Our Second Grade Wax Museum

Conducting research, using multiple sources, presenting information orally and biographies are all important second grade concepts identified either by the new Common Core Standards or Ohio's new Social Studies Standards.  To teach these concepts in my classroom, I started by bringing in a wide variety of biographies at roughly a second grade reading level from my local library.  My students had a lot of fun choosing a person to learn more about.

I gave the class a week to read the book and complete a basic biography book report on what they read.  The following week, we went to the computer lab where each student used information from an electronic source to complete a "website review" of 3 new facts they learned about their person (most were able to use the encyclopedia found on Yahoo Kids).  After finishing our initial research, each student used their information to write a brief speech as though they were the person that they studied.  As a culminating activity, we dressed like that person and hosted a "wax museum."  Parents and other students were invited to come "push our buttons" and learn more about the life of a famous person. 

While teaching children this young how to conduct research is challenging, I am very proud of the end result.  The class did a great job and it was some of the best oral reading and writing I have seen my students do all year.  In my second year as a primary grades teacher, I have been surprised at the passion children have for nonfiction.  They were so excited to read to gain new information and their passion for learning has been evident in their work.