Ferre
- Nydia Velázquez
- Joe Baca
- Sports Figures
- Tom Flores
- Roberto Clemente
- Roberto Duran
- Artists
- Desi Arnaz
- Celia Cruz
- Ricardo Montalban
- Business Leaders
- Arte Moreno
- Marty Alvarez
- Lori Higuera
- Scientists
- Ellen Ochoa
- Henry Eyring
- Eloy Rodriguez
Week 3: Pacific Islander Asian American
- Civic and Social Leaders
- Richard Aoki
- Ming W. Chin
- Tani Cantil- Sakauye
- Political and Government Figures
- Patsy Mink
- Daniel K. Inouye
- Robert Matsui
- Sports Figures
- Nancy Kwan
- Michael Chang
- Roman Gabriel
- Artists
- Margaret Cho
- Yo Yo Ma
- Sessue Hayakawa
- Business Leaders
- John Tu & David Sun
- An Wang
- Josie Natori
- Charles Wang
- Scientists
- David Ho
- Vicki Sato
- Roger Tsien
Week 4: LGBTQ
- Civic and Social Leaders or Organizations
- One Inc.
- Brenda Howard
- Gay Liberation Front
- Larry Kramer
- Political and Government Figures
- Harvey Milk
- Tammy Baldwin
- Barney Frank
- Jared Polis
- Sports Figures
- Billie Jean King
- Michael Sam
- Jason Collins
- Artists
- Divine
- Billie Joe Armstrong
- James Baldwin
- Leonard Bernstein
- Business Leaders
- Tim Cook
- Chris Hughes
- David Geffen
- Scientists
- Ruth Deborah Gates
- Benjamin Michael Neale
- Paul Allen Walker
Week 5: People With Disabilities
- Civic and Social Leaders or Organizations
- Charlie Carr
- Judi Chamberlin
- Robert Martin
- Political and Government Figures
- Tony Coelho
- Gregory Wayne Abbott
- Tammy Duckworth
- Sports Figures
- Jim Maclaren
- Bethany Hamilton
- Mallory Weggemann
- Artists
- Robert Hensel
- Chris Burke
- Marlee Matlin
- Business Leaders
- Ralph Braun
- David Neeleman
- Daymond John
- Scientists
- Stephen Hawking
- Mary Temple Grandin
- Dr. Janice Brunstrom
Week 6: Native Americans
- Civic and Social Leaders or Organizations
- American Indian Movement
- Leonard Peltier
- The 1969 Occupation of Alcatraz
- Political and Government Figures
- Sharice Davis
- Deb Haalad
- Ben Nighthorse Campbell
- Sports Figures
- Jim Thorpe
- James Winchester
- Johnny Bench
- Artists
- Jason Momoa
- Princess Nokia
- Irena Bedard
- Business Leaders
- Stephen Mills
- Dave Anderson
- Henry Red Cloud
- Scientists
- John Herrington
- Mary G Ross
- Jerry Chris Elliott High Eagle
Week 7: Capstone Project: Final Presentation
At the final session of this program the participants would hand in a written project about someone or something that was covered. Each participant would give a 10-minute presentation of their project with discussions and questions and answers by the participants and the class instructor.