Biography Report to Research Any Historical Person

This Biography Report can be used for any historical person. It is great for a social studies biography unit or reading informational writing and research unit. It includes five different report options with a variety of pages.

This unit complements the Biography Reports Process I use as well as my QR Codes for Biography Research. The QR Codes are a great way for students to view kid-friendly websites and videos and gather information for their biography reports.

Students can use the activities and reports in this resource for a presentation or complete a genre study of biographies.  There are so many options and variations to choose from.

This resource is designed for second to fifth grades and can be differentiated by choosing specific graphic organizers and pages that meet the needs and levels of your students.  Teachers can also adjust the editable rubric and checklist to meet grade-appropriate expectations.

What is included in this Biography Resource? 

Included are graphic organizers for research, genre posters, full-page report pages, half-page report pages, trifold reports, lapbooks in two sizes, and construction paper people in two sizes.

Teacher notes, photos and examples of completed reports, a biographical person selection page, and an editable rubric and checklist are also included.

Here is a little bit about each of the main sections in this Biography Report Resource

Genre Posters

The genre posters come in black-and-white color versions and gender-specific versions.  

Research Graphic Organizers

This resource includes a variety of graphic organizers. All of them can be used for ANY historical person.  

Some graphic organizers are more encompassing, asking for many different pieces of information, and others are more generic, asking for “facts.”  

Also included are graphic organizers for character traits and timeline note-taking.  The character trait graphic organizer has two versions, one with more and one with fewer traits. 

Full-Page and Half-Page Biography Report Options

The main part of this resource is the full-page and half-page biography report pages.  The two sizes mimic each other can be used for the lap book and construction paper people below. 

The main components of the biography report pages are:

• Cover
• Table of Contents
• Scaffolded Report
• Person Portrait
• Early Life
• Education / Training
• Importance in History
• Facts
• Quote
• Timeline (in two formats)
• Major Events
• Death
• Personal Reflection
• Character Traits
• Books & Websites
• and more

Here are some photos of each set:

Full-Page Options

Here are examples of the full-page Biography Report options.

The full-page and half-page options provide plenty of room for writing and illustrating. 

Use specific pages for your classroom or help students choose specific pages that align with the information available for the person they are studying.

Here are the two timeline options.  Students can use the graphic organizer for the timeline to take notes on all the major events in a person’s life, then choose six or eight events to illustrate and write about for the final report. 

Or, for a shorter option,  use just four main events and a condensed version of the facts and quote pages seen above. 

Use a piece of construction paper for both sizes, fold it in half, and make a booklet, as seen below.

Half-Page Options

Here are many of the half-page options. One major difference is that they do not come with instructions on the page; instead, a full-page instruction sheet is provided.  

Students who need extra room can use multiple pages of a section.  For instance, to extend the timeline, use 2-3 pages for 4-8 events. 

Again, fold a piece of construction paper in half, staple it, and glue a cover on the front for a small booklet. 

Trifold Biography Report

One of my other favorite parts of this Biography Report is the trifold report. It contains all the major information but in a condensed format. 

This is great for students who can be overwhelmed with too much writing and too many moving parts.  

Lap Book Biography Report

Another favorite part of this resource is the lapbooks.  There are two lap books, a larger traditional size, and a smaller size.  These lapbooks can also easily be transformed into the construction paper people below. 

The components for the lap book can also be used for interactive notebooks,  as well. 

Small Lap Book

The small lapbook is created using a small piece of construction paper.  It has interactive notebook options and foldables designed for its size.  

The small size is great for younger students or those who struggle with too much information and pieces. 

While the half-page report options can be used for the small lapbook, there are also specially designed report pages.  They are similar to the half-page version but oriented in a landscape page format.

Large Lap Book

The large lapbook is a more traditional size.  The photos below show it with a piece of construction paper.  A file folder can also be used. 

Most of the foldables come in multiple versions so that you can choose what works best for your students or so that they can choose what will work for the person they are studying. 

The foldables mimic the full-page report options above but in a more condensed format. 

Students can place the full-page report in the middle of the lapbook.  I often use this as a place to include all the graphic organizers. 

Construction Paper Person in Two Sizes

This is another favorite option included with the Biography Report.  These construction paper people come out so cute!

I have include templates for different “heads” as well as the hands.  Instructions are provided for cutting the arms and legs.  

How to Purchase the Biography Report Resources

This Biography Report for ANY Person can be purchased on my website or on Teachers Pay Teachers.

QR Codes for Biography Research Reports can be purchased on my website or Teachers Pay Teachers.

Also available are QR Codes for Biographies for Women of History.

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Are you interested in some QR Codes to jump-start your students’ Biography Research? Click below for some FREE QR Codes for Martin Luther King Jr.