Biography Genre

Objective: Explain the author's purpose and message within a text

Question: How will I know if my non-fiction text is a biography?

Genre Study – Literary Non-Fiction

In this unit, we will be reading and learning about the genre of Literary Non-Fiction. Literary Non-Fiction texts can be written in a narrative/non-fiction structure that contains facts about a person’s life.

Some examples of Literary Non-Fiction are:

biographies

autobiographies

and memoirs.

What makes a text a Biography?

• It must be told in third person point of view (told by another person) may include their point of view

• Is usually told in chronological order

• Includes facts and details of a person's life?

• It includes literary language to spice up things.

  (four corners)

Biography

• Tells the story of a real person's life

• Written by someone else( another person)

• Be in chronological order

• May share lesson learned

• The person may give their opinion

QSSSA

Q: How will I know if my non-fiction test is a Biography?

S: " I will know my non-fiction text is a biography because."

S: Place your hand on your head

S: Partner A will speak first then partner B will speak

A: Assess

Multiple Choice

A biography is when another person writes about the events in someone else's life.

• True

• False

Drag and Drop

Biographies are classified in what genre​

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

nonfiction

Fiction

Poetry

Literary Fiction

Novel

Multiple Select

What is the author's purpose of a biography?

• To inform

• To persuade

• To entertain

• To describe

Drag and Drop

Biographies are typically about ​

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

another person

yourself

somebody famous

an event

Multiple Choice

An author will likely include their point of view in a biography.

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

The 5 W's (who, what, where, when, why) could help you in writing a biography because...

• they would give you details about the person's life

• they would tell you what the person's interests are

• they would help you understand get to know the person

• all of the above

Week 1:

We will focus on biography. A biography is written by someone else and tells us a story of a real person's life.

A biography doesn’t only include the events of a person’s life but also how this person changed the time in which they lived and the accomplishments they made.

Elements of Text: Author's Purpose

​Author Purpose

​Author Purpose

​White board challenge

​Let's look at our read aloud, Cesar Chavez:

The Farm Workers' Friend

and identify the author's purpose for writing the text.

Inform- to provide with information and give you facts.

Entertain- make you laugh and enjoy the story.

​Discuss with your partner how you think young Cesar felt in first grade.

Multiple Choice

What is the most likely reason the author include page 6 in the text?

• To tell the reader about how immigrants families lived.

• To convince the reader to help immigrant families to have a better live?.

• To entertain the reader with a story on immigrant families.

• To inform the reader of the injustice faced by immigrant families.

​The Chavez Family

Multiple Choice

Based on the passage from the story how would you describe the Chavez Family?

• As a family, they refused to work. They were loafers.

• They partied all the time and did not take life serious.

• They worked hard and were brave during tough times.

• They caused problem for the other famers.

Open Ended

What evidence from the story justifies your answer?

Multiple Choice

Hellen Keller was born in 1880 and died in 1968. Despite being deaf and blind, Keller was a political activist, a lecturer, an author, and a tireless advocate for those with disabilities.

• Entertain

• Explain

• Inform

• Describe

Multiple Choice

Do you carpool to school? Do you take a bus? It should be a requirement for everyone to either share a ride or walk to school every day. If we are serious about saving the planet, we must take steps to conserve energy and reduce fossil fuel emissions.

• Persuade

• Inform

• Entertain

• Explain

Multiple Choice

James woke up with a start. He knew there was something he wanted to remember. He rubbed his eyes and looked around his room. Suddenly, it occurred to him: today was his birthday! “Mom! Mom!” he called out. “It’s today!” His mother opened his door slowly. “Look out the window, James.” James leapt out of bed and ran to the window. There in the driveway was the most beautiful unicorn he had ever seen. “She’s all yours, James,” his mother said.
The author most likely wrote this selection to - 

• Explain how to get your very own unicorn. 

• Inform the reader about the best birthday ever.

• Entertain with a story about a boy's birthday present. 

• Describe what the birthday party looked like. 

What makes a text a Biography?

• It must be told in third person point of view (told by another person) may include their point of view

• Is usually told in chronological order

• Includes facts and details of a person's life?

• It includes literary language to spice up things.

  (four corners)

​Author Purpose

Exit ticket

How do you know if a non-fiction text is a biography?

(Write your answer on a sticky note)