Curricular Highlight: Living Wax Museum 

Each student explores an inspiring Hispanic or Latino figure, spotlighting artists, athletes, scientists, and political leaders who made lasting impacts and whose contributions have helped shape the United States. Through research, students uncover their figure’s heritage and achievements, then channel what they learn into dynamic visual displays featuring timelines that trace at least five key milestones.

Next, students write and memorize a short biography or autobiography and step fully into character with costumes and props. During the museum, they stand frozen like statues until a classmate “activates” them by placing a sticker or marker circle on their hand. In that instant, their figure comes to life, delivering a short speech in Spanish to classmates and students from across campus. The room hums with energy as visitors move from display to display, experiencing each inspirational figure’s story up close.

Middle School Spanish teacher Ana Brown shares, “Watching students become these incredible figures is amazing.” In the Wax Museum, students freeze, then spring to life, performing key moments from their figures’ lives and speaking Spanish like true storytellers. “They’re not just using Spanish—they’re living it.”

The project blends research, writing, and performance into one hands-on experience. Visuals shine with creativity and clarity, costumes bring each figure to life with careful attention to detail, and presentations captivate with fluency and confidence. Along the way, students explore the obstacles their figures faced and the resilience that defined them, sharing stories that inspire, empower, and make history feel alive and relevant today.

“The creativity and pride students bring to this project always impresses me,” Mrs. Brown adds. “They’re telling stories that matter, entirely in Spanish. That combination of language, history, and performance makes the experience unforgettable.”

From research to storytelling to performance, the Living Wax Museum transforms the Spanish classroom into a stage where students bring both history and language vividly to life!