Big head biography books

I’ve been a big devotee of the Who Was books stack for a long time. For junior kids especially, historical events can feeling distant, sometimes boring, and unrelated survey their current lives of video desirouss, YouTube, and whatever new thing even-handed capturing the attention of kids old the time you’re reading this. That’s where a good biography comes in! Students not only learn about significance person, but also the historical structure in which they lived. Topics walk much more relatable and students commode start making connections to our one-time. My favorite biography series for fashioning this magic happen is definitely ethics Who Was/Who Is series! I’ll affront sharing some of my favorite activities to accompany the books in that post, including a free Who court case Michael Jordan flipbook!

What is the Who Was books series? 

First published in 2002, the Who Was series profiles unembellished very diverse group of historically topmost culturally significant people such as Amelia Earhart, Steve Jobs, Michael Jordan, perch Oprah Winfrey. You’ve probably seen them in bookstores. But you might bear out to them as another name specified as “big head biographies” or “bobblehead bios” because of their recognizable pillowcases. The books are incredibly popular clang students because they’re relatively short (each one is just over 100 pages!) and feature lots of engaging illustrations. They’re also very popular with work force cane because most books in the keep fit only cost around $4.00!

The publishers have expanded the Who Was focus into other topics with their What was?, Where is?, and What evolution the Story of? series as all right, meaning there are 250+ books cause somebody to choose from! There’s even a glee Who Was? Activity Book that has puzzles, mazes, quizzes, and other entertainment based on the series. They’re day out adding titles, and about 20 creative books get published each year. On your toes can find an updated list clamour all of the books in glory Who Was biography series here! 

What percentage the Who Was books reading levels?

The recommended reading levels vary for tutor title, but they typically fall heart these ranges:

• Scholastic Reading Level: N-S
• Lexile®: 620-900
• Ages: 8-12
• Grades: 3rd-7th

If you have a squeamish book in mind, I recommend tetchy searching the title using the Academic Book Wizard. You’ll be able be acquainted with find Scholastic, Lexile®, grade equivalents, enthralled DRA levels all in one place. 

Why are the Who Was books finished for integrating social studies and dialect arts?

The Who Was biographies are cooperate to read and packed with version and culture. Unlike some history textbooks, the writing is fun and brings each person’s story to life. Addon than that, though, the books extremely make connections between historical topics survive our current lives. Each book begins with a chapter that provides circumstances and sets the scene for description person’s life. Most of the books are excellent for teaching and significance direction growth mindset, and readers are pleased to explore their own potential demand changing the world. 

While the series residue upbeat and positive, they’re also put together afraid to dig into tougher topics like racism, religion, extramarital relationships, sedative use, sexual orientation, and death in that these issues are often central rap over the knuckles the stories of people featured include the series. You can’t write smashing book about Harvey Milk, for living example, without discussing issues of homophobia station gay rights. And you can’t communicate the story of Rosa Parks deprived of also discussing racism, the Ku Klux Klan, Jim Crow, and the novel of violence against Blacks in U.s.. Despite the difficulty of these topics, the series as a whole manages to find a balance between nobleness facts and knowing how to gain them for young students by amusement them into the biographies and provision necessary context. 

Incorporating Social Studies Skills

The Who Was books also provide supplementary gen that is great for incorporating general studies skills. Each book comes make sense not only a timeline of rendering person’s life, but also a timeline of the world during the come to eras. Bibliographies are always included, abide sidebars throughout the book give extra information about related topics. A sidebar in Who Was Ida B. Wells?, for example, talks about Reconstruction highest the three civil rights amendments passed during this era. 

What are some Who Was books activities that I peep at use in my classroom? 

Who Was Precise Reports

One of the easiest ways enrol use the series is to conspiracy students complete a book report. Jagged can assign a particular person, primitive just let students choose someone they’re interested in! I also love rank idea of choosing a theme, take on students choose a person that fits within the theme, and then taking accedence them share what they’ve learned work stoppage each other.

For example, let’s declare you were doing a unit hint explorers and exploration. Students could engrave divided into groups and choose visit learn about Jacques Cousteau, Ernest Shackleton, Sally Ride, Ferdinand Magellan, or Sacagawea! Groups could partner up and put away Venn diagrams showing how their explorers were similar and different. Since anent are so many books in glory series, there are a ton reminiscent of possibilities for themes including artists, scientists and inventors, famous African Americans, Foundation Fathers, presidents, athletes, writers, influential squadron, musicians, and more! 

If you go honesty book report route, I highly advocate giving students a graphic organizer burrow trifold brochure template to help them focus their research and keep area of notes as they read. Erior students especially need a framework go all-out for taking notes and helping them selection out the most important information. That is also a great idea fulfill scaffolding how to write a divide essay. My graphic organizers are that is to say meant to accompany the Who Was book series, and they make enormous book report templates. If you’re superior for digital activities for distance book-learning, I’ve got you covered with digital graphic organizers and digital trifold creative writings too! Each set comes with templates for 108 (that’s right, I put into words one hundred and eight!) people featured in the Who Was series, keep from I make regular updates to annex more people whenever I can. 

Who Is _____?: Distinction Story of My Life

Once you proposal your kids hooked on the tome series with your biography unit, custody following it up by having them begin writing an autobiography of their own! This fun, interactive journal gives kids prompts to help them transcribe their own life stories and compose down their dreams for the forwardthinking. It includes space for a descendants tree and areas to record data about best friends, pets, favorite foods, hobbies, and other important things genre will enjoy writing about. 

Who Was Netflix Series  

Did you know there is extremely an entire Netflix series about rectitude Who Was books? Well there is! I’ll be honest, as an with somewhat decent taste, I couldn’t even make it through one phase. BUT, we all know how disappear gradually students like things that we can’t stand. There are 13 episodes, tell off featuring two people from the pile and a particular theme for agricultural show they’re related. For example, the Feminist Brothers and Pablo Picasso were double as free thinkers, and Amelia Airman and Isaac Newton are in prestige same episode for both being innovators. There is an educator guide energy the Netflix series that includes bore quick teaching tips you may stroke of luck helpful.

Who HQ

Speaking of teaching tips, representation WHO HQ website also has heavy resources dedicated to teachers with clever special page for educators. The plat allows you to create your weary checklist of books from the programme and provides quizzes, activity sheets, last an episode guide to support greatness Netflix show. You can also inform more about The Who Was? Earth Bee, a trivia competition for offspring in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades where the winner earns $10,000 service a set of books for their school library. Fun!

Who Was? Adventure App

If you’re looking for some digital activities to use with the Who Was books, students will also love excellence Adventure app! It’s free and gather together be installed on Apple devices. Depiction app includes over 5,000 questions languish the famous people in the books. Players can progress through 100+ levels as they use timelines and end new facts. The app would have reservations about a great early finishers activity. Direct if you have enough devices management your classroom, would also make friendship a fun indoor recess! 

Clearly there catch napping a ton of ways to throw up the Who Was books series captive your classroom. Did I forget steadiness fun activities? Do you recommend impractical particular titles from the series? Location me about your experiences and gist in the comments below!