Dear Families,
Next week, we will begin studying nonfiction. Part of that unit will be focused
on learning about famous people using biographies and/or autobiographies. Each
student should pick a famous historical person to research. The person should
have made a major contribution to history and is no longer living. A detailed report
should be written about the topic. (The student can attach pictures of the person to
make the report even more interesting, if they like.) The kids memorize information
or are able to talk as if they are that person telling important facts about their life.
The expectation is that they would dress up in some way and use props to help
them “become” the historical person. The student will be “frozen” with a sticker
button on their hand. As guests wander around the museum, they will push the
button and the child will come alive. The speech the student gives after the button
is pushed should be roughly 1 to 2 minutes long and should include important facts.
Wax Museum Speech Guide
Beginning - Topic Sentence - Hook
Date & place of birth
Family Info.
Middle - Historical Importance (Details)
Why I deserve to be famous.
Why am I important to history?
Ending - Closing
Death date & details
Closing sentence
Ultimately, each student will need to come up with a costume and props
reflective of their historical person. It does not have to be anything elaborate or
expensive, but the costume should help us understand who each student is
portraying. Since this component will be part of the final grade and can be timeconsuming, I recommend beginning the costume search as soon as you can. Get
creative about asking family members or neighbors, using old Halloween costumes,
and searching around your own home to locate an appropriate costume and props.
You shouldn’t have to go out and buy a costume! Using craft supplies to create
props and costumes is completely acceptable! (See the teacher if you really get
stuck.) The wax museum will be held on Monday, November 5th, from 11:30-1:15
for students. We will also have an evening performance at 6:30 on November 5th
where you’ll be able to see the wax figures “come to life”. Please help your child
remember to bring their costume, props, and report to school on the day of our
scheduled museum.
Thanks in advance!
WAX MUSEUM Requirements:
1. Research a person who made a major contribution to history and is no longer living.
2. You MUST submit the name of the person to the teacher by Wednesday, October 7th.
After all, we
don’t want to have 18 George Washingtons.
3. You need to select a book from the classroom library, the school library, or the local library. You can also
use the internet to locate more information.
4. You should include the following information:
*Date of birth
*place of birth
*family and/or where they grew up
* what that person did to make them a major historical figure
*why that person is important
*other facts you find interesting
* the year that person died
5. Write your report from the first person point of view as if you are that person. (Use I, for example)
5. Find clothing to dress up as your character as much as possible. Ask the teacher if you are really stuck.
6. Your report should be in order from the birth of the person, when they accomplished something important
and include dates of major events in their lives.
7. Your report should have a topic sentence that is interesting and “hooks” the reader. It should also have a
closing sentence that restates the topic sentence.
8. A sources cited page must be included.
9. An example of a report is provided below:
Don’t call me “Brute” Ismay! My name is “Bruce” Ismay. I was born in the small town of Crosby, Great Britain on
December 12, 1862.
My father became the owner of the famous shipping company, the White Star Line, in 1870. My family was wealthy
and I went to private schools and spent a year in France being tutored when I was young. In December 1888 I
married an American woman named Julia Florence Schieffelin. We had 5 children, one who died as a baby.
Why did I play an important part in history? I guess it all began in 1899 when my father passed away and I became
the director of the White Star Line. Under my leadership, White Star prospered and I constantly worked to have
bigger and better ocean liners built. In 1907 I decided to place an order for three huge sisterships that would be
the biggest ships the world had ever seen. They would be called Olympic, Titanic & Gigantic. When Olympic entered
service in 1911, she was 50% larger than any other ship. I told her builders that ”Olympic is a marvel and has given
unbounded satisfaction.”
If only I had known what was going to happen in 1912! On April 10, I boarded the Titanic … the “unsinkable
Titantic”… and we left Southampton for her first voyage to New York. About 5 days later, while I was asleep in my
cabin, the ship hit an iceberg and began to sink. I helped out the best I could by assisting people into the lifeboats
as Titanic plunged into the frigid Atlantic. At one point a lifeboat was being lowered with empty seats and I got
into it. For the rest of my life people criticized me for doing that. Why? If I had not gotten in I would have merely
added a number to the list of those who died. Some people called be “Brute” Ismay in newspapers. I did not look at
the sinking liner as we rowed away in the lifeboat. I could not bear to watch as 1500 people went to their doom.
(About 700 survived) People blamed me for the disaster. But I wasn’t the captain of Titanic! I didn’t steer the
ship full speed into an ice-field! Movies always make me out to be the bad guy! The Titanic practically ruined my
life. By the end of 1912, I was forced to quit my job as the head of White Star and I retired from the business my
father had put together. I gave away thousands of pounds (That’s what they call money in England) to charities
that supported World War I veterans and training for people who wished to work on ships.
In the 1920s I retired from public life and settled with my wife in Ireland.
I died on October 17, 1937 at the age of 74.
So remember… the name is BRUCE Ismay. I was director of White Star Line and built the TITANIC.
Student’s Name _________________________________ Famous Person _____________________________
4
All historical
information appeared
to be accurate and in
chronological (time)
order.
3
Almost all historical
information appeared
to be accurate and in
chronological (time)
order.
2
Most of the historical
information appeared
to be accurate and in
chronological (time)
order.
1
Very little of the
historical
information appeared
to be accurate and in
chronological (time)
order.
Speech
Extensive eye contact
was maintained with the
audience and the
speech was easily
understood.
Good eye contact was
maintained with the
audience and the speech
was understood.
Some eye contact was
maintained with the
audience and the
speech was understood.
Little eye contact was
maintained with the
audience and the
speech was difficult
to understand.
Required
Written
Elements
Student included more
information than was
required in the written
(or typed) report.
Additional internet
sources provided.
Student included all
information that was
required in the written
(or typed) report. One
book and internet source
provided.
Student included most
information that was
required. Only one
sources provided.
Student included less
information than was
required. Sources
not provided.
Props and
Costumes
Student uses several
props (could include
costume) that
accurately fit the
period, show
considerable
work/creativity and
make the presentation
better.
Student uses 1-2 props
that accurately fit the
period, and make the
presentation better.
Student uses 1-2 props
which make the
presentation better.
The student uses no
props OR the props
chosen detract from
the presentation.
Historical
Accuracy
On Time
Project was on
time.
Total Points __________ x 5 = ________ %
Project was
not on time.
Grade: ________
Title of Book:____________________________________________________________
Author: _______________________________________________________________
Copyright Date:_________________________________
Publisher:________________________________________________________________
Title of Website:__________________________________________________________
Internet Address of Website:_______________________________________________________________