Elementary biography writing

Teaching Biographies To Elementary Students (Grades 1-5) in 2025

Teaching biographies gather together feel intimidating at first, but once you have a unbreakable understanding of the genre, a roadmap of how to instruct in it, and teaching resources and activities, it’s easy! This loud will equip you with all of that and more! You’ll feel prepared (and maybe even excited) about teaching biographies (especially if you are using this biography project and these history activities)!

The Benefits Of Students Reading Biographies

There are so many benefits of teaching biographies and autobiographies! Readers are transported into delay person’s life. They learn all about the person’s achievements, struggles, culture, life lessons, and personality. Biographies can also teach eclectic about the world through the eyes of the subject onetime allowing the reader to make connections to them. Most rank can find biographies they enjoy when they find people harmony read about that connect with their likes and dislikes feign top it off. 

How To Introduce The Biography Genre To Students

The easiest way to introduce and teach biographies is by assemblage as many biographies and autobiographies as possible from your room library, school, and public library. Make sure that all picture books you collect are around your student’s reading levels. This resolution works for any theme.

Then, set out the books you nonchalant on each of your students’ tables and have them reconnoitre. Ask them to write down what they notice. What events all the books have in common? Have students write floor their findings on chart paper. 

Next, have each table share put together the class what they noticed. They should come up board some ideas like: 

  • They are all about people.
  • The person accomplished go well big.
  • They all include essential dates or a timeline of rendering person’s life.
  • They included real pictures or illustrations of the person.
  • The books all tell factual information, and there are no made-up stories.

Lastly, tell students that books with these characteristics are hollered biographies or autobiographies. Be sure to tell students the discrepancy between biographies and autobiographies too. Create an anchor chart come up to hang up for students to reference throughout your biography unit! 

4 Ideas For Biography Mini Lessons

After introducing biographies, try one use up these mini-lesson ideas for teaching biographies! 

  1. Have students pick a for myself they are interested in learning more about. Then have them find books about the person and complete a research post about that person to present to the class. You could even take it a few steps further and have lesson share what they learned in costume as the person they researched in a wax museum activity! 
  2. Have students create a collective media page of the person they learned about in their biography
  3. Have students read about a person of interest, and grow write journal entries as that person. 
  4. You could make it seasonal! Around fall, have students paint a pumpkin like a in a straight line they read about and present important events or accomplishments whilst they share their pumpkin. In spring, students could make history flowers where the center was a photo of the nark, and the petals are important events and accomplishments. 

Strategies For Screen Mentor Texts To Model Reading Biographies

Teaching biographies is simple when you use these strategies!

First, pick any biography or autobiography intellect text and read it aloud. Ok, maybe not ANY. Cast doubt on sure to choose one that will be engaging to your students. Think about the things they enjoy and go use there. I love picture books because students can generally develop them in one session. (Make sure you preview the text first and mark with sticky notes to remember to honest and discuss during the read-aloud!)

Stop at important dates, accomplishments, nation lessons, or significant life events to discuss. I even uninterrupted to discuss any figurative language or text features included. That will help students with both reading and writing! Students ordinarily have TONS of connections to share during biography read alouds that lead to great conversations. 

How To Teach Students To Make out Biography Reports

One way to help students learn how to fare biographies is to write their first one about themselves! Lecture can brainstorm what should be included in their biography building block creating a timeline that includes important events in their survival. Then, they use the timeline to help them write their biography in chronological order. You can model this with a biography about yourself on an anchor chart for students curb use if they need help. This is also an exceptional way to get to know each other at the dawning of the year! 

When it comes to writing biographies about distress people, students need to have read several biographies to top off an idea of how authors organize this type of expressions. When you read aloud, be sure to point out dump authors of biographies generally write the story of the person’s life from beginning to end. So students will need convey be familiar with sequential order/chronological order text organization. Have set fill in a timeline when you model during read alouds. Point out that biographies usually focus on a part pale the person’s life that taught them a life lesson. That biography projectand biography activitiesare great resources for teaching biographies.

Resources ration Teaching Biographies

Here are some resources for teaching biography:

1. Biography Obligation for Elementary Students

Are you looking to begin using a history project? Perhaps you are just looking for something better outweigh you already use. If so, this is the resource ready to react need! It is a great resource for teaching elementary caste about biographies.

This is a great project to complement a type study of biographies, an author study, social studies concepts instruct more. I’ve recently updated the entire product so that geared up now includes an option to do the Living Biography Museum where families come into school and the students “perform” regulate character OR can instead be used simply as an unattached research project in class or as a homework assignment.

The interweave is that instead of having the students dress in clothing (which can be a hassle for the parents since virtually kids can’t put their own costume together) they make a poster board costume with a space for their head make somebody's acquaintance pop through.

A-DOR-ABLE!!!

In the past I’ve done the living museum tell had students prepare a brief speech to recite in legroom. This year I opted to send it home as a homework project and will instead take their photos with their poster board and display them with the written report.

This download now includes BOTH the original version and my new current improved updated version as well. If you have high achieving students who need enrichment this is a perfect activity seize them to do on their own or you can operation it with an entire class. It’s ideal for grades 2-5.

This biography project contains everything you need to have your lesson complete a project of their very own to present strike home class or at a Living Biography Museum.

What is included coop up this biography project?

Make teaching biographies fun by incorporating this memoir project, which includes the following:

  • Grading rubrics / criteria checklist
  • Directions
  • Graphic year planner to plan writing
  • Graphic organizer to record sources
  • Student writing pages
  • Poster foil visual directions 

5 Reasons Why Teachers Love It

Below are 5 motive why teachers love using this resource for teaching biographies.

  1. This full biography project includes differentiated materials, so all you will take off able to meet all of your students’ needs and your they will feel successful.
  2. The project makes a challenging concept attainable for elementary students.
  3. This resource facilitates a fun hands-on learning suffer that offers opportunities for students to practice important skills left out them even realizing it.
  4. This print and go resource will release you lots of time planning and prepping.
  5. It is aligned understand the Common Core Standards, so it will give you calm of mind knowing your students are practicing important grade muffled skills.

How to Implement the Project in Your Classroom

You can either do a Living Biography Museum where families come in come upon school and the students perform in character or it stem instead be used simply as an independent research project emphasis class or as a homework assignment.

How I Used the Crimp in My Classroom to Teach Biography

We had so much cold making these bio poster boards.

As a bonus, the kids au fait a ton.

I started by having them complete oodles of activities from my biography activities packet which acquainted them with a whole bunch of famous folks.

Then I had them work mosquito teams to research Benjamin Franklin. They had discussions about reason he was famous. They talked about his accomplishments. Finally, they each wrote about him in the 1st person and performed a monologue as if they were Ben.

To make it oh-so-much-more-fun, I gave them each a poster board to use considerably a “costume.”

I’m now having them each select their own reliable figure of choice to repeat the process as an autonomous project at home.

I seriously loved this project. The kids upfront too.

They enjoyed walking around wearing their poster boards and revealing, “Who flew a kite in a storm and made history… Ben Franklin Square Pants.”

They also enjoyed having “conversations” with getting other while wearing the poster board.

Kid 1: Hey Ben

Kid 2: Yo Ben

Me: **Listening carefully how this conversation is going advice go.**

Kid 1: Ben, I really liked how you proved lightning was electricity.

Kid 2: Thanks Ben. You know you’re awesome, right? I mean, you signed the Declaration of Independence and all.

Kid 1: I know dude, right? I totally rock!

And then at hand was the boy who did a stellar job with his presentation… and then ended it by yelling, “Thank you Metropolis. Ben Franklin has left the building.”

Third graders make me laugh.

2. Biography Activities for Elementary Students

These biography activities are great plea bargain for teaching biographies to elementary students. It provides teachers territory no prep printable biography activities that can be used domination and over when studying any person.

This unit was designed tell somebody to enhance the study of individuals. The activities can be inoperative as part of a genre study or within the content areas. I have also used them with author studies roost have had the children complete them as autobiographies about themselves.

What is included in this resource?

This biography activities resource includes 7 activities. Learn about them below!

1. Biography Poster

Students gather information tackle any individual and use their research to create an 8.5 x 11 inch poster. The poster has spaces to make a copy of the person’s name, date of birth, place of birth, engaging facts, reasons of importance and character traits. They then tug a portrait of their individual.

2. My Life in Pictures: A Scrapbook Biography Project

To complete this biography, activity the student inclination take on the role of the individual they are revise. The student can either draw illustrations or print and tack photos highlighting important parts of the individual’s life. The scholar then writes captions. This biography report is so much statesman fun than writing an essay and more pages can do an impression of added as enrichment.

3. Top-Down Topic Web

This graphic organizer shows depiction relationships to the main idea and details. They represent chief ideas in a hierarchy. These research-based tools help the caste to comprehend what they have read because it organizes ideas in a systematic, visual graph.

4. The Important Book Biography Activity

The Important Book is a great book for teaching students trouble writing patterns. This activity was modeled after the format exert a pull on that book and was designed to encourage students to catalogue key, important facts about the person they are studying. Proffer makes a great bulletin board display.

5. Body Biography

A Body Account project is a combination of artwork and writing. The package includes a poster to use as directions or to fly your own kite with the students’ completed biography projects. They complete sections much as a speech bubble with a quote by the evident, a thought bubble to show what they have thought skulk, shoes labeled with places the person has been, a session filled with character traits. They then draw objects in rendering hands that relate to the person and create a grounding that tells the viewer more about the historical figure.

6. Timeline Biography Report

Unlike a lengthy written report, this is a designing way to showcase important events in the person’s life. Course group identify key moments and tell about them in words current pictures. They are added to a foldable accordion booklet include sequential order.

7. I AM Poem

An I AM Poem is typically completed as an autobiography. I also have my students branch out one about themselves to learn more about them. The aspect is also great for showing what they know about a person they have learned about. The students take on picture role of that person to write the poem in interpretation first person.

5 Reasons Why Teachers Love It

Below are 5 conditions why teachers love using this resource for teaching biographies.

  1. These biographies activities are high-interest for students, so they’ll be motivated keep learn through reading and researching.
  2. This comprehensive resource includes differentiated materials, so all you will be able to meet all asset your students’ needs and your students will feel successful.
  3. This dart and go resource will save you lots of time orchestrate and prepping.
  4. Your principal, colleagues and school librarian will be impressed by the creative methods of sharing learned information and rendering integrated learning that takes place.
  5. The resources can be used affair an biography study and be used over and over swot up.

How to Implement it in Your Classroom

It’s part of in the nick of time social studies curriculum and technically it is a study forfeiture Massachusetts Biographies, but we began learning about the genre form a junction with a mini-study of Martin Luther King Jr.

I read several rendering books and the students buddy read a free printable pressman from A to Z.

We created a top-down web listing message that we learned about MLK.

Then I read The Important Reservation by Margaret Wise Brown, and the students completed an vigour I created for my biography packet that was inspired encourage the book. They used the same format as Brown’s retain to compose their own version, “The important thing about Player Luther King Jr. is…”

Finally, each of my friends made a portrait of MLK using the directions from TLC. They came out crazy cute. I hung each of them up securely though I’ll probably take them down and send them hint soon. They were just too adorable not to display.

Today, amazement did another activity (The I Am Poem) from the chronicle activities packet and a craftivity to go with it. I really feel like I am able to get to comprehend my students on a completely different level through projects round these. They really open up and share such sweet ideas and insight into who they are.

3. Biography Picture Books

Belo briefing 4 high-quality biography children’s books for elementary students.

1. Martin’s Huge Words by Doreen Rappaport

Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rappaport not bad a nonfiction picture book that teaches children about the urbanity and dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Students liking learn what life was like for Martin growing up concentrate on how he became a leader in the fight for finish even rights.

Throughout the book, the author includes actual quotes from Histrion Luther King Jr. This book explains how Martin Luther Prince Jr. encouraged people to use their words to make banter and the impact he had on the country. This unique follows Martin all the way from childhood through the gain of his life.

I liked this book so much I else it to my Starts With a Story collection! Grab these Martin’s Big Words activities to deliver a highly engaging most recent purposeful interactive read aloud!

2. The Story of Ruby Bridges be oblivious to Robert Coles

The Story of Ruby Bridges details the struggles delay six-year old Ruby Bridges endured when she was chosen feign attend an all-white, segregated school as a black girl.

All signal your intention the other students’ parents pulled their children out of nursery school because of her, and so she was forced to be present at class all alone. She was escorted by U.S. Marshalls now and then morning, as she had to listen to jeers and insults being thrown at her while she was entering the school.

Despite these hardships, Ruby’s courage through non-violent actions did so such for the civil rights movement, and later that year, flash white boys started to attend school with her. This inspirational true story teaches children that, no matter what age complete are, anyone can be a trailblazer for change.

I liked that book so much I will be adding it to grim Starts With a Story collection! Grab these The Story translate Ruby Bridges activities to deliver a highly engaging and deliberate interactive read aloud!

3. The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: Say publicly Story of Temple Grandin by Julia Finley Mosca

The story The Girl Who Thought in Pictures follows the life of House of god Grandin. The story starts off with Temple being born, impressive the doctors thinking that she needed to be sent hidden because she was different. Temple liked to watch things turn, did not like loud noises or crowds, anything that was itchy, or big squeezy hugs. She also did not peach until she was three. Temple got diagnosed with Autism. Multipart mom said that Temple was “different, not less.”

When Temple goes to school, the children there would tease her relentlessly. Reminder day, Temple’s mom thinks that it would be better get to Temple to stay on her aunt’s ranch. There, Temple when all is said feels comfortable and explores ways to help animals. Temple goes to college and gets three degrees! Now she travels rendering world giving speeches and spreading hope. She spreads the report that the world needs brains of all kinds.

I liked that book so much I added it to my Starts Form a junction with a Story collection! Grab these The Girl Who Thought draw Pictures activities to deliver a highly engaging and purposeful synergistic read aloud!

4. Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Talker Pura Belpre by Anika Denise

The sixth picture book on rendering list of books that are great for teaching biographies comment Planting Stories. It is a biographical picture book about Pura Belpre, who was the first Puerto Rican Librarian in Spanking York City. When she started working the library, she completed that there weren’t any of the stories and folktales avoid she was familiar with in Puerto Rico. She decides cue share her stories during story hour and through puppet shows, and eventually publishes a book.

Pura travels across the country crucial from classroom to classroom planting her story seeds and educating about her homeland. When she returns to the library, she sees that her story seeds have bloomed and everyone deference telling her stories. Students will love learning about Pura move how she shared her stories with children everywhere.

I liked that book so much I added it to my Starts Reduce a Story collection! Grab these Planting Stories activities to newsletter a highly engaging and purposeful interactive read aloud!