A “wax museum” activity serves as the yearly culmination for character education at McGalliardSchool. With help from the counselor, administrator, and teachers, each fifth-grade student is assigned a famous person of character to research. Students must research ten important facts about their assigned person’s contribution to society and the pillars they represent. Based on their research, students develop costumes and props, develop a background of facts for their person, and on a designated day dress as their assigned person. The halls of McGallard are transformed into a museum-like atmosphere with students lining up, posed in “character.” The activity allows students to learn from both research and discussion about positive character traits and explore historical figures in more detail, all the other students in the school, as well as parents, school board members, and central office administration, visit the museum and learn about the individuals as well. The event helps to solidify students’ understanding of six pillars of character.
