Second-Grade Biography Cans

Second-Grade Biography Cans

By Sam Martin ’07 Each spring, Legacy second-graders take on a research project. Officially dubbed Biography Can, this introduction to telling someone else’s story utilizes a coffee can.

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After they learn about the genre, students go on a tour, perusing some 30 books to identify their top three choices of a historical figure to read about. Their teacher ultimately assigns each student one of those top three, taking into consideration all of the preferences. As students read their biography, they write down 10 to 12 interesting facts about their subject.

The next stage in the project is all about creativity. All of the children have coffee cans, and with construction paper, felt, markers, and props, they transform the cans into their person. Once they’ve completed their masterpieces, they transfer their interesting facts onto Popsicle sticks and put them inside the

cans.

And then the fun continues!

“The students become the teacher as they present their projects to their classmates, sharing fun facts and important information about their famous person,” says Mrs. Clough. “This year’s girls and boys enjoyed completing this project and their classmates loved learning about significant people in our world, from both the past and the present.”

Gabrielle Trujillo chose to study former president Ronald Reagan and discovered a common interest: “He loved to ride horses, just like me!” she said happily.

But the best and most lasting impact from the project is the life lessons the second-graders learn from their study of these famous Americans.

“I loved learning more about George Washington,” said an enthusiastic Liv Cano. “And I also learned to not give up when things get hard, like the verse we learned this year, Galatians 6:9.”

1. Weston Smith, in Mrs. Snider’s class, proudly displays his biography can of Leonardo da Vinci.

2. Piper Ballent, in Señora Allen’s Spanish Immersion class, show us her Ruby Bridges project.

3. Students in Mrs. White’s class were eager to dress up for their biography can presentations: Daniella Trujillo as

King Tut, Sydney Sutter as Milton Hershey, Caitlyn Curtis as Amelia Earhart, Cooper Stout as Michael Jordan, and

Jaden Thomas as George Washington.

4. Liv Cano presents her George Washington can.