Second Grade Living Museum by Annie Bynum (2nd grade teacher)

If you were walking down the 2^nd grade hallway March 19^th or 20^th you may have seen Theodore Roosevelt, Stan Lee, Queen Elizabeth, Amelia Earhart, Helen Keller, and Neil Armstrong walking around. While we do not have the funds or resources, like a time machine, to bring the actual people to our school, our second graders were happy to fill in their place.

Over the last two weeks our second grade students selected a historical figure of their choice and researched to learn about their lives. Some students selected presidents like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and George W. Bush. Others selected sports figures like Jackie Robinson, Babe Ruth, Gabby Douglas, and Lance Armstrong. From the 16^th century to today, each historical figure made their mark.

 

 

The students learned about various aspects of their historical figure’s life. They researched things like when and where they were born, what they were like as children, and what made them famous. They also learned when they died, what was going on in the world while they were alive, and what their family was like. Using their research, the students wrote speeches, illustrated portraits of their historical figure, and created timelines of events in their lives.

 

 

 The research culminated in a two day living museum where students dressed up as their historical figure, hung their portraits, and anxiously waited, still as a statue, for museum visitors to push their button. Parents, teachers, and other students walked through the museum, pushed the students’ buttons, and watched as the students came to life.

Parents and teachers enjoyed this blast from the past while kindergarten and first grade students learned about some historical figures for the first time. Our second annual Living Museum brought many memories our students will not soon forget.