Curated OER
African-American Autobiography for the Middle School Student
Students are introduced to the characteristics of an autobiography. For each author, they research their life and works and discuss why it reflects different time periods of African-Americans. In groups, they brainstorm characteristics...
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Autobiography and Interviews
Students prepare for a visit to a retirement home using a personal time-line. In this personal time-line lesson, students ask their family members for help in making the time-line. They write an autobiography that will be used in a...
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The Autobiography of . . . Me
Students examine the accomplishments of African Americans. After being introduced to the characteristics of an autobiography, they create a timeline of their lives. They use those events to write their own autobiography to share with...
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Magic, Sass, and Rage
Students are introduced to the characteristics of autobiographies. In groups, they read Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" and develop their own rules for survival in the classroom. They bring in family photos in an...
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My Autobiography Activity
Second graders tell others about themselves. In this autobiography lesson, 2nd graders respond to questions about themselves and then create pictures that reveal their personalities.
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Creative Autobiography
Students brainstorm and outline ideas for their autobiography. They begin composition of it as well. Students create a timeline of important events to help them get started and discuss the elements of a what makes a good story.
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Biography/Autobiography Book Report
In this book report worksheet, students select a biography or autobiography to read and then use the activities on the worksheet to complete a book report.
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"Night": A Study in Compassion and Courage
Students read the novel, "Night" by Elie Wiesel. Using excerpts from the novel, they complete a performance and literary technique objective. In groups, they finish handouts to give them more information on the Holocaust. They compare...
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Persona in Autobiography
A talkative old man? A naïve believer in Human Perfectibility? A Sage? Who is this guy, anyway? The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin launches a study of the way Franklin uses structure, style, and purpose, as well as different...
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Memoir Writing Based on Jerry Spinelli's Milkweed
Using chapter 1 of Jerry Spinelli's Milkweed, middle schoolers write a personal memoir based on Spinelli's style and a Six Trait writing activity. The lesson suggests several ways to activate prior knowledge, including a picture book and...
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All About Me!
Reinforce punctuation skills as well as printing skills with a kindergarten autobiography worksheet. Youngsters write their information, including their name, address, and age, and draw a picture of themselves and the place where they...
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A Great Beginning
Check out this detailed resource for some beginning of the year activities. After examining examples, class members uses the computer lab to create a personal brochure enhanced with clip art or photos to introduce themselves to the...
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A Year in Review: The Memoir
If you are planning a unit on memoir and autobiographical narrative, you should consider this resource. Using Internet research skills, pupils review works by James Frey and Henry David Thoreau. In response to these works, learners...
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The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Examine the life of Arthur Miller and the characters in one of his well-known plays, The Crucible. The first few slides give background information on Miller as well as Senator McCarthy and the blacklisted celebrities during the...
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Discovering Me
Read selections from recommended autobiographies, poetry and short stories. Interview family members to collect material useful for constructing a family tree or other types of family history.
Curated OER
What Qualities Does a Hero Have?
Study the characteristics of real-life heroes in your history or language arts lesson. After reading about the soldiers of World War I, kids write autobiographies from their future elderly selves, and reflect on their acts of heroism yet...
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Brainstorming Time
Young scholars brainstorm a list of possible topics for their essay. As a class, they review the characteristics of anecdotal writing and the form they take in newspapers or autobiographies. To end the lesson, they decide on their...
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Poet Naomi Shihab Nye
Students read and analyze poetry by Naomi Shihab Nye. They define stereotypes, view and discuss a video interview with Nye, present an oral reading of a poem, and write a persuasive letter to an author.
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Jacob Lawrence's Freedom Trail
Young scholars read excerpts of autobiographies from Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman. After listening to excerpts of an oral reading of Frederick Douglass' book, they discuss the ways African Americans were treated on plantations....
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Language Arts: Biography and Autobiography
Learners examine autobiographies and biographies through a series of reading and writing exercises. By writing journals during this semester-long course, they improve writing skills and discover their own voice. Among other activities,...
National Endowment for the Humanities
From Courage to Freedom: Frederick Douglass's 1845 Autobiography
Students study slavery from the perspctive of an American slave. In this Frederick Douglass lesson, students complete the suggested pre-reading and post-reading activities included for Douglass's autobiography, Narrative of the Life of...
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Tennessee Williams: Exploring the American Dream
High schoolers read and analyze selections of Tennessee Williams' work. They write journal responses, conduct Internet research, perform various scenes from one of Williams' dramas, and create a presentation.
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Leonardo da Vinci
Students examine the life of artist Leonardo da Vinci. They tour his birthplace via a virtual tour. They explore his many different paintings and sculptures. They discover his personal history and discuss his most famous painting, The...
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Evaluating Nonfiction Texts
Students evaluate nonfiction text. In this evaluating nonfiction lesson students read two pieces of nonfiction text and respond with a short free-writing piece. Students discuss the content and focus on the accuracy.