Biopoem Book

Presented by: Meredith Weil

Subject Area(s):

K-12: Language Arts

Grade Level(s):

3rd-4th Grade

Description:

This collaborative lesson centered on biography addresses language arts, technological literacy, and information literacy standards. This lesson covers multiple intelligences, and is excellent for linguistic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal learners. It also encourages collaborative learning by its cooperative format. In this lesson students get a review of what they have learned in the past about genres and biography, and discuss biography in greater depth. They interview a classmate and create a biopoem about that person. The poems will be laminated and bound to create a book of all of the class’s biopoems.

Goals & Objectives:

SWBAT contribute to class discussion by recalling at least five different genres, and describing each.
SWBAT correctly locate poetry and biography in the library, and provide their call numbers when called upon in class.
SWBAT to use the auto-biographical brainstorming web to recall information about themselves, and to consider some of the interview questions in advance.
SWBAT interview another student, using the interview questionnaire, identify when more details are needed, and interpret the interview to choose three adjectives that describe their subject.
SWBAT cooperate as the subject of the biographical interview and formulate their answers based on their memories and their brainstorming web.
SWBAT create a biopoem using the format provided, revise their own work, and compose a product that fits the requirements and is free of errors.

Materials:

Autobiographical Brainstorming Web
Biographical Interview worksheet
Blank Biopoem worksheet
List of Descriptive Adjectives
Blank lined paper
Amelia And Eleanor Go For A Ride by Pam Munoz Ryan
A simple biography about Amelia Earhart
White Board & Markers
Laptop Computers
Dictionaries & Thesauruses
Student Checklist

Works Cited

"Adjective List." KeepandShare.com. 2008. 20 Feb. 2008 <http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=12894&gs=y>.

 Harrington, LaDawna, and Harrison Jennifer. "Celebrate Women! Celebrate Poetry!" NJASL. Ocean Place Resort. 14 Nov. 2007.

 Munoz Ryan, Pam. Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride. New York: Scholastic, 1999.

Procedures:

Day 1

LMS will give a brief description of the lesson.
LMS will explain that the class will be doing a multi-genre project and will ask the students to define genre, give examples.
LMS will write them on a white board as they are suggested, and provide hints, if needed, to think of all types.
LMS will quickly review the types of poetry the students are familiar with and then explain what a biopoem is.
Students will be asked to show the class where both biography and poetry can be found in the library. LMS will ask students where they think the finished book of biopoems will be filed in the library. LMS will explain that because the book will be a book of poetry even though they are biographical it will be filed under poetry.
LMS will introduce biography and ask students what a biography is, and then what would be included in a biography. LMS will write students’ ideas on white board.
LMS will discuss auto biography, group biography, and the difference between an authorized and unauthorized biography.
LMS will use the books Amelia And Eleanor Go For A Ride and a biography of Amelia Earhart to discuss the difference between a fictionalized account of a real person’s life (or event in their life) and a biography.
LMS & CT will distribute the auto-biographical brainstorming web; LMS will explain to the students that this is a chance for them to think about some of the information they will be asked when they are interviewed.
Students will work quietly on their own using their graphic organizers to reflect on themselves, and their lives to complete the auto-biographical web

Day 2

LMS will assign half of the students a partner to interview; the students who are being interviewed will be assigned a partner to interview when they are done with their interview.
LMS introduces the interview worksheet and the LMS and CT model being the interviewer and the interviewee. LMS stresses the importance of asking for details in interviews (who, what where, when why & how).
Student will have 25 minutes to conduct the first set of interviews.
LMS & CT will move around the room overseeing the interviews and helping if necessary.
After 20 minute the LMS will give the students a 5 minute warning to finish up their interviews.
After 25 minutes students will switch partners (LMS will assign) and have 25 minutes for the second set of interviews.

Day 3

LMS will hand out the blank biopoem worksheet and explain to the students that they need to read over their interview and think about the person before they compose their poem. Some of the information for the biopoem can be taken directly from the interview questions, but some information needs to be interpreted from the interview. LMS will provide students with a list of adjectives to help make their biopoems more descriptive.
Students will complete the biopoem worksheet; LMS & CT will assist as needed.
Student will then write out their biopoem on lined paper using proper spelling. Students are encouraged to use dictionaries if needed, and thesauruses to make their poem more interesting.
Students will self edit their work before turning in the written copy.
LMS will edit the poems after they are written out and then return the edited version to the students.

In Classroom

Students will type and use clip art to illustrate their poems on a laptop.They will print a final copy and both the author and the person who the biography is about need to sign the back giving their ok to the final product. LMS will laminate and bind them into a book when they are all complete.

Assessment:

Student are assesed based on a checklist, teacher observation, and the completion of the organizers used.

Supporting Files:

BLANK_BIOPOEM_ORGANIZER.doc
Blank format for biopoem
brainstorming_Web.doc
Auto-biographical brainstorming web
Biopoem_Project_Checklist.doc
Biopoem Project Checklist
A_BIOGRAPHICAL_INTERVIEW.doc
Interview workheet