Writing Biographies

Grade 7 · English

Semester 2 | Period 6 | Week 33

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Subject: English

Semester: 2

Period: 6

Week: 33

School Name:
Teacher’s Name:
Subject: English Language
Grade Level: Grade 7
Date:
Lesson Duration: 45 minutes
Week & Period: Week 33, Period 6
Topic: Writing Biographies
Sub-topic: Structure and Style of Biography Writing

Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

  1. Identify features of a biography (introduction, early life, achievements, conclusion).
  2. Write short biographies of famous Liberians/Africans.
  3. Use prepositional, adverbial, and adjectival phrases effectively in biography writing.

Previous Knowledge
Students already know:
• Basic sentence construction and paragraph writing.
• Prepositional, adverbial, and adjectival phrases.

Instructional Materials
• Textbook: English Language textbooks for Grade 7
• Teaching aids: Sample biographies of Liberian/African figures, charts showing biography structure, chalkboard/marker board
• Students’ notebooks and writing materials

Lesson Development – ABC Model

A – Anticipation (Warm-up / Starter)
Time: 5–10 minutes
Activity: The teacher will ask:
• Can anyone tell me about a famous Liberian or African leader?
• What kind of information would you like to know about their life?
The teacher will record responses on the board.
Teacher’s Role: Activate prior knowledge, introduce biography features.
Learner’s Role:
• Share information about famous personalities.
• Participate in discussion and oral brainstorming.

B – Building Knowledge (Main Lesson Body)

Time: 25–30 minutes

Teacher’s Role (Expanded & Detailed):

  1. Explain features of a biography clearly:
    • Introduction: Who the person is, their full name, and why they are important.
      Example: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was the first elected female President in Africa.
    • Early life: Birth details, family background, childhood, and education.
      Example: She was born in Monrovia, Liberia, in 1938 and attended local schools before studying in the United States.
    • Achievements: Major career milestones, contributions, awards, or historical significance.
      Example: She worked for the Liberian government, became President in 2006, and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011.
    • Conclusion: What impact they had on society, lessons to learn, or summary of their legacy.
      Example: Her leadership opened doors for women in politics across Africa.
  2. Provide a full short example biography (model writing):
    Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was the first female President of Liberia and Africa. She was born in Monrovia in 1938. As a child, she attended school in Liberia before furthering her studies in the United States. She worked in banking and government before entering politics. In 2006, she became the first woman to be elected President of an African country. She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011 for promoting peace and women’s rights. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will always be remembered as a trailblazer who inspired women across Africa.
  3. Demonstrate how to use enriching phrases:
    • Prepositional Phrases (show place, direction, or relationship):
      • “born in Monrovia,”
      • “worked for the Liberian government,”
      • “studied at Harvard University.”
    • Adverbial Phrases (show time, manner, or reason):
      • “at a young age she showed leadership skills,”
      • “in 2006 she became president,”
      • “she led with courage and wisdom.”
    • Adjectival Phrases (describe a noun more fully):
      • “the first female president of Liberia,”
      • “a leader known for her determination,”
      • “an award winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.”
  1. Guide learners step-by-step to draft sentences:
    • Introduction sentence: Kwame Nkrumah was the first President of Ghana.
    • Early life sentence: He was born in Nkroful in 1909 and studied at Achimota School.
    • Achievement sentence: In 1957, he led Ghana to independence and became its first Prime Minister.
    • Conclusion sentence: Nkrumah is remembered as a Pan-African leader who fought for African unity.

Learners’ Activities (Expanded):

  1. Identify sections in a sample biography:
    • Teacher gives them Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s biography and asks:
      • “Which part is the introduction?”
      • “Which part talks about her early life?”
      • “Where are her achievements mentioned?”
      • “What is the conclusion?”
  1. Sentence drafting practice:
    • Students write 1–2 sentences for each section (intro, early life, achievements, conclusion) using prepositional, adverbial, and adjectival phrases.
    • Example for Nelson Mandela:
      • Intro: Nelson Mandela was the first black President of South Africa.
      • Early life: He was born in Mvezo in 1918 and studied law in Johannesburg.
      • Achievements: He spent 27 years in prison and later won the Nobel Peace Prize.
      • Conclusion: Mandela is remembered as a freedom fighter and peacemaker.
  1. Combine into a short biography:
    • Learners expand their sentences into a 6–8 sentence biography of a chosen famous Liberian or African figure (e.g., George Weah, Nelson Mandela, Wangari Maathai, Chinua Achebe, or Ellen Johnson Sirleaf).

 

Assessment Checks (Expanded):

  • Observation: Teacher moves around to check if students’ sentences include prepositional, adverbial, and adjectival phrases.
  • Oral questioning:
    • “Which phrase tells us about time in this sentence: She became president in 2006?”
    • “What section of a biography tells us about achievements?”
  • Written exercise: Students underline all phrases in their biographies and label them P (prepositional), A (adverbial), or Adj (adjectival).

 

Notes (Expanded & Detailed):

  • Using prepositional, adverbial, and adjectival phrases makes biographies more descriptive and engaging.
  • Dividing a biography into clear sections helps readers follow the life story easily.
  • Biographies not only inform but also teach moral lessons and inspire readers.
  • Writing biographies develops students’ research, organization, and sentence-construction skills.

 

Assignment (Extended):

  1. Write a short biography (8–10 sentences) of George Weah, including his early life, football career, presidency, and impact on Liberia.
  2. Underline all prepositional phrases in blue, adverbial phrases in green, and adjectival phrases in red.
  3. Research another African leader or role model (e.g., Nelson Mandela, Chinua Achebe, or Wangari Maathai) and prepare notes for writing a biography in the next class.

C – Consolidation (Conclusion & Assessment)
Time: 5–10 minutes
Summary:
• Teacher asks learners to recall the four sections of a biography and give one example of a phrase used in each.
Evaluation Method (Expanded):
• Exit slip/quiz: Write one sentence for early life and one sentence for achievements using at least one prepositional, adverbial, or adjectival phrase.
• Teacher collects responses and provides oral feedback.
Assignment (Expanded):
• Write a full short biography (8–10 sentences) of a Liberian or African figure using prepositional, adverbial, and adjectival phrases.
Follow-up Activity:
• Peer sharing: Students read their biographies aloud and underline phrases used.

Differentiation / Inclusive Strategies
• Struggling Learners: Provide sentence starters and a guided template for biography sections.
• Advanced Learners: Encourage using more complex phrases and additional descriptive sentences.
• Students with Disabilities: Use visual biography charts, oral discussion, and peer support for sentence construction.

Teacher’s Reflection (After Class)
• What worked well? ______________________________________________________
• What needs improvement? _________________________________________________
• Students’ engagement level: □ High □ Medium □ Low