WRITING PROMPT A biography tells about a person’s life. Write a biographical sketch to tell your class about a famous American. What makes the person special?
Prewrite
When you prewrite, you gather ideas and choose your topic. You also make a plan for what you will write.
1 Collect Ideas
Think about some people you would like to learn more about. Look through books, on the Internet, or ask a teacher or librarian for help.
2 Gather Facts
Brainstorm research questions. Put each question on a card. Then find answers. Go to pages 354–357 for help on how to use information sources. Draw or gather images, too.
Mario’s research Cards
Organize your information. Show the main idea. Then give the details:
• when and where the person lived
• why the person is famous
• what the person did
