Justice Through Biography Script

Warm-Up: What's Your Story? (10 minutes)

Teacher: Good morning, everyone! To start our day, I want you to think about someone truly important to you, someone you admire. It could be a family member, a coach, a historical figure, or even someone you know from a book. What makes them important? Why do you admire them?

(Allow students a few moments to think, then invite a few to share briefly.)

Teacher: Wonderful! It sounds like you all have some amazing people in your lives or that you've learned about. Today, we're going to explore how we tell the stories of incredible people who have made a big impact.

Introduction to Biographies (15 minutes)

(Display Biography Basics Slide Deck - Slide 1: Who Are These Heroes?)

Teacher: Take a look at this slide. Have you ever wondered about the lives of incredible people? Maybe someone who invented something, or fought for a cause, or led their country? How do we learn about what they did and how they lived?

(Display Biography Basics Slide Deck - Slide 2: What's a Biography?)

Teacher: Today, we're going to learn about something called a biography. Can anyone tell me what they think a biography might be, just from looking at the word?

(Listen for student responses, guiding them to the idea of a life story.)

Teacher: Exactly! A biography tells the story of a real person's life. It's not a made-up fairy tale; it's about someone who actually lived! And here's a key part: it's usually written by someone else, not the person themselves. Think of it like a historian or a writer researching and sharing that person's journey. These stories share important events, achievements, and sometimes even the challenges that person faced.

(Display Biography Basics Slide Deck - Slide 3: Biography Blueprint)

Teacher: So, what are the characteristics that make a good biography? Let's call it our Biography Blueprint. First, it's about a real person and their real life. Second, it tells their whole story, or a big part of it, from childhood to their impact on the world. Third, it includes important events and details: what happened and when. Fourth, it tells us about their challenges and triumphs: what was hard for them, and what did they achieve? And finally, a great biography shows their impact on the world: how did they make a difference? Does this make sense?

(Allow for questions and discussion.)

(Display Biography Basics Slide Deck - Slide 4: Meet Our Subject: Delivering Justice)

Teacher: Today, we're going to put our biography blueprint to the test! We're going to read about a truly remarkable person in a text called "Delivering Justice." As we read, I want you to keep our biography blueprint in mind. Think about how the story shows us these characteristics.

(Display Biography Basics Slide Deck - Slide 5: Detective Work: Explicit Details)

Teacher: When we read, it's important to be like detectives and look for explicit details. The word explicit means it's right there in the text! You don't have to guess or infer; the information is clearly stated. These details tell us who, what, when, where, and why things happened. Finding explicit details helps us understand the text thoroughly.

(Display Biography Basics Slide Deck - Slide 6: Our Goals Today!)

Teacher: So, by the end of this lesson, our goals are to: first, retell what the text says using clear details; second, identify what makes a biography a biography; and third, find those important explicit details right in the text! We're going to become biography experts!

(Display Biography Basics Slide Deck - Slide 7: Let's Get Started!)

Teacher: Are you ready? Let's dive into "Delivering Justice" and become amazing biography readers!

Reading: Delivering Justice (20 minutes)

Teacher: (Distribute the Delivering Justice Reading.) Now you all have a copy of "Delivering Justice." We're going to read this together. As we read, I want you to pay close attention to the details about the person's life. You might even want to highlight or underline sentences that tell you important facts or events. Remember our biography blueprint and keep an eye out for those characteristics.

(Guide students through the reading. This can be done as a teacher read-aloud, shared reading with students taking turns, or silent independent reading, depending on the class's needs. Ensure comprehension checks during and after the reading.)

Teacher: Great job reading! Now you've met the inspiring individual from "Delivering Justice." What are some initial thoughts or interesting facts you noticed?

Unpacking Biographies Worksheet (25 minutes)

Teacher: (Distribute the Unpacking Biographies Worksheet.) Now that we've read "Delivering Justice," it's time to put our detective skills to work. On this worksheet, you'll find questions that ask you to use details directly from the text. This is where those explicit details come in handy! Read each question carefully and find the answer in the reading. Make sure to use complete sentences when you write your answers.

(Circulate around the room, offering assistance, clarifying questions, and encouraging students to refer back to the text. Provide support for students who may be struggling to locate explicit details.)

Teacher: Alright, let's go over some of our answers together! Who would like to share their answer for Question 1? Remember, we're looking for details directly from the text.

(Lead a class review of the worksheet, using the Unpacking Biographies Answer Key to guide the discussion and ensure accuracy. Correct any misunderstandings.)

Discussion: Biography Brainstorm (15 minutes)

Teacher: (Facilitate a class discussion using the Biography Brainstorm Discussion prompts.) We've learned a lot about biographies and about the person in "Delivering Justice." Based on what we discussed and what you read, how does "Delivering Justice" fit our Biography Blueprint? What characteristics did you see?

(Guide students to identify elements like real person, important events, challenges, triumphs, and impact.)

Teacher: Thinking about how inspiring this story was, what other historical figures or important people would you be interested in learning about through a biography? Why would their stories be interesting to read?

(Encourage students to brainstorm and share their ideas, fostering curiosity about history and diverse individuals.)

Cool-Down: Biography Recall (5 minutes)

Teacher: (Distribute the Biography Recall Cool Down.) To wrap up our lesson today, I want you to quickly jot down two things: one new thing you learned about biographies today, and one important detail you remember about the person from "Delivering Justice." This will help me see what stuck with you most.

(Collect the cool-down slips as students exit or transition to the next activity.)

Teacher: Excellent work today, future historians and biography readers! You did a fantastic job exploring the world of real-life stories!

What's Your Story? Warm-Up

Think about someone important to you, someone you admire. This could be a family member, a teacher, a historical figure, or even someone famous you've learned about.

1. Who is this person?
   
   
   

2. Why do you admire them? What makes them special or important to you?
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. What is one interesting thing about their life that you know?
   
   
   
   
   
   

Delivering Justice: The Story of Judge Eleanor Vance

Eleanor Vance was born in a small town called Willow Creek in 1935. Even as a young girl, Eleanor loved to read. She would spend hours in the local library, lost in stories and learning about the world. Her favorite books were about heroes who stood up for what was right. Eleanor often saw people in her town being treated unfairly, and it bothered her deeply. She decided then that she wanted to help people and make things fair for everyone.

After finishing high school, Eleanor worked hard to save money for college. She was the first person in her family to attend college, which was a huge achievement! At college, she studied law, learning all about rules, rights, and how to make sure justice was served. It wasn't easy, and there were many late nights studying, but Eleanor was determined.

After law school, Eleanor became a lawyer. She helped many people, especially those who couldn't afford a lawyer on their own. She believed everyone deserved a fair chance. One day, a very important election happened. People in her state were voting for judges, who are people who listen to cases in court and make decisions based on the law. Many people in Willow Creek remembered how Eleanor always fought for fairness. They encouraged her to run to become a judge.

It was a tough campaign. Some people thought a woman couldn't be a good judge. But Eleanor didn't give up. She spoke to many people, explaining her vision for a just community. She promised to listen carefully to every side of a story and make decisions that followed the law and were fair to everyone. With the support of her community, Eleanor Vance was elected. She became the first woman judge in her state!

Judge Vance served for over thirty years. She was known for her kindness, her wisdom, and her unwavering commitment to justice. She always remembered the struggles of people in her small town and tried to make decisions that truly helped her community. She proved that courage, hard work, and a strong belief in fairness could change the world. Judge Eleanor Vance truly delivered justice to all.

Unpacking Biographies: Delivering Justice

Directions: Use the "Delivering Justice Reading" to answer the questions below. Remember to use explicit details from the text!

1. Who is the real person this biography is about?
   
   
   

2. Where was Eleanor Vance born?
   
   
   

3. What did Eleanor love to do as a young girl?
   
   
   

4. What made Eleanor want to help people and make things fair?
   
   
   
   
   
   

5. What was a big achievement for Eleanor when she went to college?
   
   
   

6. What did Eleanor study in college?
   
   
   

7. As a lawyer, who did Eleanor especially help?
   
   
   

8. What was special about Eleanor Vance becoming a judge?
   
   
   

9. How long did Judge Vance serve?
   
   
   

10. What was Judge Vance known for?
    
    
    
    
    
    

11. How did Judge Vance show her impact on the world?
    
    
    
    
    
    

Biography Brainstorm Discussion

Let's discuss what we've learned about biographies and Judge Eleanor Vance.

1. Based on our Biography Blueprint, how does the story of Judge Eleanor Vance, "Delivering Justice," fit the characteristics of a biography?
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. What specific details from the text helped you understand that "Delivering Justice" is a biography?
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. What was one challenge Eleanor Vance faced, and how did she overcome it or what was the outcome?
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. What kind of impact did Judge Vance have on her community or state?
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Thinking about inspiring people, what other historical figures or important individuals would you be interested in learning about through a biography? Why would their stories be interesting to read?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Biography Recall Cool Down

Take a few minutes to reflect on today's lesson. Please answer the following questions:

1. What is one new thing you learned about biographies today?
   
   
   

2. What is one important detail you remember about Judge Eleanor Vance from the "Delivering Justice" reading?
   
   
   
   
   
   

Unpacking Biographies: Delivering Justice - Answer Key

1. Who is the real person this biography is about?
   Judge Eleanor Vance

2. Where was Eleanor Vance born?
   *She was born in a small town called Willow Creek in 1935.

3. What did Eleanor love to do as a young girl?
   *She loved to read, especially books about heroes who stood up for what was right.

4. What made Eleanor want to help people and make things fair?
   *She often saw people in her town being treated unfairly, and it bothered her deeply.

5. What was a big achievement for Eleanor when she went to college?
   *She was the first person in her family to attend college.

6. What did Eleanor study in college?
   *She studied law.

7. As a lawyer, who did Eleanor especially help?
   *She helped many people, especially those who couldn't afford a lawyer on their own.

8. What was special about Eleanor Vance becoming a judge?
   *She became the first woman judge in her state.

9. How long did Judge Vance serve?
   *She served for over thirty years.

10. What was Judge Vance known for?
    *She was known for her kindness, her wisdom, and her unwavering commitment to justice.

11. How did Judge Vance show her impact on the world?
    *She always remembered the struggles of people in her small town and tried to make decisions that truly helped her community. She proved that courage, hard work, and a strong belief in fairness could change the world.