Download 100 Most Influential People

World History Top 100 Project
The World’s Most Influential People
Mr. Wiesenthal and Ms. Linenbroker
6th Grade Social Studies
Overview:
The History Magazine is planning a new edition titled, “World History’s Hall of Fame”. This
special edition will highlight the 100 most influential people in World History. One historical
figure will be named, “The Most Influential Person in World History”.
The magazine has selected the 6th grade at Bulkeley Middle School to assist them with the
selection process. Your assignment is to present a person that has had a great influence on
World History to the magazine selection committee. Your mission is to convince the committee
that your nominee should be included in this special edition because she or he has had the
most influence on World History.
There will be many students giving presentations to the selection committee, but only the top
25 will be selected to move to the final round of presentations, and only one will be named
“The Most Influential Person in World History”. Happy researching and GOOD LUCK!!
Your tasks as reporter:
1. CHOOSE A PERSON.
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Highlight the people on the list provided that you think you would like to present to the
committee.
Rank your top five (5) choices.
You will be assigned one choice by the editors of the magazine (your teachers).
2. RESEARCH.
▪ Research your person in the library using the Library Research Guide and teacher
instructions.
▪ Be sure to thoroughly answer each of the supporting questions.
▪ Make sure your notes are neat, organized, and in proper form.
▪ When your notes are complete, use a highlighter to mark the most important facts that
should be presented to the committee.
3. LOCATE A PICTURE.
▪ Locate a picture of your person.
▪ Before printing the picture, write the source under the picture. (Remember, Google will
never be the source that gets credit).
▪ Print the picture
▪ Add the source to your bibliography.
▪ Mat the picture on colored paper to give it a frame. (Picture will be going on the wall!)
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4. CREATE A PERSONAL DOCUMENT.
The magazine wants to include a personal document in this special edition. You will need to
create a personal artifact for your nominee. Create a personal document as if you were the
person you researched OR someone the person may have known or affected. (For example, if
you researched Adolf Hitler, you could write in the voice of a concentration camp survivor.)
A personal document could be a:
 journal or diary entry
 letter
 scrapbook entry
 newspaper article
 written eulogy
 editorial
 written speech
 Have another idea? Check with the editors!
The personal document must
1. Use at least five (5) facts from your research.
2. Accurately represent the influence that this person has had on World History.
3. Be creative! For example, you could:
▪ Hand write a letter on stationary you create
▪ Put together an authentic looking newspaper
▪ Create a scrapbook
▪ Age the document to make it look authentic
5. PRESENTATION (Working with Ms. Erlanger)
It is time to go before the magazine selection committee and present your nominee for the
“World History’s Hall of Fame and Shame” edition. Your speech should be:
▪ 2-3 minutes in length
▪ Written in the first person voice of either the nominee (person you are
nominating) or contemporary of the nominee (someone who lived at the same
time)
▪ Persuasive; you want to convince the committee to select your nominee for this
edition
▪ Make sure you include the influence (positive or negative) that your nominee
has had on World History.
6. BIBLIOGRAPHY.
▪ Create a bibliography of your sources (MLA style).
▪ A minimum of three (3) sources must be documented with at least two (2)
book sources and no free web (i.e. you cannot use Google, Yahoo, etc. for
this project except for images).
▪ You may use online databases for this project.
▪ Remember that any images you use must also be cited!
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