McDonalds Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.

Teacher: Rachel Chadwick

Date: January 29, 2015

Title of Lesson: Exploring Nonfiction

Biography & Autobiography

Cooperating Teacher: Ms. Kristi Harts

Core Components
Subject, Content Area, or Topic
Reading and Responding to Literature
Student Population
22 students in each class;
4-5 gifted students in each
VBOs and SOLs
ELA3.6 The student will continue to read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts.
ELA3.6.4 Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning. ELA.3.6.6
Making predictions based on knowledge of literary forms, such as biography and
autobiography. ELA3.6.7 Ask and answer questions about what is read. ELA3.6.8 Draw
conclusions and make inferences based on text. ELA3.6.9 Summarize main points found in
nonfiction texts. ELA3.6.12 Compare and contrast the characteristics of biographies and
autobiographies; Understand that a biography is the story of a persons life; Understand that
autobiography is the story of a persons life narrated by the actual person. (SOL 3.6, 3.12)
Learning Objectives
TSW be able to:
Understand that a biography is the story of a persons life and an autobiography is the story
of a persons life narrated by the actual person.
Compare/contrast the characteristics of each.
Read and examine narrative text by determining the genre (auto/bio) and responding to
short comprehension questions.
Write with an audience in mind using details to convey meaning about biographical and
autobiographical genres; present these findings to the class.
Virginia Essential Knowledge and Skills
Students will:
Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning by recognizing similarities
between their own personal experience and the text.
Apply understanding of text structure to guide reading by making predictions based on
knowledge of literary forms, such as biography and autobiography.
Gain meaning before, during, and after reading by asking and answering questions to
clarify meaning.
Draw conclusions about what they have read.
Compare and contrast the characteristics of biographies and autobiographies.
Identify new information gained from reading.
VDOE Technology Standards
English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)
Materials/Resources
*Color cards to arrange students into groups
*Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How? task cards to be written on for each group of 4-5
students
*3 short biographies (Jackie Robinson, Helen Keller, Susan B. Anthony) and 2 short
McDonalds Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.

autobiographies (Martin Luther King Jr., George Washington) with a copy of each for the students
in each of the 5 groups. KWL chart (to be used on Promethean board)
Safety (if applicable)
Time
(min.)
5 min

Process Components

*Anticipatory Set
First, TTW get students into groups by passing around different colored cards.
Before any of this, explain expectations for behavior when they are walking around
passing these cards while the music plays. After allowing 1 minute for this
arrangement, TTW tell students to hold their card up, and after finding others who
have the same color as them, direct each color group to a certain table. Once they
are in their groups, say: I have a question for you today that I want you to discuss
with your group, but not until my thumb is up: What is the difference between
autobiography and biography? How do you know, when youre reading a passage,
if it is an auto/bio?
After walking around and listening to a few groups, use high five to bring students
back together and pull sticks to have 2 or 3 students share out. Provide further
inquiry by asking, What is the clue in the word biography that makes me think it is
two people? What about autobiography?
*State the Objectives (grade-level terms)
Today we will be learning about autobiographies and biographies. I want you to
think about what you already know, and throughout our lesson, be trying to answer
this question: how do you know the difference between an autobiography vs. a
biography?
5 min
*Instructional Input or Procedure
Use student responses as a lead-in to presenting an already-made anchor chart
that explains the characteristics of autobiography and biography. Reemphasize key
differences of each, saying I heard many of you already mention these
characteristics in our discussion, and now I want to give you some practice in
identifying this for yourself.
During
*Modeling
instructional TTW model the characteristics of autobiographies and autobiographies by using
input
the instructional input mentioned above, and leading students to being able to
identify the differences between both. TTW integrate specific examples of other
stories as a way for students to connect to the learning.
Throughout *Check for Understanding
lesson
TTW check for understanding throughout the lesson, primarily through the
students responses and how well they are able to comprehend the information by
applying what they learned while reading the text and completing the task cards.
10-15 min

*Guided/Independent Practice
Explain the directions for the activity and have one group at a time come up to
collect a task card and reading passage for each person. Every group will be given
a set of 5 task cards, and depending on the number of students in each group,
every student will be responsible for completing 1 of the 5 task cards after reading
a biographical/autobiographical passage about a famous person (they will have to
figure out whether it is auto/bio).
What are some interesting things about this person?
When was this person born? When did this person die? Tell what
happened.

McDonalds Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.

 Where is this person from? Where else has this person lived?
Why is this person well known?
How has this person made a difference?
In addition, each group will be responsible to collectively fill out a Genre card,
which has them identifying the who (person), and telling whether their passage is
an autobiography or biography by giving at least two reasons/examples. TTW will
walk around to monitor the students progress and guide any groups who need help
during this time.
8-10 min
Closure
After 10-15 minutes of students reading their auto/biographical passages and
working on task cards (use timer), TTW call students back together using high
five. Each group will have the opportunity to present their task cards to the class
about their person, but not reveal who it is until after the class guesses, based on
the information they share. They will also explain why their nonfiction passage was
an autobiography or biography, using evidence from the text and the knowledge
they learned. I think______ because I know______. The evidence that led me to
believe this is_______.
Throughout Assessment
lesson
The assessment will be done informally, and should be evidenced through the
students ability to grasp the genre of their groups passage, as well as explain why
through comprehending the differences between autobiography and biography and
applying it to the specific elements of the text read.
Differentiation Strategies (enrichment, accommodations, remediation, or by learning style).
Kinesthetic- TSW walk around the room to music while passing the colored cards. This is for the
purpose of forming them into groups and getting them moving & out of their seats.
Visual- TTW display an anchor chart with the characteristics of autobiography and biography listed.
Auditory- TSW participate in a discussion regarding the differences between both and will also
present their findings to the entire class.
Classroom Management Issues (optional)
*Use name sticks to call on students to share ideas.
*High five management technique to call students back together.
*Colored cards to arrange students into groups.
*Use timer to pace how long students are given to work on task cards.
Lesson Critique. To be completed following the lesson. Did your students meet the objective(s)? What part
of the lesson would you change? Why?

After completing this lesson, I feel that my students were successful in meeting the objective.
Many of them already had prior knowledge when it came to this type of nonfiction text, and were
able to easily connect with the learning and apply it to the activity. While sharing the nonfiction
passages with the entire class, each group succeeded in using evidence and prior knowledge to
explain whether their text was an autobiography or biography. The only part that I would change
about this lesson would be the timing and sequence of everything, in order to give students more
opportunity to share their findings with the class.
*Denotes Madeline Hunter lesson plan elements.

McDonalds Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.