About Wisconsin Biographies
Wisconsin Biographies
- Tag: English Language Arts
- Tag: Wisconsin History
- Tag: Grades 3–6
Wisconsin is shaped by people who have made history: the freedom seekers, community builders, innovators of industry, land protectors, and more. The Wisconsin Biographies collection brings their stories to life for learners today with short animated videos, digital books, historical images, and extension activity ideas that support academic standards. Visit the Educator Resources page for a quick-start chart for the collection, and guides for each story.
Learning Goals
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Discover
Discover life stories from Wisconsinites of the past and recognize their contributions to history.
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Interpret
Interpret informational and multimodal texts in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.
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Relate
Identify connections between past and present, and relate to the lives of people who made Wisconsin history.
Story Spotlight
Mahmoud Othman Atta
A Mosque for Milwaukee
1936–2016
When Mahmoud Othman Atta was a child, his father made trips from Palestine to the United States to sell goods as a peddler to support his family. When Mahmoud grew older, he came with his father to Milwaukee, and stayed to go to school. He completed school, served in the United States Army, and returned to Palestine to marry. But not long after, war in the Middle East forced Mahmoud and his family to leave Palestine. Seeking a sense of community, Mahmoud and his family made Milwaukee their home, and worked with others to open the first mosque in Milwaukee open to all Muslims.
Explore the Collection
Partners
Funding provided by
Quotation
“We must include a variety of perspectives to make history fascinating enough for our students to make a connection. This collection helps instill curiosity about the past, shows that the improbable can actually become possible; and may even inspire the life of the learner.”