Tapestry of Faith: Faithful Journeys: A Program about Pilgrimages of Faith in Action for Grades 2-3

Alternate Activity 1: Design a Superhero

Activity time: 20 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Paper and markers or crayons
  • Optional: Comic books featuring superheroes

Preparation for Activity

  • Familiarize yourself with a variety of comic book superheroes and their superpowers. Be sure to learn about some who are female and/or people of color.

Description of Activity

In the movies, Christopher Reeve portrayed Superman, a superhero who was "Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound." There are dozens of superheroes in popular culture, with a variety of superpowers. Ask the children to name aloud some superheroes and their powers. Then say:

Of course, Christopher Reeve wasn't really a superhero. In real life, he was just a person like you or me, who chose to use his human powers to make the world a better place.

If you were going to design your own comic book superhero who would make the world a better place, what would that hero be like?

Allow some responses. Then say:

Most comic book superheroes have powers that help them win at fighting. Perhaps our superheroes could have super powers that could make the world a better place without fighting. What sort of actions might make the world a better place, without involving physically fighting?

Invite the children to draw pictures of their own imagined superheroes. Ask them to include information about the powers they use to make the world better. If you have time, ask for some volunteers to show and tell about their superheroes.