BIOGRAPHY

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1. Warm Up Activity
Here is My
The player gives the initials of a famous person and must then pantomime an object connected with the person so that the group can guess who the person is and what the object is. Example: J.H would be writing with a pen. (John Hancock)

2. What Makes a Good Biography?
MAE JEMISON by Nancy Polette . Children's Press, 2003.
A. It has a beginning that 'hooks' the reader.
Would you like to be a star or travel to the stars? Mae Jemison did both.
B. It tells WHO, WHEN and WHERE.
Mae grew up in Chicago, Illinois. When she was thirteen she saw the first astronauts walk on the moon. She decided that she would be an astronaut, too.
C It reveals the person by what others say.
Mae knew she had a lot to learn. After high school she went to college. Her teachers said there wasn't anything Mae couldn't learn! She learned to be a chemical engineer. She went to medical school and became a doctor.
D. It shows difficulties that were overcome.
She applied to NASA to join the astronaut program. 2000 other people wanted to join the astronaut program, too. Only fifteen would be chosen. Would Mae be one of the fifteen? YES! NASA said Mae could train to be an astronaut
E It is filled with action, revealing the character by WHAT the person does.
She learned to fly a jet. She learned to use a parachute. She learned how to stay alive in wild places. She helped prepare space shuttles for take-off.
F. It tells of the person's accomplishments.
On September 12, 1992 when the space shuttle Endeavor blasted off, Mae was one of the astronauts. She was a star! Mae did medical experiments while the space shuttle went around the Earth 127 times in eight days.
G. It ends by referring to the beginning and/or using a universal word.
When Mae looked at the Earth from space what do you think she saw? She saw Chicago! The placewhere her dream began. Mae Jemison showed everyone that dreams can come true if people work to be the best that they can be.

Biography Reports: Primary
1. Sing to 'London Bridge'
Mae Jemison was her name
Was her name, was her name
Travelling in space was her game
She was an astronaut!

3. The Important Report

The important thing about Mae Jemison was she loved to learn.
She learned to be a chemical engineer.
She learned to be a doctor.
She learned to fly a jet.
She learned to use a parachute.
She learned how to stay alive in wild places.
She learned how to be an astronaut.
But the important thing about Mae Jemison is she loved to learn.

4. The If I were Pattern

If I were Mae Jemison
I would learn all that I can
I would become an astronaut and do experiments in space
And I'd work to make my dreams come true.
But I wouldn't do barnstorming and give air shows
Because Bessie Coleman did that.

5. We Remember

Name______________
When (name) ________ was (age) ______
he/she liked to ________
(name) decided to_______________
So he/she________________________
One problem he/she had was _______
But he/she________________________
We remember ________because he/she _______

6. Resources
All available from Pieces of Learning www.piecesoflearning.com
Research Reports to Knock Your Teacher's Socks Off (Gr 4-8)
Research Without Copying (Gr 4-8)
The Research Project Book (Gr 4-8)
Reading and Writing Non Fiction K-3