Book Club Project

Book Club Project

Biography (Part 1)

You are going to need to read a biography for this project. If you have not chosen a book from the Red Oak Library or our classroom library, please select one on your own. This project will be broken into two parts.

Part 1

·  As you read the biography, take dash notes listing facts about the person’s life. It is important that you follow the format that was reviewed in class. You must finish your book and these notes for teacher approval by Thursday, Feb. 5th. The notes will be collected on the final due date to contribute towards the final grade.

Part 2

·  In the computer lab you will research the person’s life online (an outline template worksheet will be given to you). If you are unable to complete your online research in the lab, you will need to complete your research at home. This worksheet will also be collected on the final due date stapled to your dash notes.

·  When you return from Winter Break, the details of the written report and oral presentation will be given to you on Wednesday, Jan 28th.

Book Club Project

Biography (Part 2)

This report is designed to provide students with a positive public speaking experience. After reading and researching a famous person, the student will write a speech either in first-person (pretending to be that person) or in third-person about the facts of the person’s life. Students can then “teach” each other history by sharing their knowledge. Students enjoy teaching others and gain confidence with their public speaking abilities.

1.  Students will use personal dash notes and computer lab research (outline form) to write a short speech about their person.

2.  Students will practice their speech so that it can be presented fluidly (memorization not required, but is encouraged).

3.  Students will deliver their speech to the class (graded by teacher at that time).

Sample Speech-Ben Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706, in Boston, Massachusetts and was the 15th of 17 children. By the age of 12, he was an apprentice to his older brother James, who already was a successful printer. Benjamin was a quick learner and a hard worker. Tired of his demanding, difficult brother and anxious to escape Puritan Boston, Ben left home at the age of 17. When he arrived in Philadelphia, he found work easily because of his ability as a printer. By the age of 22, he owned his own print shop. Two of his more famous publications were his newspaper, the Pennsylvania Gazette, and Poor Richard’s Almanac. Benjamin Franklin helped to improve the quality of life in Philadelphia. He started the first public library, where people could borrow books for a small fee. The fees were used to buy more books for the library. He also started the first fire department. The Union Fire Company was the world's first volunteer fire department. He worked to get paved roads and street lights so the city would be cleaner, safer, and more impressive. Benjamin Franklin also was a scientist and an inventor. He wanted to prove that lightning was naturally occurring electricity, so he designed pointed rods to use as a path for the electricity to follow to the ground. Ben proposed the idea of Daylight Savings Time to increase the number of daylight hours during the summer months when outside farm work could be accomplished. Other inventions by Franklin were the bifocals and the Franklin stove. The Franklin Institute, a science and math learning center, was founded to honor the curiosity and creative thinking of Benjamin Franklin. As a statesman, Benjamin Franklin helped to design the new representative government of the United States. He served as the representative from Pennsylvania on the Second Continental Congress and was a member of the committee that wrote the Declaration of Independence. He also represented Pennsylvania at the Constitutional Convention and signed the Constitution, creating the United States of America. Despite all his contributions to his country, Benjamin Franklin considered himself to be just a common man. He died on April 17, 1790.

Book Club Project Biography

2nd-Source Online Outline Form

Name of Historical Person______

Resources (Website) ______

I.  Introduction

Who was the famous person and where was he/she from?

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II. Body

What did this person do? Why are they important?

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List two unique facts that weren’t shared in your book.

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What are three major events that influenced this person’s life?

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III.  Conclusion

What happened to this person?

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Name:

Book Club Project: Biography

Grading Rubric

Person: ______