Students in the Madison High School English 9 Cross-Curricular Cohort spent weeks gathering evidence, examining artifacts and drafting argumentative papers with the aim to help observers understand how their assigned character lived and died.

The cohort, made up of 90 students, includes English, Science and World History 1 classes. At the beginning of the investigation unit, student groups were given artifacts and they looked at the DNA and other factors to determine the gender, age, time period and probably economic class status of the character. The research findings were presented visually with an illustration that presented the skeletal structure of the character, as well as inferred apparel.

The cohort held an open house in the library to present their findings to parents, teachers and peers. For the open house presentation, observers were provided a list of questions, that aligned with the Portrait of a Graduation Presentations of Learning standards, to engage the students in questions about their learning, creativity, self-awareness and critical thinking throughout the investigation unit.