Biography
McCully, E.A. (2006). Marvelous Mattie. New York, NY: Farrar Straus Giroux
ISBN: 978-0-374-34810-6
Grade level: K-3
Synopsis: This biography is about the amazing life of Mattie Knight. Mattie had her fathers tool-box and loved to create things and drawn out her inventions. At the age of eleven Mattie’s family moved to Manchester New Hampshire to work in a textile mill. One day Mattie ended up in the machine shop and asked several questions to the workers. After her friend had got hurt from a shuttle flying of the end of a loom, Mattie created a metal guard to make the machines safer. Mattie got her Paten and proved to everyone that she could be an inventor.
Classroom activity: As a post-reading activity each student will make a bookmark about Mattie. Students can draw and write on this bookmark. The students will be asked to include what they learned about Mattie, what they liked most about her and her story. After the bookmarks are complete, each student will place their bookmark at their favorite part of the story. As a whole group, the student will explain why they choose that part and what they found most interesting about it.
Krull, K. (n.d.). Approximately 38 things to do with biography in the classroom. Retrieved from http://www.kathleenkrull.com/bio38.html
ISBN: 978-0-374-34810-6
Grade level: K-3
Synopsis: This biography is about the amazing life of Mattie Knight. Mattie had her fathers tool-box and loved to create things and drawn out her inventions. At the age of eleven Mattie’s family moved to Manchester New Hampshire to work in a textile mill. One day Mattie ended up in the machine shop and asked several questions to the workers. After her friend had got hurt from a shuttle flying of the end of a loom, Mattie created a metal guard to make the machines safer. Mattie got her Paten and proved to everyone that she could be an inventor.
Classroom activity: As a post-reading activity each student will make a bookmark about Mattie. Students can draw and write on this bookmark. The students will be asked to include what they learned about Mattie, what they liked most about her and her story. After the bookmarks are complete, each student will place their bookmark at their favorite part of the story. As a whole group, the student will explain why they choose that part and what they found most interesting about it.
Krull, K. (n.d.). Approximately 38 things to do with biography in the classroom. Retrieved from http://www.kathleenkrull.com/bio38.html
Winter, J. (2009). Sonia Sotomayor. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 978-1-4424-0303-1
Grade level: K-3
Synopsis: Sonia Sotomayer grew up poor in the Bronx by a single mother. It was Sonia’s mother who made her believe that she could be anybody or do anything. Sonia worked hard and went to Princeton before becoming a judge. She continued to work hard and became a Supreme Court justice appointed by Obama. She faced many challenges including discrimination.
Classroom activity: This is a post-reading activity where the students will be put into small group to set up a mock interview. After reading the text as a group, the students will be split up into two groups. Each group will be given a list of three questions. The first group’s questions will include; what did Sonia go through to become a judge? How was she discriminated against? Who was her biggest inspiration and why? The second group’s questions will include; what were Sonia’s big accomplishments? How did Sonia overcome discrimination? Do you believe Sonia has inspired others to follow their dreams and why? Each group will have time to work together to answer each question. Once the students have answered the questions, they will set up a mock interview with one student asking the questions and one student answering. The student answering the questions will be acting as Sonia. Each group will present for the other.
Krull, K. (n.d.). Approximately 38 things to do with biography in the classroom. Retrieved from http://www.kathleenkrull.com/bio38.html
ISBN: 978-1-4424-0303-1
Grade level: K-3
Synopsis: Sonia Sotomayer grew up poor in the Bronx by a single mother. It was Sonia’s mother who made her believe that she could be anybody or do anything. Sonia worked hard and went to Princeton before becoming a judge. She continued to work hard and became a Supreme Court justice appointed by Obama. She faced many challenges including discrimination.
Classroom activity: This is a post-reading activity where the students will be put into small group to set up a mock interview. After reading the text as a group, the students will be split up into two groups. Each group will be given a list of three questions. The first group’s questions will include; what did Sonia go through to become a judge? How was she discriminated against? Who was her biggest inspiration and why? The second group’s questions will include; what were Sonia’s big accomplishments? How did Sonia overcome discrimination? Do you believe Sonia has inspired others to follow their dreams and why? Each group will have time to work together to answer each question. Once the students have answered the questions, they will set up a mock interview with one student asking the questions and one student answering. The student answering the questions will be acting as Sonia. Each group will present for the other.
Krull, K. (n.d.). Approximately 38 things to do with biography in the classroom. Retrieved from http://www.kathleenkrull.com/bio38.html
Hall, B. (2007). Morris and buddy: the story of the first seeing eye dog. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman & Company
ISBN: 978-0-8075-5284-1
Grade level: 2-4
Synopsis: Morris was blinded at the age of sixteen and had to rely on others to go anywhere or do anything. This is until Morris meet’s Mrs. Eustis and Jack Humphrey. Set in Switzerland Morris learns how to trust and work with Buddy, who is the first Seeing Eye dog. After working together Morris and Buddy went back to America and showed everyone it was possible for Morris to do anything seeing people do. Morris opened the first guide dog school and was a pioneer for public places being assessable for people with special needs.
Classroom activity: As a post-reading activity the students will complete a character web. The students will work in small groups to complete the web. In the center of the web will be the main character’s name, Morris. There will be several branches that extend out. The students will be asked to fill the branches with character traits and supporting evidence. After the charts are completed, there will be a whole group discussion about what every group wrote in their character chart and why. Below is an example of the character chart and one branch of what students might answer.
Yopp, H.K., & Yopp, R.H. (2014). Literature-based reading activities. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Page:77
ISBN: 978-0-8075-5284-1
Grade level: 2-4
Synopsis: Morris was blinded at the age of sixteen and had to rely on others to go anywhere or do anything. This is until Morris meet’s Mrs. Eustis and Jack Humphrey. Set in Switzerland Morris learns how to trust and work with Buddy, who is the first Seeing Eye dog. After working together Morris and Buddy went back to America and showed everyone it was possible for Morris to do anything seeing people do. Morris opened the first guide dog school and was a pioneer for public places being assessable for people with special needs.
Classroom activity: As a post-reading activity the students will complete a character web. The students will work in small groups to complete the web. In the center of the web will be the main character’s name, Morris. There will be several branches that extend out. The students will be asked to fill the branches with character traits and supporting evidence. After the charts are completed, there will be a whole group discussion about what every group wrote in their character chart and why. Below is an example of the character chart and one branch of what students might answer.
Yopp, H.K., & Yopp, R.H. (2014). Literature-based reading activities. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Page:77