Dear Parents,

Mark your calendars, charge up your cameras, and call in the grandparents, you do not want to miss this important third grade event! We’d like for you to join us for the culmination to our biography study as students portray their famous historical figure in a live Wax Museum.

Wax Museum

Date: Wednesday, May 11th

9:30 – 10:15 am

In the School Auditorium

The students are enthusiastically researching an important historical figure. So far, we have researched using both book and internet resources, including World Book online. We are using a graphic organizer to take relevant notes about a person’s life and accomplishments. Students will proudly publish their work in a variety of ways, including an A-Z list, anAcrostic Poem, and a Bio-Quote to demonstrate their understanding of their biography research. In art class, the children will create a detailed portrait of their hero. All of their biography work will be displayed on a colorful triboard during the wax museum.

We need some help from you at home, too.

Triboard Display

Please purchase a colorful triboard display for your child (specific color is on sheet attached). If you cannot find specific color, do not worry. This triboard is for students to showcase their published pieces at the Wax Museum. Triboard run about $5.00 and you can find them at arts and crafts stores, such as Michaels and AC Moore. Send in at any time. Your triboard will be sent home for you to keep after the wax museum.

Costume

On the morning of the Wax Museum children should arrive at school in costume. The students are highly creative and imaginative, so when you are helping your child to gather materials for their costume, homemade and borrowed items are strongly encouraged.

Artifacts

Your child is encouraged to have two or three interesting artifacts to enhance their costume and their display. You don’t have to purchase these items. Many can be borrowed or even hand-made. For example, a student portraying Ben Franklin could bring in a feather (quill pen), a rolled piece of weathered paper (Declaration of Independence) and a kite to hang by their display.

If your child needs help gathering a costume or artifacts, please feel free to contact me. I am happy to search in my attic and basement for appropriate pieces!

Speech

During the live Wax Museum each student will come to life as his or her famous person. When a visitor steps on a button, your child will come alive and share a short 45 – 60 second speech (no longer) about their hero’s life. We will begin to write our speeches together in classduring the first week in May but I will send them home for completion. Your assistance in helping your child to finalize their speech, and to practice it over and over again is appreciated. Speeches should be completed by Friday, May 2nd. On the day of the Wax Museum students will perform their speeches without their note cards. They usually learn the minute-long speeches with ease but arrangements or modifications can be made for anyone needing assistance in remembering their speech. Sometimes speeches need to be adjusted to make it easier for the child to have fluency and style as they speak. We’ll practice our speeches in class everyday that week and make any necessary adjustments. Remember, we’re not ready to start the speeches yet. First, we have to gather all of the fascinating facts. So, look for more information about speeches at the end of this month.

Helpers

Are there any talented photographers out there who are willing to capture a photograph of each child in costume at the wax museum? You could take the pictures before the museumopens for visitors so that you can enjoy touring the museum once it opens.

Are there any parents willing to come in and help to assemble the student triboards? This involves lots of cutting, mounting, and gluing. I’ll be in touch with a date and time for triboard helpers once our work is ready for display.

Thank you in advance for your assistance in helping your child to be prepared for our upcoming Wax Museum. This will surely be a special memory in the making for your little learner. Please complete the information below and return it to school next week.

Most appreciatively,

Mrs. Whiton

Please complete the following and return it to school on Monday, March 21st:

Child’s Name: ______

Yes, we will attend the Wax Museum on ______, 2016.

Names of Visitors attending: ______

No, we are not available at this time and are not able to attend the Wax Museum.

Yes, we will help our child develop, type their speech and email it to you or save it on their flashdrive

Yes, we will help our child gather a costume and artifacts.

No, we are not able to help our child with the speech.

No, we are not able to help our child with costume and props.

Yes, I can help with ______.