Voices of History

Fourth graders captivated families and classmates this week with thoughtful speeches that chronicled the lives and enduring legacies of notable figures from history or the present day. After thoroughly researching their person, each student wrote a first-person narrative recounting their life and notable achievements. To keep the audience hooked, each student’s speech was carefully written to conceal the subject's identity. However, they also displayed an artifact that hinted at their identity. To cap off each speech, students turned to the crowd with a playful challenge: “Who am I?”

The fourth grade speeches are a comprehensive lesson in the research and writing process. To build their narratives, students gathered information, practiced note-taking, and used graphic organizers to structure their findings. From there, they drafted, revised, and edited their work, carefully refining their language and strengthening their ideas before moving to the podium.

Once their written speeches were polished, the fourth graders focused on mastering three core public speaking skills. First, they practiced maintaining eye contact, learning to track their text with a finger so they wouldn't lose their place while engaging the crowd. Next, they tackled pacing. Because nerves can tempt public speakers to rush, students worked on slowing down to ensure their message was heard clearly. Finally, they focused on their voice, using expression to add interest and emphasize the most important moments of their stories.

The resulting speeches profiled a diverse array of luminaries, from Fred Rogers and Julia Child to Ludwig van Beethoven and Mae Jemison. Rather than simply listing impressive accolades, they humanized their subject by telling the stories of their lives, including the challenges and setbacks they faced along the way to success. Many of the students finished their stories with an inspirational message that they gleaned from everything they had learned about this person. Speaking as primatologist Jane Goodall, Jazz D. ‘31 ended her speech with a call to action. “Now it’s your turn, you have a choice. Will you choose to care for animals as I did, or will you choose not to care for them? For me, I will always choose to do the right thing.”