biography questions for students pdf

A great way to teach about history and content-area topics, biographies highlight famous figures, inventors, scientists, civil rights leaders, sports legends, and heros. Many of these mini-books, plays, and passages feature question/response activities, biography worksheets, teaching guides, lesson ideas, and graphic organizers.

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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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How to Write a Biography

Biographies are big business. Whether in book form or Hollywood biopics, the lives of the famous and sometimes not-so-famous fascinate us.

While it’s true that most biographies are about people who are in the public eye, sometimes the subject is less well-known. Primarily, though, famous or not, the person who is written about has led an incredible life.

In this article, we will explain biography writing in detail for teachers and students so they can create their own.

While your students will most likely have a basic understanding of a biography, it’s worth taking a little time before they put pen to paper to tease out a crystal-clear definition of one.

What Is a Biography?

A biography is an account of someone’s life written by someone else . While there is a genre known as a fictional biography, for the most part, biographies are, by definition, nonfiction.

Generally speaking, biographies provide an account of the subject’s life from the earliest days of childhood to the present day or, if the subject is deceased, their death.

The job of a biography is more than just to outline the bare facts of a person’s life.

Rather than just listing the basic details of their upbringing, hobbies, education, work, relationships, and death, a well-written biography should also paint a picture of the subject’s personality and experience of life.

Full Biographies

Teaching unit.

Teach your students everything they need to know about writing an AUTOBIOGRAPHY and a BIOGRAPHY.

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Features of a Biography

Before students begin writing a biography, they’ll need to have a firm grasp of the main features of a Biography. An excellent way to determine how well they understand these essential elements is to ask them to compile a checklist like the one-blow

Their checklists should contain the items below at a minimum. Be sure to help them fill in any gaps before moving on to the writing process.

The purpose of a biography is to provide an account of someone’s life.

Biography structure.

ORIENTATION (BEGINNING) Open your biography with a strong hook to grab the reader’s attention

SEQUENCING: In most cases, biographies are written in chronological order unless you are a very competent writer consciously trying to break from this trend.

COVER: childhood, upbringing, education, influences, accomplishments, relationships, etc. – everything that helps the reader to understand the person.

CONCLUSION: Wrap your biography up with some details about what the subject is doing now if they are still alive. If they have passed away, make mention of what impact they have made and what their legacy is or will be.

BIOGRAPHY FEATURES

LANGUAGE Use descriptive and figurative language that will paint images inside your audience’s minds as they read. Use time connectives to link events.

PERSPECTIVE Biographies are written from the third person’s perspective.

DETAILS: Give specific details about people, places, events, times, dates, etc. Reflect on how events shaped the subject. You might want to include some relevant photographs with captions. A timeline may also be of use depending upon your subject and what you are trying to convey to your audience.

TENSE Written in the past tense (though ending may shift to the present/future tense)

THE PROCESS OF WRITING A BIOGRAPHY

Like any form of writing, you will find it simple if you have a plan and follow it through. These steps will ensure you cover the essential bases of writing a biography essay.

Firstly, select a subject that inspires you. Someone whose life story resonates with you and whose contribution to society intrigues you. The next step is to conduct thorough research. Engage in extensive reading, explore various sources, watch documentaries, and glean all available information to provide a comprehensive account of the person’s life.

Creating an outline is essential to organize your thoughts and information. The outline should include the person’s early life, education, career, achievements, and any other significant events or contributions. It serves as a map for the writing process, ensuring that all vital information is included.

Your biography should have an engaging introduction that captivates the reader’s attention and provides background information on the person you’re writing about. It should include a thesis statement summarising the biography’s main points.

Writing a biography in chronological order is crucial . You should begin with the person’s early life and move through their career and achievements. This approach clarifies how the person’s life unfolded and how they accomplished their goals.

A biography should be written in a narrative style , capturing the essence of the person’s life through vivid descriptions, anecdotes, and quotes. Avoid dry, factual writing and focus on creating a compelling narrative that engages the reader.

Adding personal insights and opinions can enhance the biography’s overall impact, providing a unique perspective on the person’s achievements, legacy, and impact on society.

Editing and proofreading are vital elements of the writing process. Thoroughly reviewing your biography ensures that the writing is clear, concise, and error-free. You can even request feedback from someone else to ensure that it is engaging and well-written.

Finally, including a bibliography at the end of your biography is essential. It gives credit to the sources that were used during research, such as books, articles, interviews, and websites.

Tips for Writing a Brilliant Biography

Biography writing tip #1: choose your subject wisely.

There are several points for students to reflect on when deciding on a subject for their biography. Let’s take a look at the most essential points to consider when deciding on the subject for a biography:

Interest: To produce a biography will require sustained writing from the student. That’s why students must choose their subject well. After all, a biography is an account of someone’s entire life to date. Students must ensure they choose a subject that will sustain their interest throughout the research, writing, and editing processes.

Merit: Closely related to the previous point, students must consider whether the subject merits the reader’s interest. Aside from pure labors of love, writing should be undertaken with the reader in mind. While producing a biography demands sustained writing from the author, it also demands sustained reading from the reader.

Therefore, students should ask themselves if their chosen subject has had a life worthy of the reader’s interest and the time they’d need to invest in reading their biography.

Information: Is there enough information available on the subject to fuel the writing of an entire biography? While it might be a tempting idea to write about a great-great-grandfather’s experience in the war. There would be enough interest there to sustain the author’s and the reader’s interest, but do you have enough access to information about their early childhood to do the subject justice in the form of a biography?

Biography Writing Tip #2: R esearch ! Research! Research!

While the chances are good that the student already knows quite a bit about the subject they’ve chosen. Chances are 100% that they’ll still need to undertake considerable research to write their biography.

As with many types of writing , research is an essential part of the planning process that shouldn’t be overlooked. If students wish to give as complete an account of their subject’s life as possible, they’ll need to put in the time at the research stage.

An effective way to approach the research process is to:

1. Compile a chronological timeline of the central facts, dates, and events of the subject’s life

2. Compile detailed descriptions of the following personal traits:

•      Physical looks
•      Character traits
•      Values and beliefs

3. Compile some research questions based on different topics to provide a focus for the research:

• Childhood : Where and when were they born? Who were their parents? Who were the other family members? What education did they receive?
• Obstacles: What challenges did they have to overcome? How did these challenges shape them as individuals?
• Legacy: What impact did this person have on the world and/or the people around them?
• Dialogue & Quotes: Dialogue and quotations by and about the subject are a great way to bring color and life to a biography. Students should keep an eagle eye out for the gems that hide amid their sources.

As the student gets deeper into their research, new questions will arise that can further fuel the research process and help to shape the direction the biography will ultimately go in.

Likewise, during the research, themes will often begin to suggest themselves. Exploring these themes is essential to bring depth to biography, but we’ll discuss this later in this article.

Research Skills:

Researching for biography writing is an excellent way for students to hone their research skills in general. Developing good research skills is essential for future academic success. Students will have opportunities to learn how to:

• Gather relevant information
• Evaluate different information sources
• Select suitable information
• Organize information into a text.

Students will have access to print and online information sources, and, in some cases, they may also have access to people who knew or know the subject (e.g. biography of a family member).

These days, much of the research will likely take place online. It’s crucial, therefore, to provide your students with guidance on how to use the internet safely and evaluate online sources for reliability. This is the era of ‘ fake news ’ and misinformation after all!

COMPLETE TEACHING UNIT ON INTERNET RESEARCH SKILLS USING GOOGLE SEARCH

Teach your students ESSENTIAL SKILLS OF THE INFORMATION ERA to become expert DIGITAL RESEARCHERS.

⭐How to correctly ask questions to search engines on all devices.

⭐ How to filter and refine your results to find exactly what you want every time.

⭐ Essential Research and critical thinking skills for students.

⭐ Plagiarism, Citing and acknowledging other people’s work.

⭐ How to query, synthesize and record your findings logically.

BIOGRAPHY WRITING Tip #3: Find Your Themes In Biography Writing

Though predominantly a nonfiction genre, the story still plays a significant role in good biography writing. The skills of characterization and plot structuring are transferable here. And, just like in fiction, exploring themes in a biographical work helps connect the personal to the universal. Of course, these shouldn’t be forced; this will make the work seem contrived, and the reader may lose faith in the truthfulness of the account. A biographer needs to gain and maintain the trust of the reader.

Fortunately, themes shouldn’t need to be forced. A life well-lived is full of meaning, and the themes the student writer is looking for will emerge effortlessly from the actions and events of the subject’s life. It’s just a case of learning how to spot them.

One way to identify the themes in a life is to look for recurring events or situations in a person’s life. These should be apparent from the research completed previously. The students should seek to identify these patterns that emerge in the subject’s life. For example, perhaps they’ve had to overcome various obstacles throughout different periods of their life. In that case, the theme of overcoming adversity is present and has been identified.

Usually, a biography has several themes running throughout, so be sure your students work to identify more than one theme in their subject’s life.

BIOGRAPHY WRITING Tip: #4 Put Something of Yourself into the Writing

While the defining feature of a biography is that it gives an account of a person’s life, students must understand that this is not all a biography does. Relating the facts and details of a subject’s life is not enough. The student biographer should not be afraid to share their thoughts and feelings with the reader throughout their account of their subject’s life.

The student can weave some of their personality into the fabric of the text by providing commentary and opinion as they relate the events of the person’s life and the wider social context at the time. Unlike the detached and objective approach we’d expect to find in a history textbook, in a biography, student-writers should communicate their enthusiasm for their subject in their writing.

This makes for a more intimate experience for the reader, as they get a sense of getting to know the author and the subject they are writing about.

Biography Examples For Students

• Year 5 Example
• Year 7 Example
• Year 9 Example

“The Rock ‘n’ Roll King: Elvis Presley”

Elvis Aaron Presley, born on January 8, 1935, was an amazing singer and actor known as the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Even though he’s been dead for nearly 50 years, I can’t help but be fascinated by his incredible life!

Elvis grew up in Tupelo, Mississippi, in a tiny house with his parents and twin brother. His family didn’t have much money, but they shared a love for music. Little did they know Elvis would become a music legend!

When he was only 11 years old, Elvis got his first guitar. He taught himself to play and loved singing gospel songs. As he got older, he started combining different music styles like country, blues, and gospel to create a whole new sound – that’s Rock ‘n’ Roll!

In 1954, at the age of 19, Elvis recorded his first song, “That’s All Right.” People couldn’t believe how unique and exciting his music was. His famous hip-swinging dance moves also made him a sensation!

Elvis didn’t just rock the music scene; he also starred in movies like “Love Me Tender” and “Jailhouse Rock.” But fame came with challenges. Despite facing ups and downs, Elvis kept spreading happiness through his music.

Tragically, Elvis passed away in 1977, but his music and charisma live on. Even today, people worldwide still enjoy his songs like “Hound Dog” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” Elvis Presley’s legacy as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll will live forever.

Long Live the King: I wish I’d seen him.

Elvis Presley, the Rock ‘n’ Roll legend born on January 8, 1935, is a captivating figure that even a modern-day teen like me can’t help but admire. As I delve into his life, I wish I could have experienced the magic of his live performances.

Growing up in Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis faced challenges but found solace in music. At 11, he got his first guitar, a symbol of his journey into the world of sound. His fusion of gospel, country, and blues into Rock ‘n’ Roll became a cultural phenomenon.

The thought of being in the audience during his early performances, especially when he recorded “That’s All Right” at 19, sends shivers down my spine. Imagining the crowd’s uproar and feeling the revolutionary energy of that moment is a dream I wish I could have lived.

Elvis wasn’t just a musical prodigy; he was a dynamic performer. His dance moves, the embodiment of rebellion, and his roles in films like “Love Me Tender” and “Jailhouse Rock” made him a true icon.

After watching him on YouTube, I can’t help but feel a little sad that I’ll never witness the King’s live performances. The idea of swaying to “Hound Dog” or being enchanted by “Can’t Help Falling in Love” in person is a missed opportunity. Elvis may have left us in 1977, but he was the king of rock n’ roll. Long live the King!

Elvis Presley: A Teen’s Take on the Rock ‘n’ Roll Icon”

Elvis Presley, born January 8, 1935, was a revolutionary force in the music world, earning his title as the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Exploring his life, even as a 16-year-old today, I’m captivated by the impact he made.

Hailing from Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis grew up in humble beginnings, surrounded by the love of his parents and twin brother. It’s inspiring to think that, despite financial challenges, this young man would redefine the music scene.

At 11, Elvis got his first guitar, sparking a self-taught journey into music. His early gospel influences evolved into a unique fusion of country, blues, and gospel, creating the electrifying genre of Rock ‘n’ Roll. In 1954, at only 19, he recorded “That’s All Right,” marking the birth of a musical legend.

Elvis wasn’t just a musical innovator; he was a cultural phenomenon. His rebellious dance moves and magnetic stage presence challenged the norms. He transitioned seamlessly into acting, starring in iconic films like “Love Me Tender” and “Jailhouse Rock.”

However, fame came at a cost, and Elvis faced personal struggles. Despite the challenges, his music continued to resonate. Even now, classics like “Hound Dog” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love” transcend generations.

Elvis Presley’s impact on music and culture is undeniable. He was known for his unique voice, charismatic persona, and electrifying performances. He sold over one billion records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling solo artists in history. He received numerous awards throughout his career, including three Grammy Awards and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Elvis’s influence can still be seen in today’s music. Many contemporary artists, such as Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, and Justin Timberlake, have cited Elvis as an inspiration. His music continues to be featured in movies, TV shows, and commercials.

Elvis left us in 1977, but his legacy lives on. I appreciate his breaking barriers and fearlessly embracing his artistic vision. Elvis Presley’s impact on music and culture is timeless, a testament to the enduring power of his artistry. His music has inspired generations and will continue to do so for many years to come.

Teaching Resources

Use our resources and tools to improve your student’s writing skills through proven teaching strategies.

BIOGRAPHY WRITING TEACHING IDEAS AND LESSONS

We have compiled a sequence of biography-related lessons or teaching ideas that you can follow as you please. They are straightforward enough for most students to follow without further instruction.

BIOGRAPHY LESSON IDEA # 1:

This session aims to give students a broader understanding of what makes a good biography.

Once your students have compiled a comprehensive checklist of the main features of a biography, allow them to use it to assess some biographies from your school library or on the internet using the feature checklist.

When students have assessed a selection of biographies, take some time as a class to discuss them. You can base the discussion around the following prompts:

• Which biographies covered all the criteria from their checklist?
• Which biographies didn’t?
• Which biography was the most readable in terms of structure?
• Which biography do you think was the least well-structured? How would you improve this?

Looking at how other writers have interpreted the form will help students internalize the necessary criteria before attempting to produce a biography. Once students have a clear understanding of the main features of the biography, they’re ready to begin work on writing a biography.

When the time does come to put pen to paper, be sure they’re armed with the following top tips to help ensure they’re as well prepared as possible.

BIOGRAPHY LESSON IDEA # 2:

This session aims to guide students through the process of selecting the perfect biography subject.

Instruct students to draw up a shortlist of three potential subjects for the biography they’ll write.

Using the three criteria mentioned in the writing guide (Interest, Merit, and Information), students award each potential subject a mark out of 5 for each of the criteria. In this manner, students can select the most suitable subject for their biography.

BIOGRAPHY LESSON IDEA # 3:

This session aims to get students into the researching phase, then prioritise and organise events chronologically.

Students begin by making a timeline of their subject’s life, starting with their birth and ending with their death or the present day. If the student has yet to make a final decision on the subject of their biography, a family member will often serve well for this exercise as a practice exercise.

Students should research and gather the key events of the person’s life, covering each period of their life from when they were a baby, through childhood and adolescence, right up to adulthood and old age. They should then organize these onto a timeline. Students can include photographs with captions if they have them.

They can present these to the class when they have finished their timelines.

BIOGRAPHY LESSON IDEA # 4:

Instruct students to look over their timeline, notes, and other research. Challenge them to identify three patterns that repeat throughout the subject’s life and sort all the related events and incidents into specific categories.

Students should then label each category with a single word. This is the thematic concept or the broad general underlying idea. After that, students should write a sentence or two expressing what the subject’s life ‘says’ about that concept.

This is known as the thematic statement . With the thematic concepts and thematic statements identified, the student now has some substantial ideas to explore that will help bring more profound meaning and wider resonance to their biography.

BIOGRAPHY LESSON IDEA # 5:

Instruct students to write a short objective account of an event in their own life. They can write about anyone from their past. It needn’t be more than a couple of paragraphs, but the writing should be strictly factual, focusing only on the objective details of what happened.

Once they have completed this, it’s time to rewrite the paragraph, but they should include some opinion and personal commentary this time.

The student here aims to inject some color and personality into their writing, to transform a detached, factual account into a warm, engaging story.

A COMPLETE UNIT ON TEACHING BIOGRAPHIES

Teach your students to write AMAZING BIOGRAPHIES & AUTOBIOGRAPHIES using proven RESEARCH SKILLS and WRITING STRATEGIES .

• Understand the purpose of both forms of biography.
• Explore the language and perspective of both.
• Prompts and Challenges to engage students in writing a biography.
• Dedicated lessons for both forms of biography.
• Biographical Projects can expand students’ understanding of reading and writing a biography.
• A COMPLETE 82-PAGE UNIT – NO PREPARATION REQUIRED.

FREE Biography Writing Graphic Organizer

Use this valuable tool in the research and writing phases to keep your students on track and engaged.

WRITING CHECKLIST & RUBRIC BUNDLE

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To Conclude

By this stage, your students should have an excellent technical overview of a biography’s essential elements.

They should be able to choose their subject in light of how interesting and worthy they are, as well as give consideration to the availability of information out there. They should be able to research effectively and identify emerging themes in their research notes. And finally, they should be able to bring some of their personality and uniqueness into their retelling of the life of another.

Remember that writing a biography is not only a great way to develop a student’s writing skills; it can be used in almost all curriculum areas. For example, to find out more about a historical figure in History, to investigate scientific contributions to Science, or to celebrate a hero from everyday life.

Biography is an excellent genre for students to develop their writing skills and to find inspiration in the lives of others in the world around them.

HOW TO WRITE A BIOGRAPHY TUTORIAL VIDEO

OTHER GREAT ARTICLES RELATED TO BIOGRAPHY WRITING

How to write an Autobiography

How to Write a Historical Recount Text

15 Awesome Recount & Personal Narrative Topics

Personal Narrative Writing Guide

Biography Graphic Organizers

Use this collection of biography graphic organizers to help your fourth and fifth grade students explore biographies during reading workshop.

These biography graphic organizers will be a helpful tool for you as you are planning your biography unit of study.

This is another free resource for teachers and homeschool families from The Curriculum Corner.

Planning for a study of biographies

As you plan for your unit of study, your first action should be gathering high interest biographies for your students to explore.

These mentor texts should be good, clear examples of biographies. Include your favorites and be sure to include books that will interest your students as well.  It’s also a good idea to gather a stack of informational text books that fall under that category of narrative nonfiction.  Throughout the unit, you might want to refer to these as nonexamples of biographies.

There are many informational text picture books that are written at a fourth to sixth grade level. This means that you should be able to find some shorter texts that will still challenge your readers. This can be helpful when you want students to explore multiple biographies.

As you work to gather your books, ask students who they would be most interested in learning about. Try to find books that match their requests to keep them engaged in the unit.

If you have a student interested in a subject but are unable to find a book to share, you can turn this into a follow up project. Have the student write their own biography about the subject. You can add this to your classroom librarym .

About these biography graphic organizers

This collection contains a variety of biography graphic organizers. You can choose to use the ones that fit your students best.

As always, I encourage you to model these organizers as you introduce them. This will help students to fully understand the expectations.

Lesson 1  Expository or Narrative Nonfiction?

Begin by helping students understand that there is a different between expository nonfiction and narrative nonfiction. Biographies fall under the category of narrative nonfiction and tell a story. Narrative nonfiction may also tell about an event. Expository nonfiction provides an explanation or directions.

This first lesson is designed to help students develop an understanding of the difference between a biography (which is narrative nonfiction) and expository nonfiction.  

Share the stack of mentor texts along with the nonexamples of biographies (which should be expository nonfiction.)

Allow students time to look through these books and “notice” differences.  Encourage them to make notes on post-its and mark the spots in the text.

These differences will help students begin to develop an understanding of the differences. When students have completed their noticings, pull them together as a class and give them time to share what they found.  

Create an anchor chart for students to refer to that is titled “Noticings” and contains the student observations.   Observations for biographies might include: tells a story, tells about a person’s life, includes dates, has bold words, has a table of contents, includes a glossary, has an index.  

Observations for expository nonfiction might include: gives directions, tells all about an object or animal, explains something, includes dates, has bold words, has a table of contents, includes a glossary, has an index.

Noticings Exit Ticket  To check student understanding, have students complete this exit ticket.  Students find a biography and an example of expository nonfiction. They then include their choices and reasoning on their exit ticket.

Lesson 2 Biography Story Map

A biography can be similar to a fiction book which tells a story.  

It includes a main character, setting, time and often problems.

Have students choose a biography to read and complete this story map.  

You might choose to model this lesson by reading aloud a biography one day and completing the story map together.

The next day, students will use their silent reading time to read a different biography they are interested in and then complete the story map.

Lesson 3 Character Traits

Just like when reading fiction, students reading biographies should be trying to determine the character traits of the subject of the biography.  

It is important for students to understand that character traits are different from what the person looks like. These resources can be used to help students develop an understanding of the difference: Character Traits . 

We suggest using a biography that can be shared during class in order to model the differences for students.  Once students have developed an understanding, they can complete their own graphic organizer after reading a just right book during silent reading time.

Lesson 4 Influences

Every person has others who influence his or her life.  

These people have positive and negative effects on the character in a book.  

For this lesson, focus on how other people in the biography have had an impact on the person.  

Students will identify what influence the person had and if the influence was positive, negative or both.  

It will be necessary for you to model this with the class in order for students to understand the expectations.  

Once a model has been completed with the class, you can have students complete their own graphic organizer during independent reading time.

Lesson 5 Taking Notes While Reading

When reading a biography, it is sometimes important for the reader to take notes so that they remember the important facts.  

This organizer can be used for a tool that helps students record the facts in the book.

Lesson 6 Reflections

An important part of reading is thinking about what is being read.  

Use these cards to encourage students to think about the person they are reading about.  

You can print the page on cardstock and then laminate for durability.

Or, you can print on regular paper and have students choose a question. They can record their response on the back like an exit ticket.

Lesson 7 Asking and Answering Questions

Readers ask and answer questions in their heads as they read to help them create meaning.  

This graphic organizer gives students practice with this skill while asking them to record their thoughts.  

You may choose to have students answer their own questions or to trade with a peer who is reading the same book.

Lesson 8 Cause & Effect

This is a concept which will take a great deal of modeling.  

Students must understand that events in a person’s life lead to outcomes.  

As you read a biography, work with the class to find important events in a person’s life and the impact those events had on the person.  

As part of this work, help students identify where the answers are.  

When students practice this skill independently, you might choose to have them use a post-it note to mark the evidence found in the text.

Lesson 9 Life Lessons

Sometimes reading a biography might teach us lessons we can apply to our own lives.  

Encourage students to look at the book they are reading and determine what they can learn from their character.  

These lessons might be positive or negative.

You can download this set of biography graphic organizers here:

Reading Download

CCSS Standards Addressed:

Preparing Your Reading Workshop - The Curriculum Corner 123

Thursday 20th of June 2019

[…] Biographies Collection for 4th and 5th Grades […]

Biography Unit of Study for Reading - The Curriculum Corner 123

Monday 27th of May 2019

[…] you need additional resources for enrichment or differentiation you might want to check out the Biographies –  Resources from our 456 […]

Monday 14th of April 2014

This is a fabulous post! I hope you don't mind, I'm going to link to this page on Wednesday when I share about biographies on my blog, too! :) :)

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Biographies

This page contains the Super Teacher Worksheets collection of biographies. These nonfiction articles include reading comprehension activities for elementary-aged students.

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Here is the link to our complete collection of reading comprehension stories, articles, and poems for kids.

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Course Plans

Biographies.

Type of English

Lesson time

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RESOURCES FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS

Provide a comprehensive course with our ESL worksheets. Each of our evolving course plans and worksheet series can be followed systematically or you can select lessons to use as supplementary material.

General English

Pre-intermediate (A2-B1)

Level: Pre-intermediate (A2-B1)

This collection of lessons offers A2/B1 students an opportunity to practise listening and speaking skills, add to their vocabulary, briefly explore language points and increase their general knowledge. The lessons cover a range of historical figures including famous (and infamous) scientists, explorers and political leaders.

This audio-aided lesson tells the life story of Cleopatra, the last pharaoh of Egypt. The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension, speaking and summarising. There is also an optional extension activity which focuses on the key word control .

by Stephanie Hirschman

This audio-aided lesson tells the life story of Julius Caesar, the famous Roman leader. The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension, speaking and regular and irregular past simple forms. There is also an optional extension activity which focuses on the prefix re- .

In this audio-based worksheet, students will learn about the life of fossil collector Mary Anning and how she contributed to our understanding of prehistory. The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension and speaking, and students are introduced to the difference in meaning between a little/a few and little/few . There is also an optional extension pronunciation activity featuring a famous tongue twister.

This audio-aided lesson covers the work of South African freedom fighter and president Nelson Mandela. The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension and speaking, and includes a quick look at how infinitives are used to explain purpose. There is also an optional extension activity about adjectives with the - ful suffix.

This audio-aided lesson tells the life story of Marilyn Monroe, a movie star with an iconic image. The lesson focuses on vocabulary including noun + noun combinations , listening comprehension and speaking. There is also an optional extension activity which focuses on jobs in the film industry.

This video-aided lesson covers the works of the legendary engineer and inventor Nikola Tesla. The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension, and speaking.

By Stephanie Hirschman

In this audio-based lesson, students will learn about the life and many achievements of Leonardo da Vinci. The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension, word families and speaking. There is also an optional extension activity which focuses on art equipment and materials.

This audio-aided lesson covers the works of the pioneering Victorian nurse, Florence Nightingale. The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension, and speaking. There is an optional extension word search activity to consolidate vocabulary.

Students listen to a brief biography of scientist Marie Curie. Activities focus on listening comprehension, vocabulary and speaking.

Students listen to a brief biography of scientist, engineer and inventor, Alexander Graham Bell. Activities focus on listening comprehension, vocabulary and speaking.

This audio-aided lesson covers the work of the scientific pioneer Rosalind Franklin, who played a key role in the discovery of the structure of DNA. The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension and speaking, and there is a quick look at how past perfect is used in biographical narratives. There is also an optional extension activity which focuses on which verbs some of the vocabulary items can be used with. This lesson is suitable for strong A2 and B1 levels.

In this video and dialogue-aided lesson, students listen to a mini profile about the American civil rights activist, Rosa Parks. The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension and speaking.

Students listen to a mini profile about the American civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr. The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension and speaking.

This audio-aided lesson tells the life story of Harriet Tubman who made a major contribution to the ending of slavery in the United States in the 19th century.  The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension, word reordering and speaking. There is also an optional extension activity which focuses on the key word fight . 

This audio-aided lesson covers the life and work of African-American scientist George Washington Carver.  The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension, and speaking. The lesson also includes a vocabulary puzzle which can be used for review as an optional extension or homework activity.

This audio-aided worksheet tells the life story of Pocahontas and how she lived between two worlds in 17th century Virginia. The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension, speaking and the use of would + verb to describe past habits. There is also an optional extension activity which gives extra speaking practice about past habits.

This audio-aided lesson tells the life story of Sacagawea, and how she guided the Lewis and Clark expedition as they explored North America. The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension, speaking and pronunciation and compares the use of articles a/an and the . There is also an optional extension activity relating to a surprising aim of the Lewis and Clark expedition.

This video-aided lesson covers the life and legacy of explorer Christopher Columbus. The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension, and speaking. There is an optional extension or homework activity at the end, which uses a wordsearch to review vocabulary from the lesson.

This audio-aided lesson tells the life story of Queen Victoria, the famous 19th century British ruler. The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension, and speaking and introduces six useful phrasal verbs. There is also an optional extension activity about important inventions from Victoria’s reign.  

This dialogue and video-aided lesson looks at the life and works of William Shakespeare. The worksheet focuses on listening comprehension, discussion and vocabulary development.

This lesson is about the life and achievements of Louis Pasteur. Students practice listening, comprehension, and speaking skills.

Students listen to (or watch) a mini profile about Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension and speaking.

Students listen to a mini profile about the American astronaut and first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong. The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension and speaking.

This audio-aided lesson tells the life story of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543). The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension, speaking and noun/verb word families. There is also an optional extension activity about space vocabulary.

This audio-aided lesson covers the life of the physicist Stephen Hawking whose work on the beginning and ending of the universe was completed while living with a degenerative neuromuscular disease. The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension and speaking, and there is a quick look at the pronunciation of tricky - th- sounds.  There is also an optional extension reading and vocabulary exercise about the Royal Society. 

Level: Intermediate (B1-B2)

This collection of lessons offers B1/B2 students an opportunity to practise listening and speaking skills, add to their vocabulary, briefly explore language points and increase their general knowledge. The lessons cover a range of famous (and infamous) figures including scientists, political leaders and artists and writers.

Intermediate (B1-B2)

This audio-aided lesson tells the life story of the legendary physicist Albert Einstein. The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension, and speaking and includes a short look at linking words that show contrast. The optional extension task is a mini marketing activity about how the name Einstein can be used to sell products.

This audio-aided lesson tells the life story of the first computer programmer, Ada Lovelace. The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension, and speaking, and includes a short look at " so ... that " cause-and-effect structures. There is also an optional extension activity about the genre steampunk.

This audio-aided lesson tells the life story of the famous 19th-century writer Charles Dickens, who had a huge influence on how we think about Christmas. The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension, a short review of the passive and speaking. There is also an optional extension activity about vocabulary related to Scrooges, misers, penny-pinchers, etc.

This audio-aided lesson tells the life story of the British statesman Winston Churchill. The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension and speaking, and includes a short look at the infinitive of purpose. The optional extension task focuses on two of Churchill’s homes, now tourist destinations.

This audio-aided lesson tells the life story of the pioneering African American mathematician and space scientist Katherine Johnson (1918-2020). The lesson focuses on vocabulary, listening comprehension, and speaking, and includes a short look at past perfect forms. There is also an optional extension activity about a range of toys that honours women’s achievements.