Hero Headquarters Teacher Guide Teacher Resource • Grades 4-6
Hero Headquarters
Lesson Guide: The Self-Advocacy Avengers
Duration
45-60 Mins
Topic
Self-Advocacy
Style
Cooperative
Format
Print + Slides
MISSION OBJECTIVES
Identify personal learning strengths, classroom challenges, and preferences.
Translate learning profiles into a visual Identity Shield .
Practice speaking up and requesting supports through cooperative scenarios.
EQUIPMENT LIST
Hero Training Slide Deck
Identity Shield Worksheets
Advocacy Mission Cards
Markers, colored pencils, scissors
STAGE 1: ASSEMBLY & COGNITIVE WARM-UP (10 MINS)
Hook the Classroom: Project Slide 2 ("What is an Advocacy Avenger?"). Introduce the core premise: Superheroes succeed because they understand their gear, their powers, and when to ask allies for backup.
TEACHER TALK PATH "Welcome, recruits! Every hero has tools to succeed. Today, we're identifying our own school powers—our strengths—and our kryptonite—our challenges. By the end of today, you'll have an Identity Shield that lets your teachers know exactly how to support you!"
Phase Duration What Recruits Do Key Focus 1. Assembly 10 Mins Discuss strengths/challenges as heroic traits. Hook & Concept Framing 2. Power Check 10 Mins Explore support mechanisms & accommodations. Accommodation Matching 3. Shield Forge 20 Mins Design and write their custom Identity Shield. Personalized Reflection 4. Hero Action 15 Mins Roleplay with partner using Mission Cards. Self-Advocacy Practice
THE SELF-ADVOCACY AVENGERS GUIDE PAGE 1 OF 2
Mission Deployment
A Step-by-Step Guide to the Classroom Activities
Stage 2 - 4 Detailed
STAGE 2: POWER CHECK (10 MINS)
Deconstruct Accommodations: Present Slide 3 & 4. Clarify that asking for accommodations is NOT getting an unfair advantage—it's adjusting the environment to match their hero profile.
• Example: If a hero has super-sensitive hearing, they use sound-dampening ear-defenders. If they need to review plans twice, they get written directions.
STAGE 3: THE SHIELD FORGE (20 MINS)
Student Drafting: Pass out the Identity Shield Worksheet . Students independently complete the four quadrants of their superhero shield:
🛡️ Q1: Superpowers (Strengths e.g., math, drawing, brainstorming)
⚠️ Q2: Kryptonites (Challenges e.g., reading aloud, timed tests)
⚡ Q3: Support Gear (Accommodations e.g., graphic organizers)
🏆 Q4: Heroic Drivers (Interests e.g., working with partners)
Walk around and assist students who struggle to articulate their "Kryptonites" or "Support Gear". Emphasize that honesty builds the strongest shield!
STAGE 4: HERO ACTION ROLEPLAY GAME (15 MINS)
Classroom Cooperative Game: Divide students into superhero duos. Hand each pair a set of Advocacy Mission Cards .
Students read the challenge on the Mission Card. The partner plays the teacher or ally. The active player must refer to their Identity Shield and use a "Power-Up Statement" to request help.
Power-Up Script: "I want to do my best on this mission. Could I please [request support] because that helps me learn better?"
DEBRIEF & STRATEGY MEETING (5 MINS)
Gather recruits. Ask: "How did it feel to ask for your support gear? Did you discover an accommodation you didn't know you could ask for?" Follow-up Action: Collect and photocopy the shields. Keep a copy for your master file, send one copy to support specialists, and have students glue the original in their daily binders.
Tactical Support & Differentiation Guide
SUPPORT RECRUITS (ELL / SPED):
Provide a bank of pre-written 'power' stickers or vocabulary words (e.g., "breaks", "graphic organizer", "read aloud") for the Shield. Allow students to draw their answers instead of writing.
EXTEND RECRUITS (ADVANCED):
Have advanced learners create an "Action Plan Card" detailing when they will meet with their general education teachers to walk them through their completed Identity Shield.
THE SELF-ADVOCACY AVENGERS GUIDE PAGE 2 OF 2
Hero Training Slides HERO TRAINING IN PROGRESS Grades 4-6
The Self-Advocacy
Avengers
Discover your unique strengths, conquer your classroom kryptonites, and build your ultimate Identity Shield!
Assembly Phase
SLIDE 1
What is an Advocacy Avenger?
Concept Phase
1. Superpowers
Your natural talents! These are areas where you learn quickly, work best, and feel extremely confident.
What you do best!
2. Kryptonites
Your personal learning challenges. These are tasks, settings, or formats that make school feel heavy or tricky.
Areas to support!
3. Support Gear
Accommodations or school adjustments. These tools change the learning setup so you can show your absolute best work.
Your essential tools!
All heroes have unique profiles! SLIDE 2
Knowing Your Profile
Self-Discovery
My Superpowers
Knowing your superpowers helps you plan how to tackle tough tasks. If your strength is visual design , use sketches to plan stories. If it's speaking , present to a small group instead of writing pages!
Examples: solving patterns, talking through problems, creative drawings, editing stories, memorizing details
My Kryptonite
Kryptonite is not a failure. It is simply a signal of where you need customized help. Identifying it lets us build solutions before the battle begins!
Examples: loud noises, fast reading, timed exams, long writing prompts, copying notes from board
Your weakness is just a setup for support! SLIDE 3
Upgrading Your Support Gear
Accommodations
Accommodations are changes in how you learn, not what you learn.
It means adjusting things like timing, lighting, seating, or instructions so your brain can process the material with absolute clarity.
"We don't expect a vision-impaired hero to work without glasses. We shouldn't expect you to learn without your ideal gear!"
Time Adjustment
Extra time on assessments or checks to process questions thoroughly.
Spatial Comfort
Quiet corners, headphones, or sitting close to the action.
Visual Planning
Graphic organizers, scaffolded guides, or typed notes.
Format Shifting
Speaking responses aloud or drawing layouts instead of writing essays.
Allies (Teachers & Staff) are here to support your gear! SLIDE 4
Identity Shield Worksheet RECRUIT DIRECTIVE
Identity Shield
Hero Name:
Date:
Forge Your Protection: Every successful hero has a profile! Complete each quadrant of your shield below. Describe your learning strengths, things that challenge you, the supports you need, and your ultimate goals. Use clear bullet points or draw!
1. Superpowers
What school tasks feel easy? What are your learning strengths?
STRENGTHS
2. Kryptonites
What environments, formats, or tasks make you feel stuck?
CHALLENGES
3. Support Gear
What tools, seating, or options do you need to succeed?
ACCOMMODATIONS
4. Drivers
What excites or motivates you? (Partners, projects, rewards?)
INTERESTS
ADVOCACY POWER-UP STATEMENT (PLEDGE)
Use this speaking script in the classroom roleplay:
"I want to do my best on this mission. Could I please [support gear] because that helps me learn better?"
RECRUIT SIGNATURE
THE SELF-ADVOCACY AVENGERS PROJECT STUDENT WORKSHEET
Advocacy Mission Game Cooperative Game Card Sheet
Advocacy Mission Cards
Practice speaking up and deploying your support gear!
MISSION BRIEFING & GAME RULES
1. Form Your Duo:
Partner up! One of you is the active Hero , and the other plays the Classroom Ally (teacher/peer).
2. Select a Mission:
Cut out these cards. Draw one card. Read the Obstacle Alert out loud to your Ally.
3. Solve the Mission:
The Hero must use their Identity Shield and the Power-Up Script to state their solution. Swap roles!
MISSION 1
Obstacle: Vision Blur
The Fast Board
Your teacher is sketching math patterns and diagrams on the front whiteboard, but you're sitting in the back row and can't see the text clearly.
Advocacy Goal: Ask to move to a closer seat or request a copies-printed blueprint of the notes.
MISSION 2
Obstacle: Noise Overload
The Rowdy Lab
The science team is designing cardboard catapults. The classroom has gotten super loud, and you can't hear your own thoughts to write your report.
Advocacy Goal: Request permission to wear your sound-dampening headphones or move to the quiet hallway.
MISSION 3
Obstacle: Pacing Strain
The Final Clock
The timer says there are only 3 minutes left in the spelling challenge, but you still need to process and write responses for the last 5 questions.
Advocacy Goal: Ask for your extra time accommodation so you can focus on quality without racing the clock.
MISSION 4
Obstacle: Fine Motor Fatigue
The Tiny Grid
The history worksheet has tiny, cramped boxes to write a long summary. Your hand starts hurting, and your pencil handwriting is becoming messy.
Advocacy Goal: Request a lined notebook page to write on or ask to dictate your thoughts directly to a speech-to-text program.
MISSION 5
Obstacle: Reading Pressure
The Popcorn Read
The teacher is about to call on people to read a paragraph of a science text aloud to the entire class. You feel nervous and your heart starts racing.
Advocacy Goal: Ask if you can preview the paragraph for 2 minutes first or read it quietly to the teacher later.
MISSION 6
Obstacle: Memory Lag
The Instruction Stack
