Lesson Plan: Writing a Biography

Overview

In this 45-minute lesson, Year 6 students will engage in activities designed to enhance their understanding and ability to write a biography. This lesson is developed following the New Zealand Curriculum standards for English, specifically targeting Level 3 of Literacy learning. The focus will be on recognising features of biographical writing and beginning to craft a short biography of a significant New Zealand figure.

Objectives

• Understand the key features of biographical texts.
• Identify the differences between biographies and other forms of narrative texts.
• Research basic facts about a chosen New Zealand figure.
• Write a short introductory paragraph for a biography.

Materials Needed

• Examples of biographies (books or printed excerpts, specifically featuring New Zealand figures when possible)
• Access to research materials (library, internet access for research on safe sites such as New Zealand History)
• Writing materials (paper, pencils)
• Computer and projector for displaying examples
• Biography worksheet (attached)

New Zealand Curriculum Links

This lesson adheres to the New Zealand Curriculum for English, at Level 3, focusing on:

• Making Meaning, by showing understanding of ideas within, across, and beyond texts.
• Creating Meaning, by developing ideas and crafting coherent texts supported by evidence.

Lesson Details

Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Activity:

• Start with a questioning session: Ask students if they know what a biography is and have them share any biographies they are aware of.
• Briefly explain that a biography tells the story of a person's life and is an account written by someone else.

Introduction to Biographies (10 minutes)

Activity:

1. Show examples of famous biographies on the projector.
2. Discuss the common features found in these texts:
   • Focus on the life of the person
   • Chronological order
   • Highlights major events
   • Includes personal and professional details
   • Written based on factual information

Discussion Points:

• What makes these texts biographies?
• How are they different from fictional stories or autobiographies?

Research Activity (15 minutes)

Activity:

• Divide the students into groups and assign a famous New Zealander to each group (e.g., Sir Edmund Hillary, Dame Whina Cooper).
• Provide guidelines for their research:
  • Important life events
  • Contributions to New Zealand or the world
  • Personal background
• Students use library books and safe internet resources for research.

Writing Exercise (10 minutes)

Activity:

• Using the provided biography worksheet, each student begins drafting the introductory paragraph of their biography based on their group's research.
• Encourage students to focus on a strong opening sentence that captures interest.

Sharing and Feedback (5 minutes)

Activity:

• Invite a few students to share their introductory paragraphs with the class.
• Provide constructive feedback focusing on the use of factual evidence and engaging language.

Assessment

• Evaluate students' paragraphs for clarity, engagement, and accuracy of content.
• Observe participation in discussion and research activities.

Extensions

• For homework, students could complete their biographies and share them in a future class session.
• Create a class book with all the biographies written by the students.

Conclusion

This lesson aims to equip Year 6 students with the foundational skills needed to write informative and engaging biographies, focusing on figures relevant to their heritage and New Zealand's rich history. Through this activity, they also enhance their research and composition skills, integral components of the Literacy curriculum at Level 3.

---