7th Grade Unsung Heroes Exhibition

Exhibitions are an excellent way to demonstrate learning and a staple of the Brimmer and May Middle School education. They promote high quality, creative work to be shared with the school community and equitable space for all students to share their knowledge. 

As 7th graders explored the Revolutionary War and the colonists' struggle for independence, they also followed the story of Alexander Hamilton and viewed the events of the period through his eyes and those of some of his contemporaries. Prior to the mainstream success of Lin Manuel Miranda's musical Hamilton, most of America could not have told you much about the man on the ten-dollar bill. In fact, for most of our country's history, few people understood just how significant a role he played in the foundation of our government and the far-reaching effects of his life's work. 

Today, obviously, it's a different situation. Thanks to the brilliant storytelling and songwriting display in the musical, Hamilton became a pop-culture phenomenon and a household name; many people know his story. Our 7th graders were challenged to do something similar for another unsung hero of history; someone whose story has not yet been told in the way it deserves to be. 

To help complete their research, students tapped all the resources of the Brimmer Library, including online databases, encyclopedias, digitally archived newspapers, and books. They have been taking careful notes and tracking sources using Noodletools to create accurate citations. We were very impressed with their thorough research, creative presentations, and how confidently they shared their knowledge and work!