Gathering information about a person is the easy part. Crafting an interesting biography is another thing altogether. The value in this information-collecting worksheet is that writers are asked to move beyond the usual basic questions.

Concepts

biographical writing, biographies, research reports, timelines

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Additional Tags

english language arts

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Instructional Ideas

• Once writers have collected the information requested by the worksheets, provide models that show the range of formats that can be used to craft interesting biographies
• Before sending kids out to gather information about someone they know, present mini-lessons on interviewing and interview protocols

Pros

• The framework can be used for an I-Search biography of a person the writer knows and admires
• The prompts move beyond the static questions that form the basis for most biographies

Cons

• None