.... 17 Specific Ways to Use Biographies
(These are all courtesy of Dr. Alexa Sandman, College of Education, The University of Toledo)Scrapbook Science
(as suggested by Rebecca Dewey, 1993, In Science Scope,“Biographer’s Guide to Science,” pp. 46-48)Over the course of one to two weeks, students create a biographical scrapbook that documents the life of a scientist so that students grow in their awareness that the “stories and ideas of science evolve through various political, economic, social, and religious climates,” that “science and its history are a human endeavor.’ Within the scrapbook, students create a 1) birth certificate, 2) a newspaper article, 3) a letter to the President requesting funds to support the scientist’s research, 4) an interview with a reporter, 5) a timeline, 6) three diary entries (at various times in scientist’s life— childhood, adulthood, old age), 7) a timehne, 8) a book cover for a biography of the scientist, and an 9) epitaph.
Time Bonding
(as suggested by Ralph Papaleo, 1996, in The Social Studies,“Exposing Students to Time Bonding,” pp. 281 -282)To help students find appropriate role models in literature, students study the lives of a great person in the twentieth century. Students wrote essays revealing insights into six areas:
1. Describe the early life of your subject. What advantages did this person have? What disadvantages? How did the financial status of the person’s family affect his or her prospects for success?
2. Describe the person’s family relationships. How did the person’s parents nurture and help him or her to succeed? Was the family a handicap? What values or beliefs did the parents pass on to their child? Did the parents inspire the child in the biography to achieve?
3. Describe how education either helped or hindered your subject. What did this person do to improve his or her abilities? What values were fostered by the school? How did education help this person to succeed?
4. What obstacles did this person encounter? Who, other than family members, inspired this person? What dreams did this person have?
What convictions? What made this person decide upon success, no
matter the obstacles? What good habits did this person develop that helped him or her achieve success?5. What qualities of greatness did this person show?
6. What qualities do you need to develop in order to become more like the person you have studied? (p. 281)
“The Rest of the Story”
(as suggested by Erica Dakin Voolich, 1993, in Arithmetic Teacher,“Using Biographies to ‘Humanize’ the Mathematics Class,’ pp. 16-19)Using Paul Harvey’s nationally syndicated program called “The Rest of the Story” as a model, students learn the “human story” behind the discoveries of mathematicians and create narratives of their own. To help them appreciate Harvey’s format, Voolich recommends sharing examples from Paul Aurandt’s collection of Harvey’s biographical sketches in Paul Harvey’s The Rest of the Story or More of Paul Harvey’s The Rest of the Story (both Bantam, 1984) and highlighting key features of the narratives. Initially, Harvey does not reveal the identity of the person described; instead, he uses a nickname, a last name, or a middle name. Second, Harvey uses dialogue in the narrative which typically is fictitious but sounds realistic. Third, he describes an event in the person’s life which may be little known to listeners, making his accomplishment all the more amazing.
Person of the Day
(as suggested by Lynne Northup, 1992, in Social Studies and the Young Learner, “Person of the Day: Cultural Literacy in the Elementary Classroom,” pp. 17-18)In response to E. D. Hirsch’s book, Cultural Literacy, Northup instituted beginning her school day with a “Person of the Day.” She shares them by category: artists, authors, athletes, composers, explorers, inventors, historical and fictional characters, patriots, performers, people from business or manufacturing who have given their names to their products, plus persons of local prominence. The daily lesson begins with a discussion of the category, followed by clues to the person’s identity. Since students are unfamiliar with most, little time is spent on guessing and Northup then reads a biographical sketch. Their current age is calculated or how long it has been since their birth, death, or noteworthy accomplishment. If available, she shares a picture, and concludes with sharing the person’s work or contribution, reading aloud a poem or story the person wrote, playing an audiotape or videotape, displaying artwork, showing an invention, or sampling a product.
Meeting of Minds
(as suggested by Peggy Lathlaen, 1993, in The Reading Teacher, A Meeting of Minds: Teaching Using Biographies,” pp. 529-531)Based on Steve Allen’s former television show, “Meeting of Minds,” students portray eminent individuals in history who enact discussions of high-level issues and problems, just as actors did on Allen’s show. The spontaneous, natural discussion emanated from the students’ research of their subjects and their experiences.
Biography In Various Formats
(as suggested by Barbara Bowen, 1991, in English Journal, “A Mum-Genre Approach to the Art of the Biographer,’ pp. 53-54)As students do research and keep research journals, Bowen also gives the students short in-class assignments in order to prime some multi-genre writing, as well as encourage students to think about their subjects in more personal ways. From experience, she recommends the following:
- Free write for ten minutes as though you were the subject.
- Make a list of twenty-five important things in the subject’s life.
- Choose a date in the subject’s life and write a diary entry.
- Write a dialogue between the subject and someone else.
- Answer these “quiz” questions: What is the subject’s favorite leisure activity, favorite place, most regretted incident, best assets (personality and physical) and the like?
- Write a letter from a friend of the subject or from yourself.
- Write a descriptive paragraph about the subject.
- Using the strongest words and images from one of the previous assignments, develop poetic phrases and write a couple of lines of verse (p. 54)
Writing Classmates’ Biographies
(as suggested by Eunice G. Coakley, 1988, in The Reading Teacher, ‘Writing Classmates’ Biographies,” pp. 176)After students with matching numbers became partners, they were given pointers on how to conduct an interview, how to take notes, and how to use direct quotations effectively. Basically, partners alternated interviewing one another, following (more or less) the outline below. Each student then developed the notes into prose and created a booklet, complete with photocopied pictures that the partner brought in. Students each read aloud the biography they wrote and then presented the booklets to their partner. For extra credit, students could read aloud their own biography to their families!
1. Birth
Date/place of birth
Family history or roots
Fond childhood memories/anecdotes
Major historical events during your lifetime
2. Education
Preschool/kindergarten
Elementary school
Middle school
3. Activities
Hobbies/special interests
Vacations/travels
4. Interpersonal relationships
Friends
Pets
5. Career goal
Top Ten Reasons Why _________ Should Be included in a ________ Hall of FameA la Dave Letterman style, present the “top ten reasons,” from 10, the least important— although still noteworthy—to 1, the most important reason, why the person you have been reading about should be included in a ____________ Hall of Fame. Be serious AND funny!
Mystery Box
Assemble at least a dozen (12) items (which wilt fit in a shoe box) which represent the life of the person you have chosen to study. Be as specific as possible so that someone who studies the box has a valuable set of clues as to the identity of this “mystery person.” This may mean that you have to create some items, such as making a book jacket so that a specific book is included, not just a generic book which would not enable a person reviewing the items to make an educated guess. Include the identity of the person on an index card stored in an envelope glued inside the lid of the box.The Ballad of ______________
Tell the story of your person’s life in a poetic form tailor made for such a narrative—a ballad. Typically, ballads are written in four-line rhyming stanzas. If you’re really up for a challenge, write the music to accompany your poem!Design a Monument
Suppose you were given the assignment by Congress to design a monument in honor of your person. Write a proposal supporting your idea. Be sure to include: the form the monument would take and why; the materials needed and why; the suggested location and why. If possible, draw or create an actual model of your monument so that Congress can “see” what you are proposing.Design a Stamp
The United States Postal Service continually issues new postage stamps. Make a case for creating a stamp honoring the person you’ve been studying; then design and actually create a stamp, writing a brief description of how this is an appropriate symbolic representation of your person.Biopoem
(as suggested by A. Gere, 1985, in Roots in Sawdust: Writing to Learn Across the Curriculum, published by National Council of Teachers of English, Urbana, Illinois)Line 1. First name
Line 2. Four traits that describe character
Line 3. Relative (“brother,” “sister,’ “daughter,” etc.) of
Line 4. Lover of ______________ (list 3 things or people)
Line 5. Who feels - (three items)
Line 6. Who needs ______________ (three items)
Line 7. Who fears ______________ (three items)
Line 8. Who gives V (three items)
Line 9. Who would like to see ______________ (three items)
Line 10. Resident of ______________
Line 11. Last namePersonality Posters
Choose and read a biography. Then, create a poster celebrating this person’s accomplishments by including the following: a quotation or two (or three!), a picture or caricature of the person, and at least seven small pictures or drawings of items related to that person.Circling Around __________________ Lives
Choose two musicians, artists, writers, athletes or presidents. Create a Venn diagram, two intersecting circles which lists characteristics which are unique to each person in the outer parts of both circles and characteristics which they have in common in the intersecting section in the middle.Write a Eulogy
Suppose you were asked to write a eulogy, a speech honoring the dead, for the person you have been studying and reading about. Carefully review the person’s accomplishments and relationships with others and then write a fitting tribute.Here’s ______________________________ !
Write a script for an interview between your person and your favorite talk show host. What questions would Oprah or Jay Leno be inclined to ask? How might your person respond? Include at least ten questions and responses.
