Lesson
Biography vs. Memoir
Students learn the difference between a biography and a memoir and notice how point of view changes the writing.
Biography vs. Memoir
What students learn
Students learn that a biography tells another person's life, while a memoir sounds like the writer is speaking from inside the experience. Start with so the class hears what biography is for.
Why it matters
Readers need to know who is speaking before they trust the details in a life story. shows that biographies usually stay in third person and keep some distance from the subject.
Learn the idea
A memoir sounds more personal because the writer remembers events from their own life. helps students hear the difference between biography and memoir language.
Try it
Give the student a short paragraph from a biography and a short paragraph from a memoir. Ask them to label which one is biography and which one is memoir, then point out the clue that helped them decide.
Parent guide
Keep the comparison simple. Ask, "Who is telling this story?" and "Does it sound like the person is telling about themselves or about someone else?" Those two questions usually solve it.