Past Meets Present During Knollwood School's Annual History Fair

What do a pharaoh and a plaque doctor have in common? Both were amongst the characters that returned from the past during the eighth grade history fair at the Knollwood School Auditorium last night.

Students presented five weeks worth of research, revision, and formulating formal papers of formed evidence, an activity, tri-board presentation, costumes and games.

 "Eighth grade research projects focused on a central question which mixed contemporary with the past, proving what they knew from history and relating it to modern day," said Vikki Granello, eighth grade world civics teacher.

Topics ranged from how the ancient government influenced modern government, reoccurring architectural structures and tragedy throughout history.

Eighty-seven individual student research papers lined the tables in the auditorium, one by each student, and over 30 trifold posters that displayed the students' discoveries. "We compared what the ancients did and what is done in modern times and we compared the two," said eighth grade student Russell Binaco.

Students said the process took around five weeks because it was a very researched oriented project. "First we researched, we had to use six different sources, and hand in a rough research paper which had to be two pages. Then we picked a few points to focus on and made a poster and a game," Binaco said.

Students also had to incorporate two pictures, a science and mathematics element, and an optional segment written in either French or Spanish, Granello said.

 Although the project counted as a grade, students still managed to have fun. "The hardest part of the project was the paper because Mrs. Granello said it would be graded the hardest but everything else was good," said eighth grade student Catie Ebner.

Students not only presented to parents but they presented students to fourth through seventh grade students earlier in the day.

Nora Ryan, an eighth grade student worked with partner Megan Kane to create a game comparing ancient government with modern government.

"We had to present to the younger students so we made this game. It?s a history version of Candy land and Monopoly. The younger students didn?t really get it but the older students got it," Ryan said.

Leslie Weis, mother of eighth grade student Abbey Weis, said the history fair showed the students collaborative effort. "I think it's wonderful. The kids worked really hard on the project both at home and in school and I think it's great."

Granello said the students not only proved history facts but also related the past to the present through a culmination of not only learning history but also applying history to modern times.  "I'm very proud of them, they worked very hard and diligently," Granello said.