Biography Project Directions: File Folder Report, Project and Presentation

Your Name                                                                                                                        Famous Person                                                                  

Rough Draft Due Dates Final Copy Due Dates

Timeline Rough due: April 11 Timeline Final due: May 8

Important Poem Rough due: *See you teacher (Option)

Important Poem Final due: May 8 (Option)

Report Rough due: April 25 *to be checked Written Report Final Copy due: May 8

Project Rough due: May 2 *to be checked Project Final due: May 8Parent/Guardian Signature:

                                                                                                                                                                                               

Report Assembled due: May 8

I have discussed this project with my child. Report/Project presentation date: May/June

A biography is a true story about a person’s life that gives important information about the person and describes major events in the order in which they happened. For this project, we are going to explore this person's life with a California twist. Through the project, report, and presentation you will explore and share the unique life of your important person. Remember that you want to engage your reader and your audience so take your time to be creative and do your best work!

Steps1. Research. Answer the following questions:

When and where was this person born? What was his/her childhood like? Where did he/she grow up? What did this person do for a living? Why is this person famous?  How has this person made an impact on others' lives? Include quotes and interesting information about the person. What are some of his or her important accomplishments or achievements? Fill out the bibliography information sheet showing the three sources used

and attach it as the last page of your report Include non-fiction text features in your report to fully explain the life of this

person. This may include maps, photos and captions, charts, subheadings, diagrams, tables, graphs…

* Your final copy will be written in your best printing or may be word processed using a computer in a report format.  Include information in a logical order.

2. Sources: You will need to include information from 3 different sources. - Biography novel (library book)- Encyclopedia (on-line or print)- Internet source

3. Report on the File Folder:Get a file folder from your teacher.Front Cover:  Attach the drawing of your famous person (see below)Inside Left Cover:  Attach your timeline and any photos (see below)Inside Right:  Written report with the Bibliography page at the back (follow

example)Back Cover:  Glue the “Important Poem” for your famous person and any photos

(optional)File Folder Tab:  Write the famous person’s name and your name underneath

4. Extension ProjectYou will choose to do one of the following: Hangar biography project, Project Art, I am…, Biography Game, or Powerpoint. You will get specific directions when you choose your project.

5. PresentationYou will present your project to the class in an oral report format.

Famous Person Drawing (Front of Folder)Using a photo of your person, create a picture for your cover. Add illustrations and pictures of people, places, and things that were important to and in the life of your person.  Decorate the background of the drawing to put your person in a setting appropriate to him or her.  Label your person’s full name in large neat lettering and write the dates of birth and death.  Write your first and last name and date in small lettering the lower right corner of the paper.

Timeline (inside Left of Folder)Create a timeline with at least 8 important events in your person’s life.  Add dates, drawings, clip art, or photos to the timeline.  Timelines may be hand drawn or created with a computer program.  If hand drawn, the timeline should be folded accordion style so it fits inside the file folder.

Extensions: Important Book Poem (Back Cover of Folder)

Margaret Wise Brown was the author of a book entitled The Important Book.Use this as a model and write a poem entitled “The Important Thing” using yourfamous person as the subject of the poem.Example:

The important thing about________  is that she/he __________________.  (What the person is famous for)She/he _____________________ .  (List one thing the person did)She/he _____________________ .  (List another thing the person did)She/he _____________________.   (List a third thing the person did)But the important thing about is that she/he was ____________ . (Another thing the person is famous for)

Here is an example poem:

The important thing about George Washington is that he was America’s first president.He was nicknamed “The Father of His Country” and was a leader of great character.He was said by Henry “Lighthorse Harry” Lee to be, “First in war, first in peace, and first in

the hearts of his countrymen.”He was a farmer, statesman, and commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the

American Revolutionary War.But, the most important thing about George Washington is he is the only president in the

history of the United States of America to be elected president unanimously.by Heather Renz, Mount Vernon Teachers’ Institute Participant, 2010

Name ______________________ #____  Date: ___________________

Hanger Biography Project

Create a paper art version of your person to help share a visual picture with your writing.

Open up your closet and retrieve wire hangers to create people-like figures that can hang or stand up by themselves. Left in original hanger shape, they can hang anywhere to share your finished piece. For the stand-up version, simply fold in the two “arms” of the hanger and you have created figures that can sit anywhere!

Materials: wire hanger (thing wire ones work best) large piece of construction paper or oaktag board (18” x 24”) heavy-duty tape scissors plain or lined paper

Directions:

Center a hanger on the large piece of construction paper. Be sure the hook extends over the top edge.Fold the paper along the angle to cover the “shoulder” wires.Use tape to secure the paper.Turn the covered hanger over. (This piece represents an upper torso.)

Turn in your project when you are ready to present!

Name ______________________ #____  Date: ___________________

Project Art

Create a museum portrait of your person to show a picture of this famous person.

Directions: Become a famous artist in 4th grade: Create a portrait in your choice of medium: it can me pastels, oils, watercolors… Be Free to explore. Your canvas should be a minimum of 18 x 24. Your masterpiece with be turned in and be prepared present it and how you created it!

Remember to sketch out your idea. Your person can be shown in a portrait with the face of in full figure with a background appropriate to their time.

          

Name ______________________ #____  Date: ___________________

I Am…

Become your person as you speak in their voice to tell about their life and their how they influenced our world.

Directions: For this project, we will have the opportunity to step back in time and meet a famous person. You will dress up (as much as you can) as your person and pretend you are the person, using their words learned through your research. Try to include their words through firsthand accounts, sayings or quotes that they may have recorded in a historical document.

You will use your written report to help you prepare to tell all about your contributions and about your life. You will need to rehearse at home.

Review famous speeches or watch a play to see how actors bring a character to life. You may even find a recording or film dramatizing your person.

Do some research and I look forward to meeting you!

 Kelly Russo-O’Carroll January 2014

Name ______________________ #____  Date: ___________________Biography Game

Be Creative! Think of the elements to your favorite game. Your goal is to share the life of an important person. Your board can be the places they lived. Your cards can have the places and faces that were a part of your person’s life. Use interesting details for your game to share how they left their mark!

1.  First, complete your written report.

2.  Find 20 facts about your important person.

3.  Record facts on a piece of binder paper to brainstorm using complete 4th grade language.  Number your facts 1-20.  You are always allowed to write more!

4.  Use facts to create 10 multiple choice questions on to “question cards.”  (write answers onto back of “question cards” and explain answer.)

5.  Use facts to create 10 true/false questions on to “question cards.”  (write answers onto back of “question cards” and explain answer.)

6.  Sketch and color your Biography profile onto your Trivia Game cover.

7.  Draw other important symbols and designs onto the cover that relate to your Biography.

8.  Put together your Biography Game.  Put points on each “question card” depending on their difficulty.  Create game rules on back of cover.  Players will need to keep score. Player with most points when “question cards” run out, wins!  Place “question cards” into sleeve on cover.  Put your name on the game.

9. Alternative: You may also create a board for your game that takes us on a journey through their life. You must decide how players will use the 20 question cards.

9.  Play your game independently.  Make one improvement to your game.

10.  Find two classmates to play your game.  Get feedback from classmates about your game.

Name ______________________ #____  Date: ___________________

Powerpoint :

Create a presentation on your computer to share images, videos, first hand accounts and information on your person.

Directions: Use Powerpoint to share the life and times of your famous individual. It is really important that you take advantage of the animation, sound, video links and so on for your presentation. Make your page look like an old document from the 1800’s. Remember the goal is to teach us about him or her but also to engage your audience with technology.

The past meets the present here so remember that you are using your written report to share your research in a 21st century way. Your presentation voice can be your own as you describe your life or you can be creative and pretend that you are sharing your autobiography with technology like you were brought to the future to tell your story.