autobiography and biography lesson plans

Having My Say: A Multigenre Autobiography Project

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Students can be guided to make powerful connections between their life experiences and the world surrounding their individual narratives. In this lesson, Elizabeth and Sarah Delany's autobiography, Having Our Say , serves as a model for student texts. Students read and analyze passages from Having Our Say looking for specific examples of multigenre writing within the text. Students then choose to narrate a life event that has connections to or is informed by a larger event in their lives or in the world around them. They compose a multigenre paper that includes the autobiographical narrative essay as well as an informational nonfiction piece that provides context for and connections to the story from their life.

Featured Resources

Autobiographical Narrative Component Peer Review Guide : This handout includes a chart to guide students in a thoughtful peer review of a classmate's autobiographical essay, but it could be adapted for use with any peer review. Contextual Essay Planning Sheet : This handout provides a chart that guides students in thinking about the kinds of information an audience might need to know to understand their autobiographical essay.

From Theory to Practice

In Blending Genre, Altering Style: Writing Multigenre Papers , Tom Romano describes his ideal ELA classroom as one in which students "are both consumers and producers of all kinds of literature and media" (43).  As students are exposed to or are expected to have gained "mastery" of certain genres, teachers can challenge students by asking them to combine genres into cohesive multigenre pieces.  In her article discussing the use of multigenre writing assignments in her classroom, Nancy Mack states "I know that assignments must be innovative and interesting enough so that they appear unlike the old drudgery of hackneyed assignments. The format must be open and attractive to invite the possibility of doing something engaging rather than merely pursuing the trivial school game. Topics for writing should make use of the unique knowledge and skills that students already have, connecting school work in a respectful way to things that they value in their personal lives. The completed assignment should be personally significant and full of power and integrity for the author so that the writing itself demands to be heard by a real audience." (98) The writing assignments in this lesson do just that, as they challenge students to write in multiple genres with connections to stories from their lives. Further Reading

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
• 2. Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.
• 4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
• 5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
• 6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
• 11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
• 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Materials and Technology

• Copies of Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters’ First 100 Years by Sarah L. Delany and A. Elizabeth Delany with Amy Hill Hearth (Dell)
• Overhead or large post-its for recording student responses
• Pens, paper for drafting in class or time in a computer lab for composition and revision
• “Teaching Racially Sensitive Literature: A Teacher’s Guide” (optional)
• Multigenre Autobiography Planning Sheet
• Contextual Essay Planning Sheet
• Autobiographical Narrative Component Peer Review Guide
• Contextual Component Peer Review Guide
• Multigenre Autobiography Project Rubric
• Understanding the Two Genres Handout (optional)

Preparation

• Determine how much of the book you will ask students to read. You may wish to use this text in its entirety as an example of the genre of autobiography. Alternately, a few of the sections can serve as supplementary resources to existing units. For example, the section “I Am Free! ” could supplement a unit on slavery, “Jim Crow Days” could enrich a unit on Civil Rights and segregation, and “Harlem-Town” would integrate into a study of the Harlem Renaissance. A third option is to treat one of the sections as a stand-alone autobiographical piece.
• Preview the section(s) you plan to teach and read Teaching Racially Sensitive Literature: A Teacher’s Guide .  Having Our Say does contain frank conversations about race, including representations of blatant racism through language and action. Determine the type and level of preparation your students might need.
• Make copies of all necessary handouts.
• Think about an event from your life you would be comfortable using in the modeling the drafting process. (See Instruction and Activities Session 3.)
• Plan for computer lab/internet access for any sessions during which you will use ReadWriteThink interactives or students will be word processing.
• If you are unfamiliar with the story of the  Delany sisters, the Having Our Say Website includes brief information about the sisters and how their story came to be written, as well as a study guide for the book.
• Test the Venn Diagram and Timeline interactives on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tools and ensure that you have the Flash plug-in installed. You can download the plug-in from the technical support page.

Student Objectives

Students will

• identify features that are unique to and common between informational and autobiographical nonfiction.
• choose an event from their life to narrate in essay form, adopting genre-appropriate voice, style, and methods of development.
• determine the specific historical, cultural, or familial background information that readers of the above essay would need.
• craft an informational nonfiction essay around that information, adopting genre-appropriate voice, style, and methods of development.
• successfully integrate informational and autobiographical nonfiction.

Session One

• Prepare students for the reading by discussing its unique structural features.  Have them leaf through the book and take note of its structure while you guide them through the different sections (major sections indicated by roman numerals and titles, unlabeled introductory chapters, alternating chapters labeled with the narrating sister’s name, etc. ).
• Point out that the third author, a writer for The New York Times , is the objective voice in the chapters at the beginning of the sections.
• Offer students the label of “multigenre text” and ask if they have read or are familiar with any multigenre texts (Avi’s Nothing But the Truth , Walter Dean Myers’ Monster ).  Ask them what genres seem to be represented in this work.  See the ReadWriteThink lesson Reading and Analyzing Multigenre Texts for more information on this specialized reading and writing, including a booklist with more examples.
• Have students produce a list of ways that informational nonfiction (perhaps students can conceive of it as “newspaper” writing) and autobiographical nonfiction are similar and different.  You may wish to use the Venn Diagram tool to facilitate this discussion.
• Extend this discussion into a conversation about what makes each of these genres especially effective.  Write students’ observations on an overhead or large sheet of Post-It paper for later use/reference.  You can then use these preparatory materials as a rubric for the final student product or use the Multigenre Autobiograpy Project Rubric included in this lesson.

Session Two

• Have students read the desired section(s) of the book. 
• direct presentation of ideas: “A generation after the end of slavery, freedom for black Americans was still elusive” (90)
• a focus on facts and events:  “1896…the Supreme Court ruling in the Plessy v. Ferguson case” (90)
• development with third-person examples and explanation:  “The case stemmed from an incident in which a Louisiana citizen named Homer Plessy lost his appeal to the Supreme Court, which sanctioned the establishment of ‘separate but equal’ facilities for blacks and whites” (90 – 91)
• formal, standard English throughout and objective perspective throughout.

The style here stands in marked contrast to the conversational style of the sisters’ chapters, where the narrative is driven by dialogue, descriptions, stories, and opinions.

• Use an overhead of the Multigenre Autobiography Planning Sheet to have students summarize the Delanys’ story in the center circle.  Then review the section opener to list context the third author provides and put the contextual information in the outer circle.  Point out that, diverse as the styles of the two sections may be, they work together to show how the sisters’ lives were part of a larger, more dynamic picture than their individual life experiences alone.
• Preview the multigenre autobiography assignment, noting to students that they will write about an event from their life as well as the larger context surrounding it.  Encourage students to make connections between their autobiography and the information they include in the contextual essay like the ones from Having Our Say .

Session Three

• Have students brainstorm a significant event or experience from their lives that they would like to share.  Some students will choose to start with a significant world, community, or family event first ( e.g. , the September 11 attack, the closing of a plant or factory in their town, the birth of a sibling) and then determine the personal narrative they will write in relation to that event.  Others will have an experience they want to narrate and will determine the focus of the contextual information later.  Either approach can work, but ensure that students choose a personal experience that will need to be contextualized.
• Refer to the list of qualities of narrative/autobiographical nonfiction the class produced in Session 1 (or use the Understanding the Two Genres handout ). 
• Remind students that they will need to work toward these objectives as they produce a rough draft of their personal essay.
• Distribute the Multigenre Autobiography Planning Sheet .
• Model for students the functionality of the Multigenre Autobiography Planning Sheet . Using an event from your own life, start jotting down the events, feelings, and reactions you would need to include in an autobiographical essay recounting the event.
• As the connections become apparent, or after you’ve modeled the inner circle, write down in the outer circle elements of context you would need to include.
• Answer any student questions about the process and give them time to start planning the autobiographical component in the inner circle.

Session Four

• At the beginning of this session, ask students to recall specific instances from the book to exemplify the qualities of autobiographical narrative writing (focus on events and reactions; indirect presentation of main ideas; opinions and reactions are central to the piece; etc .) from the Understanding the Two Genres handout or the list of qualities the class developed to help them focus their efforts.
• Give students time to work on composition of a draft of the personal essay.  Use the Timeline tool to help students plan the structure of their essay. 
• Ask students to complete a draft of the essay by the next session.  They should be ready for a peer review activity.

Session Five

• Put students in pairs to read each others’ drafts and provide feedback to their partners’ essays.  Use the Autobiographical Component Peer Review Guide or a similar resource reflecting the qualities on which you wish students to focus.
• After giving students time to share their comments with each other, tell students that their attention will now be shifting to concerns of audience as they prepare for the second essay in the project. They need to consider the questions  “Who will be reading this piece?” and “What kind(s) of information do those readers need to gain a full understanding of the experience?”
• Refer back to sections such as “Harlem Town” or “Jim Crow” to give students a model for this way of thinking.  Remind them that the essay at the beginning of each section provides historical, familial, or cultural context for the individual stories that the sisters narrate in the chapters that follow. 
• Ask for a few volunteers to tell what event they are narrating.  As a class, discuss the kind of context they will need ( e.g. , If a student is writing about moving from a large city to his/her new home in a smaller town, he/she could describe their city/neighborhood as a reporter would; If a student is narrating the divorce of his/her parents, he/she could provide a brief objective chronology of his/her family life up to that point).
• Direct peer response pairs to focus on the type and amount of contextualizing their essays will require.  Does the reader need background on the author’s family?  On a historical event?  About a cultural term or concept?  These mini-conferences will produce a plan for the second piece in this assignment.
• Have students record their needs on the outer circle of the Multigenre Autobiography Planning Sheet .
• For homework, have them further think about/refine their plan for the contextual essay using the Contextual Essay Planning Sheet . There they should make firm decisions about the amount and type of background information they will need to give their readers. 
• Ask students to begin the process of researching any information to which they do not have immediate access (family history, historical events).  This research need not be formal, but students should gather information they will need.

Session Six

• Check students’ plans for the contexual essay and review the guidelines for effective informational writing (see the Understanding the Two Genres handout). 
• Answer any questions students have about the contextual essay and allow time for the composition of the context opener. 
• Ask students to have the context opener drafted for the next session.  They should be ready for a second peer review activity.

Session Seven

• Students meet in the same response pairs and use the Contextual Component Peer Review Guide or a similar resource to provide each other feedback on their partners’ work. 
• Have pairs go back to the autobiographical essays as well as their plans from Session 5 to make sure the contextual essay sufficiently prepares the reader for the autobiographical essay.
• If time allows, give students time to begin preparations for revision.

Session Eight

• Allow students time to revise and polish their project based on feedback and self-evaluation.
• As a class, choose a unifying school, community, national, or world event.  Write a collaborative contextual essay and have students contribute individual autobiographical essays.
• Families can choose a unifying event and write a contextual essay together.  Individual family members can contribute individual autobiographical essays.
• Expand the multigenre requirement to include photographs, poetry, a play, or another genre of your choice.
• Deepen or expand your study of the literary piece or of autobiographical writing by exploring these related ReadWriteThink Lessons: Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges: Critical Discussion of Social Issues , Paying Attention to Technology: Writing Technology Autobiographies , and The Year I Was Born: An Autobiographical Research Project .

Student Assessment / Reflections

• Use the Multigenre Autobiography Project Rubric to evaluate the revised student work.
• Students should also be asked to reflect on what they learned by putting their story into a larger context.  Although they may not have the dynamic connections that are present in the Delany sisters’ story, encourage them to see how putting their stories in a new perspective can help them understand themselves more critically.  This reflection could come as a preface or introduction to the completed multigenre piece.
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• Kindergarten K

Biography Lesson Plan: An Introduction to Biographies

Submitted by: stacey lopez.

In this lesson plan which is adaptable for grades 1-5, students will use BrainPOP and/or BrainPOP Jr. resources to learn about biographies. Students will then select a person whose biography they would like to read (or watch a short video about on BrainPOP). Finally, students will write their own biography on a selected person.

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Students will:.

• Define and explain what a biography is.
• Read or watch an example of a biography.
• Compose a biography.
• Computer with internet access for BrainPOP
• Interactive whiteboard (or just an LCD projector)
• Chart Paper
• Markers--variety of colors
• Sticky notes and pencils for students
• Biography template (optional)

Preparation:

Lesson procedure:.

• Explain to students that a biography of a famous person includes many facts. Ask them to take notes while they are watching either the BrainPOP Biography movie or the BrainPOP Jr. Biography movie. Explain that they will contribute to a class anchor chart about biographies.
• After the movie has finished, ask each student for a fact to add to the anchor chart. Alternate the colors to make it exciting. Students will be able to identify their contribution to the class anchor chart.
• Ask to students to read or watch a biography for a selected person in order to gather more information. Students could watch any of the BrainPOP topics in the Famous Historical Figures Unit or BrainPOP Jr. Biographies Unit , or read about the person's life in a book or online. Instruct students to take more notes while reading.
• Talk with students about the common features their biographies shared. What makes a good biography? Add to the anchor chart as needed.
• Each student may then write their own biography of another person using some of the facts that the class gathered.

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Biography Unit of Study for Reading

Download this free biography unit of study for reading to help you introduce and work with biographies in the classroom.

This biography unit of study contains anchor charts, lessons, graphic organizers and more within this collection.

This is another free unit of study for teachers and homeschool families from The Curriculum Corner.

We enjoy reading workshop because it is a great way for teachers to help students explore different elements of literature. At the same time, we love that we are encouraging our students to build a love of reading. 

The Key to Teaching Biographies

Biography is a genre that can sometimes easily be neglected in classrooms with regards to informational text studies. We suggested giving it a try because it’s one that can be truly engaging for lots of students.

The key to getting students excited about a study of biographies is to have many relevant and appropriately leveled texts for all of your various readers.

You might even want to think about having a class discussion (or present an interest inventory) to find out who your students might be interested in learning about. 

Once you know their interests, take some time to visit your school and local libraries. Add to your book basket by picking up some favorites at your favorite used bookstore or ordering from Amazon. You will keep interest and engagement high if students are reading about people who are relevant to their interests and lives.

Starting with Immersion

We believe that immersing students in books and letting them develop their own “noticings” is a great way to begin many language art units.  

Be sure your collection of biographies includes a variety of options. You will also want to be sure that your collection contains as many of the biography text features as possible.

We have included a Biography Noticings Anchor Chart that you can use with your kids during or after their immersion experience. Or, you might choose to record your students noticings on a blank chart (which we have also provided).

What We Learn From Biographies is another tool you can use to get your students familiar with this genre. It is an anchor chart that contains characteristics of many biographies.

We have also provided two Find the Biography  resources that require students to distinguish between different genres.  Begin by giving small groups two different types of texts. You can give them literature & biographies OR give them biographies & another type of informational text. They will need to flip through the books to determine differences. They can write their ideas on the organizers.  If you don’t want them to write on these organizers, another thought would be to just have them do a similar activity with Post-It notes.

Yet another resource is our Biography Text Feature Checklist. This would be a good tool to use to facilitate a class discussion as you flip through some biographies together. Check off when you see the specific text features listed within the books. This is also provided in a black & white version with a space for student’s name in case you want to use it as a literacy center activity.

New to reading workshop? Start here and then come back to this unit: Preparing Your Reading Workshop

Read Alouds

Another way to get students familiar with the biography genre is to share them during your read aloud time.  Choose a few examples that will be of high interest to your students, but that might be above their reading level.  

As you read the books or chapters aloud during your regular read aloud time, you can touch on the ideas you are teaching during your reading block.

Focus On Author’s Purpose

You might want your students to think more deeply about why specific biographies have been written. Obviously the purpose of a biography is to inform, but thinking about the reasons an author has to write the biography can help students to determine importance.  

Our goal as teachers is to help students pull out the purpose. You can use this half sheet Focus on Author’s Purpose during a mini-lesson or at literacy center. There is also a page of Author’s Purpose Exit Slips you can use as a quick check.

An extension of this could be our  Biography   Search , which is intended to be used as a literacy center as well. Once students are able to determine why biographies have been written about specific people, then you could have them search through a stack of books to find different categories.

Thinking About Background Knowledge

Activating schema is an important part of students becoming strong readers. A goal for teachers is for our students to think about what they already know before learning new information.

We have created two Building Background  organizers for students to record their background knowledge. Choose the one that you feel best fits your specific students.

Gathering Important Information

Your students might no be ready to begin reading appropriately high interest biographies and gathering information to share.  We have come up with a few different ways for your students to begin to pull out important information from the biographies they are reading.

One way for students to begin focusing on important information from biographies is to have them begin to take simple notes.  Students need guidance so that they don’t copy complete sentences or paragraphs from books.   Biographies: When Will I Take Notes  is an anchor chart that will help them begin to figure out what to write when taking notes. If you have other ideas about how and when you want students to take notes, you can use our blank template to write your own ideas on.

Our  Life Outline resource is a simple way for students to break down personal information from the biographies they are reading into portions of time in a subject’s life.

We have also included nine different Graphic Organizers that you can introduce to your students as they begin to read.  These cover a range of skills.

There is also a cause & effect organizer that will get your students thinking about how particular events have affected the lives of the people they are reading about.

You might also want to try our set of Important Information Bookmarks . These can be used for students to mark text.

Students simply insert them into the book at the appropriate places. They then go back to them to share information with the class or to fill out one of the organizers.

Most biographies share the impact that others had on the subjects’ lives. These influences can be either positive or negative. Whichever case is true, we want students to be able to name those people who were crucial to the success or failure of the person and why.   

This task may be difficult for students, so we suggest that you choose a short, simple biography to read to the class. You will then discuss the influences in the subject’s life. Identify why they had a positive or negative effect. Finally, fill out one of our two organizers with the students so that they can understand their use.

Biography Reading Response Prompts

You can cut these 8 prompts apart, assign to students and glue into reading response notebooks.

Character Traits

While reading biographies you will want to focus on the character traits of the biography subjects.  Many times it is these character traits that serve as the author’s purpose.  

For materials to use in focusing on those traits, you can check out our Character Traits post. You will find a range of lists of character traits and activities to use during reading workshop.

Sharing Student Learning

You will want your students to be able to share their learning as they read and learn. There are so many different ways they can do this. Below we have shared some of our own resources and ideas.

Biography Brochure – This template can provide your students with an outline to create a brochure focusing on the individuals they are reading about.  Choose the template that fits your students.

Simple Biography Books –  Once your students have read many biographies, you might have them create simple books to share with younger students. We have created templates for both female and male subjects. You will find them with handwriting and standard lines.  You will find this download here: Simple Biographies – Books

Timelines – Of course biographies lend themselves well to student-created timelines. Our students always love using PowerPoint for timelines, but good old-fashioned posters are always great visuals too!

Wax Museums – Another popular way to share student learning for this genre is the Living Wax Museum. Students view pictures and dress up as their characters. They memorize as much as possible and stand at-the-ready to tell others about their lives.  These can be fun presented during the school day to other classes. Or, make it an evening event where parents would be able to watch.

You can download the PDF printables for this unit of study here:

Reading Download

We know that some teachers like to have the lessons above in a document they can easily print and add to their lesson plans. You can download these lesson plans here:

Lesson Download

A few of our favorite biography studies can be found below. These are each free and designed to be ready to go literacy centers.

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thank you so much for this great resource on biographies for grade 2.

Writing an autobiography lesson plan

Autobiography lesson plan, the activity.

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Language Arts: Biography and Autobiography

This language arts: biography and autobiography lesson plan also includes:.

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Students examine autobiographies and biographies through a series of reading and writing exercises. By writing journals during this semester-long course, they improve writing skills and discover their own voice. Among other activities, students complete interview sheets, evaluate social problems, present photographs to the class and explain their importance.

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See similar resources:

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Short lesson about autobiographies and biographies / Lesson Plan

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to understand the difference between autobiographies and biographies.

Materials and Prep

• Autobiography and biography books (optional)
• Start by discussing the concept of autobiographies and biographies. Explain that these are types of books that tell the story of a person's life.
• Ask the student if they know what the difference is between an autobiography and a biography. Have a discussion about it and encourage them to share their thoughts.
• Read aloud a short excerpt from an autobiography and a biography. Discuss the differences in the writing style and content.
• Give the student a blank piece of paper and ask them to draw two columns. Label one column "Autobiography" and the other column "Biography".
• Provide a list of famous people, both real and fictional, and ask the student to categorize them into the correct column based on whether they would have an autobiography or a biography.
• Review the student's categorization and discuss any questions or uncertainties they may have.
• As an extension activity, encourage the student to write a short paragraph about themselves as if they were writing an autobiography. They can include information about their family, hobbies, and favorite things.

Second Grade Talking Points

• "An autobiography is a book that someone writes about their own life. It's like writing a story about yourself!"
• "A biography is a book that someone else writes about another person's life. It's like reading a story about someone else!"
• "Autobiographies are usually written in the first person, using words like 'I' and 'me'. Biographies are usually written in the third person, using words like 'he' and 'she'."
• "Autobiographies often include personal experiences and feelings of the author, while biographies focus on facts and events in someone's life."
• "Some famous people, like presidents, athletes, or actors, might have autobiographies because they want to share their own stories. Other famous people, like historical figures or scientists, might have biographies because someone else wants to tell their story."

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AUTOBIOGRAPHY WRITING LESSON AND RESOURCES

Subject: English

Age range: 7 - 16

Resource type: Lesson (complete)

Last updated

9 March 2019

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A lesson plan that presents teaching and learning resources on autobiography writing.

After completing this lesson, the students will be able to:

• Differentiate an autobiography and a biography to elicit their features.
• Access prior knowledge by discussing the writing process and the elements of a biography.
• Improve comprehension by researching a contemporary or historical figure and reporting the most significant information about him or her.
• Apply standard writing processes by creating short and publishable works.
• Analyse content area writing by evaluating and critiquing each other’s work.

This Resource Includes:

• Well Formulated, Measurable, SMART Objectives and Outcomes
• Vocabulary Overview - Biography, Autobiography
• Flipped Lesson Part - Video - Autobiography Writing
• Engaging and Creative Lesson Starter – Venn Diagram
• Success Criteria - Autobiography Checklist
• Collaborative Group Tasks – Pair-Share, Think-Write, Write-Share
• Scaffolder Notes - Autobiography Guide and Organizer
• Mini-Plenary with Critical Thinking Questions – 3 Online Quizzes
• Assessment Criteria for Outcome Expectations - Rubrics
• Differentiated Activities for Level Learners - Writing Task by Outcome
• Extensions to Challenge the High Achievers - Cube Creator
• Plenary to Assess Learning Outcomes - PEE Technique
• Home Learning for Reinforcement – 4 Task Cards
• Common Core Standards - ELA-LITERACY.W.6-8.2abde/3ac/4/5
• Skills to be addressed during the Lesson - Social and Cognitive
• Educational Tools and Resources - Connectives, Adverbs, Verbs, Adjectives

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A bundle is a package of resources grouped together to teach a particular topic, or a series of lessons, in one place.

WRITING BUNDLE LESSON AND RESOURCES

A bundle of 20 writing resources for ESL students. This download includes: * Imaginative Writing * Narrative Writing * Biography Writing * Article Writing * Report Writing * Argumentative Writing * Descriptive Writing * Diary Writing * Persuasive Writing * Summary Writing * Review Writing * Paragraph Writing * Dialogue Writing * Creating Writing * Autobiography Writing * Factual Description * Play-Script Writing * Poem Writing * Using Textual Prompts to Write * Non-chronological Report Here are some possible uses for these in your classroom: * To challenge early finishers * For effective tutoring * As ESL stations and sub tubs * As holiday work and homework * For small group collaborations * For an end of unit assessments * For reinforcement and enrichment

AUTOBIOGRAPHY WRITING BUNDLE

A bundle of 4 resources on autobiography writing. This bundle includes: Handouts: Vocabulary, Autobiography Elements, Rubrics Worksheets, Exercises, and Task Cards Lesson Plan with Resources Ready to use PowerPoint Presentation Teachers can use these ready-made resources to enhance the vocabulary, language, grammar, and writing skills of the learners. Here are some other possible uses for these in your classroom: To challenge early finishers For effective tutoring As ESL stations and sub tubs As holiday work and homework For small group collaborations For an end of unit assessments For reinforcement and enrichment

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Introduction to Biographies

A biography is an account of someone’s life that is told by someone else. It can be about a famous person or about an ordinary person who has done interesting things. Biographies usually center around a person’s life and positive ways that they have contributed to the world. They are a great way for kids to learn about elements of nonfiction, organization, research, and expository writing. It is also fun to learn about someone who has made a difference! The following activities will provide students with many different ways to organize information and show what they have learned.

Student Activities for Biographies

Essential Questions for Biographies

• Where and when was this person born?
• What was this person’s childhood like?
• What kind of education did this person have?
• What is/was this person’s family life like?
• What are/were this person’s accomplishments?
• What positive contributions has this person made to the world?
• Why did I choose this person?

Why Create Biographies?

When someone has a biography written about them, it is because they have done something in their life that others consider to be quite important--important enough to learn and write about! Usually the person has done something positive and admirable and is an inspiration to others.

In order to create a biography, students will learn about the person’s early life, childhood, education, family, and accomplishments. It is also important for the student to be able to express why they chose this person, and the impact this person has made on the world or the student’s life in particular. For example, students can ask: what can I learn from this person? What mistakes has this person made that I can relate to and grow from? How has this person inspired me?

When reading about and researching a person, students will encounter at least one theme, or recurring main idea, in a biography. The following is a list of potential themes:

• Sometimes life is tough and it takes strength to keep going.
• Believe in yourself and others will believe in you.
• No matter how many times you fail, never give up.
• The most difficult times in life can inspire others.
• Always have hope and stay positive.
• Know your worth: don’t let anyone drag you down.

Students should pay attention to what they think the theme is and be able to explain how they can learn from the person they are researching. Themes also make it much easier for students to present their chosen person's life as a narrative rather than a collection of facts.

Along with being able to identify the theme, there are certain elements of the biography genre that always need to be included in research if the information can be found. These elements are:

• Date and place of birth (and death, if applicable)
• Educational background
• Family life, either past, current, or both
• Adult life: job and current location, if applicable
• Major accomplishments

Other information like fun facts, quotes by or about the person, and photographs may also be included in the biography.

While researching an influential person , students will learn not only about the individual, but about many ways one person can change or contribute to the world. Learning about others helps us find the positive power within ourselves, and motivates us to be the best people that we can be. It is important for the student to fully be interested in learning about the person, so it is best if students choose on their own. Teachers may want to provide a list to help narrow down the choices by focusing on categories such as sports figures, entertainers, inventors, political figures, historical figures, change-makers, or someone the student knows personally. This way, they can make the biographies relevant to the unit they're teaching or the time of year!

How To Teach Biographies in an Elementary School

Explore life events in the story.

Start by talking about the key life events in the biography with students. Consider birth date, family life, education, jobs, and personal events. Guide students through the key life events in chronological order.

Talk About Themes

After they understand the event’s in a person’s life, you can lead them to discuss themes, or what they learn about life from the biographical story. Common themes include making a difference, overcoming obstacles, and always have hope.

Connect to Student's Life

Have students use a Venn Diagram to connect with the person in the biography. They can share things they have in common in the middle of the circles, and things that are different about each of them on the outside.

Draw it Out

Let students draw a body biography in order to understand the person more fully. Have them fill in body parts, such as putting what the character loves in the heart area, and drawing what the person thinks about up in the head.

Frequently Asked Questions about Biographies

How do biographies help students understand how individual people relate to the world around them.

When we read a story about how one person lived their life, we can better understand the power within ourselves and see how our lives matter. Every person influences the world around them.

What are some common themes that run through biographies?

Many biographies teach lessons such as how to overcome obstacles, believing in yourself, and making the most of what you have.

What universal elements are found in almost all biographies?

Most biographies explain a person’s birth and death dates (if they have died), what their childhood was like, their education, their work accomplishments and their personal or familial accomplishments.

Why should we read biographies?

When we read about other people's struggles and triumphs, we see what we have in common and are able to see the importance of our own life.

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Autobiography, Biography, Personal Narrative, and Memoir Lesson plans and teaching ideas

All the World's a Stage: Exploring the Biography as a Basis for a Theatrical Production In this lesson, students will analyze the effective story-telling or literary techniques used by playwright George Stevens, Jr. in his historical play Thurgood . They will then write their own scenes depicting a critical event in a significant person's life for performance or publication. Related links are included.

Awesome Stories - Famous People Follow links here to biographies and other accounts based on primary sources. These could serve as good models for students doing research.

Biographies: Creating Timelines of a Life Working in teams, students use multiple sources to research someone's life. This unit is designed for grades 3-5 and can be adapted to other levels.

Biography Maker This site helps younger writers through the process of writing a biography. It encourages use of the 6-Trait approach.

Biography Writing with Patricia and Frederick McKissack at Scholastic.com Students learn how to research and write a biographical sketch, including research and writing strategies. They can also receive a Certificate of Achievement. Sample biography of Frederick Douglass is available onsite.

Building on Biographies from Education World Two online biography resources and 10 ways to teach biography

Cut and Paste Biographies: Creating Collages to Document the Lives and Legacies of Famous African-Americans This lesson is based on a New York Times article about artist Romare Bearden. It is adapable to several age levels and purposes. This lesson emphasizes research.

Edgar Allan Poe, Ambrose Bierce, and the Unreliable Biographers Students find, examine, and attempt to explain the causes of inconsistencies in at least four Poe biographies. This standards-based lesson is extensive. Resources are present but less extensive for an investigation into the life of Ambrose Bierce.

A Fitting Introduction Someone the student admires is coming to school. Students write an introduction for that person. This activity is designed for very young writers and includes a printable handout.

From Object to Story: Writing a Historical Narrative Featuring an Artifact from One's Family History Students share observations about the history of familial artifacts. They then research the history and cultural significance of selected objects to prepare their own historical narratives. Includes short reading as prewriting activity.

Homer Hickam Looking for an autobiography for your class to read? Try October Sky .

It's All About Me Designed for third grade, this thorough unit plan includes 11 lessons and a culminating activity. Students explore biography and autobiography, review parts of speech, conduct interviews, and give a speech. This 37-page document includes lesson plans and handouts. It requires Adobe Reader or compatible application for access. Consider downloading the file and printing only those pages you need.

Johnny Cash: Personal Narratives Inspired by Johnny Cash Although the lesson was designed for use with a movie, this site includes downloadable video clips that make it work. Students will reflect on the topics of Johnny Cash's songs, analyze his songs for writing methods and strategies, and then draw upon their own childhood observations and life experiences to write a personal narrative that includes sensory details. Designed for grades 6 and up.

The Journal of Harriet Tubman If Harriet Tubman had blogged about her life, it might have looked like this. A model of student research that can be used to create other biographies.

A Life Lived Well "Students brainstorm words and phrases that describe themselves. They then construct found poems using words and phrases taken from the article, and write autobiographical obituaries that celebrate the lives and achievements they imagine for themselves."

Living to Tell the Tale Students read an excerpt from the memoir by Gabriel García Márquez, work with vocabulary words, and write a brief autobiographical piece. Access requires Adobe Reader.

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Summer of Learning: Lesson Plans and Professional Development

Biography and Autobiography

About This Lesson

This is a presentation about autobiographies and biographies. In addition to the presentation; there are also differentiated sheets to help with activities- David Beckham; Roald Dahl and Jacqueline Wilson.

Roald_Dahl_bio.doc

Jacqueline_Wilson_bio.doc

David_Beckham_bio.doc

Biography_and_autoboigraphy_2[1](1).ppt

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Biography vs Autobiography: Similarities and Differences

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Learn about our Editorial Process

A biography is an account of someone’s life story that is written by an author who is not the subject of the nook. An autobiography, on the other hand, involves an individual narrating their own life experiences.

The differences between biographies and autobiographies relate most prominently to the authorhship:

• Autobiography: When you read an autobiography, you’re getting the author’s own interpretation of their life.
• Biography: When you read a biography, you experience the subject’s life through someone else’s lens (Schiffrin & Brockmeier, 2012).

Biography vs Autobiography

1. biography.

A biography is a detailed account of a person’s life, scripted by an author who is not the person who is featured in the text itself.

This type of life story focuses both on factual events in the person’s life, such as birth, education, work, and death, but often also delves into personal aspects like experiences, relationships, and significant achievements.

It may also weave-in cultural and contextual factors that help illuminate the person’s motivations and core values .

Origins of Biographies

The concept of biography as a literary genre dates back to antiquity. Such works were primarily used to capture the lives of dignified individuals, mainly rulers and war heroes.

Suetonius’s Lives of the Caesars and Plutarch’s Parallel Lives are landmark examples from this ancient period (Sweet, 2010).

The popularity of biographical works only grew in the ensuing centuries, and they became a prominent part of many cultures’ literary traditions. 

Into the 18th century and during the Enlightenment, biographies began to present a more balanced portrayal of the subject. They would present both their strengths and flaws, providing a holistic perspective on the subject.

Dr. Samuel Johnson’s compilation of English poets biographies, Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets (1779-1781) ushered in a new era of biography writing by focusing on examining human nature (Ditchfield, 2018).

In the modern era, the genre has evolved and broadened, encompassing a diverse range of figures from all walks of life – there’s a biography in every niche imaginable, with each offering readers an in-depth exploration of their lives, their struggles, and their triumphs.

This demonstrates the enduring appeal of biographies and their value in providing snapshots of history through individual lenses.

Key Characteristics of Biographies

Examples of Biographies

Title: The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets Author: Dr. Samuel Johnson   Description: Dr. Johnson’s work profiles the lives of 52 poets from the 17th and 18th centuries, including John Milton and Alexander Pope. He critiques not just the works, but also explores their personal lives and the sociopolitical contexts of their times (Johnson, 1781). Johnson’s study is invaluable for its integrated historic and biographic approach.

Title: The Life of Samuel Johnson Author: James Boswell   Description: This work by Boswell explores, in great depth, the life of his friend and mentor, Dr. Samuel Johnson. The biography offers a compelling portrayal of Dr. Johnson’s life, character, eccentricities, and intellectual prowess (Boswell, 1791). Boswell’s vivid account creates a near-physical presence of Johnson to the readers, making it one of the greatest biographies in English literature.

Title: The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt Author: Edmund Morris   Description: In this Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, Morris chronicles the early life of Theodore Roosevelt until his ascension to the U.S presidency. The work brilliantly captures Roosevelt’s extraordinary career and his transformation from a frail asthmatic boy into a robust and vigorous leader (Morris, 1979). Morris accurately represents Roosevelt’s indomitable spirit, making it an engaging and educational read.

Title: Steve Jobs Author: Walter Isaacson Description: This comprehensive biography provides a deep-dive into the life and career of Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple. Isaacson had unparalleled access to Jobs and those closest to him, thus presenting an intimate and detailed account. He explores Jobs’ professional endeavors as well as his personal life, revealing his ambition, intensity, and visionary mind that revolutionized several high-tech industries (Isaacson, 2011).

Title: Alexander Hamilton Author: Ron Chernow Description: Ron Chernow provides a sweeping narrative of one of America’s most compelling founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton. Chernow combines extensive research with a flair for storytelling, charting Hamilton’s evolution from an orphan into a political genius. The book sheds light on Hamilton’s crucial role in the formation of the United States’ financial system and his political ideologies (Chernow, 2004).

2. Autobiography

An autobiography is a self-written record of someone’s own life. It is a personal narrative in which the author writes about their life from their own perspective.

Autobiographies are usually centered around the author’s personal experiences, including key milestones, challenges, and achievements (Eakin, 2015).

They’re also often a defense of the person’s perspective (especially in political autobiographies) or insight into their thought processes, which can make them very intimate.

Origins of Autobiographies

The term ‘autobiography’ was first used deprecatingly by William Taylor in 1797 in the English periodical The Monthly Review, when he suggested the word as a hybrid but condemned it as ‘pedantic’.

Pioneering examples of the genre form include Thomas De Quincey’s Confessions of an English Opium-Eater (1821) and the memoirs by veterans of the Napoleonic Wars (Lejeune, 2016).

However, apart from these early instances, autobiographies have been composed by a wide array of individuals from history. 

In the early 20th century, the genre witnessed major transformations, and autobiographies started to cover a broader spectrum of experiences, including trauma, struggles, and successes.

‘Black Boy’ by Richard Wright, for instance, shares the author’s experiences with racism and his journey towards developing a literary career (Wright, 1945).

This was followed by a host of autobiographies by public figures sharing their diverse stories, such as Ernest Hemingway’s ‘A Moveable Feast’, depicting his days as a struggling young writer in Paris (Hemingway, 1964). 

Autobiography as a genre has continued to evolve over the years, and a variety of forms have emerged to communicate individual experiences globally.

As history has progressed, we see more and more people with diverse perspectives sharing their stories, broadening our understanding of the human experience (Smith & Watson, 2010).

Key Characteristics of Autobiographies 

Examples of Autobiographies

Title: Long Walk to Freedom Author: Nelson Mandela   Description: “Long Walk to Freedom” provides an in-depth exploration of ex-President Nelson Mandela, his political journey, and his stand against apartheid in South Africa. The biography offers a unique perspective into Mandela’s noble character, his indomitable spirit, and his commitment to justice when faced with grave adversities (Mandela, 1995). Mandela serves as one of our times’ great moral and political leaders through this biography.

Title: The Diary of a Young Girl Author: Anne Frank  Description: This biography provides a startling firsthand account of a young Jewish girl named Anne Frank, who with her family, hid from the Nazis in Amsterdam during World War II. Her diary entries offer profound insights into the fear, hope, and resilience she demonstrated during her two years in hiding (Frank, 1947). Frank’s posthumous biographical record serves as a reminder of the injustices of the past and as a symbol of endurance in the face of oppression.

Title: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Author: Maya Angelou  Description: This moving autobiography charts Maya Angelou’s early life, from experiencing racial discrimination in the South to becoming the first black streetcar conductor in San Francisco. Angelou portrays her journey of self-discovery and overcoming traumatic experiences, including racial prejudice and personal trauma, with remarkable strength and grace. Her story is one of resilience, and it speaks powerfully about finding one’s voice (Angelou, 1969). 

Title: Night Author: Elie Wiesel  Description: “Night” is Wiesel’s personal account of his experiences in Nazi concentration camps during World War II with his father. This heartbreaking narrative describes not only physical hardship and cruel atrocities but also examines the loss of innocence and the struggle to maintain faith in humanity. It stands as a testament to human resilience in the face of unimaginable horror (Wiesel, 1960).

Title: Dreams from My Father Author: Barack Obama Description: In this engaging memoir, the 44th President of the United States narrates the story of his diverse background and early life. The narrative extends from his birth in Hawaii to his first visit to Kenya, from dealing with racial identity to self-discovery. “Dreams from My Father” not only provides personal insights about Obama’s life and values but also discusses issues of race, identity, and purpose (Obama, 1995).

Similarities and Differences Between Biographies and Autobiographies

While both biographies and autobiographies are excellent sources of information and entertainment about significant figures in history (or the present!), they serve different purposes. By knowing the different purposes of each, we can develop stronger media literacy , understanding what the intention of the author is, and how we should approach the text.

Angelou, M. (1969). I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings . Random House.

Baker, J., Davis, E., & Thompson, K. (2013). Reflection and Emotions in Autobiography . Chicago University Press.

Boswell, J. (1791). The Life of Samuel Johnson . J.R. Taylor.

Brown, J., & Brown, S. (2018). Thematic Focus in Autobiography Writing . Princeton University Press.

Chernow, R. (2004). Alexander Hamilton . Penguin Books.

Ditchfield, S. (2018). Extracting the Domestic from the Didactic: Transmission and Translation of the Sacred in The Lives of the Ancient Fathers (1672–1675). Church History and Religious Culture, 98 (1), 28-50.

Eakin, P. J. (2015). How Our Lives Become Stories: Making Selves . Cornell University Press.

Frank, A. (1947). The Diary of a Young Girl . Contact Publishing.

Hemingway, E. (1964). A Moveable Feast . Charles Scribner’s Sons.

Isaacson, W. (2011). Steve Jobs . Simon & Schuster.

Johnson, M., & Johnson, S. (2017). A Comprehensive Guide to Biography Writing . New York: Penguin.

Johnson, S. (1781). The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets . Printed by C. Bathurst, J. Buckland [and 28 others in London].

Jones, B. (2015). The Art of Writing Biographies: An Objective Approach . Oxford University Press.

Lejeune, P. (2016). On Autobiography . University of Minnesota Press.

Mandela, N. (1995). Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela . Macdonald Purnell.

Miller, R. (2014). The Self as the Subject: Autobiography Writing . Stanford University Press.

Morris, E. (1979). The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt . Coward, McCann & Geoghegan.

Obama, B. (1995). Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance . Crown Publishing Group.

Schiffrin D., & Brockmeier J. (2012). Narrative Identity and Autobiographical Recall. Royal Institute of Philosophy Supplements, 70 , 113-144.

Smith, J., Davis, M., & Thompson, S. (2012). Third Party Narratives: An Exploration of Biography Writing . Cambridge University Press.

Smith, S., & Watson, J. (2010). Reading Autobiography: A Guide for Interpreting Life Narratives . University of Minnesota Press.

Sweet, R. (2010). Biographical Dictionaries and Historiography. Bibliothèque d’Humanisme et Renaissance, 72 (2), 355–368.

Wiesel, E. (1960). Night . Hill & Wang.

Williams, T. (2019). The Importance of Facts in Biographies . HarperCollins.

Wright, R. (1945). Black Boy: A Record of Childhood and Youth . Harper & Brothers.

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Writing: Biography and Autobiography Lesson Plan

Description

You are most certainly teaching writing and your students are mastering writing skills, however, you want to renew their excitement for writing. Make writing interesting again by making it personal. These easy to use lessons will guide your students through the process of writing a biography and an autobiography. Fun and learning are wrapped up in this resource that celebrates their own uniqueness and the uniqueness of others.

-Lesson plan for writing an autobiography

-Lesson plan for writing a biography

-Note taking templates

-Final draft templates

-Lesson plan for culminating art project

-Art Project Lesson Plan

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