Life in a Box: Famous Virginians
Sixth Grade Historians
Mission Statement and Directions
Mission: Congratulations, historians! You have been chosen by Fairfax County
Public Schools to perform a very important mission. Your group task is to design
mystery boxes containing five artifacts (clues) associated with a specified famous
Virginian. Upon completion of the project, your peers will test the clues in your box.
Then, Fourth Grade Sleuths will uncover the mysteries of the boxes to reveal the
identity of the Famous Virginians.
Directions:
Locate primary sources by going to: http://www.loc.gov
Print a copy of each artifact (clue)
Place each artifact into the appropriate Clue Envelope
Complete the Bibliographic Worksheet and place into the Solution Envelope
Use the suggested guidelines below to place clues into envelopes
Advanced historians may develop own criteria for clues
Clue 1:
Include one of the following items:
special talent
hobby or interest
training/education
Clue 2:
Include one of the following items:
Personal items: for example,
diary, letters/correspondence,
possessions
Clue 3:
Include one item that reflects:
a major accomplishment
a significant event
for ex., an important document
Clue 4:
Free choice: Include any artifact
that you find interesting. For ex., the
persons home, a relevant map
Clue 5:
Include one of the following items:
a painting, picture, or photograph
Life in a Box: Famous Virginians
Sixth Grade Historians
Bibliographic Worksheet/ Solution Sheet
Directions/Tips for Historians
Include a brief description/encapsulation of item to readily identify it
Create a hyperlink using permanent URL, if possible
If permanent URL is not available, copy and paste exact tile, create a hyperlink
using address bar
Use the Tech Help sheet created by AAMNVA: “Saving a Permanent URL” and
“Inserting a Permanent URL into a Word Document”
Complete the sheet below
Famous Virginian: __________________________
Clue 1:
Clue 2:
Clue 3:
Clue 4:
Clue 5:
Box # _______
Life in a Box: Famous Virginians
Sixth Grade Historians
List of Famous Virginias
Each group will be assigned one or more of the following famous Virginians
to research and create mystery boxes.
1. Pocahontas
2. Thomas Jefferson
3. George Washington
4. Patrick Henry
5. James Armistead Lafayette
6. George Mason
7. James Madison
8. James Monroe
9. Nat Turner
10. Harriet Tubman
11. John Brown
12. Abraham Lincoln
13. Ulysses S. Grant
14. Thomas “Stonewall Jackson”
15. General Robert E. Lee
16. Harry F. Byrd, Sr.
17. Maggie Lena Walker
18. Arthur Ashe, Jr.
19. L. Douglas Wilder
Life in a Box: Famous Virginians
Sixth Grade Historians
Peer Evaluation Sheet
Box # _______________
Historical Reviewers (List Names) : ______________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Please answer the following questions:
1. Did the artifacts relate to the person?
Yes
No
2. Were the clues logically ordered?
If you answered “no” how would you reorder the clues?
Yes
No
3. Did the artifacts confirm what you knew about the person?
Yes
No
4. Were you surprised to find any of the artifacts?
If you answered “yes” explain why.
Yes
No
5. What did you like best about the mystery box?
6. What improvements could be made to make this box better? For ex, can you
suggest an artifact that could be added to the box to give a better snapshot of the
persons life?
7. How would you rate this mystery box?
easy
average
difficult
Life in a Box: Famous Virginians
Sixth Grade Historians
Historians Evaluation Rubric
Directions:
Circle the numbers on the right
to indicate the overall quality.
Scale
5 = Highly skilled
4 = Skilled
3 = Moderately skilled
2 = Poorly Skilled
1 = Unskilled
Contributed to the success of the group
5
4
3
2
1
Allowed others to contribute and participate
5
4
3
2
1
Resolved disagreements/conflicts
5
4
3
2
1
Followed directions
5
4
3
2
1
Acted responsibly without supervision
5
4
3
2
1
Used time wisely
5
4
3
2
1
Met deadlines for assignments
5
4
3
2
1
Used technology well
5
4
3
2
1
Located good primary sources on loc.gov
5
4
3
2
1
Asked for help when needed
5
4
3
2
1
Met all criteria for mystery box
5
4
3
2
1
Met all criteria for Bibliography Sheet
5
4
3
2
1
Developed a quality mystery box
5
4
3
2
1
Used higher order thinking skills
5
4
3
2
1
Analyzed own and group work
5
4
3
2
1