Heroes by Robert Cormier - teaching resource

Heroes by Robert Cormier – Complete GCSE Teaching Unit

125-slide Editable PowerPoint | 12 Worksheets | 15 Lesson Unit of Work

Support your students in exploring the powerful themes, characters, and context of Heroes by Robert Cormier with this fully resourced, comprehensive GCSE teaching unit. This 15-lesson unit of work is designed to develop students’ understanding of the novel and enhance key skills in reading, analysis, discussion, and exam-style writing.

Suitable for all abilities, this resource covers everything you need to deliver Heroes in detail—from narrative structure and character development to historical context and literary techniques.

What’s Included:

• A 125-slide editable PowerPoint presentation
• 12 printable worksheets for classwork or homework
• 15-lesson scheme of work (four-part structure)
• Author biography and context on 1940s America and WWII
• Plot and narrative structure analysis
• In-depth character studies: Francis Cassavant, Nicole Renard, Larry LaSalle, Arthur Rivier
• Exploration of major themes: heroism, guilt, forgiveness, revenge, innocence, appearance vs reality
• Literary techniques: symbolism, foreshadowing, imagery, structure
• Setting and the role of place in the novel
• Comprehension, cloze and sequencing tasks
• Empathetic writing (e.g. diary entries)
• Group discussion and hot-seating activities
• Mind mapping key themes and ideas
• Differentiated tasks and extension activities

Ideal for teaching Heroes for the GCSE English Literature curriculum, this unit helps students gain a deeper understanding of the text while building confidence in analytical and exam-style responses.

To preview this resource in detail, click the PowerPoint thumbnails above to browse the slides.

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