Our trimester project is based on a nonfiction biography study of a famous person. Students have researched a subject person of their choosing and organized that information into a lapbook that will be completed in class. If students are unable to complete the lapbook in class, they will need to complete the project at home. The students will use the information from their chapter books and their lapbook to create a presentation for the class. Along with this presentation the students will also turn a water bottle into a “bottle buddy” that accurately resembles their biography subject. THIS PROJECT WILL BE DUE ON NOVEMBER 5, 2018. Presentations will also be this week!
Bottle Buddy Bottle buddies are made from basic plastic water bottles, emptied out and cleaned. Please note that sand, small beads or rocks on the bottom of the bottle will help them stand up since they fall over easily. Please make sure the bottles are completely dry before using them because I have had bottles grow mold inside them in the past. The bottles should be decorated to look like your child’s biography person. Bottles must be completely covered and decorated with items that the biography person used during their lifetime. (For example a small kite with Benjamin Franklin or a small model light bulb with Thomas Edison). The bottle should be recognizable.
Here are some suggested items you may want to use to help you: water bottles, Styrofoam ball (for head), scissors, glue, felt, paint, yarn, cloth, construction paper etc.
I usually buy Styrofoam balls in bulk for the heads since they are rarely sold individually. I ask students to bring in $1.50 to cover the cost of the Styrofoam ball if they would like one. This is voluntary and up to each individual student.
To see some examples of past student work please visit the webpage at http://mrsnunez.weebly.com/social-studies.html
Presentation Component
Students can use the chart on the back of this page to choose their preferred method to present their biographies. My hope is that this project enables your child to find a fun and engaging way to share their knowledge with their peers. If your child wants to “think outside the box” and come up with another innovative way to share their knowledge, please let me know. The choices on the chart below are based on Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences. Stated simply, your child may have a preferred “intelligence” in one of 8 areas.
1. Verbal linguistic- loving to read, write and tell stories.
2. Math/Logical- strong problem-solving and reasoning skills.
3. Spatial- the ability to create visual-spatial representations (a builder or creator).
4. Musical- have a sensitivity to rhythm and sound.
5. Kinesthetic (body)- gravitate towards athletics and tactile learning.
6. Interpersonal- love cooperative group situations and are skilled at communicating.
7. Intrapersonal- understand one’s emotions, goals and motivation.
8. Naturalist- students who love all things nature (plants & animals).
I tried my best to develop a project that would be conducive across the various multiple intelligences listed above in order to appeal to the different types of intelligences in the classroom. Your child needs to pick only one of the methods listed to present their information.
Just be creative and have fun!
Biography Presentation Ideas- Choose one of the boxes below or come up with a different idea!
1. Choose a major event in your biography person’s life. Choose another person in the class and role play that event using props and dialogue.
Bodily/Kinesthetic
2. Use your computer to summarize your person’s life on your computer at home. Type out your own article and print enough copies for the class. You can include a quiz or worksheet to go with it.
Verbal/linguistic
3. Create a poster board or comic strip that highlights 3 important life events of your biography person. Make sure the pictures are labeled and detailed with facts or dialogue.
Visual/Spatial
4. Design a campaign ad for your biography person and present the campaign as a commercial. Try to convince others what a great person you researched.
Interpersonal
5. Create song lyrics to a music track to tell about your person. Make copies of the lyrics and teach the class your song.
Musical/rhythmic
6. Create a shoebox diorama of a specific setting or location in your biography person’s life. Be sure to include real items from outside. Make sure you create a presentation that explains why this setting was important.
Naturalist
7. Write a letter to your biography person. Make sure to summarize the person’s life. Also be sure to include any questions you would have asked that person if you could send them the letter. Include enough copies to share with the class.
Intrapersonal
8. Make a visual time-line sequencing 10 important events that happened to your biography person. Make sure to add details so others can learn as much about your person as possible. The timeline can be on poster board or digitally on the computer.
Logical/mathematical
9. Create a 3-5 minute video of an event in your biography person’s life. Record the video and bring it in to show the rest of the class.
Multiple intelligences
The chart above has some examples of ways your child can present their biography projects that are categorized based on multiple intelligences. Students can be as creative as they like and present their information in another way if they wish. Here is a list of some additional ways students have presented in the past:
Bottle Buddy Bottle buddies are made from basic plastic water bottles, emptied out and cleaned. Please note that sand, small beads or rocks on the bottom of the bottle will help them stand up since they fall over easily. Please make sure the bottles are completely dry before using them because I have had bottles grow mold inside them in the past. The bottles should be decorated to look like your child’s biography person. Bottles must be completely covered and decorated with items that the biography person used during their lifetime. (For example a small kite with Benjamin Franklin or a small model light bulb with Thomas Edison). The bottle should be recognizable.
Here are some suggested items you may want to use to help you: water bottles, Styrofoam ball (for head), scissors, glue, felt, paint, yarn, cloth, construction paper etc.
I usually buy Styrofoam balls in bulk for the heads since they are rarely sold individually. I ask students to bring in $1.50 to cover the cost of the Styrofoam ball if they would like one. This is voluntary and up to each individual student.
To see some examples of past student work please visit the webpage at http://mrsnunez.weebly.com/social-studies.html
Presentation Component
Students can use the chart on the back of this page to choose their preferred method to present their biographies. My hope is that this project enables your child to find a fun and engaging way to share their knowledge with their peers. If your child wants to “think outside the box” and come up with another innovative way to share their knowledge, please let me know. The choices on the chart below are based on Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences. Stated simply, your child may have a preferred “intelligence” in one of 8 areas.
1. Verbal linguistic- loving to read, write and tell stories.
2. Math/Logical- strong problem-solving and reasoning skills.
3. Spatial- the ability to create visual-spatial representations (a builder or creator).
4. Musical- have a sensitivity to rhythm and sound.
5. Kinesthetic (body)- gravitate towards athletics and tactile learning.
6. Interpersonal- love cooperative group situations and are skilled at communicating.
7. Intrapersonal- understand one’s emotions, goals and motivation.
8. Naturalist- students who love all things nature (plants & animals).
I tried my best to develop a project that would be conducive across the various multiple intelligences listed above in order to appeal to the different types of intelligences in the classroom. Your child needs to pick only one of the methods listed to present their information.
Just be creative and have fun!
Biography Presentation Ideas- Choose one of the boxes below or come up with a different idea!
1. Choose a major event in your biography person’s life. Choose another person in the class and role play that event using props and dialogue.
Bodily/Kinesthetic
2. Use your computer to summarize your person’s life on your computer at home. Type out your own article and print enough copies for the class. You can include a quiz or worksheet to go with it.
Verbal/linguistic
3. Create a poster board or comic strip that highlights 3 important life events of your biography person. Make sure the pictures are labeled and detailed with facts or dialogue.
Visual/Spatial
4. Design a campaign ad for your biography person and present the campaign as a commercial. Try to convince others what a great person you researched.
Interpersonal
5. Create song lyrics to a music track to tell about your person. Make copies of the lyrics and teach the class your song.
Musical/rhythmic
6. Create a shoebox diorama of a specific setting or location in your biography person’s life. Be sure to include real items from outside. Make sure you create a presentation that explains why this setting was important.
Naturalist
7. Write a letter to your biography person. Make sure to summarize the person’s life. Also be sure to include any questions you would have asked that person if you could send them the letter. Include enough copies to share with the class.
Intrapersonal
8. Make a visual time-line sequencing 10 important events that happened to your biography person. Make sure to add details so others can learn as much about your person as possible. The timeline can be on poster board or digitally on the computer.
Logical/mathematical
9. Create a 3-5 minute video of an event in your biography person’s life. Record the video and bring it in to show the rest of the class.
Multiple intelligences
The chart above has some examples of ways your child can present their biography projects that are categorized based on multiple intelligences. Students can be as creative as they like and present their information in another way if they wish. Here is a list of some additional ways students have presented in the past:
- Dressed up as the biography person and delivered a speech.
- Created a newspaper article or graphics brochure on the computer about their person.
- Wrote a fictional narrative story from the point of view of the person and shared with the class.
- Created a collage of the person’s inventions, books etc.
- Created a presentation and a crossword puzzle activity.
- Worked with a friend to perform a pretend interview with the person.
- Created a mobile of major life accomplishments.