Biography/Autobiography Assignment
(This was discussed in class on August 25, 2005.)
9th Grade

All ninth grade students are required to read a biography or autobiography during this term. There are thousands to choose from. Students will take notes on the book as they read, and they will use those notes to write an in-class essay about the person featured in the book. This is a long-term assignment. Students have most of the term to complete the reading.

In order to receive full credit on this assignment, students must complete each of these steps:

1. All books must be approved by the English teacher ahead of time. Books must be of appropriate readability and subject matter.

2. Have a copy of the book in class for approval on Friday, September 9, 2005.

3. Read the entire book carefully. Take notes on the book as you read. Use the Biography Notes form that was provided in class. Bring the completed form to class on October 7, 2005.

4. First drafts of the essays will be started in class. After revisions are made, a final typed draft will be submitted on October 19, 2005. Click here to see the essay specifications and a sample.

Killing Three Birds With One Stone

This assignment is an opportunity (but not a requirement) for students to meet three separate school requirements:

• Biography Writing Assignment (detailed above)
• Accelerated Reader Points: Students may take the AR test on the biography they read and use the points toward their term reading goal of 30 AR points. It is the student's responsibility to make sure the book is actually on our Accelerated Reader list! Do not begin reading a book before you know for certain that it is on the list.
• Science Term Project: In ninth grade science classes, one of the project options is to read a book called Rocket Boys (also known as October Sky). This book is a biography, so it meets the requirement for the English class assignment as well.

WARNING: If a student chooses to read Rocket Boys to meet all three of these requirements, there are a couple of things to be aware of:

• If you don't actually read the book, you hurt your grades in three places, not just one. So, if you commit to do the assignment, make sure you follow through and read the book well before the end of the term!
• There are a limited number of copies of the book. The science department has a few, as does the school library. Local libraries and bookstores probably also have some. But there are almost 400 ninth graders who could decide to try to read the book. If you are going to try it, get your copy TODAY! Don't wait until the end of the term and then say you couldn't find one.
• If these warnings cause you to doubt your resolve, then do not try to read Rocket Boys to meet all three requirements. Just treat each assignment as a separate responsibility.

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