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Waddell fourth-graders participated in a “wax museum” event last month where they dressed as and showed off their knowledge of historical figures.
“The students were allowed to choose an historical figure they were interested in who made a positive impact on the world,” explained Michelle Dittman, the teacher who organized the event. “The focus of the unit was writing a biographical essay, and the wax museum was the culminating event of the unit.
“After researching and writing the biography, the students wrote a speech using the information from their essay that they deemed to be the most important and interesting,” she said. “Most of the students created their costumes with the help of their families, although some were created in class.”
This was the first time Waddell’s wax museum project. “My now-adult daughter participated in a wax museum project years ago in elementary school, and our family really enjoyed the event. I thought that it would be fun to try it here at Waddell, and the other members of the fourth grade team agreed,” said Dittman.
Seeing how creatively the students approached the project was, Dittman said, one of the highlights of the event.
“The teachers shared the requirements for the project, and then many students took their ideas to another creative level. They made ‘buttons’ to press to activate the ‘statues’ to speak,” she said.
“They made amazing props, like the huge Model-T replica one of the students created with his father to add to his Henry Ford project. Another student made a North Star to put on the wall and held a lantern to show how Harriet Tubman used the stars to find her way north with the enslaved people she led to freedom,” said Dittman.
“There are so many more examples of creativity I can’t even fit them all here. We couldn’t be prouder of these fourth-graders!”
Parents, family members, and other students were invited to come see the foutth-graders and hear what they had learned.
“Seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces and hearing the students with their families laughing and enjoying themselves doing something creative brought such joy that day,” said Dittman.
“Another highlight was just being able to have families come to class and see their child in action in the school setting. We don’t have many opportunities to do things like this during the school day.”
Dittman said the event was a success, and something she hopes to continue.
“It was a wonderful way to end the week and start the month of December,” she said. “We’re really excited to do this again next year.”
