Making A Difference Donna Duraj, Des Plaines, Illinois Grade Level: 3rd Grade

This bulletin board title stayed up for two months in my classroom. Along with the usual study of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln in February, my third grade students researched people who made a difference. Some examples, as you can see here, were Columbus, Betsy Ross, Neil Armstrong, George Washington, and Michael Jordan. Students wrote a report, made a puppet, and gave a presentation. We learned a lot about individuals from all walks of life in a few weeks. The final products were displayed on this bulletin board.

In early March, I sent home the reports and puppets from the bulletin board. I kept the title and the white background. I then took digital pictures of my students in front of the board with the title over their head. I posted their pictures on the bulletin board under the title. The students then wrote a short story on how they want to make a difference in their classroom, in their community, and in their world. Those ideas were then posted on the bulletin board under each of their pictures. It was a great follow-up to the "famous person" making a difference idea. I know that my students will make a difference in our world!