English Language Arts · 12th Grade

Active learning ideas

The Role of the Sidekick/Mentor

Exploring the dynamic roles of sidekicks and mentors through active learning helps students grasp their narrative functions beyond simple character descriptions. Engaging with these concepts actively, rather than passively reading about them, allows for a deeper understanding of character development and thematic contribution.

• Common Core State Standards
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.3
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.9

• 30–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Hexagonal Thinking
• 45 min · Small Groups

Character Archetype Swap

Students select a known hero and their sidekick/mentor. They then rewrite a key scene, swapping the roles of the supporting character with a different archetype (e.g., a trickster, a rival). This exercise highlights the original function of the sidekick/mentor.

Analyze how a mentor figure guides the hero's development and decision-making.

Facilitation Tip

During Hexagonal Thinking, encourage students to draw lines and label the connections between mentor/sidekick traits and their impact on the hero, looking for emergent patterns.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Hexagonal Thinking
• 30 min · Pairs

Mentor/Sidekick Profile Creation

Working in pairs, students create a detailed profile for a mentor or sidekick from a text they have read. The profile includes their motivations, relationship to the hero, key advice/actions, and their overall narrative purpose.

Evaluate the significance of a sidekick in revealing the hero's humanity or flaws.

Facilitation Tip

During Role Play, prompt students to consider the unspoken motivations and internal conflicts of the character they are embodying, going beyond surface-level dialogue.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Hexagonal Thinking
• 50 min · Individual

Comparative Analysis: Archetypal Roles

Students analyze two different mentor figures from disparate texts (e.g., classical mythology and modern fantasy). They present their findings on how each mentor guides their respective hero and what universal truths about mentorship emerge.

Compare the archetypal roles of different supporting characters across narratives.

Facilitation Tip

During Comparative Analysis, guide students to identify specific textual evidence that supports their claims about the similarities and differences between the mentor figures.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Experienced teachers approach this topic by framing sidekicks and mentors not just as plot devices, but as crucial architects of the hero's journey and thematic resonance. It's effective to use comparative analysis across different genres and eras to highlight the universality and variation of these roles, while avoiding oversimplification.

Students will demonstrate a nuanced understanding of how sidekicks and mentors influence protagonists and enrich literary works. Successful learning is evident when students can articulate the distinct contributions of these roles and analyze their impact using specific textual examples.

---

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Mentor/Sidekick Profile Creation, watch for students treating mentor and sidekick roles as identical.

  Redirect students by asking them to specifically list the unique guidance or companionship offered by their chosen character and compare it to the other role's typical function within their created profile.

• During Role Play, students might focus solely on how their character serves the protagonist, neglecting independent motivations.

  Prompt students to consider their character's personal stake in the hero's success or failure, and what they might do if the hero falters or makes a poor decision, based on their embodied perspective.

---

Methods used in this brief

• Hexagonal Thinking