Become a Historian!

Introduction

Is immigration challenging? Feeling alone? Not sure how to fit in to your new society? Do you want to make a difference? 

You can change the way you feel… Become a historian! There have been many people that moved to Colorado. They too faced many challenges and made a life for themselves.  However, these people became famous Coloradoans! They had hopes and dreams just like you and I. By making those dreams a reality, they were able to give back to their communities and shaped Colorado as we know it today.

Task

Your task will be to find specific information about one famous Coloradoan. Compare their lives, and accomplishments to what your hopes and dreams are. You will pick one way, big or small, that you can make a difference and become involved in your local community.  You will be using the Colorado Historical Society website for your research. The information you find will be compared on a power point presentation.

Process

1. Click on the link to begin research. At this website, you will find the names of many famous people from Colorado’s history.  Read through the biographies and find one person that appeals to you.  http://games.historycolorado.org/kids/kidsbios.htm
2. Use the Biography worksheet to gather information. The front of the worksheet is about the famous person you are researching.
3. The back of the worksheet is about you.
4. Think about the questions on the back of the worksheet. By answering these questions you will chose one way you can give back to your community and compare your life to a famous historical Coloradoan.

Resources

http://games.historycolorado.org/kids/kidsbios.htm

Evaluation Rubric

Conclusion

By completing this project you have accomplished many learning concepts. You practiced reading English and looked for the main idea, and pulled specific information out of the context. You practiced comparing and contrasting information. You gained computer skills; using websites and creating a power point presentation. You practiced writing skills by filling out the worksheet. Having filled out the power point information you not only received practice typing, but put sentences in the correct structure and tense. You gained personal insight into your hopes and dreams. You became an active community member impacting the community in which you live.

Teacher Notes

 Teachers, this template can be modified and put on individual computers for each student to use. Or, you can use it as a tutorial to teach the students how to use power point, if needed.

You can adapt this worksheet as needed to address specific learning criteria. This can be printed for each student to use.

Additional Comments

Teachers: this lesson came from a 3^rd and 4^th grade Colorado history lesson. The students did complete the front part of the worksheet. Students took the information and created a small paragraph. They learned and memorized the information about their famous person.  We didn’t create a power point. Instead, we used one poster board per student.  I cut holes (had an aide do it) out for a head and arms. In class students drew their famous Coloradoan’s body with accurate clothing to the era and person. We held “A Night at the History Wax Museum.”  We asked parents to bring in one dollar worth of quarters.  We cut ‘money slots’ in the top corner of their poster and stapled a Dixie cup to the back. Students remained ‘asleep’ as wax figures until a parent put in a quarter. At which point they woke up, gave their mini speech of who they were and then went back to sleep. We raised enough money to have a fun ice cream party that week in class to celebrate our hard work. The parents absolutely love the night at the wax museum and it engages the families.