Third-graders at J. Irving Baylis Elementary School recently brought history “to life” at its fourth annual wax museum.
From politicians, musicians and scientists, to actors and actresses, the third-graders dressed as famous historic individuals. They posed—behind velvet ropes with museum music playing in the background—as if they were wax figures during the special event. After the wax museum, parents and guests were invited to listen to speeches written by each student about their chosen figure.
As part of the third-grade reading unit on biographies, students researched historical characters, learned about their accomplishments, challenges and personality and explained how their actions contributed to the sequence of events in their lives. Students learned how to synthesize and analyze critically, paying close attention to character relationships, challenges and common traits of leaders. The activity supported the critical grade-level components of the Common Core Learning Standards.
