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Why Read Biographies?

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Lesson Plan

Why Read Biographies?

Students will be able to explain the purpose of reading biographies and identify at least three reasons why learning about real people's lives is valuable.

Reading biographies helps students connect with history, understand different perspectives, and find inspiration and role models in real-life stories. It fosters empathy and critical thinking skills.

Audience

4th Grade Students

Time

90 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, guided reading, and independent reflection.

Materials

Whiteboard or Projector, Markers or Pens, Slide Deck: Why Read Biographies?, Reading: Meet a Mover and Shaker, Worksheet: My Biography Brainstorm, and Journal: Reflecting on Real Lives

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Introduction: What's Your Story?

10 minutes

  • Begin with a warm-up question: "What's one interesting thing about you that no one else in this class knows?" (Share one interesting fact about yourself first).
    - Introduce the concept of a 'life story' and how everyone has one.
    - Transition to the idea of reading about other people's life stories. Use Slide 1 and Slide 2.

Step 2

What is a Biography?

15 minutes

  • Use Slide Deck: Why Read Biographies? slides 3 and 4 to define biography.
    - Ask students: "Why do you think people write books about other people's lives?" Allow for a brief class discussion.
    - Introduce the term 'biography' and explain its meaning.

Step 3

Why Read Them? Our Reasons!

20 minutes

  • Lead a discussion using Slide Deck: Why Read Biographies? slides 5-7 about the benefits of reading biographies (e.g., learning from mistakes, finding inspiration, understanding history).
    - Encourage students to share their own thoughts on why these stories might be important.
    - Distribute the Reading: Meet a Mover and Shaker. Explain that this is a short biography excerpt.

Step 4

Guided Reading & Discussion

20 minutes

  • Have students read the Reading: Meet a Mover and Shaker individually or in pairs.
    - After reading, facilitate a brief discussion: "What did you learn about this person? What qualities did they have? How might their story inspire someone?"
    - Connect back to the 'Why Read Them?' reasons discussed earlier.

Step 5

My Biography Brainstorm

15 minutes

  • Distribute the Worksheet: My Biography Brainstorm.
    - Instruct students to think about someone they know or admire (a family member, a community leader, a historical figure) and brainstorm reasons why their life story might be interesting to others.
    - Circulate and assist students as needed.

Step 6

Wrap-up & Reflection

10 minutes

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Slide Deck

Why Read Biographies?

Uncovering Real-Life Adventures!

Welcome students and introduce the warm-up question. Share a fun fact about yourself to get them started. This slide sets the stage for thinking about personal stories.

Everyone Has a Story!

Think about your own life...
What makes your story unique?

(Share an interesting fact about yourself!)

Encourage a few students to share their interesting facts. Explain that everyone has a unique life story, full of different experiences.

What's a Biography?

Bio = Life
Graphy = Writing

So, a biography is a true story about a real person's life, written by another person.

Introduce the term 'biography'. Explain it's a true story about someone's life, written by someone else.

Why Do People Write Biographies?

Turn and talk with a partner!

Why do you think authors choose to write about other people's lives?

Open this up for a brief class discussion. Prompt them to think about why someone would spend time writing about another person. What's the point?

Reason 1: Learn from Experience

• Discover how others faced challenges.
• Understand their choices and consequences.
• Gain wisdom from their journey.

Transition to the reasons for reading biographies. This slide introduces the idea of learning from others.

Reason 2: Find Inspiration

• See how people achieved great things.
• Be motivated by their courage and determination.
• Realize you can overcome obstacles too!

This slide focuses on inspiration and motivation.

Reason 3: Understand History

• Learn about different times and places.
• See events through someone else's eyes.
• Connect to the past in a personal way.

This slide highlights the historical and cultural understanding that biographies provide.

Real Lives, Real Lessons!

Biographies are powerful stories that teach us, inspire us, and help us understand the world and ourselves better.

Concluding slide to reinforce the main message and lead into the next activity or cool-down.

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Reading

Meet Harriet Tubman: The Moses of Her People

Born Araminta Ross around 1822, Harriet Tubman was one of eleven children born into slavery in Maryland. From a very young age, Harriet experienced the harsh realities of slavery, working long, back-breaking hours in the fields and enduring cruel treatment.

When she was just a teenager, Harriet suffered a severe head injury from an overseer throwing a heavy metal weight. This injury caused her to have dizzy spells and powerful visions for the rest of her life. These experiences deepened her faith and conviction that she was meant to help her people.

In 1849, Harriet made the incredibly brave decision to escape slavery. Leaving her family behind, she traveled alone at night, guided by the North Star and helped by a secret network of safe houses and abolitionists known as the Underground Railroad. Her journey to freedom in Pennsylvania was dangerous and terrifying, but she never gave up.

But Harriet didn't just stop at her own freedom. She felt a deep calling to help others trapped in slavery. Over the next ten years, she made at least 13 dangerous trips back into Maryland, guiding more than 70 enslaved people, including her own family members, to freedom. She was so skilled and courageous that she became known as

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Worksheet

My Biography Brainstorm

Think about someone you admire or find interesting. This could be a family member, a community leader, a historical figure, or even someone famous. Why do you think their life story would be important or inspiring to others?

1. Who is the person you are thinking about?



2. What are some interesting facts or achievements about this person?





3. What challenges or difficulties might this person have faced in their life?





4. What lessons or inspiration could someone learn from this person's life story?





5. Why do you think their story is worth sharing?





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Journal

Reflecting on Real Lives

Today, we talked about why reading biographies is so important. Take some time to think about what we discussed and what you learned.

1. In your own words, what is one main reason why we should read about other people's lives?





2. Think about Harriet Tubman (or another real person you admire). What is one quality they possessed that you find inspiring? How might that quality help someone in their own life?










3. How can learning about the experiences of real people help you in your own life? Give a specific example.










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