Posted by admin on November 9, 2009 under Teaching With Heroes, Trading Card | 
(This following article was published by American Federation of Teachers on their web site in 2007: http://www.aft.org/pubs-reports/american_educator/issues/winter07_08/notebook.htm)
If you’re an elementary school teacher looking to liven up your lessons on American history, join the club—The Heroes Club. Created by businessman Brian Batson and educator Dennis Denenberg, The Heroes Club is a set of 25 trading cards that depicts 25 American heroes and the virtues they represent.
For instance, Benjamin Franklin’s card explains that he represents the virtue of service and notes that he started many important services that we still use today: the public library, the postal system, and the police department. Clara Barton’s card describes her as “a real-life action figure,” who cared for wounded soldiers in the Civil War and started the American Red Cross, and, therefore, represents compassion.
Cesar Chavez’s card, which also mentions Dolores Huerta, the co-founder of the United Farm Workers, associates him with perseverance for having championed migrant workers’ rights. “Migrant workers harvest many of the fruits and vegetables we eat,” the card reads. “In the 1960s migrant workers were paid $1 a day. They worked many hours (often in fields sprayed with poisons) and lived in shacks without electricity or running water. Cesar and Dolores made people aware of the terrible living and working conditions. They held meetings all over the country and told true stories of the migrants’ poverty. Their perseverance in this struggle helped to improve the lives of migrant workers.”
The cards serve as a fun—yet educational—way for teachers to take a break from history textbooks and use a relatively inexpensive supplement. A set of 25 cards costs $9.95.
A list of the heroes, their virtues, and pictures of the trading cards appear on The Heroes Club Web site, www.theheroesclub.org. Worksheets and lesson plans, both of which prompt students to think about the challenges a particular hero faced and why our lives are better today because of that person, are also posted there.
Posted by admin on November 3, 2009 under Trading Card, Walt Disney Trading Card |
Walt Disney - The First Imagineer
Walt Disney was a man bursting with CREATIVITY. He imagined so many wonderful ways to entertain people and he decided to share his creative ideas. Walt was a great artist, so he created cartoon characters, like Mickey Mouse, to make people laugh. He also imagined and designed Disneyland and Walt Disney World, where everyone could go and have fun. That’s some awesome imagining!
Virtue: Creativity is imagining and sharing new ideas.
Call to Action: What are some ways you can share your new ideas with others?
http://www.theheroesclub.org/walt_disney.php#trading_card
Posted by admin on October 28, 2009 under Abraham Lincoln Stories, Abraham Lincoln Trading Card, Stories, Trading Card |
Abraham Lincoln – The Great Emancipator
Even when he was alive, people called him “Honest Abe.” Our beloved 16th president, who freed the slaves and who kept the country together, believed in HONESTY. As he faced challenges in his personal life and in his public duties, Abe told the truth. That’s why the voters of his time believed in him. That’s why Americans today still respect him.
Posted by admin on October 26, 2009 under Elizabeth Blackwell Stories, Elizabeth Blackwell Trading Card, Stories, Trading Card |
Elizabeth Blackwell – First American Female Doctor
Every doctor’s college said “NO, NO, NO” – no woman may become a doctor! That’s the way it was in 1840 in the USA. But Elizabeth Blackwell said “YES, YES, YES.” She had the intelligence and skills needed to become a doctor. Most importantly, Elizabeth had CONFIDENCE. “I can” was her winning spirit. And that very confident young woman became Dr. Blackwell, leading the way for many others.
(copied from the Elizabeth Blackwell Real American Heroes trading card)
Posted by admin on October 25, 2009 under Jonas Salk Trading Card, Trading Card |
Jonas Salk - Medical Pioneer
Even the disease’s name scares everyone today: Cancer. But in the 1950′s the scary disease was Polio. It paralyzed or killed children. People kept hoping someone would find a way to stop it. Dr. Salk worked every day for years to discover a vaccine to prevent polio, and he succeeded. But instead of bragging and taking lots of money for his work, he displayed HUMILITY and kept working as a doctor to find cures for other diseases, including cancer and AIDS.
Virtue: Humility is not bragging about your success.
Call to Action: What could you say to someone who praises you for doing a good job?
http://www.theheroesclub.org/jonas_salk.php#trading_card
