Write a Biography
Talk briefly about what makes a subject a good choice for a biography as well as the characteristics of biography. Invite the student to choose a person who interests them. They might choose a person they know personally or a person they are interested in but don’t know much about yet. Ask them to find two or more sources of information about that person, using primary sources such as interviews (if they know the person), or secondary sources such as books, magazines, and Internet resources. The student should think about whether they want to focus on the entirety of their subject’s life or just one part of it. Have them ask themselves: What is interesting about this subject? What has the subject accomplished or contributed that makes him or her a good choice? How did the environment (culture, setting, time period) influence the subject’s life and accomplishments? The student might opt to include direct quotes and illustrations or photos.
