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MPS Students Create Mosquito Museum Inspired by “Fever 1793”

A smiling girl in a "Baseball Hall of Fame" sweatshirt stands next to a tri-fold poster about yellow fever, which is displayed on an easel in front of a classroom wall with drawings and papers.
MPS Students Create Mosquito Museum Inspired by “Fever 1793”

On May 20, students in Ms. Thomas’ class at Memorial Park Elementary School transformed their classroom into an educational mosquito museum. This creative showcase served as the culminating activity for their unit on the historical fiction novel “Fever 1793” by Laurie Halse Anderson, which details life during the devastating yellow fever epidemic.

To connect the history in the book to real-world science, students conducted research and created detailed informational posters surrounding the prevention and treatment of mosquito-borne illnesses. Topics covered included mosquito anatomy and life cycles, practical mosquito bite prevention, yellow fever symptoms and historical treatments and the current global outlook of mosquito-borne illnesses.

By bridging literature, history and science, this hands-on project highlights how our students dive deep into their learning to understand the world around them. Fantastic work, researchers!

Five students and a teacher pose in a classroom with a poster about %22Fever 1793%22 and a whiteboard in the background.
A teacher and four students pose in a classroom with a %22Fever 1793%22 poster in the background.
A young girl in a %22Baseball Hall of Fame%22 sweatshirt stands proudly next to her %22Yellow Fever%22 presentation board, which is displayed on an easel in front of a classroom wall adorned with inspirational words.
A young girl in a blue hoodie and shorts stands in front of a science project poster about mosquitoes, with a classroom decorated with an American flag and a globe in the background.
A young boy in a red shirt stands in a classroom holding a mannequin head, with a desk displaying a project in front of him and a blackboard with math problems behind him.
A student stands proudly with hands on hips next to a science fair project titled %22How To Stop The Bite,%22 focused on mosquito prevention. The three-panel display board features photos of standing water risks (like old tires and potted plants), maps, and the slogan %22STOP MOSQUITOES: DRAIN, DRESS, DEFEND.%22 Bottles of bug spray and a long-sleeved shirt are laid out on the table as part of the demonstration. In the background, classroom bulletin boards for %22Vowel Valley%22 and a %22Feelings Check-in%22 a
In the foreground, a group of students and an adult gather around a science project display board, while the background reveals a classroom setting with educational posters and supplies.
In the foreground, three young girls examine a science project on a table, while in the background, a classroom setting is visible with posters and supplies.
Children in the foreground gather around a world map on an easel, while the background reveals a classroom with windows and supplies.
In the foreground, a young girl paints at an easel while a woman holds a clipboard, and in the background, a group of students stand around a table covered with a purple cloth in a classroom.