BiographyGrade 4 2013-2014

Characteristics of a Biography

• A story about a real person written by someone else

Characteristics of a Biography

• Shows that the author knows a lot about the person

• The author has done extensive research on the subject (the topic of the biography) by conducting personal interviews, reading books and other materials about the subject

Characteristics of a Biography

• Describes the person’s environment such as, where, when and how he or she lived

Characteristics of a Biography

• Provides details that show the person in action such as his or her accomplishments, goals, behavior

Characteristics of a Biography

• Shows how the person affects other people such as changes that he or she made in other people’s lives (examples: new discoveries in science, medicine, changes in laws and helping people)

Characteristics of a Biography

• States or implies how the writer feels about the person

• Different authors will or may have a different view point of the person

• The author’s point of view could be positive or negative

Different types of Biographies

• First-hand biography• Collective Biography• Unauthorized Biography• Autobiography

First-Hand Biography

• Reveals another person though the eyes of a writer who has had an ongoing, face-to-face, personal relationship with the person

Collective Biography

• Has many different biographies that are all contained in one book

• Also known as a compilation of biographies

Unauthorized Biography• Biography about a person that was not

approved by the subject that the book is about

• These are usually about celebrities. • Purpose is to entertain

Autobiography• The main character is the author• For example, if you were to write your own

biography, then that would be an autobiography

Autobiography

• Recounts key incidents/events in the author’s life

Autobiography

• Describes major influences (people, events, places) on the writer

A teacher HomeA Speech

Autobiography

• Describes interactions between the writer and significant people in his or her life

A teacher A pastor A father A mother

Biography or Autobiography?

Read the statements. Decide whether it came from a biography or an autobiography.

1. She was born in July 1965 in England.

2. I had a happy childhood. My parents always brought me to the most fantastic places.

3. This famous painter had a sad life.