Glen Downey

Vocabulary
benefits inspirational
community techniques
impact

Theme: Heroes
Word count: 1,343

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1 18

ISBN 978-1-4869-0703-8
 Glen Downey

Literacy Consultants
David Booth • Kathleen Corrigan
Images: [Cover: blue background–Travis Klein; kids–Rawpixel.com; burst–NoraVector; 4: halftone square–
PiXXart; explosion–Pedro Nogueira; firefighter–MISHELLA; 6: studying–Darrin Henry; triangles–Studiojumpee;
7: boys–TinnaPong; 8: dishes–J2R] Shutterstock.com; 9: Abby and class photo–Photos courtesy of The Random
Acts of Kindness Foundation/Abby’s Pay It Forward Foundation; 11: sad–Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.
com; 12: girl–Rob Marmion/Shutterstock.com; 13: kids–PACER; [14: reading–wong sze yuen; blue–MaLija; 15:
laptop–Monkey Business Images; hand–piyapongrot; cleaning–Stmool; lion–Siempreluca; 16: planting–Syda
Productions; grass background–robert_s; 17: donation–wavebreakmedia; paper dolls–STILLFX; ladybug–Nejron
Photo; 18: mini heroes–Rawpixel.com; rainbow–Ekapong; boxes–Tarapong Siri; 19: video–4zevar] Shutterstock.
com; Kid President–Official White House Photo by Pete Souza; 20: Superman–PhotoNonStop/Glow; Maya
Angelou–Courtesy, William J. Clinton Presidential Library/cc; 21: Nelson Mandela–Roger de la Harpe/SuperStock;
Eleanor Roosevelt–Underwood Archives/SuperStock; 22: Lemonade–Handout/MCT/Newscom; 23: laughing–
Pressmaster/Shutterstock.com
 Contents
4 What Makes a Hero?

6 Be Kind

10 Be Brave and Step Up

14 Be an Everyday Hero

16 Be a Team Player

18 Be an Inspiration

23 Release Your Inner Hero

24 Glossary / Index

3
 K E S A
T M A
WHA

E RO ?
H

4
Heroes are all around us. Look closely.
Real-life heroes don’t look like those in
movies or fairy tales. Some heroes risk their
lives to serve their country or community.
Other heroes are regular people who act
quickly in scary situations. Others are
admired for their kindness.
You don’t have to save the world to be a
hero. Anyone can be a hero. Even small acts
can have a big impact. You can make a
difference every day simply by choosing to
do what’s right. Working together, we can
make the world a better place. In this book,
you will find five techniques you can use
to start being a hero today.

5
 BE KIND
When it comes to being a hero, kindness
is key. It is important to be kind to people,
animals, and our planet. Being kind benefits
us. Studies have shown that we feel happy
when we are kind to others.

Helping a friend with homework

is one way to be kind.

6
 You can be kind
on the track.

It’s easy to be kind. Start by choosing

a person to be kind to. Next, ask yourself
what act of kindness would mean the
most to that person. You can get ideas
by thinking about kind things that you
would like others to do for you.

“No act of kindness, no matter

how small, is ever wasted.”
— Aesop

7
 You can show kindness in many ways.
It can be expressed with words or with
actions. You can pay someone a compliment,
tidy up, or help carry someone’s bags. You
don’t need a special reason to be kind. In
fact, random acts of kindness are always
welcome. Give it a try! Perform a kind act
for someone without expecting anything in
return. How does it make you feel?

Helping out around the house

is one way to be kind.

8
 Sergeant Jacobson
visits Abby’s school.

ABBY’S PAY IT
FORWARD PROJECT
Meet nine-year-old Abby. When she was
just seven years old, she founded the Pay It
Forward Project. Abby performs a random
act of kindness every year around her
birthday. In 2014 Abby delivered food to the
Lakewood Police Department in Colorado.
She did this as a thank-you for their service
to the community. Abby and her classmates
also made cards for a Lakewood police
officer and gave them to him during a class
visit. Abby believes that by being kind to
people, they will pay it forward. Paying it
forward means that they will be kind to
others in the future.

9
 BE BRAVE
AND STEP UP
Heroes are aware of what is happening
around them. They are ready to act at a
moment’s notice. What’s more, they are brave
enough to face their fears. Thanks to their
bravery, heroes make excellent role models.
However, being brave can be challenging.
When we see bullying, for example, it’s
easy to be a bystander and say, “I shouldn’t
get involved.” We think someone else should
stand up to the person who is bullying. But
when people take action, they make a positive
difference. By stepping up, they don’t help
only the victim. They help the person who is
bullying too.

10
 If you are being bullied,
don’t be afraid to ask for help.

The next time you see someone being treated

badly, follow this advice:
• Don’t encourage the person who is bullying.
Sometimes all it takes is for someone to tell the
person to stop.
• Try to separate the people involved right away.
• Get a trusted adult to help you as soon
as possible.
Remember, being a true hero means doing the
right thing. It means stepping up, being brave,
and getting help for those who need it most.

“Courage is what it takes to stand up

and speak; courage is also what it
takes to sit down and listen.”
— source unknown

11
 Doing what’s right to stop bullying
starts with making a promise. Show your
commitment by signing the online
petition “The End of Bullying Begins With
Me.” Thousands of other kids around the
world have committed to ending bullying
in their communities.

How could you help

create a safe school?

12
 After making the commitment to end
bullying, plan some steps you can take. How
can you show your courage?
There is a lot of information on the Internet.
Check out resources, watch videos, and read
other students’ stories to get some ideas.

13
 BE AN
EVERYDAY HERO
Heroes don’t stop after they finish one heroic
act. They go the extra mile. A real hero is a
hero every day.
Show others that being a hero is important
to you. Be a hero every day by making good
decisions at home, at school, and in your
community. You can start by doing simple
things such as sharing with others.

What are some small

things you can do to
be a hero every day?

14
Check Out the Everyday Heroes Club
Remember, being a hero isn’t always about
impressive acts. You can be a hero in small
ways too. It’s easy to be helpful and respectful
every day. Look for some great ideas on
the Sesame Street ® Everyday Heroes Club
Web site. No matter how old you are, everyone
can be a hero. Join the club to participate in
missions and earn badges for your heroism.
You can also nominate an everyday hero in
your community. Help spread the word!

15
 BE A TEAM
PLAYER
It’s great to be a hero on your own.
It’s even better when you’re part of a
team. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy.
In a group, it can be hard to get started.
But once things do get started, teams of
heroes make great things happen.

16
 Get the team involved in
a community clothing drive.

Knowing when to ask for help is an

important part of being a team player.
You don’t have to do it alone. Today many
kids work together to raise money or organize
events to help people in need. What can you
do to make a difference in your community?

Making a Difference: The Ladybug

Foundation is a charity that has
raised over $3 million to help
homeless people in Canada. Hannah
Taylor was eight years old when she
founded the charity.

17
 BE AN
INSPIRATION

Real heroes act as role models. Through their

inspirational actions, they make others want
to be heroes too. Showing kindness, stepping
up, and being an everyday hero can change the
world. The more heroic things you do, the more
you can inspire others to be heroic.
Imagine what would happen if more people
acted heroically. The world would be a much
better place. It takes only one person to start
a movement. Be as inspirational as you can
and help grow the global community of heroes.

18
 Inspiration From Kid President

Twelve-year-old Robby Novak is better known

as Kid President. He’s a YouTube and TV star
who makes inspirational videos. Kid President’s
videos have been shared around the world.
His videos inspire millions to make the world a
better place. As Kid President says, “You don’t
need a cape to be a hero. You just need to care.”

Robby and his brother-in-law have written a book

called Kid President’s Guide to Being Awesome.

19
 Need some more inspiration?

Read the following quotes

and start being a hero today!

“I think a hero is any person

really intent on making
this [world] a better
place for all people.”
— Maya Angelou,
poet and civil
rights activist

“A hero is an ordinary individual who

finds the strength to persevere and
endure in spite of overwhelming
obstacles.”
— Christopher Reeve,
actor, best known for
his role as Superman

20
“It is so easy to break down
and destroy. The heroes
are those who make peace
and build.”
— Nelson Mandela,
first black president
of South Africa and
one of the winners
of the 1993 Nobel
Peace Prize

“We do not have to become heroes

overnight. Just a step at a time,
meeting each thing that comes up …
discovering we have the strength
to stare it down.”
— Eleanor Roosevelt, political
activist, humanitarian,
and former First Lady

21
 Alexandra Scott is shown here with
her lemonade stand in 2004.

You can be a hero at any age. Alexandra

Scott was just four years old when she opened
her first lemonade stand. She and her
brother raised $2,000 to help kids just like
her — kids who had cancer. But for Alex’s
Lemonade Stand Foundation, that was only
the beginning. In four years, Alexandra raised
more than $1 million for cancer research.

22
 RELEASE YOUR
INNER HERO
As you have seen, being a hero doesn’t mean
wearing a superhero costume or saving the day.
Real heroes try their best to help others in all
kinds of situations.
There are many ways to show heroism. You
can stop a bully, share with friends, or work as
part of a team. You can act like a hero in small
ways every day.
Remember, there is a hero inside everyone.
We’ve seen five simple ways you can start being
a hero today. But the work doesn’t stop there.
Try to think of new ways to bring out your inner
hero every single day.

23
 Glossary
activist: someone who inspirational: causing
fights for social change someone to do or feel
something
benefits: helps
overwhelming:
bystander: someone who
very strong
is near an event but doesn’t
take part in it persevere: continue
to do something difficult
commitment: a promise
petition: a written
community: the people
request often signed by
living in a specific area
many people
encourage: give support to
random: unplanned
impact: an effect;
techniques: ways of
an influence
doing something

Index
Alex’s Lemonade Stand Mandela, Nelson, 21
Foundation, 22 PACER’s National Bullying
Angelou, Maya, 20 Prevention Center, 13
Canada, 17 Pay It Forward Project, 9
Colorado, 9 Reeve, Christopher, 20
Everyday Heroes Club, 15 Roosevelt, Eleanor, 21
Kid President (Robby Scott, Alexandra, 22
Novak), 19 Taylor, Hannah, 17
Ladybug Foundation, 17 “The End of Bullying Begins
Lakewood Police With Me,” 12
Department, 9

24
Think About It
Use a T-Chart graphic organizer. What text features
in How to Be a Hero help you understand the author’s
purpose? Label each column as shown. List each
feature in the left column. In the right column,
describe how each feature helps you understand
the author’s purpose.

How the Text Features

Text Features Help Me to Understand
the Author’s Purpose
How to Be a Hero
Glen Downey

LEVEL M
ISBN-13: 978-1-4869-0703-8
ISBN-10: 1-4869-0703-2
90000 >

9 781486 907038