Biography stories

Access this quick TVOkids(Opens in a new window) reading survey link entitled “What is your favourite thing to read?” and vote for your favourite type of book. After you vote, you will see what other people have voted for.

Did you notice one of the types of books to choose is "biography"? Ponder the word "biography" for a few quiet moments. Maybe you’ve heard the word before, maybe it’s your first time coming across this word.

Try to explore and notice if you recognize the individuals in the images below.

Do you know their names? If you recognize them, think about why you recognize them.

If possible, review the images above with a partner or your teacher. The individuals in these images are notable people. What did they accomplish or contribute to their community and the world?

Use a dictionary to learn about the history and origin of the word "biography." Try to find a root word. Record the root word in a print journal or notepaper, or electronically (or using voice-text tool). Where does the root word originate? What does the root word mean? Use a thesaurus to find any possible synonyms for "bio." Repeat for "biography," and record them.

Origin of root word “bio”

The Greek root word bio means 'life,' and is found in words connected to 'life' and life sciences like biology, biochemistry, biosphere. You may have found related words such as:

Definition of three words with root word “bio”

Take a few moments and try to recall (without using a dictionary or your notes) the meaning of the word “biography.” Compare and check what you wrote with what you recorded in Minds On. Make any necessary changes to your recalled definition of biography. Now search for the word "biographer" and write its definition. Use a thesaurus to find any possible synonyms and record them. Repeat for “biographee” and “autobiography.”

A second root word!

What other common word or second root word do you notice in all four words? It is a smaller word found inside “biography.” Find this common root word, and record what it means and its origin. What is the difference between an autobiography and a biography?

Second common root word is: (Blank) or g (Blank)

Hint: unscramble these letters (hpgar) to find the second common root. You can find the common root word by pressing the ‘Answer’ button.

Answer

Familiar biographies

You may have had some biographies read to you as a read-aloud in previous years, or maybe read some biographies on your own.

Meet Terry Fox

You have probably learned about Terry Fox in earlier school classes.

Or you’ve learned about other notable Canadians such as Sergeant Tommy Prince, (most decorated Native Canadian soldier), Dr. Roberta Bondar (first Canadian woman in space), Billy Bishop, Laura Secord, Madeleine de Verchères, Dr. Norman Bethune, Wayne Gretzky, and Canadians inventors such as Alexander Graham Bell, or James Naismith, and many other Canadians from the past and present in biography books or series like Arlene Chan.

Some other biography story series for children you may have noticed in your local public libraries or at school include: The “Who Was…” series includes books about Rosa Parks, Albert Einstein, Sacagawea, Dr. Seuss, Amelia Earhart. The “I AM…” series about ordinary people who change the word by Brad Meltzer with books about Jane Goodall, Martin Luther King, Jr., Helen Keller, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Harriet Tubman, Billie Jean King, Marie Curie, and Neil Armstrong.

Choosing your biographical subject (biographee)

Now it’s your chance to brainstorm some potential people or biographical subjects. Your biographical subject may be living or deceased. You may already have a notable person in mind. If they are living in your or your family’s social network, it is respectful to ask permission to write about them and their life. You may even ask to interview them! They may be flattered and happy to answer your questions. If they are famous or a celebrity, you don’t have to ask permission. You will have to do some research. You may wish to find out more about one of the names of notable people mentioned or listed in this learning activity. Your teacher may want your class to research around a focus such as notable First Nations, Métis, and Inuit individuals, or Black/African descent or East Asian or South East Asian descent or Roma or individuals with unique abilities requiring assistive technology, etc.

Potential biographees or biographical subjects

For your brainstorm, the important part is to know WHY you want to write and share about their life. What about their life story, their attitude in life, their character (determination, perseverance, generosity, love, kindness, resilience, strength, hope, inspiration) and/or accomplishment teaches others about life? Maybe they change their community around them. Maybe they changed the way people live and function in the world. Record the name of your biographee and the reason(s) why you want to write a biography about them in your journal, paper or electronically (audio record or voice to text). Make sure your reasons are more detailed than “they’re cool,” or “I like them.”

Think of these traits or actions that make a person interesting enough to be a subject.

• character (determination, perseverance, generosity, love, kindness, resilience, strength, hope, inspiration)
• volunteer
• think of others
• work hard
• don’t give up
• give others hope
• inspire others
• amazing accomplishments
• overcome great challenges (living through a war, being a refugee and then having a goal and finding their purpose, like Keinan "K'naan" Abdi Warsame, the Somali Canadian singer and poet)

Early research on your subject

You may need to start some early research (do some initial searches to find out more about what makes the world respect and admire them). Get your teacher’s approval for your biographical subject and reasons. Conduct initial research and jot notes to find out why your biographee is notable, which you might choose to organize in a table or chart like this one:

Access the following fillable and printable KWHLAQ Chart provided and fill in the first 3 columns. You can also complete the activity in your notebook.

Review the following two TVOK News episodes to learn about some notable Canadian individuals. Record some reasons why each of the following individuals are worthy to become biographees using jot notes or similar notes.

Access the following TVOK News episode to learn more about Canadians making history.

Access the following TVOK News episode to learn more about Albert Jackson, the first black mail carrier in Canada.

What were the significant events in their lives?

It includes details like place of birth, education, interests and accomplishments. It can cover the relationships in the person’s life, important significant experiences or periods of time in their life, like childhood. The biography is usually told in chronological order and can include a timeline. It is more than just sharing facts because the biographer or person writing the biography engages the reader in good storytelling. A biography can be in the form of writing or film. A biography can also include the biographer’s own thoughts and feelings about their biographee.

Revise the W column in your KWHLAQ Chart. Now that you know more about the elements that make a biography. Add onto your list of research questions about your biographee. Where were they born? Are they still alive, if not when and where did they die? What nationality do they belong to? What was their childhood like? What do/did they do? What are they known for? Who were important people in their lives? What were significant events in their lives?

Try to come up with 3-5 more questions of your own. Ask for feedback from an adult about your questions. They may guide you to rewording some of your questions and/or adding some additional questions.

Research

Follow the research process to make a plan on what sources you will use, key terms to search and adjusting your searches. While you are taking research notes, also begin to create a timeline of your biographee’s life by adding significant life events as your research and learn more.

Significant life events include: birth date, place of birth, nationality, parents/caregivers, childhood experiences (pets, teachers) that were influential, moving places of residents, schools attended that were important to this person’s life, main relationships and details (how they met, how long the relationship lasted), friendships, partnerships, romantic, group associations (political parties, beliefs), interests, activities, when they started their path that led to their notability, when they got recognized for their notability such as accomplishments, wins, awards, notable appearances (news, articles, television, interviews); important speeches, awards, marriages, divorces, children of their own, etc. Include any quotes they are known for.

Organize your jot notes

Using your timeline, develop a story outline or story map for your biography. It’s about detailing events along a time period, usually in chronological order in a story to illustrate the attitudes, strengths and/or weakness, accomplishments, experiences, decisions of the biographee’s life. To illustrate the purpose of why you wish for others to learn about the biographee and include your opinions and views about parts of the biographee’s life while telling their life in a story.

Draft

Revision

Revise, noting at how the following suggestions can help you better create the story telling qualities of an effective biography. Once your revisions are done for content and structure, revise for punctuation, grammar, and spelling.

Include some literary devices

Consider some literary devices to include such as adverbs, comparative adjectives, idioms to communicate a mood for different time periods of your biographee’s life.

Use link words

You can also use link words to adjust and improve the flow of your story writing.

Verb tenses

If your biographical subject is still alive, make sure to write about them in the present tense. If you are referring to a period of time in their past, you can write in the past tense, but make sure you switch back to the present as you write about their current life circumstances, activities and achievements. If your biographical subject is deceased, you probably should write in the past tense when referring to your subject.

Comparative adjectives

We take certain adjectives and add endings like -er to turn the word fast into faster or fastest. With some words we have to drop their y endings and add -ier or -iest. For example, cuddly becomes cuddlier or cuddliest. We can also include using the comparative word “than.” The rabbit is faster than the turtle.

With some words we have to drop their y endings and add -ier or -iest. For example, cuddly becomes cuddlier or cuddliest.

Write your final draft.

As you are completing this stage, explore the words and styles you have chosen. This is called, creating your voice. Do you hear your voice in this piece? Where are you hearing it?

Publishing and polishing your final draft

Now that you have completed your final draft and are pleased with your written piece, it is time to publish your biography. Your published biography just might inspire your peers to find out more about your biographical subject or others who influenced your biographical person. Perhaps you wish to inquire about possibly submitting your polished biography to your local library or your school or school board to publish online.

Reflection

As you read through these descriptions, which sentence best describes how you are feeling about your understanding of this learning activity? Press the button that is beside this sentence.

Now, record your ideas using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.

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