Procedure
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- Discuss with students the definitions
of the interview, resume, and biography as literary
forms. Emphasize whose words are used in each,
as well as the intended purpose.
- Ask how the author of a biography approaches the writing
task differently than the author of a resume. Discuss
the need for research by a biographer.
- Direct students to read the interview
with Don Burnett, Genesis Lead Scientists
and Principal Investigator. Then
have them study his
resume. These may be printed
before class, or the students may view
them from the Web site.
- Assign students to write a short biography
(1-2 pages) on Burnett, based on the information
obtained
from both
the interview and the resume.
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| Alternate Activity |
- Ask students to write the resume they will have in 20 years.
- Direct them to hand their resume to a partner.
- After reading
over the resumes, partners will interview each other, still
20 years in the future.
- Finally students will write a short
biography of their partner's future self, drawing on information
in the resume and interview.
Assessment
After conducting this
activity as written, you could assess students' ability
to write short biographies by
letting them chose another Genesis staff member, and
reading his or her interview and resume.
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Curriculum
Connections
Language Arts Benchmarks Addressed
Grades 6-8
Benchmark
5 |
- Uses style and structure appropriate for
specific audiences (e.g., public, private)
and purposes (e.g., to entertain, to influence,
to inform).
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Benchmark
9 |
- Writes biographical sketches (e.g., illustrates
the subject's character using narrative and
descriptive strategies such as relevant dialogue,
specific action, physical description, background
description, and comparison or contrast to
other people; reveals the significance of the
subject to the writer, presents details in
a logical manner).
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Grades
9-12
Benchmark 5 |
- Writes compositions that are focused for
different audiences (e.g., includes explanations
and definitions according to the audience's
knowledge of the topic, adjust formality of
style, considers interests of potential readers).
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| Benchmark
8 |
- Writes fictional, biographical, autobiographical,
and observational narrative compositions (e.g.,
narrates a sequence of events; evaluates the
significance of the incident; provides a specific
setting for scenes and incidents; provides
supporting descriptive detail [specific names
for people, objects and places; visual details
of scenes, objects, and places; descriptions
of sounds, smells, specific actions, movements,
and gestures; the interior monologue or feelings
of the characters]; paces the actions to accommodate
time or mood changes).
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