Lansing Elementary second grade students recently brought biographies to life through a project called “Biographies Alive.” After spending several weeks researching famous people, students had the opportunity to step into the shoes of their chosen figures and share what they learned with parents and staff.
Throughout the project, students selected a person to study and explored key aspects of their lives, including their early years, important accomplishments, challenges they faced, and why they are famous or still remembered today. As they worked through the project, students practiced essential academic skills such as researching, writing informational text, organizing their ideas, and preparing for presentations.
When presentation day arrived, classrooms were transformed into living displays. Each student presented in character, speaking as the person they had researched. Families and staff members visited the classrooms to listen as students shared their stories, describing significant moments from their lives and explaining their impact.
The project also aligned with Kansas State Standards, giving students the opportunity to strengthen both speaking and writing skills. Students practiced speaking in complete sentences appropriate to their topic and developed informational writing pieces based on their research.
“Biographies Alive” provided a meaningful way for students to showcase their learning while building confidence and communication skills, all while making connections to both past and present in an engaging and memorable way.
