Students bring history to Charles Wright Elementary with wax museum

Charles Wright Elementary students and parents were treated to a wax museum experience on Wednesday that featured characters such as Susan B. Anthony, the Wright Brothers and King Tut.

But the “wax figures” actually were sixth grade students who came to life and gave guests a mini lesson on the character they were dressed as.

When her button was pressed, 12-year-old Yazel Gomez, dressed as Queen Elizabeth, told her guests that the queen was born in 1533 and grew to be a successful woman, despite growing up without parents. Queen Elizabeth led England in the battle against the Spanish Armada and died in 1603, Gomez said.

The sixth graders participated in the project during the school’s open house event as part of a language arts and social studies lesson, said Kodi Matsuo, who teaches the sixth graders in those subjects.

The students chose their character, researched them, wrote their speeches and memorized them. They also coordinated their costumes and illustrated the backdrops they stood in front of. After the wax museum event, the students will write biographies of their character.

“It’s a fun way to bring the characters to life,” Matsuo said. “They worked really hard. Some are still really nervous about the open house.”

Emma Carrasco, 12, said she chose Susan B. Anthony because the women’s suffrage activist’s efforts live on today. “To this day, women have the right to vote,” she said. “I thought that was very nice and good of her.”

This is the second year Matsuo has done the wax museum project with her students. “The kids really like it,” she said. “I bring it up in the beginning of the school year so they get hyped up about it.”

Younger students from the school got to get a sneak peek of the project during school before the open house

Jaime Enriquez, a fifth grade teacher, said it’s something his students look forward to.

“The kids know so much about their character,” he said. “It amazes me. And the way the dress – it’s phenomenal.”

This story was originally published March 29, 2017 at 5:25 PM with the headline "Students bring history to Charles Wright Elementary with wax museum."