Saint John's Academy

Welcome to St. John's Library's Wax Museum Project.  This project has been created for students in fourth grade.  It is a collaboration between our 4th grade teachers, Ms. Smith  Mrs. Starvaggi in the school library media center.

The Mission

• Your mission is to research your assigned subject who was born or at some point lived in New Jersey.  Your person might be from history or someone who is alive today.  
  
• You must write all questions down in your library journal.  You must include sources at the end of each page.  The sources must be cited in MLA format.  Click here for examples.
• Answer all questions in full sentences.
• Create a timeline of at least five facts you collected.  The worksheet is located on the top shelf of your cubby.  Hand this in to Mrs. Starvaggi when completed.  Print neatly.
• You are to develop a speech using all the facts you have collected in your journal and timeline.  Speeches are to be written in first person and in the voice of the subject.  The speech must have an introduction, information about the subject, and a conclusion explaining why the subject is remembered by people today.  
  
• The speech must be written or typed and handed into Mrs. Smith no later than the project date.  (to be announced)
• The speech must also be written on notecards.  The speech should be no longer than two minutes and no less than one minute.
• On the day of the Wax Museum project, you will dress in costume that best portrays your subject.  You must bring your notecards on this day.  You will recieve a "press here" button.  When someone pushes your button, you must recite your speech.  Once you are finished you will strike a pose and freeze.  You MAY read your speech off your notecards.  You may use props or posters to aide in your presentation.  This is optional.
• Invited guests will announced.  
  
• The wax museum will be held in the library.  Date and time will be announced.  Family members will be invited to attend.

The Questions

1. When was your subject born?
2. Where was your subject born?
3. Who was their father, mother and sibblings?
4. What jobs did their parents have?
   
5. What significant historical events happened in the life time of your subject?  Examples:  war, earthquake, first man on the moon
6. What type of education did your subject receive?  (grammar school, high school, college, home schooled, no school)
7. Did your subject marry?  
   
8. Did your subject have children? name(s)?
9. What was your subject's profession? (doctor, lawyer, writer, teacher, astronaut, explorer etc. )
10. When and where did he/she live in New Jersey?
11. What makes this person special or interesting?
12. What are some adjectives that best describe your person? 
    
13. If your person is no longer living, when did he/she die? or Where is your person living today?
14. For each question you are unable to answer, create a fun fact about that person.

Resources

To help answer questions you will find the library has excellent resources. 

Print Resources

Vertical files provides biographies on all subjects.

Biography books are located in the biography section of our library.

Nonprint Resources:

Click here to go the biography pathfinder page.  On this webpage you will find excellent internet sites.

Subscription Databases:

The following are databases that might have articles about your subject.  Use your subjects name in parenthesis as the keyword.  Example:  "Abraham Lincoln"

  You will need your public library card.  If you do not have one, see Mrs. F.

Please have your username and password.  Don't forget your keywords!

You may also order books through our public library. Have your public library card ready or see Mrs. Starvaggi for help.