ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PART OF THIS BOOK MAY BE REPRODUCED OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, ELECTRONIC OR MECHANICAL, INCLUDING PHOTOCOPYING, RECORDING OR BY INFORMATION STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS, WITHOUT PERMISSION IN WRITING FROM MCGRAW HILL.
Adapted from
Reading Wonders Reading/Writing Companion Grade 5 Units 3 and 4
Original ISBN: 978-0-07-901837-3
Original MHID: 0-07-901837-8
Reading Wonders Reading/Writing Companion Grade 5 Units 5 and 6
Original ISBN: 978-0-07-901841-0
Original MHID: 0-07-901841-6
Send all inquiries to:
McGraw-Hill Education
1 International Business Park #01-15A The Synergy, Singapore 609917
When ordering this title, please use ISBN: 978-981-3319-74-5
Cover: Nathan Love, Erwin Madrid
STUDY 2 DRAMA
GENRE STUDY 3 EXPOSITORY TEXT
(t) David J. Green/Alamy;
(b)
John A. Karachewski
GENRE STUDY 2 HISTORICAL FICTION
GENRE STUDY 3 REALISTIC FICTION
GENRE STUDY 2 EXPOSITORY TEXT
GENRE STUDY 3 REALISTIC FICTION
Marcello Baez
Key Concept Take Action
Essential Question
What can people do to bring about a positive change?
COLLABORATE
Society is made up of the citizens, or people, in a community or country. Throughout history, outspoken citizens have challenged laws they believed to be unfair. For example, at one time, women in the United States could not vote in elections. They wanted to change this.
Look at the photograph. What actions are the women taking? Turn to your partner and discuss what you think the women want to change. Write what people in society do to make positive changes in the web.
Make Changes
VOCABULARY
anticipation n. a feeling of nervous excitement for something to happen
We waited with anticipation to hear who won the contest.
When do you feel anticipation ?
captivated v. held attention by being interesting or attractive
The magician’s tricks captivated his audience. What television show or movie has captivated you?
dared v. had enough courage to do something even though bad results could occur
I can’t believe he dared to ride his skateboard down that huge flight of stairs.
What scary thing have you dared to do?
defy v. refuse to follow orders or laws
You should not defy any school rules.
What kind of rule do you think is acceptable to defy ?
devoured v. read or looked at with great interest and enthusiasm; ate all of quickly
Within one day, she devoured all the books she borrowed from the library. Have you ever devoured a book? What kind of book was it?
entitled v. given the right to have or do something
Everyone is entitled to live without fear.
What are you entitled to have as a student?
fugitive n. a person running away from someone or something and trying not to get caught
The fugitive escaped to another country to start a new life.
Where might a fugitive hide in your neighborhood?
horrors n. terrible or scary things
The horrors of the war shocked the world. What horrors do people face during a war?
VOCABULARY
neutral adj. not taking sides in a disagreement or competition
I’m neutral because I don’t know who is right and who is wrong. Do you stay neutral when your friends are fighting about something?
outspoken adj. saying what you think, even if it upsets people
Joe is quite outspoken, so he often gets into trouble with his boss. When is it good to be outspoken ?
purpose n. the reason for something
The purpose of this lesson is to learn about renewable energy. What is the purpose of going to school?
reserved v. saved for later or for a special purpose
We’ve reserved some food for people coming late.
Have you reserved any time to help your parents with chores this week?
sought v. looked for
He sought a rare monster card to complete his collection. What have you sought recently? Did you find it?
unequal adj. treated differently in a way that seems unfair
The older kids and younger kids are treated in an unequal way. How would you react if you were given unequal treatment?
youth n. the time when you are young and not an adult yet
She spent her youth in Africa, where her father worked.
What is the best thing about being in your youth ?
COLLABORATE
Your Turn Pick three words. Write three questions for your partner to answer.
SHARED READ
TAKE NOTES
Asking questions about a text and then looking for answers helps you gain information. Before you read, look at the headings. Write a question about the selection here.
As you read, make note of:
Essential Question
What can people do to bring about a positive change?
Read about what Frederick Douglass did to bring about positive change for African Americans.
Growing Up with Slavery
When Frederick Douglass was growing up in Maryland, he never could have imagined that he would become a great civil rights leader. Born Frederick Bailey, he was enslaved, or living in slavery, until the age of twenty. Frederick’s life was difficult. He never knew his father and was separated from his mother at a young age. If he dared to defy his “master” in any way, he was punished. One of the few bright spots of his youth was being taught to read by the wife of a slaveholder. Perhaps it was his love of words, along with his courage, that inspired Frederick to reach for the kind of life he was entitled to have.
This etching depicts a slave auction, a common event of the time.
A Life-Changing Speech
In 1838, Frederick sought his freedom by escaping to the North. In New York City, he married Anna Murray. Then he and Anna moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts.
In New Bedford, Frederick changed his last name to Douglass to protect himself against slave catchers. That was just the first of many changes. He also discovered a group of people—abolitionists—who shared his hope of ending slavery. He had read about the abolition movement in William Lloyd Garrison’s newspaper,
The Liberator. Frederick devoured every issue because the ideas inspired him so much. Soon he began speaking against slavery at the church meetings he attended.
FIND TEXT EVIDENCE
Read
Paragraph 1
Author's Point of View
Underline two details that tell about slavery. What is the author's point of view?
Paragraphs 2–3
Summarize
Summarize Douglass's life in the North.
Author's Craft
How does the author help you understand how interested Douglass was in the abolition movement?
Reread
SHARED READ
FIND TEXT EVIDENCE
Read
Paragraphs 1–3
Summarize
Summarize Douglass's feelings before, during, and after speaking at the Anti-Slavery Society.
New Opportunities
In 1841, The Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society held a meeting in Nantucket. Frederick was eager to hear the abolitionist speakers and traveled to the meeting with anticipation. However, when he arrived, something totally unexpected happened. An abolitionist who had heard Frederick speak at a church meeting asked him to speak to this large gathering!
After the meeting, Garrison congratulated Frederick and offered him a job as a speaker for the society. Frederick agreed and was hired as a full-time lecturer. He felt he had found a purpose for his life.
Paragraph 4
Author's Point of View
Circle the words that show how the author feels about Douglass as a speaker.
Reread
Author's Craft
How does the author help you understand how the abolitionists responded to Douglass?
Frederick went to the front of the meeting hall, trembling with fright. At first, he spoke quietly and hesitantly. He felt anxious standing in front of so many people—especially white people! However, once he got started, his fear evaporated. He spoke from his heart, describing the horrors of slavery. Frederick was a stirring speaker, articulate and outspoken. At the end of his speech, the audience’s reaction was spontaneous—suddenly everyone stood up and cheered! Among those cheering was none other than William Lloyd Garrison.
Frederick traveled through New England and the Midwest, giving passionate speeches that captivated audiences. It was impossible to listen to his powerful words and remain neutral. Frederick had a commanding presence and spoke with eloquence and dignity. He was making a name for himself.
Making His Mark
In addition to giving speeches, Frederick had time reserved for his writing. In 1845 he wrote an autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. The book became a huge success, making him even more famous.
In his autobiography, Frederick revealed that he was a fugitive. For his safety, friends suggested that he go on a speaking tour in Great Britain. Frederick was very popular there, and people lined up to hear him speak.
In 1847, Frederick returned to the United States. By now, he had a family and missed them terribly. Upon his return, they moved to Rochester, New York, where Frederick started his own abolitionist newspaper. The North Star was an unusual newspaper. It published articles not only about the antislavery cause, but also about the unequal status of women. Frederick also worked tirelessly to end segregation in Rochester’s schools.
Make Connections
Talk about what Frederick Douglass did to bring about positive change for African Americans. ESSENTIAL QUESTION
When have you worked to bring about positive change? What was the result? TEXT TO SELF
The suffix -ive means "having the nature of." How does the suffix help you determine the meaning of narrative? Write your answer here.
Paragraphs 2–3
Photographs and Captions
What do the photographs show?
Underline the new information about Douglass in the captions.
Use your notes and the illustrations, photographs, and captions to orally summarize what you learned about Frederick Douglass.
The North Star was the newspaper published by Frederick Douglass and his wife.
COMPREHENSION STRATEGY SHARED READ
Summarize
When you summarize, you sort the most important ideas and key details and retell them in your own words. This helps you to monitor comprehension and remember what you have learned. Reread, use background knowledge, and ask questions to make adjustments as you read.
FIND TEXT EVIDENCE
To make sure you understand the most important details of “Growing Up with Slavery” on page 9, you can summarize the most important points.
9
Born Frederick Bailey, he was enslaved, or living in slavery, until the age of twenty. Frederick’s life was difficult. He never knew his father and was separated from his mother at a young age. If he dared to defy his “master” in any way, he was punished. One of the few bright spots of his youth was being taught to read by the wife of a slaveholder. Perhaps it was his love of words, along with his courage, that inspired Frederick to reach for the kind of life he was entitled to have.
Quick Tip
When you summarize a long text, make a list of all the important details. Then, read through the list and add only the ones that are the most important to your summary.
Frederick Douglass spent the first twenty years of his life in slavery. He was sent away from his mother at an early age, was punished by his “master,” and was taught to read by a slaveholder’s wife. Learning to read inspired him.
Your Turn Use the most important ideas and key details to summarize the rest of the biography. Use the Summarize strategy as you read other texts.
Photographs and Captions
The selection “Frederick Douglass: Freedom’s Voice” is a biography. A biography tells facts about the life of a real person. It describes the person’s talents and achievements. A biography is often written in logical order and often includes photographs and captions.
FIND TEXT EVIDENCE
I can tell that “Frederick Douglass: Freedom’s Voice” is a biography. Frederick Douglass was a real person, and the photographs show real people and events. The selection tells about his talents and achievements, and the events are told in logical order.
Photographs
Readers to Writers
Writers of biographies often include photographs and captions of primary sources to help readers understand more about the person’s life and times. How can you use primary sources in your own writing?
Photographs help readers better visualize the world of the subject of a biography.
Captions
Captions provide additional information.
Your Turn List three examples that show that “Frederick Douglass: Freedom’s Voice” is a biography.
COMPREHENSION SKILL
Author’s Point of View
An author’s point of view is the author’s attitude toward the person or subject he or she is writing about. You can determine an author’s point of view by looking at the details, descriptions, and the reasons and evidence for points the author makes.
FIND TEXT EVIDENCE
On page 9, the words tell that the author thinks highly of Frederick Douglass. The author says that Douglass would become a great civil rights leader.
Details
He would become a great civil rights leader.
Frederick had a difficult life in slavery.
Author’s Point of View
Frederick was an extraordinary person because he became a great civil rights leader in spite of his difficult beginning in life.
Quick Tip
Words such as stirring speaker, and cheered give clues to the author’s point of view. Look for other words and phrases that help you understand how the author feels about Frederick Douglass.
Love of words and his own courage inspired him.
Your Turn Reread the rest of “Frederick Douglass: Freedom’s Voice.” Record details about Frederick’s life in the graphic organizer on page 15. Then tell the author’s point of view.
Details
Reread
Author’s Point of View
RESPOND TO READING
Discuss Work with a partner. Use the discussion starters to answer the questions about “Frederick Douglass: Freedom’s Voice.” Write the page numbers.
What did Frederick do in 1841 to show he was against slavery?
What did Frederick do to get others to support his ideas about slavery?
In 1841, Frederick went to . . .
He showed his opinion by . . .
I read that . . .
Page(s):
What did Frederick publish about slavery?
One way Frederick got people to support his ideas was by . . .
Another way Frederick got people to listen to his ideas was by . . .
I noticed that . . .
In 1845, Frederick wrote about . . .
In The North Star, Frederick published .
Page(s):
COLLABORATE
Discuss Discuss the prompt below. Think about how the events the author included tell the story of Frederick Douglass. Use your notes and graphic organizer.
How does the author show how the abolitionists were involved in Douglass’s life?
Quick Tip
Use these sentence starters to paraphrase and discuss the text. When you paraphrase you give the information from the text in your own words. You maintain the logical order of the text.
• When he was young, Frederick Douglass was . . .
• After he escaped from slavery, Douglass . . .
• When he gave a speech at the Nantucket meeting, he discovered . . .
Grammar Connections
As you write, check that any pronouns you use have a clear antecedent. For example: Garrison congratulated Frederick and offered him a job. The pronoun him refers back to Frederick and not to Garrison.
VOCABULARY STRATEGY SHARED READ Reread
Prefixes and Suffixes
Prefixes are added to the beginnings of words and change their meanings. The prefix un- means “not.” The prefix en- means “to make.” Suffixes are added to the ends of words and change their meanings. The suffix –ive means “having the nature of.” The suffixes –er and –or mean “a person who.”
FIND TEXT EVIDENCE
When I read the word enslaved, I can use the prefix en- to figure out the meaning of the word. Since en- means “to make,” enslaved must mean “made a slave.”
COLLABORATE
Born Frederick Bailey, he was enslaved, or living in slavery, until the age of twenty.
Your Turn Use the prefix or suffix to figure out the meanings of the following words in “Frederick Douglass: Freedom’s Voice.”
liberator, page 9 unexpected, page 10
Create a Bibliography
A bibliography is a list of books, magazines, articles, and websites used for research on a topic. Here are tips for creating entries:
• List a book by author’s last name, first name, book title, city of publication, publisher, and copyright date.
• List an article by author’s last name, first name, article title, newspaper or magazine title, and date of the issue.
• List an online article by the author’s last name, first name, article title, website name, publication date, and date accessed.
Why is it important to list your sources? Write your answer.
Tech Tip
You can type your bibliography on a computer. Here is an example entry for a book about civil rights: Smith, Joan. Civil Rights. New York: Example Publishers, 2018.
Design a Plaque With a partner, research a person who played an important part in the Civil Rights Movement. Choose someone you want to learn about. A teacher or other adult can help you develop and follow a research plan. Then design a plaque in honor of the person. A plaque is a flat piece of metal or wood that has writing on it. It might be mounted on a building or surface.
For your design, include a brief history of the person. Add a quote from the person or a quote about the person. Discuss any art you may want to include. Remember to have an adult help you. Develop a bibliography of all sources you use. After you complete your plaque's design, you will present your work to your class.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–1968) was a civil rights leader whose actions led to positive changes.
VOCABULARY
acts n. things that are done
Her acts of kindness will always be remembered by those she has helped.
What good acts have you done this week?
amended v. changed, especially for written material
The law was amended so it wouldn’t apply to children. What school rules do you think should be amended ?
awareness n. knowledge and understanding of something
A marathon was held to raise awareness of the charity’s work.
What problems do you think people should have more awareness about?
enforced v. made sure that a rule was followed
The school rules are enforced by the teachers and the principal. How are rules enforced at your school?
guaranteed v. promised that something would be done
The agreement guaranteed the car would be fixed if it broke down within two years.
What are some other products sold that are guaranteed ?
rallies n. large public events, often held to support something
Rallies were held all over the country to demand better pay.
When do people usually have rallies ?
unjust adj. unfair; not deserved
It was unjust that all of us were punished for one person’s bad behavior.
When was a time you felt that you had unjust treatment?
Your Turn Pick three words. Write three questions for your partner to answer.
PAIRED READ
FIND TEXT EVIDENCE
Read
Paragraph 1
Circle how long it took for women, African Americans, and others to be allowed the right to vote.
Paragraph 2
Underline what John Adams and other colonial leaders drafted. Why did they do this?
Essential Question
What can people do to bring about a positive change?
Read to find out how groups of people took a stand to get the right to vote.
Paragraph 3
Draw a box around who the freedom to vote was mostly reserved for originally. What did this mean?
Talk with a partner about rights. What rights do some people have that others do not?
The United States of America was founded on the idea that people should have a say in how they are governed. However, not all people were granted this right at one time. It would take over a century for women, African Americans, and others to be allowed the right to vote.
The right to representation has been a central issue in America, even before it became a nation. In 1776, John Adams and other colonial leaders drafted a declaration of independence from Britain in revolt against voting laws they felt were unjust.
Abigail Adams, John’s outspoken wife, saw an opportunity. “Remember the Ladies,” Abigail wrote to her husband. They, too, did not want to be “bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation.” But when the Constitution was created, and later amended by the Bill of Rights which guaranteed individuals’ rights, the freedom to vote was reserved mostly for men who owned land. Women, among many others, were forgotten. That meant that over half of the people were not represented.
Abigail Adams supported women’s right to vote.
Rights for African Americans
During the early 1800s, many women’s groups joined with abolitionists to demand equal rights. Abolitionists were people who wanted to end slavery. They believed that freedom was a natural right. Women marched with them in protest. Some of them helped enslaved people escape to places where they could be free. Over 300 people gathered at a convention in Seneca Falls, New York in 1848. They discussed how women’s rights were linked to other social and civil rights movements. Some speakers urged that suffrage, or voting rights, be a top priority for African Americans and women.
After the Civil War, the United States government added the Thirteenth Amendment, outlawing slavery. Three years later, the Fourteenth Amendment granted former slaves rights as citizens. Finally, in 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment gave male citizens of all races the right to vote. Though many women supported these causes, women still could not vote. Their fight was far from over.
After the Civil War the government granted men of all races the right to vote.
FIND TEXT EVIDENCE
Read
Paragraph 1
Circle the name of the group of people who wanted to end slavery.
Paragraph 1
Underline what abolitionists believed. How was this similar to what women’s groups believed?
Paragraph 2
Draw a box around the sentence that explains what the Fifteenth Amendment does. What did this mean for women?
COLLABORATE
Talk with a partner about changing laws. How could you change an unjust law?
PAIRED READ
FIND TEXT EVIDENCE
Read
Paragraph 1
Circle what women continued to fight for.
Paragraph 2
Underline the year in which Wyoming allowed women to vote for the first time. How many additional states allowed women to vote over the next twenty years?
Women’s Suffrage
Women continued to fight for suffrage on the national, state, and local levels. Some were outraged enough to defy voting laws and attempt to cast ballots in elections. These acts of civil disobedience resulted in fines. In some cases, the women ended up in jail.
Women’s suffrage remained unpopular with many men. Even so, the idea took hold in some areas. In 1869, Wyoming became the first state to allow women to vote in its elections. Over the next twenty years, four more states would grant women this right.
Paragraph 3
Draw a box around the word that describes people who try to convince politicians to vote a certain way.
Talk with a partner about politics. Should people be allowed to influence politicians with lobbyists?
Women began to join forces, borrowing ideas from women’s groups in other countries. Some hired lobbyists, or people who tried to convince politicians to vote a certain way. Others held huge rallies to raise awareness. Petitions bearing thousands of signatures demanded that the country’s laws be amended.
President Woodrow Wilson finally agreed that a true democracy should not deny women the right to vote. With his support, Congress drafted the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution. In 1920, it was approved.
Suffragettes held rallies to gain public support.
Susan B. Anthony was a leader of the suffrage movement.
Protestors drew attention to unjust local voting laws.
The Final Act
Though the amendments granted voting rights, they still needed to be enforced. Local and state laws attempted to undermine federal law by requiring literacy tests or taxes to vote. For years, African Americans in Southern states were especially intimidated. In the face of strong, sometimes violent, opposition, they protested. In 1965, with the passing of the Voting Rights Act, the government stepped in to enforce the Fifteenth Amendment. Finally, people were able to exercise the rights granted to them nearly a hundred years earlier. 1848
Extending the Vote
FIND TEXT EVIDENCE
Read
Paragraph 1
Underline what tried to undermine federal law. How did they do this?
Paragraph 1
Circle where African Americans were especially intimidated when trying to vote.
Timeline
Draw a box around the year in which Susan B. Anthony was arrested for voting. How long after that did it take for the Nineteenth Amendment to pass?
Make Connections
What actions did women and African Americans take to get the right to vote? ESSENTIAL QUESTION
How are the movements to change voting laws like other movements for change you have read about? TEXT TO TEXT
COLLABORATE
Talk with a partner about voting. Do you think people should vote for their leaders?
The Seneca Falls Convention is held.
The 13th Amendment ends slavery in the United States.
The 15th Amendment allows men of all races to vote.
Susan B. Anthony is arrested for voting.
National Women’s Party protest at the White House.
The 19th Amendment allows women to vote. 1965 Protestors march across Alabama to support voters’ rights.
The Voting Rights Act enforces the 15th Amendment.
Why is “Our Voices, Our Votes” a good title for this selection?
Talk About It Reread paragraph 3 on page 24. Talk with a partner about how women joined forces to make changes in the law.
Cite Text Evidence What words and phrases help you understand how women worked together to change the voting laws? Write text evidence.
Evaluate Information
A voice is made up of sounds, but a voice is also an opinion or choice. Why do you think the author uses the word Voices in the title?
Write “Our Voices, Our Votes” is a good title for this selection because
Abigail Adams supported women's right to vote.
Text Structure
As authors plan their writing, they think about how to best structure their text so that it contributes to their purpose. For example, authors who write informational text about historical events may structure text in a logical order, such as sequence of events.
FIND TEXT EVIDENCE
On page 23 of “Our Voices, Our Votes,” the author structures paragraph 2 in a logical time order to show when Constitutional amendments granted rights to males but not women.
Readers to Writers
Before you begin writing, plan a logical order of what you want to say. For historical events, it makes sense to structure your text in time order. Within that structure, think about what is most important to include.
Finally, in 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment gave male citizens of all races the right to vote.
Your Turn Reread paragraph 2 under “Women’s Suffrage” on page 24.
• Why does the author tell about what happened in Wyoming at this point in the text?
• How does this contribute to the author’s purpose?
MAKE CONNECTIONS
Text Connections
How does the photographer of the picture below and the authors of the selections you have read show how people take a stand in a similar way?
Talk About It Look at the photograph. Read the caption. Talk with a partner about what the two men are doing. Discuss what you see on the billboard.
Cite Text Evidence In the photograph, circle the part that shows how the men are taking a stand. Underline the evidence that indicates what they are taking a stand against.
Write The photographer and the authors show how people take a stand by
“Toward Los Angeles, California” shows two men walking along a highway. The photograph was taken in 1937.
Look closely at the men in the photograph and the man in the billboard photograph. How are they different from one another?
Quick Tip
COLLABORATE
Present Your Work
Discuss how you will present your plans for the plaque honoring a well-known person from the Civil Rights Movement. Use the Presenting Checklist as you practice your presentation. Discuss the sentence starters below and write your answers.
In my research about a person in the Civil Rights Movement, I discovered that I would like to know more about
Quick Tip
Plan your rehearsal so that you allow time for questions and feedback. Practice will improve your presentation and give you confidence.
Presenting Checklist
Plan with your partner how you will present your plaque design and read the text you included in the design. Rehearse your presentation. Explain how you selected the person and designed your plaque. Speak slowly and clearly. Make eye contact with your audience. Have your research ready to help you answer questions.
Expert Model
Features of a Biography
A biography is an account of someone’s life written by another person. It gives readers information about significant events in the person’s life. A biography
• provides information about how the person has made a difference
• tells in logical order what the person did during his or her life
• includes a conclusion that sums up why the person is important
Analyze an Expert Model Studying “Frederick Douglass: Freedom’s Voice” will help you learn how to write a biography. Reread pages 9-11. Then answer the questions below.
How does the author help you understand Frederick Douglass’s actions?
In the first paragraph, the author uses the words never could instead of couldn’t and never knew instead of didn’t know The repeated use of "never" emphasizes the severity of these experiences. The author carefully chose these words to give the writing greater strength.
How does the author use headings?
Shared Read (pages 8-11)
Word Wise
Plan: Choose Your Topic
Mapping With a partner, talk about people from the past who have made a difference by improving civil rights. These should be people you have not already studied in this unit. What events were they involved in and what actions did they take? On a sheet of paper, create a web to map your ideas.
Writing Prompt Choose one historical figure from your mapping. Write a biography about his or her life.
I will write a biography about .
Purpose and Audience Think about your purpose for writing. Are you writing to inform, persuade, or entertain your readers?
My purpose for writing is .
Next, think about who will read or hear your biography.
My audience will be .
Then, think about the language you will use to write the biography. I will use language when I write the biography.
Plan In your writer’s notebook, make a Details Chart to plan your biography. Using ideas from your mapping, fill in the chart with the most important details.
Quick
Tip
To help you decide on a person to write about, think about a time in history when major changes to society took place. Who were the people that were making things happen? Think about sources where you have learned about this person. Ask yourself what you still have to learn about this person and what you would like others to learn about this person.
Plan: Research
Look Up Reliable Sources Research the person you chose using sources such as books, websites, and documentaries. Look for information about the person’s life and his or her contributions to civil rights. Choose the events and other details you want to include in your biography. As you plan your biography, answer these questions:
• Have I found the most important information about the person’s life?
• Does the information include the contributions the person made?
• Do I need to find more reliable sources about this person?
List two important details you might include in your biography.
Take Notes In your writer’s notebook, take notes while researching your topic. When you have finished taking notes, revise your Details Chart to organize the information for your biography. Include only the most important details to keep your chart entries brief. Write a conclusion in the last box.
Avoid plagiarism. Do not copy other people’s words and claim them as your own. Paraphrase, or reword, the information. If you use someone’s exact words, put them in quotes exactly as they appear in the source. Provide a bibliography of all the sources you used.
Quick Tip
Draft
Transitions If the events in a biography are presented in an order that does not make sense, it might confuse the reader. In the example below from “Frederick Douglass: Freedom’s Voice,” note the words that show the sequence of events.
In 1838, Frederick sought his freedom by escaping to the North. In New York City, he married Anna Murray. Then he and Anna moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts.
Now use the above paragraph as a model to write about a period in your subject’s life. Use transition words such as first, again, before, and from that time on to help link the sequence of events. You can also use dates as transitions.
Biographies are usually written in the past tense since they discuss events that have already occurred. In addition, they often use more formal language than other genres of writing. Consider this as you write your draft.
Write a Draft Use your Details Chart as a model to help you write your draft in your writer’s notebook. Use transitions to show the sequence of events. End with a conclusion that summarizes why the person was an important figure in history.
Word Wise
GENRE WRITING
Revise
Strong Conclusion A biography may end with a conclusion that restates why the person was important. When you conclude your biography, sum up the key details about how your subject contributed to civil rights. Read the paragraph below. Then revise it to improve sentence structure by deleting unnecessary points to make a strong, clear conclusion.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was leader for civil rights in the Civil Rights Movement. He helped plan and organize marches to inspire people to make them stand up for what they believed in and felt was right. These are the reasons why Dr. King is honored and remembered for his actions.
Revision Revise your draft and check that the events are linked with appropriate transitions. Improve your sentence structure for clarity. Make sure you end with a strong conclusion.
Sentences can often be improved by making them as straightforward as possible. This means deleting unnecessary words. For example: The reason that this happened is because . . . is easier to understand if it is shortened to This happened because . .
Quick Tip
Peer Conferences
Review a Draft Listen actively as a partner reads his or her work aloud. Take notes about what you liked and what was difficult to follow. Begin by telling what you liked about the draft. Ask questions that will help your partner think more carefully about his or her writing. Make suggestions that you think will make the writing more focused and coherent. Use these sentence starters:
I enjoyed reading this part of your draft because . . . The sequence of events is slightly unclear because . . .
I have a question about . . .
You could revise your conclusion to . . .
Partner Feedback After your partner gives you feedback on your draft, write one of the suggestions that you will use in your revision. Refer to the rubric on page 37 as you give feedback.
Based on my partner's feedback, I will
After you finish giving each other feedback, reflect on the peer conference. What was helpful? What might you do differently next time?
Revision As you revise your draft use the Revising Checklist to help you figure out what ideas you may need to add, delete, combine, or rearrange. Remember to use the rubric on page 37 to help you with your revision.
Revising Checklist
Does my writing fit my purpose and audience?
Did I use enough transition words to make the sequence of events clear?
Are all events presented in a logical order, or do I need to rearrange them?
Do I have a strong, clear conclusion that sums up my subject’s contributions?
GENRE WRITING
Edit and Proofread
When you edit and proofread your writing, you look for and correct mistakes in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar. Reading through a revised draft multiple times can help you make sure you’re catching any errors. Use the checklist below to edit your biography.
Editing Checklist
Do all sentences begin with a capital letter and end with a punctuation mark?
Are there any run-on sentences or sentence fragments?
Are proper nouns capitalized?
Are all pronouns and antecedents in agreement?
Are quotation marks used correctly?
Are all words spelled correctly?
List two mistakes you found as you proofread your biography.
1 2
Grammar Connections
When you proofread your biography, make sure that you have capitalized proper nouns, such as the names of people, organizations, places, and any awards the person may have won.
Publish, Present, and Evaluate
Publishing When you publish your writing, you create a clean, neat final copy that is free of mistakes. Adding visuals can make your writing more interesting. Consider including illustrations or photographs to make your biography more interesting.
Presentation When you are ready to present your work, rehearse your presentation. Use the Presenting Checklist to help you.
Evaluate After you publish your writing, use the rubric below to evaluate your writing.
What did you do successfully?
What needs more work?
4
• focuses on a particular person and the person’s contributions
• sequence of events is clear and logical
• includes a strong conclusion that restates the main points and explains why the person is important
Stand up straight. Look at the audience.
Speak clearly and slowly.
Speak loud enough so that everyone can hear you.
Answer questions from the audience thoughtfully using details related to your topic.
3 2 1
• focuses on a particular person but not necessarily on the person’s contributions
• sequence of events is mostly logical
• includes a conclusion that restates the main points but does not explain why the person is important
• focuses on a particular person but not on the person’s contributions
• sequence of events is somewhat logical
• includes a conclusion but does not restate main points or explain why the person is important
