Wax Museum
Pathfinder
4th grade Virginia Studies
Ms. Mazzanti & Mrs. Cole
Assignment
 You
will be doing a research report on a
famous Virginian we have learned about
this year in Social Studies. You will then
use this report to write a short speech that
you will perform during our annual wax
museum. It is important that you find out
what your Virginian looks like as well. You
will be dressing up as them on that day!
Assignment

You will need to find out the following things
about your person
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When did they live?
Where were they born?
Why were they important to Virginia history?
What are some interesting facts about your
person?
You will use this information to write a 5
paragraph report and your speech for the
wax museum
Resources
 On
the next slides you will find books,
websites, databases and other resources
you can use to help you complete your
research!
Dictionary
* Use these resources if you come across a word you don’t
know the meaning of or don’t know how to pronounce.
These can also be a great resource when editing your
report!
Kid’s Infobits Dictionary
Word Central
Key words
 When
searching the websites, databases,
and encyclopedias here are some key
words you might include in your search
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Your person’s name (ex. George Washington)
Virginian
President
Famous American
Accomplishments
Abolitionist
Patriot
Library Databases
PebbleGo
Grolier Online Kids Edition
Biography Reference Center
Go to the biographies
section to help you get
started!
Use the advanced search
feature to help you find
exactly what you need.
Try finding articles with lower
“Lexile levels”. They will be
easier to read and
understand!
Books
Title
John Smith : English explorer and colonist
The Settling of Jamestown
Pocahontas : princess of the New World
The Powhatan and Their History
Woodrow Wilson : twenty-eighth president,
1913-1921
Call Number
B Smith
975.5 KNO
B Pocahontas
975.500 ROS
B Wilson
George C. Marshall
B Marshall
Thomas Jefferson : a picture book
biography
B Jefferson
Harry F. Byrd, Sr.
George Washington : first president, 17891797
Stonewall Jackson : spirit of the South
Robert E. Lee : duty and honor
B Byrd
B Washington
B Jackson
B Lee
Books
Title
Call Number
Maggie L. Walker
B Walker
Liberty or Death : a story about Patrick
Henry
B Henry
Oliver W. Hill
Arthur R. Ashe, Jr
A. Linwood Holton, Jr.
James Madison : fourth president, 18091817
L. Douglas Wilder
Harriet Tubman : hero of the Underground
Railroad
B Hill
B Ashe
B Holton
B Madison
B Wilder
B Tubman
John Brown : his fight for freedom
B Brown
Abraham Lincoln : defender of the Union
B Lincoln
Ulysses S. Grant : confident leaders and
hero
B Grant
Library Catalog
* If you didn’t find what you needed in the books I listed or they
were already checked out you can try searching the catalogs
here!
Elizabeth Scott Elementary
This is where you can search
our library for resources.
Chesterfield County Public
Library
If you don’t find what you
need at our library, you can
try the public library!
Encyclopedias
Encyclopedia Britannica
Elementary School Edition
Try clicking the “Biographies”
link on the left hand side to
find your person.
Infoplease.com
Just type your person’s
name into the search bar!
Websites
America’s Story
Use the “Meet Amazing
Americans” link to find
information you need.
POTUS
Find information on all of the
US Presidents.
Biography.com
Find biographical
information on any of the
famous Virginians.
In library class we will be plotting on a map where
each of our famous Virginians were born. Once
you have found where your person lives, you need
to be able to locate it on a map of Virginia. Use this
resource to help you!
Kid’s InfoBits Atlas
Link to a map of Virginia
and it’s cities
Citing Your Sources
 It
is always important to give credit to the
sources you use. We will have a lesson on
how to use Kid Bib Toolkit to cite your
sources you use. Keep a list of what you
found on the recording sheet attached!
Link to recording sheet for
your sources
Link to Kid Bib Toolkit