Gullett Elementary students bring history to life

Dozens of famous people haunted B.D. Gullett Elementary School on Oct. 31.

Albert Einstein, Amelia Earhart, Abraham Lincoln, Jackie Robinson, Elvis Presley, Cleopatra, Stan Lee and many more made appearances during the fifth grade’s Boo-ography Reports.

Students were tasked with choosing a dead person to research and complete a book report. They then gave a presentation on what they learned while dressed and speaking as the person they chose.

“It’s precious,” said Emmie Angel, a fifth grade teacher. “You really see some of them come out of their shell. Some of them pick people you wouldn’t imagine.”

Fifth grader Diego Castellanos stood in front of the class wearing a tousled white wig and mustache, a lab coat, a tie with atoms on it and a dress shirt and pants. Clearly, Albert Einstein had entered the classroom and was ready to share his equations and theories.

“I liked when I explained the theory of relativity because a lot of people don’t know the theory of relativity,” Castellanos said. “It’s simple but hard.”

Fifth grader Sage Gant wore glasses, a black dress with white polka dots with her hair pulled back into a low bun. For her report, Gant was Rosa Parks.

“Rosa Parks is very important to history, and she means a lot to me because she helped [end] segregation,” Gant said. “I probably wouldn’t be here right now if it weren’t for Rosa Parks and some others.”

Gant said she was surprised to learn Parks was only 42 when the civil rights activist refused to surrender her seat on a segregated bus.

“They have been amazingly engaged,” teacher Karin Byrne said. “They love it. I see a lot of understanding of the book better because we did it this way.”

Diego Castellanos

Famous person: Albert Einstein

Born: March 14, 1879

Died: April 18, 1955

Why Einstein? “I’m so amazed with him,” Castellanos said. “How did he figure out these [theories and formulas]?”

Fun fact according to Castellanos: 

Einstein’s left side of the brain, which does tasks relating to logic, such as in science and mathematics, took over the right side, which is related more to creativity and the arts.

Aayan Malik 

Famous person: Abraham Lincoln

Born: Feb. 12, 1809

Died: April 15, 1865

Why Lincoln? “I know he read a lot of books,” Malik said. “I’m obsessed with books. … I realized he’s just like me.”

Fun fact according to Malik: Lincoln was one of four sitting presidents that were assassinated.

Logan Traeger

Famous person: Stan Lee

Born: Dec. 28, 1922

Died: Nov. 12, 2018

Why Lee? “I really like watching movies about superheroes he made like ‘[Avengers:] End Game’ and ‘Infinity War,’” Traeger said.

Fun fact according to Traeger: Lee wrote, edited, published and produced more than 32,000 comics and created more than 100 characters.

Payton Williams 

Famous person: Joan of Arc

Born: Jan. 6, 1412

Died: May 30, 1431

Why Joan of Arc? “People think girls are too fragile,” Williams said. “I wanted to prove them wrong, and I wanted to show them that girls even back in 1412 could still be in the army and be a knight. Girls can do whatever boys can do.”

Fun fact according to Williams: Joan of Arc was burned at the stake for wearing male clothes, and people accused her of crimes she never did.

Natalie Brown

Famous person: Cleopatra

Born: 69 B.C.

Died: Aug. 12, 30 B.C.

Why Cleopatra? “I’ve always been interested in her history,” Brown said. “I think she was a magnificent character.”

Fun fact according to Brown: Cleopatra was known to many for her beauty, but she was also intelligent.

Maggie Parker 

Famour Person: Sally Ride

Born: May 26, 1951

Died: July 23, 2012

Why Ride? “I have an American Girl that’s a space doll, and I really wanted to learn more, so I could make more scenes with my doll,” Parker said.

Fun fact according to Parker: Ride was a private person who told NASA she wouldn’t do interviews.