PHS Friday Letter

PIP is the first major research project that the students undertake. As such, it is quite challenging, but still thrilling for the third graders. As they study a notable person of their choosing, the students develop the ability to extract important information, record facts, and synthesize the research into a written biography. This process begins with finding important facts. It is tempting, even as an adult, to think that all the information is important. Through the research process, students begin to learn how to weed out what it unnecessary. After finding important information, students then begin to organize it, which is an important step in the writing process. Once the information is organized, the kids can begin using what they know about complete sentences and paragraphs to write their biographies. This is the step that the third graders are currently immersed in, and they are excitedly writing their hearts out. Once each student has finished writing this first draft, we will edit and write final drafts. Phew!  It is a long process for the third graders, and they have a lot to be proud of when they finish.

Another exciting part of PIP is that the students also create Biography Altars. These shoebox size dioramas depict aspects of the characters that the students have chosen.  These altars may be a scene from their characters life or death. It may include representative artifacts, or the altar may be a room that the student thinks their character might have lived in. These altars give the students an opportunity to integrate the research that they’ve done with their creativity.

The culmination, and most exciting and scary part of this process according to many students, is the onstage interview that takes place in the theater here at PHS. Students “become” their characters in order to answer questions on stage as their characters. Traditionally students do not reveal who they are until the very end of their interviews, so that audience members can try to guess who the students have chosen to be. You would be amazed at these third grader's stunningly accurate portrayals.

All in all PIP is a challenging, fun, and stimulating project for the third graders, as well as the fourth graders. Don’t be surprised if you hear kids starting to talk about who they want to be for PIP as early as kindergarten and first grade. That’s just the kind of excitement about learning  these kinds of wonderful projects foster.

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