Biography of a Partner

http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec596/Project1/PartnerBio.html

Unit Authors

This unit was used by Christine Summers and Linda Logan and delivered to 7th & 8th graders at O'Farrell Community School in Family F last year. It was originally developed by Susan Weddle of Bell Junior High School.

Content Areas

This unit covers areas in humanities (language arts and social studies) and computers. It can also be applied to themes of personal growth which is covered in homebase, a class unique to O'Farrell.

Organizing Theme

The concept that binds this unit is that of biographies. Students learning about each other and acting as each other's biographer. In the process they learn about different cultures, use their writing skills, and use their creativity.

Implementation

This activity was covered in two classes, humanities and computers. It was implemented with a triad (75 students) and was taught over the course of two weeks.

Sample of biography handout

Biography of a Partner

Due Date:_______
During the next few weeks, you are going to work on a very special kind of paper: A biography about your partner. You will be telling the life story of your partner.
It is our hope that by doing this assignment you will have a chance to discover more about your friend's interests, needs, resentments and joys. In the process, you will come to realize just what a fascinating person your friend is.
What to Do?
Choose one of from each option.
  1. Interview: Make up 10 questions which will help the reader to get to know your partner. Include opinion and belief questions. Example questions might be: What are you proud of? Where did you spend the most wonderful day of your life? Why All the answers to these questions should be included in detail. Please, no questions with just "yes" or "no" answers.
  2. Write an editorial or letter to the editor. In which you write about a resentment, an appreciation, a need for change, or a gripe that your partner has. This should be about something in which they stronly believe.
  3. Make a crossword puzzle, word search, horoscope, or riddle that focuses on what you have learned about your partner.
  4. Include: Drawings, sketches, photographs, time lines, poems, and other creative ideas to enrich your project.

After you are finished, your work will be assembled onto a scrapbook page and help create a Family scrapbook.

Outline of Activities

Student Products

Students produced two short articles chronicling their partner's life. Together with pictures, a crossword puzzle, word search, horoscope or riddle they were creatively put together onto a scrapbook page.

Thinking Skills Engaged

This unit engaged the students in critical thinking , creative production, and interview skills.

Lessons Learned

After the lesson was over, Christine Summers felt that it was well worth the time and effort. The end product was something that the students and teachers could look back upon in the future. The only problem that occured was that some of the biographies were not up to par with other biographies. So while there were some biographies with pictures, long articles, and challenging word puzzles, others looked like they had just been put together at the last minute.

This description was written by Arlene Guerrero. Last updated on March 6, 1996.
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