Ideas for Superhero Day in School

Superhero Day provides students with the opportunity to exercise their creativity and create a superhero persona for themselves. Superheros are naturally intriguing to students. From the unexplained powers to the cool cars and tools, these larger-than-life figures serve as a positive image for children, allowing them to distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong. There are an assortment of things that educators can do leading up to, and on, the Superhero Day to ensure that the students enjoy their brush with superpower-aided crime-fighting and their uncommon opportunity to engage in imaginative play.

Every superhero needs a costume to keep his real identity secret. On the days leading up to Superhero Day, engage students in designing the perfect superhero costumes. Provide students with sheets of paper, and assist them in sketching a costume design idea. Challenge students to create their designed costume using construction paper, yarn and other scrap materials. On Superhero Day, allow students to wear their handmade costumes in class, taking on their personal superhero persona.

No superhero is complete without a superpower. Ask students to consider what superpower they would like to have if they were a superhero. Brainstorm a list of superpowers, writing the list of suggestions on a classroom chalkboard. Ask students to look over the list and select the powers that they would most like to possess. You can limit the students' options however you see fit, perhaps only allowing them to select one or two powers. Instruct students to write a journal explaining which powers they have selected, why they selected the powers they choose, and how the chosen powers would assist them in fighting for good.

While one superhero is great, a team of superheroes is unstoppable. Ask students to practice their teamwork by joining with their superhero classmates to solve a problem. To prepare for this activity, write potential superhero-necessitating situations on index cards. For example, you could write on one card: “A robot is attacking the school. Help!” and on another “The weather-master has caused a group of tornadoes to attack children as they head home from school. Save them!”

Pair students randomly or allow them to select their partners. Ask each group of students to draw an index card from the collection you created. Once groups have picked a card, ask the group members to work together to explain how they would solve the posed problem. Ask each group to write a paragraph explaining how they would each play a part in solving the problem posed by the evildoer. Allow the groups to explain their solutions to the class, and act out the response to the emergency if they wish.