Be the Thing
Point Value: 10 points
Estimated Time to Complete: ½ period
Task: Write a short personal response as if you were a specific object from history. Your response should include both emotional and physical feelings of the object. Imagine you are the thing! Consider that if you were George Washington’s horse you would have quite a bit to think about.
Suggested topics:
Da Vinci's paintbrush, Dagger that killed Caesar, Muhammad's camel, an Aztec chinampa, Galileo's telescope, Luther's Bible, Mansa Musa's staff
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Example:
The flame of the candle who lit the room for Thomas Jefferson as he wrote the Declaration of Independence.
Whoa! Where am I? I was just minding my own business and now “poof!” I’m here in this room. Let’s see, what is this…? “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal…” Oh, I’ve heard about this. My cousin lit up the room in city hall last week and told me that he heard some people talking about writing up a Declaration of Independence. I must be in Thomas Jefferson’s room!
Ha, just think, if I wasn’t here it would be completely dark right now and he couldn’t be working. I’ll admit though, I’m a little jealous of that quill he’s writing with though. Now that thing will go down in history! Nobody ever thinks of how important I am though. Well, Mr. Quill, if you’re so great let’s see what happens if I declare my independence and just walk right out of here! Oh wait; I’m stuck to this candle. Oh well, I’ll just burn my brightest then so Mr. Jefferson has all the light he needs to write this amazing document.
I know one day I’ll burn out and nobody will think of me again. Hey, it happens to all of us. At least I know I’ll have served a great purpose. This man and this document are going to change the world and I got to be a part of it. The fires of revolution are being lit and it is all because of me!