The activity I selected from readwritethink.org is Amazing Biographies: Writing About People Who Change the World (Grades 3-8). After reading a book about “amazing” people and how they have changed the world, the students name people they consider to be “amazing” and talk about their traits and accomplishments. Next, students research via books and the internet. Students may use the interactive Biocube or Timeline to organize information about an important person they wish to research. Students will work together to compile a book of “amazing” people. This assignment lists the specific components which are to be included on each biographical page. On completion of the book, students may work cooperatively to compare and contrast various figures.
With my third graders, I recently assigned a similar project. They created a newspaper focused on a hero. I designed a rubric outlining my expectations. For each component, I recorded the maximum number of points which could be earned. According to parent feedback, students enjoyed working on the newspaper. They also appeared to enjoy sharing them with the class. This assignment allows for creativity and addresses various learning styles.
Holly Lawson