The Whole Ball of Wax

In elementary school, our teachers continually think outside the box, from outdoor days to bee hives and even a living wax museum! Students choose a historically significant person to research, then are tasked with writing a biography about the person they selected. Finally, students create scripts for the final wax museum project at the end of the lesson.

Staged around a dark room, students dress as their figure, complete with props. Frozen in place, they only come alive when a guest shines them with a flashlight. Once triggered, students present a brief overview of their historical person, completely in character! Students and staff, in addition to family members of the fifth-graders, are invited to the event.

It’s definitely an exciting project. This living wax museum is a great way to tie together reading, writing, social studies and speaking and listening skills all in one fun project. The best part about this project is the students do not even realize that they are learning!