Biography Lesson Plan: Famous People Grades 4–5

This free biography lesson plan helps Upper Elementary students (grade 4 or grade 5) research a famous person, organize notes, and write a clear biography they can share with an audience.

Grade Band: Upper Elementary (4–5)
Subject Area: English Language Arts

Overview

Students learn what biographies do and how they are different from “fun facts” lists. They choose (or are assigned) a famous person, research using books and kid-safe digital sources, and write a short biography that includes accurate life facts, the person’s impact, and a concluding statement about why the person matters.

To keep choices practical for Grades 4–5, provide a short menu of people with accessible sources and a variety of interests. Examples include: George Washington Carver, Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Edison, Neil Armstrong, Jackie Robinson, Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Walt Disney, Steve Jobs, Helen Keller, Harriet Tubman, Marie Curie, Jane Goodall, Frida Kahlo, Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, Ruby Bridges, and Malala Yousafzai.

Learning Goals

Identify the key parts of a biography (early life, major actions/achievements, impact, and closing reflection).
Gather facts from more than one source and record them in an organized way.
Write a biography with a logical order, accurate details, and clear sentences.
Present a short biography using an image and speaking habits that help an audience understand.

Materials

Biography planner (teacher-created or a simple three-column note sheet: “Fact,” “Source,” “Why it matters”)
Class set of biographies and reference books (plus library access if available)
Access to kid-safe research tools (school library databases, Britannica School if available, or approved websites)
Writing paper or devices for drafting
Optional: printables for a “Famous Person Trading Card” or one-page poster

Preparation

Choose a focus theme to narrow research and improve quality. Good themes for Grades 4–5 include “Inventors and Builders,” “Civil Rights and Change Makers,” “Scientists and Explorers,” “Artists and Storytellers,” or “Leaders and Helpers.”

Create a short list of 12–20 approved famous people matched to your theme and your classroom library. Prepare a simple biography planner and a checklist students can use to self-monitor: required facts, required sources, and required writing parts.

Decide how students will choose people: teacher-assigned, student choice from the menu, or a quick “draft” where groups pick in turns. Plan for brief mini-lessons on note-taking (paraphrasing) and citing sources in kid-friendly form (title + author/website name).

Teaching Procedure

Session 1: What a biography is and how to research

Read a short biography excerpt aloud (1–2 pages) and pause to name what you notice: time order, important events, and the “why this person matters” idea.
Model the biography planner using the same person. Write one fact, record the source, and add a quick “why it matters” note (example: “first,” “changed,” “helped,” “invented,” “inspired”).
Introduce the class menu of famous people and show 2–3 sample choices out loud so students see the variety (example: an athlete, a scientist, an artist).
Students choose/receive a person and complete a “research launch” task: write three research questions they want answered (example: “What problem did this person face?” “What did they do that mattered?” “What obstacles did they overcome?”).

Session 2: Research and fact-checking routines

Set a clear expectation: students must use at least two sources (for example, one book and one database article). Explain that repeated facts across sources are more trustworthy.
Students research and fill in the planner. Require a mix of facts: early life, key events, achievement(s), and impact. Circulate and conference quickly: “Show me your best fact so far and where you found it.”
Teach a quick accuracy check: students highlight any fact they found in only one place and try to confirm it in a second source.
Students choose one image (book photo, printed picture, or saved image link) that supports understanding, not decoration, and write one caption sentence for it.

Session 3: Drafting the biography

Mini-lesson: show a simple biography structure on the board (lead sentence, early life, major actions, impact, closing reflection). Write a sample lead together (example: “Harriet Tubman became famous for helping people escape slavery through the Underground Railroad.”).
Students draft a biography using their planners. Require at least one transition per paragraph (example: “Later,” “After that,” “In the end,” “Because of this”).
Midway stop: students trade drafts with a partner for a two-question check: “What is the most important thing this person did?” and “Where did you get confused?” Students answer in complete sentences.
Students revise for clarity and accuracy, then add a short “Sources Used” section at the bottom (book title/author and website or database title).

Session 4: Publishing and presenting

Students produce a final copy (handwritten neatly or typed). They add their image with a one-sentence caption and ensure names, dates, and places match their sources.
Teach a quick presentation format: 30–60 seconds, look up, speak clearly, and end with one impact sentence (example: “Because of her work, more people had a path to freedom.”).
Students present in small groups or to the whole class. Audience members ask one question that begins with “How…” or “Why…” to encourage deeper thinking.
Wrap up with a short reflection prompt students answer on an exit ticket: “What did you learn about researching facts?” and “What quality made this person memorable?”

Assessment

Assess the biography using a short rubric focused on accuracy (facts match sources), organization (clear structure and time order), writing clarity (complete sentences and transitions), and presentation (audible voice and understandable summary). Use the student planner as evidence of research process and source use.

Differentiation

Provide a smaller menu of people with simpler texts for students who need more support, and offer a partially filled planner with headings already in place. Allow speech-to-text for drafting if helpful. For advanced writers, require a second paragraph explaining the person’s impact on others and one example of a challenge the person faced, supported by evidence from sources.

Extension Ideas

Create a “Famous People Gallery Walk” where students leave sticky-note compliments that reference a specific detail from the biography.
Run a friendly “Biography Jeopardy” review using categories like Early Life, Achievements, Places, Dates, and Impact.
Make a class anthology: one biography per student, bound into a classroom book students can reread all year.
Optional compare-and-contrast: pair two people from the same theme (two inventors, two activists) and write a short paragraph about similarities and differences.