Mrs. Rencher and Mr. Merritt’s 4th Grade
Biography Book Project
TRADING CARD (due on Monday, February 6)
Just like a sports-figure trading card, you will create a super-sized trading card for the biography subject using 8 ½x11 size paper. Use one piece of paper for the front side of the card and a separate piece of paper for the back side.
For the front side, you will draw a picture of your famous person or print a picture from the internet. Use markers, crayons, or colored pencils to enhance your drawing. You will also decorate the border with pictures or designs that relate to your famous person.
For the back side, you will neatly write or type facts and information about your famous person. Use the template provided to help plan the back of your card, but for your final draft, you will use another piece of paper following the basic format. You will write important facts or details in paragraph or bullet form, but be sure to write in complete sentences and an easy-to-read format. Think about trading cards that you have seen. How is the format unique and different from books? Try to make yours look like a real trading card!
Cut out the front and back and glue (with a glue stick) onto construction paper, so the card will be two sided when you are done. Remember I will copy these and make a book of everyone’s trading cards.
ORAL PRESENTATION
(My presentation will be on ________________________)
You will prepare a 2-3 minute speech about your person’s life written in the first person. In other words, you should talk as if you are really the famous person (“Hello, I am Martin Luther King, Jr.”). Your speech should cover important information about your famous person and what makes him/her an important part of history.
You speech needs to be written on index cards. Practice saying your speech several times so that you won’t have to rely on the index cards when you are performing for your audience. Practice saying the speech with personality and expression. You want your audience to “believe” you are that famous person. Remember, good speakers speak loudly and clearly, and they look up at their audience. Eye contact is important!
Guiding Questions for Oral Presentation
Here are some questions to help guide your presentations. You do not have to answer all of these questions, but they may help you plan out your speech.
1. When and where was he/she born? Describe his/her childhood and family.
2. Did he/she get married? If so, to whom did he/she marry and did he/she have any children? What was his/her family like?
3. What kind of education did he/she receive? Where or did he/she attend college?
4. Did they have to overcome any challenges or obstacles in his or her life?
5. Why is he/she famous? How did he/she become famous?
6. Who are his or her friends?
7. What are other interesting facts about the person and his/her life?
8. How did they affect or influence other people?
9. Who influenced them in their lives?
