Free Third Grade Library Lesson – Biography Research Project
This free third grade library lesson for a biography research project is included in my Full Year Library Curriculum. Research projects DO NOT have to be painful and I break it all down for you. Divide the project into three classes: introduction, note taking, and final project.
Library Skill: Research – Biography
Number of Classes: 3
Class 1
Learning Target: I can choose my topic.
1.Anticipatory Set – Show the photo of Barack Obama. Ask who he is and what students know about him.
2.Mini Lesson and Read Aloud –
1.Introduce biography – a true story about a person’s life. Explain that they can have photos or illustrations like a picture book. Biographies are full of facts.
2.Read The Oldest Student by Rita Lorraine Hubbard, illustrated by Oge Mora.
3.Activity:
1.Have students brainstorm a list of people they want to learn more about. You set the guidelines – no YouTubers, must be famous, must be dead, etc. You can have students explore the website they will use to find examples of people. You can also give biography books for students to explore different people and pick one.
2.Give students scrap papers and have them write down three to five choices of people so you can approve them. Walk around as they write and veto any that do not follow your guidelines. You can also do this as a Google Form or other tech option.
4.Closure: What kind of book did we read today?
Class 2
Learning Target: I can write facts from a website.
1.Anticipatory Set – Show a photo of Simone Biles. Ask who she is and what students know about her. If they don’t know anything, have them predict based on the photo.
2.Mini Lesson and Read Aloud
1.Review biography.
2.Read Whoosh! by Chris Barton, illustrated by Don Tate.
3.Model how to take notes from the chosen website or model how to find a website via Google and write the source. Model how to write only the important words.
4.Activity:
1.Have students take notes today.
3.Closure: What kind of book did we read today?
Class 3
Learning Target: I can write facts from a website.
1.Anticipatory Set – Show a photo of Mae Jemison. Ask who she is and what students know about her. If they don’t know anything, have them predict based on the photo.
2.Mini Lesson and Read Aloud :
1.Review biography.
2.Ask students if they think the book is fiction or nonfiction.
3.Read The Girl Who Thought in Pictures by Julia Finley Mosca, illustrated by Daniel Rieley.
3.Activity:
1.Have students create a WHO AM I poster with facts.
4.Closure: What kind of book did we read today?