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By Paula Pyzik Scott

Bluffton Middle School's Night at the Museum event on Wednesday, May 7 drew a large audience for student poster presentations in the gym and cafetorium. The school was abuzz with family and friends learning about student research that spanned continents and thousands of years of history.

Rows and rows of tables showcased the work of some 200 students who answered questions from adults and children during the one-hour event. Each presentation board was topped with colorful lettering announcing the topic.

Sixth graders each presented research on a country using posters, clothing, drawings, photographs and food. While most students selected their subjects in a draft, some were able to present information on a country with a special family or personal connection such as adoption, ancestry and travel.

Hot and cold drinks, baked goods, candies and fruit were among the treats offered. The Icon asked what interested students most about the country they studied. Culture, famous places of natural beauty, architecture and pastimes were among the topics discussed.

Seventh graders were assigned historical figures by drawing names from a bucket. The famous names come from periods studied in Middle School history classes. Students got in character with costumes that were sometimes elegant and sometimes scratchy–particularly those featuring beards. Students agreed that it was hard to imagine being remembered many centuries after your lifetime.

Teacher Natalie Armstrong told the Icon that preparation started in February: “This is a cross-curricular project between Social Studies/History and Language Arts classes. There are lessons focused on history, geography, culture, etc. In LA, we go over research skills such as evaluating sources, note-taking, keeping track of sources, etc.

“At the end of April, we put it all together during 'board week.' It is mass chaos–with boards, paper cutters, project supplies, etc.--but it is also very exciting to see things come together.”

The week before the event, students practiced and learned how to answer questions from guests in a formal manner, including speaking clearly and making eye contact.