Summary
A biography is the story of someone’s life--but it’s a lot more than just a list of events, dates, and times. In this movie, Tim and Moby explain the elements that make biographies compelling works of literature, and go over the steps you can take to write a biography of your own! You’ll learn about different types of biographies, from thick, scholarly books to hit movies and TV shows. You’ll hear about the differences between primary and secondary sources, and gain helpful tips about how you can conduct your research. You’ll discover how recognizing patterns in a subject’s life can help you craft a compelling narrative, and why you should skip over some portions of a subject’s story while emphasizing others. Whether you want to write about a long-dead statesman, or a popular contemporary athlete, BrainPOP’s biography movie will give you the tools to make it happen!
Viewer safety
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
A few questions to talk through after watching Biography:
- What is one new thing you learned about biography?
- Can you explain it to a partner in your own words?
- Where might you see this in the real world?
- What is one question you still have?
Quick work-a-long
Try it:
- Write one sentence explaining biography.
- Draw or give one example of your own.