Great American Hall of Fame

You’ve studied seven different famous Americans from the past this year. From this you learned how Americans can be diverse and yet still be a good American. The Hall of Fame for Great Americans is in New York City, and every year they add one new statue of a famous American.

What if you got to pick whose statue went into the museum? Who would you pick?

Directions:

  1. In order to pick the best candidate, review the seven Famous Americans you studied this year (see the list on this page). Create a list of basic principals that makes a famous American.
  2. Then, use your list to review the three applicants below: Steve Jobs, Michael Jordan, and Justice Sonia Sotomayor. You have to pick one of the three applicants using your list.
  3. Then create a media message to convince the Hall of Fame for Great Americans to pick your choice. You pick the best media to make your point.

Famous Americans

George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
Abraham Lincoln
Rosa Parks
Thurgood Marshall
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Cesar Chavez

Applicants for Hall of Fame for Great Americans (in alphabetical order)

Photo credits: Michael Jordan by Jason H. Smith; Steve Jobs by Matthew Yohe; other images in the public domain

Attribution

Please note: This performance task was developed with input by teachers, instructional coaches, and other dedicated educators in the Martinsville City Public Schools. You are free to use this task, but do please give credit to John Ross and Martinsville City Public Schools if you do use it.