Central students "Explore" history

Fifth graders in Nicole Guethle's classroom at Dexter's Central Elementary School have been learning about explorers lately, and on Jan. 16, the explorers they've been studying came to life as Guethle's classroom was transformed into an Explorer Wax Museum.

From Christopher Columbus, Leif Erickson and Jacques Cartier to Prince Henry and Sir Francis Drake, each student took on the identity of a famous explorer. Dressed in character and with a written illustration of their explorer's history posted, each student presented about a one-minute monologue telling of their individual accomplishments -- and all simultaneously.

"I had seen this done by a fellow teacher a few years ago," Guethle explained, "and started doing it in my classroom. It's something they really look forward to doing. I give them a list of explorers, and they can pick their own."

After selecting their character, each student delved into researching their explorer and then prepared a written report. They also completed a poster depicting their character's role in history.

"Sacajawea is always the first pick," Guethle explained, "since she's the only female explorer we portray." Natalie Sells was the lucky student this year who had the opportunity to portray the only "girl" available for the taking.

In the end, the presentation by Guethle's students differed from any oral presentations in which they had participated in their schooling thus far.

The Explorer Wax Museum opened to the public late last week, with other fifth graders as their first guests. When the guests arrived, they found 20 perfectly still explorers in full costume, each in his and her assigned space -- none making eye contact -- each posed as if figures in a wax museum.

On the top of each explorer's hand was a dot put in place by a black marker with the word, "Push" written below it -- an imaginary buzzer which when touched, triggered the explorer to present their one-minute account of who they were and what part they played in world history.

It was a noisy, busy, fast-paced one minute as each character came alive at once. As their guests were stationed in front of each explorer, the characters barely flinched, but when their "buttons" were pushed in one sweeping motion, the chatter began. "My name is Sacajawea. I was born in Salem, Idaho..." "My name is Henry Hudson. I was an English sea explorer and navigator in the early 17th century..." "My name is Sir Francis Drake. I was an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era...." -- all 20 simultaneously until, one by one, they finished, and silence again prevailed. Then guests would move a few feet to stand in front of a new character. Upon Guethle's command, the start buttons were pushed again, and the chatter resumed for another minute, until each guest heard each explorer's biography.

Several explorers ended their biographies by telling of their brutal or untimely death, in which case they threw themselves upon the floor or classroom desk in a heap, until the appearance of another guest began their ritual all over again.

Costuming for the explorers was primarily of the students' own design. Fake beards were in ample supply, and creative measures were taken to transform wide white ribbon into Henry Hudson's collar and a feather in a cowboy hat into the headdress of Francisco Pizarro. An abundance of aluminum foil served well for coats of armor, swords and spears.

Third, fourth and other fifth graders and parents were able to visit the Wax Museum over a two-day period. In the end, Guethle's students learned lessons not only about explorers who made history, but also in research, acting, oral presentation, memorization, and the art of not blinking for very long periods of time!