1. Year 8 History ILC – Biography writing. Task: To write a biography (approximately 2-4 pages) about the life of a relative. Due date: w/c 23 rd March. Resources: Hints and tips, websites. Gold Silver Bronze Your biography will: o Include primary sources (e.g. photographs, letters). o Explain the historical context of the biography. o Consider the significance of events within the biography. o Explain why different interpretations exist. o Draw comparisons between similar people (e.g. other soldiers) and explain the impact/significance they had. o Engage the reader with a range of vocabulary and sentence structure. o Include a range of punctuation effectively. o Use complex connectives both within sentences and to link paragraphs. Your biography will: o Explain what was happening at the time (worldwide or nationally). o Be well structured. o Explain different interpretations of events. o Use a range of vocabulary and a variety of punctuation. o Use complex connectives. You could also: o Include primary sources. o Include interviews with relatives. Your biography will: o Describe the life of your relative o Describe important events and what makes them important. o Include pictures and quotations. o Use basic vocabulary accurately. o Use punctuation correctly. Turn over for levels, tips and website suggestions!

2. Level Five. o Events, people and groups are described and explained. o The historical context is explained. o More complex connectives (e.g. however, although) are used. o A variety of punctuation (e.g. semi-colons) is used. o Range of vocabulary is used effectively. Level Six. o The historical context is explained in detail. o Significance and interpretation of events is explained. o Punctuation is used for effect. o A range of ambitious vocabulary is used. o Connectives are used within sentences and to link paragraphs. Level Seven. o As above but explains why different interpretations exist. o Uses punctuation for effect with accuracy. o Writing is engaging and uses a variety of sentence types. Level Eight. o Detailed comparisons are made between similar individuals. o Sentence structure is imaginative, precise and accurate A biography is an account of someone’s life written by another person. Biographies are usually written about famous individuals whose achievements have had a lasting impact on the world. Biographies are also written about ordinary people, and can tell the reader a lot about a particular time, event or place. Success Criteria. Your teacher will be assessing you on three areas. o Historical skill: o Context – what was happening at the time? What effect did this have? o Significance – how important were events or individuals? Why? o Interpretation – how and why do people think differently? o Source use – primary and secondary sources. What do they tell us? o Written communication: o Spelling, punctuation and grammar are accurate. o Work is appropriately structured. o Engages audience. o Presentation: o Clear structure. o Photographs/ sources included. Example steps:  Decide which relative to write about.  Interview the relative.  Ask for photographs.  Interview other family members about the relative.  Research the time period you are writing about. Example interview questions:  How did you feel about that?  What are the key events in your life so far?  Describe your first home?  What is your favourite memory? Possible websites: http://www.turtlediary.com/biogr aphies.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/int eractive/timelines/british/index_ embed.shtml