biography writing checklist ks2

You'll need JavaScript enabled to experience the full functionality of this site. Please enable JavaScript by following the instructions at enable-javascript.com .

Sorry, the browser you're currently using is not supported by this site. Please upgrade your browser by following the instructions at browser-update.org .

Biographies Checklist (Years 3-4)

Write a review

Choose your format:

Save to Your Lessons

Save to Homework

Share resource

Your download limit has been reached!

Check out our FAQs for more info. 

This checklist lists all the key language and layout features of biographies. It's perfect for helping children develop their writing skills and knowledge of different text types. Children can use it as a handy guide when they're writing a biography, or they could use it to help them evaluate their own or others' work.

• Key Stage: Key Stage 2
• Subject: English
• Topic: Themes and Conventions
• Topic Group: Reading
• Year(s): Years 3-4
• Media Type: PDF
• Resource Type: Worksheet
• Last Updated: 22/11/2021
• Resource Code: E2WAE69
• Curriculum Point(s): Develop positive attitudes to reading and understanding of what they read by identifying themes and conventions in a wide range of books.

Related Topics:

Other Teachers Downloaded...

Annotated Biography — Sir David Attenborough (Years 3-4)

• Themes and Conventions
• Key Stage 2 English

Features of Biographies (Years 3-4)

Writing a Biography — Roald Dahl (Years 3-4)

• Drafting and Writing

The Garden Gang — Poetry Comprehension (Years 3-4)

• Comprehension

Features of News Articles (Years 3-4)

Features of Persuasive Writing (Years 5-6)

No reviews (yet!)

Related Resources

Explanation Texts Checklist (Years 3-4)

Autobiographies Checklist (Years 3-4)

Annotated News Article (Years 3-4)

Non-chronological Report Checklist (Years 3-4)

Diary Entries Checklist (Years 3-4)

News Article Checklist (Years 3-4)

Formal Letters Checklist (Years 5-6)

Adverts Checklist (Years 5-6)

Informal Letters Checklist (Years 3-4)

Persuasive Writing Checklist (Years 5-6)

Instructions Checklist (Years 3-4)

Non-Fiction Crossword (Years 5-6)

Cookies are disabled on your browser. This means some features of the site won't be fully available to you.

CGP uses cookies to give you a smooth shopping experience and to help us understand how well our site is working. To agree to us using all cookies, click 'Accept', or to reject optional cookies click 'Customise'.

Accept cookies Customise cookies

• International
• Schools directory
• Resources Jobs Schools directory News Search

Biographies. 5 complete pp lessons. KS2

Subject: English

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Lesson (complete)

Last updated

21 September 2022

• Share through email
• Share through twitter
• Share through linkedin
• Share through facebook
• Share through pinterest

How to write a biography. Upper KS2. Set of five complete lessons with all worksheets and pupil resources. Includes a Biography checklist, sample biographies about Queen Victoria and Nelson Mandela, a blank biography spider-gram, blank planning templates (scaffolded) and a fact sheet about Mary Anning. The series of lessons include opportunities for pupils to give peer feedback and analyse two sample biographies. I have used these with Y5 and Y6 and have also extended the unit to include famous people which the children asked for or who we were covering in topic work eg Louis Pasteur, famous explorers/sports achievers. Learning objectives. Lesson 1 • To explain what a ‘biography’ is in my own words. • To name people who have had a biography written about them. • To list the features of a biography. • To identify the features in a short biography of a famous person. Lesson 2 • To explain what a ‘biography’ is in my own words. • To recall the features of a biography. • To plan then write a biography about someone in my family and use the checklist to include the main features. • To give helpful feedback to my partner. Lesson 3 • To read a biography about Nelson Mandela. • To use the Biography Checklist and identify whether the main features have been included in the biography about Nelson Mandela. • To identify areas where the biography could be improved. Lesson 4 • To choose a famous person for a biography. • To plan your ideas on a writing frame and listen to the feedback about the features from your partner. • To write an interesting biography which includes all of the main features. Lesson 5 • To use the factsheet about Mary Anning, taking out information which would be interesting in a biography. • To write an interesting biography about Mary Anning which includes all of the main features of a biography.

Tes paid licence How can I reuse this?

Your rating is required to reflect your happiness.

It's good to leave some feedback.

Something went wrong, please try again later.

This resource hasn't been reviewed yet

To ensure quality for our reviews, only customers who have purchased this resource can review it

Report this resource to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch.

Not quite what you were looking for? Search by keyword to find the right resource:

Visit Puffin.co.uk

• Search Field
• Picture Books Packs
• Colouring Sheets
• KS1 English
• Bumper Book Packs
• Explore Empathy
• Jacqueline Wilson
• Book Club Questions
• Lit in Colour
• Activity Ideas
• Writing Prompts
• Story Makers Shows
• Virtual Visits
• Inspiration

Home > Resources > KS2 RESOURCE PACK: Writing Extraordinary Biographies

Resource Pack: Writing Extraordinary Biographies

Key stage and subjects, what’s the story.

Have you discovered Puffin’s brilliant biographies for kids aged seven and up?

The Extraordinary Lives series includes: Malala, Michelle Obama, Stephen Hawking, Anne Frank , Katherine Johnson and Neil Armstrong. These beautifully illustrated books include timelines, fascinating facts and inspirational quotes from their stars. The series celebrates how ordinary people can lead extraordinary lives because of their own choices, actions, beliefs and passions and will inspire your class that they too can be extraordinary.

This resource pack includes:

You’ll get material for four or more Literacy, Citizenship and PSHE lessons, adaptable for pupils in KS2 and KS3.

Once pupils understand the different features of biography writing  they’ll be able to create the biography of an extraordinary person of their choice using the template in the pack

Get the Resource Pack: Writing Extraordinary Biographies

Related books, the extraordinary life of anne frank, the extraordinary life of katherine johnson, the extraordinary life of malala yousafzai, the extraordinary life of michelle obama, the extraordinary life of neil armstrong, the extraordinary life of stephen hawking, who makes puffin schools, tag on the top needs the closed class if you start as expanded, leave data-collapsed="false" attribute, its used in the css --> puffin schools has been created by the children’s publisher puffin to help bring together all the inspiring content we create for schools into one place. fa-angle-down--> what ages are the books on puffin schools for, tag on the top needs the closed class if you start as expanded, leave data-collapsed="false" attribute, its used in the css --> the books on this website will range from those for eyfs through to primary and up to lower secondary school. you can discover our full range of books at puffin.co.uk fa-angle-down--> what is puffin, tag on the top needs the closed class if you start as expanded, leave data-collapsed="false" attribute, its used in the css --> puffin is an imprint of penguin random house, the world’s number-one publisher representing a vibrant community of publishing houses marked by unparalleled success. through our world of stories, puffin aims to open up the world to every child. our mission is to inspire children to feel they can be and do anything, and to create readers for life. puffin started out as a non-fiction publisher, with its first title appearing in 1940. as the most iconic and well-known children’s book brand in the uk today, we are always on the lookout for innovative ways to tell the world’s favourite stories and for brilliant new debut talent and brands that connect with today’s young readers, from newborn up to twelve years old. we publish a diverse and wide range of fiction, non-fiction, picture books and children’s classics. our list includes some of the world’s favourite authors, illustrators and licensed brands, such as eric carle, helen oxenbury, nadia shireen, the snowman, doctor who, roald dahl, tom fletcher, jeff kinney, rick riordan, robin stevens, and jacqueline wilson to name but a few. fa-angle-down--> what’s the connection between ladybird, puffin and penguin, tag on the top needs the closed class if you start as expanded, leave data-collapsed="false" attribute, its used in the css --> ladybird, puffin and penguin are imprints of penguin random house uk. across their extensive list, we believe there is a story for every child, everywhere. you can find information about books for all ages at penguin.co.uk fa-angle-down--> where can i buy puffin books from, tag on the top needs the closed class if you start as expanded, leave data-collapsed="false" attribute, its used in the css --> all the books featured on this website can be purchased in the usual way: as well as being available on the high street and online, you can find lots of brilliant offers via school-specific suppliers and wholesale retailers. fa-angle-down--> how do i get in contact with a member of the puffin schools team, tag on the top needs the closed class if you start as expanded, leave data-collapsed="false" attribute, its used in the css --> whether you’ve got a brilliant idea for a lesson, a photograph of something incredible you’ve done at your school or just have a question, please email  [email protected] and a member of the team will get back to you as soon as possible . fa-angle-down--> what’s happened to puffin virtually live, tag on the top needs the closed class if you start as expanded, leave data-collapsed="false" attribute, its used in the css --> the story-makers show  was known as puffin virtually live  up until march 2019. the content and ambition of the show remains the same: to give every pupil the opportunity to engage with authors and illustrators in their own classroom using the power of the internet. we’ve re-named puffin virtually live  so that it’s easier for new teachers to discover it as part of puffin schools and to acknowledge that the show now premieres on show day, rather than being streamed live. fa-angle-down--> what’s happened to my puffin virtually live account, tag on the top needs the closed class if you start as expanded, leave data-collapsed="false" attribute, its used in the css --> your account for puffin virtually live has been deactivated as it is no longer a feature of the puffin schools website. if you were registered for the newsletter, you will now receive the puffin schools newsletter, which is filled with all the latest information about accompanying resources and upcoming shows. if you do not wish to receive it any longer then please unsubscribe. fa-angle-down--> which video platform is the story-makers show hosted on.

• Primary Hub
• Art & Design
• Design & Technology
• Health & Wellbeing
• Secondary Hub
• Citizenship
• Primary CPD
• Secondary CPD
• Book Awards
• All Products
• Primary Products
• Secondary Products
• School Trips
• Trip Directory
• Trips by Subject
• Trips by Type
• Trips by Region
• Submit a Trip Venue

Trending stories

Top results

• Features Of A Biography Ks2

Features of a biography KS2 – 8 of the best worksheets and resources for writing and comprehension

Whether they're recounting the lives of famous people or simply describing a family member, these activities, ideas and model texts will help your Key Stage 2 pupils get to grips with biographical writing…

1 | KS2 biographical recounts worksheets

This Key Stage 2 text types resource pack will help children to learn how to write informative biographical recounts.

They will write a biography about an influential person – either someone that they know or someone who is in the public eye – and there are two model texts included to inspire them (one on a relative and one on a famous figure).

This resource also includes a biography writing sheet, biography research sheet, writing plan, writing frame and themed writing paper.

Check it all out here.

2 | Features of a biography

For a good grounding in what a biography is and what it should include, the BBC bitesize page has handy, digestible pointers, plus videos, a quiz and more.

Check it out here.

3 | Puffin’s brilliant biographies resource

Based on its Extraordinary Lives series this resource pack from Puffin helps pupils understand the different features of biography writing, and lets them create the biography of an extraordinary person of their choice using the template in the pack.

The pack includes material for four or more Literacy, Citizenship and PSHE lessons, all of which are adaptable for pupils in KS2 and KS3.

Find it here.

4 | Barack Obama biography activity pack

This resource uses a topic-based approach to biographies based on President Obama.

Activities include a comprehension exercise, making a photo gallery, researching flags and facts about countries cited in Obama’s biography and writing a biography. Plus there are lots of extension ideas and activities included.

Find it all here.

5 | Muhammad Ali biography worksheet

Where was Muhammad Ali born? What was he known as before he changed his name? When did he retire?

Students are tasked to with using library books, magazines and/or online sources to fill in this report form about perhaps the greatest boxer of all time.

Download and print it here.

6 | Biography Wagoll model texts

As ever, if you’re looking for a selection of editable model texts for pretty much any literacy topic, Literacy Wagoll is a great place to go.

In the biographies section you’ll find everyone from Usain Bolt and David Beckham to Mary Berry, Jacqueline Wilson, Henry VIII, Roald Dahl and Santa Claus.

Check them all out here here.

7 | Florence Nightingale biography sequencing activity

This simple printable resource includes a number of sentences about Florence Nightingale for you to cut out and task students with putting back in the correct order.

Get this PDF to print out here.

8 | A biography of palaeontologist Mary Anning

Mary Anning was born on 21 May 1799 in the seaside town of Lyme Regis in Dorset, on the south coast of England. Mary received little education, was not trained as a scientist, but grew up to be a palaeontologist whose findings helped change the way scientists thought about the world.

This Year 6 Science biography helps children explain why she was so important to our understanding of fossils and acts as a handy model text for biographical writing.

Download it here.

Sign up to our newsletter

You'll also receive regular updates from Teachwire with free lesson plans, great new teaching ideas, offers and more. (You can unsubscribe at any time.)

Which sectors are you interested in?

Early Years

Thank you for signing up to our emails!

You might also be interested in...

Why join Teachwire?

Get what you need to become a better teacher with unlimited access to exclusive free classroom resources and expert CPD downloads.

Exclusive classroom resource downloads

Free worksheets and lesson plans

CPD downloads, written by experts

Resource packs to supercharge your planning

Special web-only magazine editions

Educational podcasts & resources

Access to free literacy webinars

Newsletters and offers

Create free account

By signing up you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy .

Already have an account? Log in here

Thanks, you're almost there

To help us show you teaching resources, downloads and more you’ll love, complete your profile below.

Welcome to Teachwire!

Set up your account.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit. Commodi nulla quos inventore beatae tenetur.

I would like to receive regular updates from Teachwire with free lesson plans, great new teaching ideas, offers and more. (You can unsubscribe at any time.)

Log in to Teachwire

Not registered with Teachwire? Sign up for free

Reset Password

Remembered your password? Login here