Celebrities and sports stars filled the first and second grade classroom at the Sunderland Elementary School (SES). Babe Ruth was trading batting tips with Jackie Robinson. A young King Tut, meanwhile, admired Amelia Earhart’s aviator cap while Tom Brady graciously signed an autograph for George Washington.
No, this isn’t a portal or a parallel universe. Just a school classroom with a creative teacher who wanted to bring history alive for her students.
“Biographies of famous people can be a useful teaching method for getting students and families engaged,” says SES first and second grade teacher Charleigh Carthy. “The kids wanted to go to Madame Tussauds in New York City. The trip was out of the question, so we created our own wax museum right here at Sunderland.”
With the task defined, students and families set to work. For starters, each child selected the celebrity they would become. “All the good ones were picked before my turn,” said one student, with a shrug. “So I went with George Washington.”
The sports figures were not limited to Ruth, Robinson, and Brady. Other athletes that made the cut include gymnast Simone Biles and ice figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, as well as hoopers Michael Jordan and Steph Curry.
Other household names making an appearance at Sunderland, in addition to the aforementioned Washington, Earhart and King Tut, ranged from Taylor Swift and Zendaya to Dr. Seuss. “He wrote more than 100 books!” exclaimed his youthful look-a-like.
To complete their assignment, each student would turn themselves into their celebrity for an appearance at the SES museum. But first there were facts to learn and essays to write. Families were encouraged to pitch in and assist in making posters featuring notable information and photographs used in making a display for the exhibit, not to mention helping out in creating a costume for the performance.
“One feature of this project is getting the whole family involved,” says Carthy. “If everyone is invested, the learning only gets better for each student.”
The grand opening of the SES museum featured two shows: one for all K-6 students at Sunderland and another for the friends and families of the famous first and second graders. At both exhibitions each “celebrity” stood stoically in front of their exhibit with a "push me" button featured prominently at one side. When the command was triggered the featured person came to life and read a statement about who they were. Then, like all good speakers, they opened the floor to questions from the audience.
King Tut, for example, proclaimed that he took the throne at the age of nine. When the eight year old student in royal dress was asked what he would do if he actually became a King at the age of nine. He briefly pondered his response and then opined, “I don’t have a clue.”
(Photo above: King Tut stands stoically at his exhibit at the Sunderland Elementary School wax museum.)
Amelia Earhart is easily recognized with her leather flight jacket, silk scarf, googles and aviator cap.
Wax Babe Ruth, along with Jackie Robinson, was one of two baseball players featured at the Sunderland Elementary wax museum.
Of course Taylor Swift made an appearance at the Sunderland Elementary wax museum.
Steph Curry reads his story at the family exhibition at the Sunderland wax museum.