Budding Biographers

The first week back at school was brief and below zero, but we excitedly began our new integrated unit on biographies. During read aloud students listened carefully for the elements that this special nonfiction genre contains.

Once we had created a through list of elements (i.e. challenges the person faced, accomplishments, education, told in third person, chronological structure, etc.) students then worked as biography detectives, reading  biography passages from a wonderful digital resource called Newsela and checking off the elements that they found.

This week the students will transfer what they learned as readers into their writing as they begin to interview each other and write autobiographies. Once this genre of writing is "in their bones" they will choose a famous Vermonter to research and write an informational report about.

Students will turn Mosaic into a live Wax Museum for the culminating project of this unit. The date will be in early February. Stay tuned for more information and a formal "ticket" to our exhibit.

Please remember that we head outside for fresh air and movement daily and students should come prepared with all of the winter gear they'll need to do so. They should also bring a pair of shoes to change into as winter boots are chilly on the feet and they salt they collect can damage our lovely new carpets.

Stay warm!

Liz and Jess