MANSFIELD Bob Marley, Joan of Arc and John Wayne were all in the gymnasium of the John Hydock Elementary School on Friday. It was the elementary school’s second annual Sharing Day, where sixth-graders dressed up as historical figures for the other school kids.
By:David Koch
"This is a culmination of a research project," said Vice Principal Joseph Langowski. "All the sixth-graders have researched one historical figure."
Students from grades three and four assembled in the gym to watch the five best historical presentations. They included Sacajewea, the North American Indian woman guide on the Lewis and Clark expedition; Francis Scott Key, author of the "Star-Spangled Banner": aviator Charles Lindbergh, Titanic survivor Molly Brown, and photographer Ansel Adams.
All sixth-graders had to write a research paper on a historical figure. Then, the three best were chosen from each class. From those students, five were chosen as the best during a speak-off.
"I have a criteria which included volume, articulation, and how they were able to get the attraction of their audience," said Trish McCullough, a sixth-grade language arts teacher, who judged the speak-off.
The whole program is titled "Profiles in Pastimes" and was created by Ruthe Martz and Trish McCullough.
Ms. Martz is a third- through sixth-grade enrichment teacher at John Hydock Elementary School.
"I deal with all of the children and provide them with experience," she said. "Something more than the normal curriculum."
Starting in September, Ms. Martz will meet with individual sixth-grade students to choose a historical character for research. Then, in January, she will teach them how to compose and give a speech.
In between that time, Ms. McCullough will help the kids write their report.
"First, we try to instill the skills of researching, and writing a term paper and public speaking," said Ms. McCullough.
The cumulative result was Friday’s Sharing Day where every sixth-grader had a little table set up in the school gymnasium for his historical figure.
Part of the criteria for "Profiles in Pasttimes" is every student brings an artifact that reflects his research figure or time period.
"I learned a whole bunch about this person, and learned how to do a report," said sixth-grader Ben Case, who did Ansel Adams.
Along the walls of the gym were the sixth-graders’ presentations. Presentations, like Paul Urbish’s display on Bob Marley, included such things as posters, handicrafts from Jamaica, a tie-dye shirt, and Bob Marley CDs and books.
For his Marco Polo presentation, Jared Kennedy had a huge wooden chest filled with various vases and necklaces.
After hearing the presentations, students were given a "Profiles in Pasttimes" workbook with a picture of each famous person who was researched. The students then had to get autographs of the famous person from their sixth-grade researcher.
"It’s to keep it interactive," said Ms. McCullough. "It’s an opportunity for the sixth-graders to act as though they are that person."
School teachers and parents were in attendance at the gymnasium. Many parents said they considered this a worthwhile exercise.
"They took them through writing a research paper with ease," said Paul Patriacra, whose daughter, Valerie, played Sacajewea. "Now writing one should be easy for them."
