Over the next several weeks, you will be researching a famous person from the United States.  This person should have a significant impact on our country.  Your famous person could be a politician, an artist, author, musician, entertainer, inventor, scientist, businessman, etc.  Only one person in our class may research a particular person, and the decision as to whether your person is acceptable for this project will be made by your teacher.  Prior to choosing a person, it is imperative that you check to see that there are sufficient resources available to you for research.

This assignment will have three parts.  The first part will be to complete a research paper gathering as much information as possible about your famous person.  The second part requires that you dress as your famous person and be a participating member of our Third Grade Wax Museum.  At the museum you will be required to memorize and recite a script that you prepare and present to those students and parents visiting the museum.  Finally, you will complete a Biography Poster in conjunction with your written report.  PLEASE NOTE:  ONLY ONE POSTER PER CHILD WILL BE SUPPLIED.  DO NOT LOSE!  Directions for each component are attached.

Famous Person Approval:  No later than Monday, April 18

Poster Due: Thursday, April 28

Wax Museum: Friday, April 29

Part 1:  Brainstorm

Generate a list of questions about your famous person that you would like to answer.  Here are some examples:

Now write your questions.  You should have a list of around 10.

Part 2:  Research

Start finding the answers to the questions you brainstormed in Part 1.  You will want to look for the answers in newspapers, books, Websites, encyclopedias, etc.  You are required to use at least 3 different resources for your famous person and only 2 of the resources may be internet websites.  Keep track of your research in your BIOGRAPHY research folder.

Part 3:  Write Your Biography

After you have completed your research and you believe you have enough information to write a good, detailed biography on your famous person, begin writing your paper.  Your paper should be in paragraph form, not just a series of answers to your questions.  As you write your paper, remember to explain in detail some of the more important moments, events, and anecdotes of your Famous Person.  It is acceptable to include information about your person's successes and failures.  Good biographies are well-balanced.  Don't bury the person's failures because you like him/her, and don't put a negative slant on a fact because you don't like the person.  Your job as the writer is to present the facts, not make any judgments on your famous person.

Part 4:  Prepare for the Wax Museum

Now that your written report is complete, you should begin preparing for the Wax Museum.  At the wax museum, you will be required to dress like your Famous Person.  You do NOT have to purchase anything to dress like your person.  Your costume should be homemade and creative.  In addition to dressing like your famous person, you should bring in objects that represent your person.  At the wax museum you will be required to give an oral presentation as if you are the famous person.  You should speak in first person.  Your speech should come from the information you researched for your written report.  The speech you give at the Famous People from U.S. Regions Wax Museum should be memorized.

Part 5:  Biography Poster Report

You will be given a Biography Poster Report worksheet.  This will need to be completed by the date of the Wax Museum, as it will be displayed along side of you.  You should be creative and colorful with your poster.  Much of what you will use to create your poster will be from your research.  For the section where you have to include a portrait, you may use either a picture you have printed from the Internet, cut out of a book or magazine, or you may draw it yourself.  Please us only crayons or colored pencils to complete your poster.