Hero

Language level: Intermediate(B1)- Advanced (B2.2)
Learner type: All ages
Time: 90 minutes
Activities: Watching short film and video; speculating; describing works of art; listening; answering comprehension questions; making own hero movie
Topics: Heroes; micro-art; inspiration
Language: Vocabulary related to super heroes; cartoon heroes; film stars etc.
Materials: Short film; TED video; pictures of micro-art; PowerPoint;

 

Downloadable materials: Hero lesson plan instructions     willard wigan micro-art slides     willard wigan comprehension questions

 

Overview

This lesson is designed around an astonishing short film by Miguel Endara in which he records himself painstakingly creating a portrait of his hero using 3.2 million ink dots. The lesson also looks at the smallest works of art in the world by micro-artist Willard Wigan and the theme of heroes. Students also get the chance to make their own movie with themselves as the hero.

Step 1

Put your students into pairs and them to discuss the following questions:

Do you have any heroes?

What do you admire about your hero?

What qualities does a hero have?

After 5 minutes get feedback.

Step 2

Tell your students they are going to watch a short film in which an artist creates a work of art of his hero using 3,213,000 dots. Ask your students what they think the work of art will look like and who the artist’s hero is.

Here is the final picture Miguel created of his hero, his father.

Step 3

Write up:

Films     Silent films     Boxing     Cartoons     Comics     Children’s films     Children’s books

Put your students in pairs and ask them to think of heroes in each category. Give them 3 minutes and then get feedback from all the class.

Step 4

Tell your students they are going to see heroes from each of the categories in Step 3 created by the artist Willard Wigan. Show them this photo of Willard Wigan, ask them what they think it is he creates and how he does it.

Show them the images below of works of art featuring heroes created by  Willard Wigan and ask your students to identify the heroes and say what is unusual  about Willard’s art.

Willard is a micro-sculptor who creates the smallest works of art in the world.

The heroes are: 1. Betty Boop 2. Marilyn Monroe 3. Barack Obama and his family 4. Elvis Presley 5. Mini Mouse 6. Mohamed Ali 7. Buzz Aldrin 8. Charlie Chaplin(on the end of an eyelash) 9. The Incredible Hulk 10. Peter Pan

You can also view the photos in this PowerPoint presentation:

You can also download the slides: willard wigan micro-art slides

Step 4

Tell your students they are going to watch a video in which Willard Wigan talks about his childhood and his work in a TED conference. Students should watch the video and  answer the comprehension questions in the Scrid document below. Play the video until 9.54 and pause when he shows the Huf Haus in close-up. You may like to show the video with subtitles which you choose on the TED player.

You can also download the compprehension questions: willard wigan comprehension questions

Optional follow up

You can make yourself the hero of a movie  which has become the most successful viral video in the history of the internet. The video is part of a campaign by the Swedish government to encourage people to pay their television license fee. The film is in English with Swedish subtitles. Here is an example of the film.

Here is how to make the movie:

1. Watch the movie which I have made in which I am the hero.

2. At the end of the movie there is a page where you can make your own movies.  Unfortunately the instructions are in Swedish not English, but it’s worth continuing as the results are fantastic. Simply  click on GOR EN EGEN FILM.

3. On the next page you have to choose a photo to use in the film. Click the VÁLJ BILD button to add your own photo from your computer or the ANVÁND WEBBKAMERAN button to add a photo using a webcam.

4. Once you’ve chosen the photo click the VIDARE button,  you see yourself as the hero in the movie.

5. At the end of the movie you can share a link through Facebook, Tweeter or email. You can also cut and paste the link. then you get a link to send to whoever you want.

When you’ve made your own movie you can show it to your students. I do it in the following way.

1. I write on the board:

“I have something to reveal to you.”

2. I ask students to speculate what I am going to reveal.

3. I then show them the movie. They are normally flabbergasted and really amazed.

4. I then explain how I made the movie and show them how they can make their own Hero movie for homework.

My students have really loved it, I’ve had students who’ve made movies of themselves, parents, brother and sisters, and friends.

I hope you enjoy the film, art work and lesson.