Marvel Hero Tales: Educational Activities
Classroom Activities Covering Objectives from a Literacy Curriculum
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Objective: Reading (word)
In groups, the children play missions between them and read the game like a play taking on the roles of each character and a narrator. They alternate characters between missions), changing who is the superhero, thus in charge of the choices (including which superhero they chose to play as). The narrator may add in comments as the character travels through the city or when it is idle as well as reading the onomatopoeic words and captions on the outcome screen.
| Objective: Reading with enjoyment, fluency & understanding | |
| Introduction/Starter | Pair & Share
Children talk to a partner describing their favourite Marvel character, why they like them and what adventures they’ve been on. |
| Lesson Overview | In Groups
Using Marvel Hero Tales the children play missions between them and read the game like a play, taking on the roles of each character and a narrator. They alternate characters between missions changing who is the superhero, thus in charge of the choices (including which superhero they chose to play as). The narrator may add in comments as the character travels through the city, or when it is idle, as well as reading the onomatopoeic words and captions on the outcome screen. |
| Plenary | Each group can demonstrate their understanding by performing their favourite outcome screen to the class.
Other members of the class may be encouraged to ask any questions about their chosen scene. |
Objective: Reading Comprehension
Before & after a mission, groups use question starters to check for recall, understanding and opinionated thinking.
For example:
- What did the Superhero do to……?
- Why did you choose the adverb…?
- How do you think the villain felt when…?
- Why do you think the________ needed help from the Superhero?
- In your opinion, what do you think would happen after the Superhero left?
- Have you read any other stories that are similar?
- What´s your opinion on Superheroes?
- Do Superheroes make cities safer?
- Which superhero is most effective?
| Objective: Reading Comprehension. Identify main ideas & develop an informed view. | |
| Introduction/Starter | Silent Brainstorm
Ask the class to silently consider the question: What is a Superhero and how do you become one? |
| Lesson Overview | In Groups
Using Marvel Hero Tales the children play missions between them and read the game like a play, taking on the roles of each character and a narrator. They alternate characters between missions changing who is the superhero, thus in charge of the choices (including which superhero they chose to play as). The narrator may add in comments as the character travels through the city, or when it is idle, as well as reading the onomatopoeic words and captions on the outcome screen. Before, during & after playing the missions the groups pause the game and use question starters to build a discussion around the experience. Questions starters may include:
|
| Plenary | Ask each group to pick a question to pose to another group to answer. |
Objective: Writing (spelling)
Using both the dictionary and game missions children can find spelling rules contained in the words. The class teacher could collate a spelling list from the game (for example suffix –ly) and challenge the students to find all the words in the game and see how many times they can use them and which superhero they belong to.
| Objective: Identify spelling rules and enhance vocabulary | |
| Introduction/Starter | Odd One Out
Show a group(s) of words following the same spelling rule and an odd one out. Ask the children to find the odd one out and the spelling rule the others contain. |
| Lesson Overview | In Pairs
The children will act as ‘spelling detectives’ as they play the game. Pick a spelling rule(s) the children need to find in the game. They must make a list of all the words they find following this rule as they play the missions. Later in the lesson they can be directed to the game’s dictionary to see if they missed any words and add some additional ones to their list. |
| Plenary | Ask pairs to use some chosen words in a sentence. If the other groups hear a word on their list they can tick it off. See if sentences can be made for all (many of) the words the class have found. |
Objective: Writing (vocabulary, grammar, punctuation)
Using the game, the children can practice building descriptive sentences. They could voice record the ones they think are the best as they play. Drama activities could be used to show understanding of the new vocabulary. For example in groups of three they could Freeze Frame a ‘vocab attack’ acting out the meaning of their chosen vocabulary as different superheroes. Others in the class could try to guess their superhero and word (using their knowledge from the game).
The game is ideal for teaching the grammar rule of moving an adverb to the beginning of a sentence to use as an interesting opener. Children could use their recorded sentences from the game and change the word order, add in the appropriate punctuation and then make it more complex to show they understand the meaning of the unfamiliar vocabulary from the game.
| Objective: Write descriptive sentences & vary sentence structure | |
| Introduction/Starter | In Groups
Write MARVEL down the board. Ask each group to come up with a descriptive sentence starting with each letter. Before they share their sentences ask them to reflect on them and see if they can identify the type of word they have used to start each? Can they review and edit their sentences to have a variety of word types as sentence starters. |
| Lesson Overview | Individually
Children have a time frame to play Marvel Hero Tales. As they create descriptive sentences in the game they can record these to work on later. They can create a bank of sentences in a group by voice recording their sentences on one device. Once the group has recorded a list of descriptive sentences they can move onto editing these sentences to change word order/adding more description making sure to add in the appropriate punctuation. These new sentences can be collated as a ‘sentence bank’ for a later creative writing task. |
| Plenary | Using drama children show their understanding of the vocabulary. In groups they could Freeze Frame a ‘vocab attack’ acting out the meaning of their chosen vocabulary as different superheroes. Others in the class could try to guess their superhero and word (using their knowledge from the game). |
Objective: Writing (handwriting)
A handwriting rule could be given by the teacher and the children need to use the dictionary to copy out as many words as they can find that contains it. Afterwards, they could continue playing the game making sure they write any word down that has the rule in it.
| Objective: practise legible handwriting in a speedy time frame | |
| Introduction/Starter | Speak a few descriptive sentences and ask the children to draw what they hear in a few minutes.
Explain that like their art, handwriting is just as beautiful and needs to be written at an appropriate speed. |
| Lesson Overview | Individually
Divide the lesson in to decreasing time frames. In the first time frame (longest) as them to explore the game’s dictionary and copy all the words that contain (for example) a spelling focus. On handwriting paper, ask them to copy this list in a shorter time frame. Continue this, decreasing the time frame seeing if they can improve both their handwriting and speed. |
| Plenary | Ask for volunteers to come to the front of the class and ‘air write’ a word and see if the class can identify it. |
Objective: Writing composition
Children create their own villain and choose one of the superheroes from the game. Using the game format, they create their own comic (set in New York, Nick Fury gives them an instruction, they travel through the city, talk and then attack the villain and then have a summary like the game). They use the game as a reference for ideas, story line, art style, comic layout and vocabulary.
Using MHT as a learning tool within an Inquiry style model
Inquiry learning is similar to Project Based Learning but is more flexible and student led. It is interdisciplinary, involving many areas of the curriculum.
Big Idea: What is a superhero?
Play MHT to learn about the different superheroes and their super powers. Collate this information, including vocabulary, for each superhero. Continue to play throughout the inquiry cycle and as they unlock more superheroes and vocabulary collate and display this in the classroom. (Imagine a large working wall being added to throughout the process).
Compare the information gathered, what do the superheroes have in common? How does their vocabulary compare? Do superheroes exist in real life? Can you think of anyone in the community who shares some of the characteristics and vocabulary from MHT? Show the class a hook/hinge for example Banksy´s art of the nurse wearing a cape. Compare and contrast this superhero with the Marvel superheroes. Who is a nurse most like? Thinking of society and their community, where would they find a superhero like Falcon? (for example) Where may you discover the town’s closest person to Iron Man? Can we find our town’s Avengers?
Continuing to play MHT the class would roleplay as Nick Fury and devise a plan & strategy to uncover their community´s superheroes. Then they would find them.Using MHTs scenarios and vocabulary and art style they could create a comic of their community superheroes being victorious.
Once complete, they would present their findings and work (perhaps as an assembly to the whole school or as an awards ceremony inviting their superheroes to collect an award from their class).
The class may have uncovered an injustice or issue during their inquiry and can then act as superheroes themselves to address it. An example may be litter in their park. They can design their own capes, make a superhero name for themselves and conduct a litter pick. They could create a cape for their town councillor and ask them to be a superhero too and help fix the problem.
