June 16, 2005

Up close and personal

History comes alive at Castillero’s Famous Figures Feas

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

Remember sitting in history class listening to a teacher drone on and on? Your mind probably wandered with furtive glances at the clock to see when the period would end.

Enjoying the famous figures feast, from left, Ally Sodan as Queen Elizabeth, Laura Belknap as Catherine De Medici and Kaylyn Kromer as Clare of Assisi. Photos by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

Well nowadays, many students are given a chance to be a little more interactive in their approach to learning. A prime example is Castillero Middle School, which has taken history to the next level with the seventh grade Famous Figures Day. The students transform into walking history lessons when they choose to study a particular famous person in history.

“Leonardo Da Vinci was the greatest artist of his time,” said Taylor Peck. “He was multi-talented: painting and sculpting. I thought he would be great to choose and I wanted to do an artist.”

The Famous Figures Day is the culmination of a year’s worth of social studies work. The kids choose a famous person from an era in history that they’ve studied. Researching books and the Internet, they become a walking textbook of this person, learning their accomplishments and why they were important at that time in history and why they are still relevant today. A biographical poster is also part of the assignment.

And then on the big day, after researching what the person looked like and the clothes worn in that time in history they attend school in costume with two props that reflect important information about the historic figure.

After the Famous Figures Feast, seventh grade students paraded past the sixth grade students.

Presentations are made in the students’ respective social studies class. To spice up the day even more, Castillero teachers and parent volunteers invite professional performers to give special presentations on a particular period in history. For example, Asha Baba presented African stories and performed music with help from student volunteers.

Falcon’s Court, a living history educational group, arrived dressed in Renaissance costumes with their bird of prey, a falcon named Lady Margaret, to teach the students about the daily life of the time.

“For your safety, remain seated until the bird comes to a complete stop,” said a Renaissance man with a thick Scottish brogue decked out in kilts.

The bird sweeps elegantly in flight on command through the classroom with the kids awe struck by the beauty of the wide wingspan.

“Are you Irish?” asked a boy during the question-and-answer period.

“For that I will have your tongue ripped out,” said Renaissance man. “I am Scottish!”

Asha Baba presents stories and music with student participation.

San Jose Taiko highlights Japanese artists weaving traditional sounds of drums with the beat of world rhythms. The kids are enticed to participate by the colorfully dressed performers.

“We at Castillero are very fortunate,” said Principal Sandy Engels. “We have lots of variation this year with the famous figures feast adding story tellers and Taiko. We have very supportive parent volunteers who make it all possible. You couldn’t do this without an army of help.”

And it does take an army of help to create the event. Seventh grade teacher Angelique Cassady was the coordinator of the performing groups but also busy with fund-raising, budget and being the main contact person. Kathy O’Malley worked with the parent volunteers to arrange the multi-cultural lunch after the programs and classroom presentations. And it all costs money which was raised by the Castillero Education Foundation, PTA, student store and a fundraiser in the social studies class.

The culmination of month’s worth of work is an enjoyable day for all. Canopies are set up on the grassy lawn. African, Japan, China, Rome, American Exploration and Renaissance foods are served for lunch.

Catherine de Medici, Clare of Assisi and Queen Elizabeth giggle among themselves sharing a private moment.
“Shakespeare was an actor and I’m in drama,” said Ryan Middleton about his choice of famous figure.

Smiles abound at Castillero’s Famous Figures Feast.

Adam Raymaker was more practical in his decision to become Michelangelo for a day.

“I studied him before and he was easy to do for the poster,” said Raymaker.

“We studied the Renaissance and they were like the Mafia of their time,” said Laura Belknap dressed as Catherine DeMedici. “She did a lot of cool things during her life, treaties and she set the fashion.”

Ally Sadi really wanted to be a queen.

“I wanted to learn about the lifestyle,” said Sadi, dressed as Queen Elizabeth I. “She ruled for 45 years and was unmarried. I was a peasant before and I like being a queen. You live a lot better.”

And so do students at Castillero, who enjoy stepping back into the past to bring history alive for their peers.