Thanks! First off, I'd like to thank you for downloading my product! I am a classroom teacher who hated that all education products were either geared only towards elementary classrooms or did not fit with a clean and modern aesthetic. I want to create products for teachers that I would've liked to see in my classes in high school. No more boring and outdated worksheets! Downloading this content allows you to use as an individual or with a PLC group. To use on a larger scale please purchase multiple licenses. Publishing this resource online with out credit or utilizing in forprofit educational and tutoring centers is strictly prohibited. This is an easy to use writing pack to be utilized while reading Beowulf. This pack includes two different argumentative essays and a creative, short story writing project. Each assessment also includes a rubric that can be used to grade the writing assignments. Instructions for use: Print out the worksheet for student use. The worksheet can also be used digitally if that suits your needs. The rubrics are either attached or linked, depending on the assignment. I hope you, and your students, enjoy the activity! Sierra - TeachLV TPT Store Link Defining a Hero I. Brainstorming Part I: Choose one of the quotations below about heroes to use as an introduction to your essay. Highlight the quotation of your choice in YELLOW ● Heroes are people who are all good with no bad in them.-Mickey Mantle ● A hero is someone who doesn’t change. - George Foreman ● Heroism feels and never reasons, and therefore is always right. - Ralph Waldo Emerson. ● The ordinary man is involved in action, the hero acts. An immense difference. - Henry Miller ● What makes a hero truly great is that they never despair. -Roy Thompson ● A hero is someone who has given her or her life to someone bigger than oneself. -Joseph Campbell. ● A hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to preserve and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles. -Christopher Reeves Part 2: After reading over the quotations above, what traits, qualities or characteristics must a hero possess? Brainstorm a list in the box below. Part 3: Write your own definition of a hero. Part 4: Use the checklist below to identify whether or not Beowulf is a hero. Afterwards, count how many times you thought Beowulf was a hero and when he was not to make your final decision on whether or not he is a hero. Then highlight in GREEN three events from the list below as evidence to support your decision. Events in Beowulf Hero Not Beowulf crosses the seas & battles the sea monster Beowulf battles Grendel Beowulf battles Grendel’s mother Beowulf battle the dragon II. Rough Draft Create a 3-5 paragraph essay, using the evidence from your brainstorming to create an argumentative essay on whether or not Beowulf fits the definition of a hero. Be sure to proofread your essay, revising and editing for organization, development, support, grammar and spelling. You can type your rough draft or write it out on notebook paper. III. Final Draft After you have revised and edited your rough draft, type your final draft and submit it. Here is the rubric that will be used to evaluate your work. Use your graphic organizer to answer the following prompt in a three paragraph response: Does Beowulf fit the archetype of a mythological hero? Use text evidence to support your answer. Helpful things to remember when completing your response: mythological heroes usually have a high amount of respect from their community, mythological heroes usually go on a quest or journey (think back to the clock notes we did), and mythological heroes usually have a mighty foe to defeat for the benefit of others. Make sure your response includes an intro, body, and conclusion; a thesis statement; transition words; and is in third person point of view. As this is a timed write, any submission turned in after the alloted time will be deleted and you will get a zero. Once you are finished writing: highlight your thesis and topic sentences in blue highlight your evidence in red highlight your analysis in green highlight your final thought in yellow Type your response below Who is the true villain in Beowulf? For this assignment, you will write a traditional five paragraph essay arguing who the true villain is in the epic poem of Beowulf. Is it Grendel, his mother, Beowulf himself, or something else? You should follow the following format: I. Introduction: a. Interesting opening sentence b. Discuss the debate (hero vs. villain) c. Thesis – stating who is the villain and why you think so with three clear reasons to support your argument. II. First major argument a. Topic sentence – what your argument is for this paragraph b. Explanation – further discussion of what you are arguing in this paragraph c. Evidence (1st quote) – must cite in MLA format i. Context – summarize in your own words what is happening in the quote ii. Analysis – demonstrate how quote proves topic sentence d. Evidence (2nd quote) – must cite in MLA format i. Context – summarize in your own words what is happening in the quote ii. Analysis – demonstrate how quote proves topic sentence III. Second major argument a. Same format as paragraph II IV. Third major argument a. Acknowledge other side – still argue yours b. Same format as paragraph II and III V. Conclusion a. Restate argument b. Connect to the world - what Beowulf teaches about good vs. evil c. Last sentence – interesting This will count as a major test grade. Name: ___________________________________________________ Block: ______________ Rubric Introduction Introduces hero vs. villain argument in detail and explains opposing side /5 pts Clear thesis with three reasons why Beowulf is a hero or villain /10 pts Body Paragraph 1 Clear argumentative topic sentence with specific argument /5 pts Two different MLA quotes formatted correctly that prove argument /5 pts Context of quote explained and analysis for how quote proves argument /5 pts Body Paragraph 2 Clear argumentative topic sentence with specific argument /5 pts Two different MLA quotes formatted correctly that prove argument /5 pts Context of quote explained and analysis for how quote proves argument /5 pts Body Paragraph 3 Clear argumentative topic sentence with specific argument /5 pts Two different MLA quotes formatted correctly that prove argument /5 pts Context of quote explained and analysis for how quote proves argument /5 pts Conclusion Restate argument /5 pts Explains opposing side (villain or hero) and has powerful closing sentence /5 pts Grammar/Format Has proper MLA header and Work Cited page /10 pts Has at least six quotes in body paragraphs and are correctly cited /10 pts No grammatical errors and more than 2 pages in length /10 pts Hero’s Journey Short Story and Rubric Your assignment is to write a multi-paragraph short story that follows the format of a hero’s journey like we saw in Beowulf. Your short story needs to follow the format of a hero’s journey (call to adventure, assistance, departure, trials, approach, crisis, treasure, result, return, new life, and resolution). Your story also needs to include the literary elements of a narrative such as characters, setting, dialogue, and conflict. Since this is not a traditional essay it does not need to be in the standard five paragraph format; however, it should still be chunked into paragraphs appropriately. Your short story should be 750 words minimum. This is a summative grade. Criteria 5 4 3 Content Students utilized all the aspects of a hero’s journey and a narrative effectively throughout the entirety of their short story Student utilized all the aspects of a hero’s journey and a narrative with varying levels of success Student utilized some of the aspects of a hero’s journey and a narrative effectively Student attempted to utilize some of the aspects of a hero’s journey and a narrative Student did not include aspects of the hero’s journey or aspects of a narrative Student’s story utilized some transitions with varying levels of success Student’s story utilized transitions sportically which sometimes caused issues with logic Student did not utilize transitions which caused confusion at multiple times throughout the story Student’s story was not organized in a way that makes logical sense Student used multiple grade-level vocabulary words occasionally and utilized varied sentence structure in their short story. Student used grade-level vocabulary words occasionally and sometimes utilized varied sentence structure in their short story. Student used vocabulary words under grade-level and attempted to utilize varied sentences occasionally. Student used vocabulary words under grade-level and utilized only basic sentence structure. Organization Student’s story was effortlessly organized and the writing easily flowed from one idea to the next Use of Language/ Structure Student used multiple grade-level vocabulary words and utilized varied sentence structure throughout their short story. 2 1 Mechanics There were no issues in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization. There were few (1-2) issues in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization that did not interfere with meaning. There were some (3-4) issues in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization that rarely interfered with meaning. There were multiple (5-6) issues in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization that sometimes interfered with meaning. There were many issues (7+) in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization that interfered with meaning.
