Brayden's Idaho history project and soda pop bottle project

We read a couple biographies of famous people in fourth grade. The students chose a person that is famous and then they write three paragraphs about that person.  I teach them how to outline important details and then we formulate paragraphs. Then the fun part begins, we create the person that they are writing about. Brayden chose to write about Russell Wilson. He is the quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks. I wanted him to do a church person. We thought it would be a hoot if he did Porter Rockwell or Dallin H. Oaks. But he chose the sports guy. He wanted to make sure the bottle outfit was an authentic outfit. That was not going to happen. He cut the green ribbon and silver ribbon and placed it out he wanted it. We then ironed his number on the front and back of the mini jersey.In his classroom, they did the paper mache heads and the hair. However, we finished most of it at home because he didn't know how to do the hair. Don't worry..this was my school only to do this. I love projects like this!

Being a fourth grader in Idaho means learning about your state's history and all that stuff. I am not from here but I find it interesting. In Arizona, we never did anything like this. I love how the students create a binder about all the different things of Idaho. I love how there is a culminating project and most schools around the district do this. 

Last summer, I wanted to get Brayden's Idaho history project all planned out so it would be a piece of cake and not much of a bother during the school year. I am such a good mommy. We went to Coeur D'Alene area during July. We went to this awesome mine that was Brayden's and my inspiration for his project. So he wanted to do a mine. We just finished doing those paper mache heads so Brayden was an expert. We paper mached a huge mine. Before we started even the mine, we created a shaft inside where you can look into it. He painted the floor of it and the tracks. Then we built cardboard walls. We mod podged mining tools on the walls, dynamite sticks, and a mining cart. We also painted gold and silver in a quartz vein. Then we paper mached it up and put tealights in it. He glued most of the bushes and trees on it.