Search form


 

Exceptional Event

Historical Figure Day

Move over Halloween -- here comes Historical Figure Day!

Historical Figure Day, which is held each October at Mesa Verde Middle School in Moorpark, California, serves as an alternative to the traditional Halloween hoopla. Bringing together a unique collection of such personalities as Socrates, King Tut, Napoleon, Sacagawea, and Levi Strauss, this school-wide event takes on epic proportions.

"So many times in history classes, great emphasis is put on learning dates and places of important events, but many times we lose the personal side of what happened," teacher Mike Winters told Education World. "The goal of Historical Figure Day is to show students that the people who have changed the world throughout history were just normal people like you and me."

As Winters, who teaches eighth-grade history, explains: "We hope students will learn not only about their historical figures' lives and achievements but also about the times when those people lived. Although it sometimes is a lot of work for the students and parents -- and teachers too -- I think that it is a really fun time for all!"

To learn more about alternative celebrations to Halloween, explore these Education World articles: