Name ___________________ I will be reporting on________________________
My Biography Box is due by May 16th. Presentations will be the week of May 19-22. Please
complete and return this portion by Friday, April 25.
Parent Signature: ______________________
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Biography Box Report: Oral Presentation
1. Select a biography/autobiography book. If you can’t find a book about
your person, select at least two informative internet web-sites about
him/her.
2. Plan your time. On a calendar, plan how many pages, chapters, and/or
web-sites you will need to read in a week. Your research should be
completed at least a week before your presentation is due.
3. READ!!! As you read about your person, write down the important events
or things that you found interesting. You Must Tell: *When and Where
the person was born and died (if applicable) *What the person is best
known for/what made him/her famous, and write about at least 5
important events that happened in the person’s life.
(You will meet with your teacher to show her your notes prior to your
presentation.)
4. Find your box. Think of nine or more objects, which will be a clue to
your audience and yourself about the person’s life. Incorporate all 9
objects smoothly into your oral presentation. Use these events when
creating your oral biography box report. Remember 2 of the nine objects
must be made by you.
5. Decorate/design your box. You may choose to cover a shoebox with
construction paper. Creatively decorate the outside of your box
pertaining to the person in such a way that is a representation of what
they are known for. The 9 objects should all be placed inside your box or
container which has been appropriately decorated to represent your
person (ex.: Alexander Graham Bell’s box could be made to look like a
telephone). The person’s name and your name must be clearly visible on
the outside of your box. Remember that this is not a shadow box or a
diorama.
6. Get ready for your presentation. Using the interesting facts and events
you have about your person, present an oral report to the class. Think of
the order in which you want to present these events. Use the objects in
your box/container to help you remember the information you want to
share. You may want to write the information on note cards or type your
facts in the order that you will be presenting them. You must begin your
presentation about or conclude it with why you think this person is/was
important enough to have a book or articles written about him/her. You
must also state the most interesting thing that you learned about this
person.
7. Practice, practice, practice! Practice will help you to do your best, as
well as make you feel more at ease when you present this report to the
class. You will probably need to practice several times. A smooth delivery
is very important.
8. Test the class. In order to tell if the class learned something from your
presentation, you must quiz your audience when you finish with 5
questions; at least two must be Level 2 questions that students can infer
from your presentation. Your test can be in an oral or written format.
You must be prepared and have a plan for your quiz. IDEA: You might
hold up several of the objects from your box to see if the students in your
class are able to remember what these objects stood for. You will be
surprised how they will remember the clever objects you chose to
represent your person.
Your grade will be based on how well you present the information
orally, how creatively your box is decorated, the quality of your
nine objects (especially the two you made on your own), and on
how well you followed the above directions.