biography and autobiography lesson

Biography vs Autobiography: Similarities and Differences

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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biography vs autobiography, explained below

A biography is an account of someone’s life story that is written by an author who is not the subject of the nook. An autobiography, on the other hand, involves an individual narrating their own life experiences.

The differences between biographies and autobiographies relate most prominently to the authorhship:

Autobiography: When you read an autobiography, you’re getting the author’s own interpretation of their life.
Biography: When you read a biography, you experience the subject’s life through someone else’s lens (Schiffrin & Brockmeier, 2012).

Biography vs Autobiography

1. biography.

A biography is a detailed account of a person’s life, scripted by an author who is not the person who is featured in the text itself.

This type of life story focuses both on factual events in the person’s life, such as birth, education, work, and death, but often also delves into personal aspects like experiences, relationships, and significant achievements.

It may also weave-in cultural and contextual factors that help illuminate the person’s motivations and core values .

Origins of Biographies

The concept of biography as a literary genre dates back to antiquity. Such works were primarily used to capture the lives of dignified individuals, mainly rulers and war heroes.

Suetonius’s Lives of the Caesars and Plutarch’s Parallel Lives are landmark examples from this ancient period (Sweet, 2010).

The popularity of biographical works only grew in the ensuing centuries, and they became a prominent part of many cultures’ literary traditions.

Into the 18th century and during the Enlightenment, biographies began to present a more balanced portrayal of the subject. They would present both their strengths and flaws, providing a holistic perspective on the subject.

Dr. Samuel Johnson’s compilation of English poets biographies, Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets (1779-1781) ushered in a new era of biography writing by focusing on examining human nature (Ditchfield, 2018).

In the modern era, the genre has evolved and broadened, encompassing a diverse range of figures from all walks of life – there’s a biography in every niche imaginable, with each offering readers an in-depth exploration of their lives, their struggles, and their triumphs.

This demonstrates the enduring appeal of biographies and their value in providing snapshots of history through individual lenses.

Key Characteristics of Biographies


	The author of the biography is not the person who the story is about. The writer is an observer who collects, verifies, and narrates the life story of the person in focus (Smith et al., 2012).
	A biography doesn’t have the of an autobiography. So, a biography is often more trustworthy, but we still need to examine the incentives of the actual author (Jones, 2015).
	A biography covers all the significant aspects of the person’s life. From birth to death, or their most noteworthy accomplishments, it encompasses a wide array of life events (Johnson & Johnson, 2017).
	A biography prioritizes facts and major milestones in an individual’s life, such as , careers, relationships, and more. It does not delve into trivial details unless they are relevant to the person’s life story (Williams, 2019).

Examples of Biographies

Title: The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets Author: Dr. Samuel Johnson Description: Dr. Johnson’s work profiles the lives of 52 poets from the 17th and 18th centuries, including John Milton and Alexander Pope. He critiques not just the works, but also explores their personal lives and the sociopolitical contexts of their times (Johnson, 1781). Johnson’s study is invaluable for its integrated historic and biographic approach.

Title: The Life of Samuel Johnson Author: James Boswell Description: This work by Boswell explores, in great depth, the life of his friend and mentor, Dr. Samuel Johnson. The biography offers a compelling portrayal of Dr. Johnson’s life, character, eccentricities, and intellectual prowess (Boswell, 1791). Boswell’s vivid account creates a near-physical presence of Johnson to the readers, making it one of the greatest biographies in English literature.

Title: The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt Author: Edmund Morris Description: In this Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, Morris chronicles the early life of Theodore Roosevelt until his ascension to the U.S presidency. The work brilliantly captures Roosevelt’s extraordinary career and his transformation from a frail asthmatic boy into a robust and vigorous leader (Morris, 1979). Morris accurately represents Roosevelt’s indomitable spirit, making it an engaging and educational read.

Title: Steve Jobs Author: Walter Isaacson Description: This comprehensive biography provides a deep-dive into the life and career of Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple. Isaacson had unparalleled access to Jobs and those closest to him, thus presenting an intimate and detailed account. He explores Jobs’ professional endeavors as well as his personal life, revealing his ambition, intensity, and visionary mind that revolutionized several high-tech industries (Isaacson, 2011).

Title: Alexander Hamilton Author: Ron Chernow Description: Ron Chernow provides a sweeping narrative of one of America’s most compelling founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton. Chernow combines extensive research with a flair for storytelling, charting Hamilton’s evolution from an orphan into a political genius. The book sheds light on Hamilton’s crucial role in the formation of the United States’ financial system and his political ideologies (Chernow, 2004).

2. Autobiography

An autobiography is a self-written record of someone’s own life. It is a personal narrative in which the author writes about their life from their own perspective.

Autobiographies are usually centered around the author’s personal experiences, including key milestones, challenges, and achievements (Eakin, 2015).

They’re also often a defense of the person’s perspective (especially in political autobiographies) or insight into their thought processes, which can make them very intimate.

Origins of Autobiographies

The term ‘autobiography’ was first used deprecatingly by William Taylor in 1797 in the English periodical The Monthly Review, when he suggested the word as a hybrid but condemned it as ‘pedantic’.

Pioneering examples of the genre form include Thomas De Quincey’s Confessions of an English Opium-Eater (1821) and the memoirs by veterans of the Napoleonic Wars (Lejeune, 2016).

However, apart from these early instances, autobiographies have been composed by a wide array of individuals from history.

In the early 20th century, the genre witnessed major transformations, and autobiographies started to cover a broader spectrum of experiences, including trauma, struggles, and successes.

‘Black Boy’ by Richard Wright, for instance, shares the author’s experiences with racism and his journey towards developing a literary career (Wright, 1945).

This was followed by a host of autobiographies by public figures sharing their diverse stories, such as Ernest Hemingway’s ‘A Moveable Feast’, depicting his days as a struggling young writer in Paris (Hemingway, 1964).

Autobiography as a genre has continued to evolve over the years, and a variety of forms have emerged to communicate individual experiences globally.

As history has progressed, we see more and more people with diverse perspectives sharing their stories, broadening our understanding of the human experience (Smith & Watson, 2010).

Key Characteristics of Autobiographies


	The author of the autobiography is the person the story is about. They are the principal actor and the of the information (Miller, 2014). As a result, we can get a deeper ‘insider’ insight into their mentality and expereinces.
	An autobiography emphasizes the personal viewpoint adopted by the author. The story is told from their own emotions, biases, and interpretations, providing a very personal perspective. However, we also need to be aware that it’s going to only present one self-serving perspective on the matter.
	Autobiographies go beyond factual accounts and include the author’s internal thoughts, emotions, and introspections about their experiences (Baker et al., 2013).
	Unlike a biography, an autobiography may not cover the entirety of the author’s life. Instead, they’re more likely to concentrate on specific themes (like resilience) or significant periods (like childhood or a specific career phase) (Brown & Brown, 2018).

Examples of Autobiographies

Title: Long Walk to Freedom Author: Nelson Mandela Description: “Long Walk to Freedom” provides an in-depth exploration of ex-President Nelson Mandela, his political journey, and his stand against apartheid in South Africa. The biography offers a unique perspective into Mandela’s noble character, his indomitable spirit, and his commitment to justice when faced with grave adversities (Mandela, 1995). Mandela serves as one of our times’ great moral and political leaders through this biography.

Title: The Diary of a Young Girl Author: Anne Frank Description: This biography provides a startling firsthand account of a young Jewish girl named Anne Frank, who with her family, hid from the Nazis in Amsterdam during World War II. Her diary entries offer profound insights into the fear, hope, and resilience she demonstrated during her two years in hiding (Frank, 1947). Frank’s posthumous biographical record serves as a reminder of the injustices of the past and as a symbol of endurance in the face of oppression.

Title: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Author: Maya Angelou Description: This moving autobiography charts Maya Angelou’s early life, from experiencing racial discrimination in the South to becoming the first black streetcar conductor in San Francisco. Angelou portrays her journey of self-discovery and overcoming traumatic experiences, including racial prejudice and personal trauma, with remarkable strength and grace. Her story is one of resilience, and it speaks powerfully about finding one’s voice (Angelou, 1969).

Title: Night Author: Elie Wiesel Description: “Night” is Wiesel’s personal account of his experiences in Nazi concentration camps during World War II with his father. This heartbreaking narrative describes not only physical hardship and cruel atrocities but also examines the loss of innocence and the struggle to maintain faith in humanity. It stands as a testament to human resilience in the face of unimaginable horror (Wiesel, 1960).

Title: Dreams from My Father Author: Barack Obama Description: In this engaging memoir, the 44th President of the United States narrates the story of his diverse background and early life. The narrative extends from his birth in Hawaii to his first visit to Kenya, from dealing with racial identity to self-discovery. “Dreams from My Father” not only provides personal insights about Obama’s life and values but also discusses issues of race, identity, and purpose (Obama, 1995).

Similarities and Differences Between Biographies and Autobiographies


1. Authorship	Written by a third party. The author and subject are different individuals (Smith et al., 2012).	Written by the subject themselves. The author is the person the story is about (Miller, 2014).
2. Perspective	Presents an objective perspective, offering a balanced view of the subject’s life (Jones, 2015).	Emphasizes a subjective perspective, providing a very personal view of the author’s life.
3. Content	Focuses on facts and major life events, offering a comprehensive account of an individual’s life (Johnson & Johnson, 2017).	Often includes personal reflections and feelings, may focus on specific themes or periods in the author’s life (Baker et al., 2013; Brown & Brown, 2018).
4. Personal Reflections	Contains limited personal reflections or emotions of the subject.	Contains an abundance of personal reflections and emotions from the author (Baker et al., 2013).
5. Subjectivity / Objectivity	More objective due to the distance between the author and the subject (Jones, 2015).	More subjective due to the close relationship between the author and the subject – they’re the same person.
6. Strengths	Provides an impartial and factual account of a person’s life, which can be helpful for historical or academic study (Williams, 2019).	Gives a deeper insight into a person’s thoughts and emotions, providing a unique perspective on their life experiences (Baker et al., 2013).
7. Weaknesses	May lack personal insight or emotional depth due to its objective approach (Williams, 2019).	May be biased or overly emotional due to its subjective approach, and may not cover the entirety of the author’s life (Brown & Brown, 2018).

While both biographies and autobiographies are excellent sources of information and entertainment about significant figures in history (or the present!), they serve different purposes. By knowing the different purposes of each, we can develop stronger media literacy , understanding what the intention of the author is, and how we should approach the text.

Angelou, M. (1969). I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings . Random House.

Baker, J., Davis, E., & Thompson, K. (2013). Reflection and Emotions in Autobiography . Chicago University Press.

Boswell, J. (1791). The Life of Samuel Johnson . J.R. Taylor.

Brown, J., & Brown, S. (2018). Thematic Focus in Autobiography Writing . Princeton University Press.

Chernow, R. (2004). Alexander Hamilton . Penguin Books.

Ditchfield, S. (2018). Extracting the Domestic from the Didactic: Transmission and Translation of the Sacred in The Lives of the Ancient Fathers (1672–1675). Church History and Religious Culture, 98 (1), 28-50.

Eakin, P. J. (2015). How Our Lives Become Stories: Making Selves . Cornell University Press.

Frank, A. (1947). The Diary of a Young Girl . Contact Publishing.

Hemingway, E. (1964). A Moveable Feast . Charles Scribner’s Sons.

Isaacson, W. (2011). Steve Jobs . Simon & Schuster.

Johnson, M., & Johnson, S. (2017). A Comprehensive Guide to Biography Writing . New York: Penguin.

Johnson, S. (1781). The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets . Printed by C. Bathurst, J. Buckland [and 28 others in London].

Jones, B. (2015). The Art of Writing Biographies: An Objective Approach . Oxford University Press.

Lejeune, P. (2016). On Autobiography . University of Minnesota Press.

Mandela, N. (1995). Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela . Macdonald Purnell.

Miller, R. (2014). The Self as the Subject: Autobiography Writing . Stanford University Press.

Morris, E. (1979). The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt . Coward, McCann & Geoghegan.

Obama, B. (1995). Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance . Crown Publishing Group.

Schiffrin D., & Brockmeier J. (2012). Narrative Identity and Autobiographical Recall. Royal Institute of Philosophy Supplements, 70 , 113-144.

Smith, J., Davis, M., & Thompson, S. (2012). Third Party Narratives: An Exploration of Biography Writing . Cambridge University Press.

Smith, S., & Watson, J. (2010). Reading Autobiography: A Guide for Interpreting Life Narratives . University of Minnesota Press.

Sweet, R. (2010). Biographical Dictionaries and Historiography. Bibliothèque d’Humanisme et Renaissance, 72 (2), 355–368.

Wiesel, E. (1960). Night . Hill & Wang.

Williams, T. (2019). The Importance of Facts in Biographies . HarperCollins.

Wright, R. (1945). Black Boy: A Record of Childhood and Youth . Harper & Brothers.

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Biography Lesson Plan: An Introduction to Biographies

Submitted by: stacey lopez.

In this lesson plan which is adaptable for grades 1-5, students will use BrainPOP and/or BrainPOP Jr. resources to learn about biographies. Students will then select a person whose biography they would like to read (or watch a short video about on BrainPOP). Finally, students will write their own biography on a selected person.

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Students will:.

Define and explain what a biography is.
Read or watch an example of a biography.
Compose a biography.
Computer with internet access for BrainPOP
Interactive whiteboard (or just an LCD projector)
Chart Paper
Markers--variety of colors
Sticky notes and pencils for students
Biography template (optional)

Preparation:

Lesson procedure:.

Explain to students that a biography of a famous person includes many facts. Ask them to take notes while they are watching either the BrainPOP Biography movie or the BrainPOP Jr. Biography movie. Explain that they will contribute to a class anchor chart about biographies.
After the movie has finished, ask each student for a fact to add to the anchor chart. Alternate the colors to make it exciting. Students will be able to identify their contribution to the class anchor chart.
Ask to students to read or watch a biography for a selected person in order to gather more information. Students could watch any of the BrainPOP topics in the Famous Historical Figures Unit or BrainPOP Jr. Biographies Unit , or read about the person's life in a book or online. Instruct students to take more notes while reading.
Talk with students about the common features their biographies shared. What makes a good biography? Add to the anchor chart as needed.
Each student may then write their own biography of another person using some of the facts that the class gathered.

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Telling a Story About Me: Young Children Write Autobiographies

Resources & Preparation
Instructional Plan
Related Resources

Developing ideas collaboratively, planning writing projects before executing them, and learning to compose sentences related to a specific topic are important skills for students to master. This lesson plan teaches these skills while drawing from the lives of first and second grade students who will write and publish autobiographies based on personal photographs. The lesson begins with the students working at home with their families to select and record relevant information about photos. Students then work in small groups and independently to create their autobiographies.

From Theory to Practice

Autobiographical writing gives teachers a way to engage students and their families in literacy learning, creating a willingness to participate in literacy activities.
Expanding students' knowledge of their community and themselves deepens their understanding of the reading and writing process.

When students write narratives about their own lives it helps them develop personal, social, and cultural connections.

Exploring their own life stories can provide a sense of direction and purpose for students that other forms of writing do not.

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Materials and Technology

Photographs from home
Writing and drawing tools
Tape or glue for affixing photos
Binding materials
You Have to Write by Janet S. Wong (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2002)
Chart paper and a marker
Transparencies and a projector
Assessment Guide
Note to families
An Autobiography: Information About My Photos
An Autobiography: Ideas for My Story
An Autobiography: Planning My Story
Autobiography page
Cover sheet
Dedication page

Preparation

1.	At least two weeks before beginning the project, send home the following items: about the writing project
2.	Obtain and read by Janet S. Wong. This book uses poetry to describe a group of students looking for topics for a writing assignment. It encourages students to write about the things they see happening all around them in their own lives. If you can't find , try one of these alternative books with similar themes: by Roni Schotter (Orchard Books, 1999) by Doreen Cronin (Joanna Cotler, 2003)
3.	Begin to work on an autobiography that you will make along with the students to model the process for them. You will need to collect your own photographs for the project and should prepare your own version of each of the handouts that the students are going to use. In class, you will refer to these versions as you record them on chart paper or transparencies.
4.	When you collect the photos from students, scan or copy the pictures that will need to be returned. To provide additional photographs for their stories, you can also take pictures of the students at school. If any student is unable to bring in photographs from home, you can have him or her create illustrations to use for the project.
5.	Have each student bring in a folder to use for storing his or her photos and work on the project. Make one copy of , , the , and the , and four copies of the for each student in the class.

Student Objectives

Students will

Engage their families in the learning process by working at home to select photographs that represent aspects of their lives
Formulate ideas for an autobiography by working collaboratively and independently
Practice their writing skills by composing sentences in the first person using themselves as subject matter and revising the composed sentences into a story
Participate in a literacy community by reading their stories aloud in small groups

1.	Read the book by Janet S. Wong aloud to the class. During preselected points during the reading, you may wish to stop and ask questions aimed at getting students to think about how they might use the suggestions in the book to come up with their own story ideas. There are no page numbers in this book, but two good places to stop include the page spreads with many small pictures on them.
2.	After reading the book, ask students to share some ideas they could write about from their own lives. You might record these on a piece of chart paper or on the blackboard.
3.	Tell students that they are going to begin work on a project to write stories about themselves and their lives. Explain that a story about a person, written by that person, is called an autobiography.
4.	Remind students of the photos they have brought in from home and tell them that they will use these photos to give them ideas for their autobiographies. Share some photographs of yourself. Model the discussion you want them to have in their small groups by talking about what is happening in each photo and why it is important to you. For example: If you think it would be helpful, you might also write these prompts on the board, a sheet of chart paper, or a transparency for students to refer to during their discussions.
5.	Divide the class up into small groups of four to five students each. Record the grouping of the students so they may return to these same groups for the remaining sessions and continue to work together. If this is a new activity for them, explain the expectations—they will speak quietly, demonstrate respect for other speakers by listening carefully, and not comment until the speaker is finished.
6.	Give each student three or four minutes to share the photographs from home with another student in his or her group. Students may refer to the sheet, completed previously at home, to help them talk about their pictures.
7.	Bring students back together and talk about how the things they said about their pictures can serve as first ideas for their autobiographies. On a large sheet of paper or a transparency, complete sheet for your own story, acting as a model for the students. Try to write the same kinds of things they would, for example:
8.	Pass out the idea sheet to students, and give them 10 to 15 minutes to write or draw ideas. They should have at least one idea for each photo and can use their An Autobiography: Information About My Photos sheet as a reference.
9.	Have students place their writing and photos in their project folders. Collect and review the folders to make sure that each student has listed ideas on his or her idea sheet. You might make comments or suggestions on these sheets to help students as they move into the planning stage.

1.	Begin by having students review their sheets from Session 1 along with their photographs.
2.	Encourage them to add one additional thought to their idea sheet, maybe a detail that they forgot the last time.
3.	Have students get into their small groups from Session 1. Explain to them that they will be sharing their ideas and getting suggestions or responses from other members of the group.
4.	Allow one or two minutes for each student to share with the group thoughts from his or her idea sheet. Each student in the group should then offer at least one suggestion or comment.
5.	Tell students to record any additional thoughts they have as they share their ideas and listen to the comments and suggestions from their classmates.
6.	Bring the class back together to talk about writing their stories. Emphasize that because they are writing autobiographies the stories need to be about themselves. Tell them that sentences will be written in the first person, and give them some examples: "My favorite things to eat are French fries and spaghetti." "When I was a baby I liked to rock with my mommy."
7.	Have students generate some sentences about themselves in the first person and record them on chart paper. Keep the chart in a visible location to use as a reference for the remainder of the project.
8.	Using a transparency or chart paper demonstrate how to use the sheet. You should use your photographs and the ideas from your idea sheet. Remember to write your sentences in the first person and to focus on the subject matter of each particular photo. For example: It may be helpful for students to sketch a drawing of the photo or record a title to help them remember which photo they are working on in the corresponding box.
9.	Pass out the An Autobiography: Planning My Story sheet to students, and have them work on planning out their stories, keeping their photographs and idea sheets in front of them as they work. While students are working you should circulate throughout the room, providing support as needed.
10.	Students should save all work in their project folders. Collect and review the folders to check students' composition of sentences. In addition to making sure that students have written more than one sentence for each photograph, check to make sure that sentence are written in the first person and that they relate to the subject of the pictures. Offer students feedback.

1.	Begin by having students review their sheets, making revisions or additions if they choose.
2.	Get out the planning sheet you created either on chart paper or a transparency during Session 2. Tell students that part of the writing process is making choices about which of the sentences they have written in the planning stages they will use in the final version. Select some sentences you will use for one photograph and then ask students to help you with the other three. Highlight or circle the ones you pick as you go along.
3.	Have students choose sentences they would like to use in their own autobiographies. They can highlight or circle the sentences they choose.
4.	Students should save all work in their project folders.

1.	Using chart paper or transparencies, share with students a couple of the pages you have completed for your autobiography. Remember to stress that they should be writing in the first person and that their writing should focus on the subject matter of the photograph. Distribute four copies of the to each student.
2.	For each page of the autobiography, each student should:

1.	Any students who have not completed their should do so. (Note: If you need to, add another session for students to complete this work.)
2.	Explain what a dedication page is–the place where the author of a book thanks the people who have helped him or her to write it. Read aloud the dedication page from and some other books in the classroom. Talk about how some are general and some are specific. Show them the dedication page from your autobiography and discuss why you have chosen to dedicate the book as you have.
3.	Distribute the and give students time to fill it out, circulating and supporting them as necessary. Tell students they are welcome to add a picture of the person to whom the book is dedicated if they like.
4.	Talk about what they usually see on the cover of a book–the title, the author's name, and a photograph or illustration. You might bring in some autobiographies or biographies to use as examples. You can also show them the cover you have created for your own autobiography.
5.	Distribute a to each student. Have them create covers for their autobiographies. Give them time to draw a self-portrait or other picture to decorate the cover.
6.	Have students place all completed work in their folders.

1.	Tell students that they will now turn their autobiographies into books. Have your own autobiography ready for binding to show students how they can bind their pages into books. It might be helpful to have an additional adult or two assist during this project. Encourage volunteers from the students' families to help out.
2.	Once the books are bound, have students get into their small groups where they can take turns reading aloud their autobiographies.
3.	Bring students together for a group discussion about the project, focusing on what they have learned and how they feel about it. Questions you might ask include:

Invite families to school to share the published autobiographies of the students.
Further develop students' autobiographical writing skills by using the Stapleless Book or the online ReadWriteThink Printing Press to have them write more about their lives.

Student Assessment / Reflections

Throughout this lesson, you may use the Assessment Guide to document observations of students in each of the five areas found in the lesson objectives: family participation, collaborative work, independent work, writing sentences, and reading aloud. There is also space to record other notes and observations. Some questions to ask when using the Assessment Guide include:

Family Participation–How much did the family participate in this project? Did they send in appropriate photographs and complete the work that needed to be done at home? Was the work done when requested?
Collaborative Work–How did the student collaborate with his or her peers? Did he or she make appropriate suggestions? How did he or she accept suggestions about his or her own work?
Independent Work–How did the student work independently during the project? Did he or she follow directions? How well did he or she stay on task when working independently?
Writing Sentences–How did the student do at composing and writing sentences for the autobiography? Are the sentences on topic with the photographs? Are the sentences grammatically correct? What resources did he or she use to spell and write words (asking a peer, asking a teacher, the word wall, the dictionary, or using phonetic spelling)?
Reading Aloud–How did the student do when reading the autobiography aloud? Could he or she read it independently or was assistance needed? How was the fluency of reading aloud?

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Autobiography, Biography, Personal Narrative, and Memoir Lesson plans and teaching ideas

All the World's a Stage: Exploring the Biography as a Basis for a Theatrical Production In this lesson, students will analyze the effective story-telling or literary techniques used by playwright George Stevens, Jr. in his historical play Thurgood . They will then write their own scenes depicting a critical event in a significant person's life for performance or publication. Related links are included.

Awesome Stories - Famous People Follow links here to biographies and other accounts based on primary sources. These could serve as good models for students doing research.

Biographies: Creating Timelines of a Life Working in teams, students use multiple sources to research someone's life. This unit is designed for grades 3-5 and can be adapted to other levels.

Biography Maker This site helps younger writers through the process of writing a biography. It encourages use of the 6-Trait approach.

Biography Writing with Patricia and Frederick McKissack at Scholastic.com Students learn how to research and write a biographical sketch, including research and writing strategies. They can also receive a Certificate of Achievement. Sample biography of Frederick Douglass is available onsite.

Building on Biographies from Education World Two online biography resources and 10 ways to teach biography

Cut and Paste Biographies: Creating Collages to Document the Lives and Legacies of Famous African-Americans This lesson is based on a New York Times article about artist Romare Bearden. It is adapable to several age levels and purposes. This lesson emphasizes research.

Edgar Allan Poe, Ambrose Bierce, and the Unreliable Biographers Students find, examine, and attempt to explain the causes of inconsistencies in at least four Poe biographies. This standards-based lesson is extensive. Resources are present but less extensive for an investigation into the life of Ambrose Bierce.

A Fitting Introduction Someone the student admires is coming to school. Students write an introduction for that person. This activity is designed for very young writers and includes a printable handout.

From Object to Story: Writing a Historical Narrative Featuring an Artifact from One's Family History Students share observations about the history of familial artifacts. They then research the history and cultural significance of selected objects to prepare their own historical narratives. Includes short reading as prewriting activity.

Homer Hickam Looking for an autobiography for your class to read? Try October Sky .

It's All About Me Designed for third grade, this thorough unit plan includes 11 lessons and a culminating activity. Students explore biography and autobiography, review parts of speech, conduct interviews, and give a speech. This 37-page document includes lesson plans and handouts. It requires Adobe Reader or compatible application for access. Consider downloading the file and printing only those pages you need.

Johnny Cash: Personal Narratives Inspired by Johnny Cash Although the lesson was designed for use with a movie, this site includes downloadable video clips that make it work. Students will reflect on the topics of Johnny Cash's songs, analyze his songs for writing methods and strategies, and then draw upon their own childhood observations and life experiences to write a personal narrative that includes sensory details. Designed for grades 6 and up.

The Journal of Harriet Tubman If Harriet Tubman had blogged about her life, it might have looked like this. A model of student research that can be used to create other biographies.

A Life Lived Well "Students brainstorm words and phrases that describe themselves. They then construct found poems using words and phrases taken from the article, and write autobiographical obituaries that celebrate the lives and achievements they imagine for themselves."

Living to Tell the Tale Students read an excerpt from the memoir by Gabriel García Márquez, work with vocabulary words, and write a brief autobiographical piece. Access requires Adobe Reader.

Key Differences

Know the Differences & Comparisons

Difference between Biography and Autobiography

Both of these two presents the view of, what happened in the past where the author lived. These are non-fiction books, written in chronological order, tells a story about the person who made a significant contribution in a specific field. Many think that the two writing forms are one and the same thing, but there are noticeable difference between the two, that are presented in the given article.

Content: Biography Vs Autobiography

Comparison chart.

Basis for Comparison	Biography	Autobiography
Meaning	Biography refers to an account that tells someone else's life story.	Autobiography means an account that tells your life story.
Authorization	Can be written, with or without the authorization of the subject.	Not required
Written in	Third person	First person
Purpose	To inform	To express and inform
Outlook	Based on facts collected by the author.	Full of emotions and thoughts.

Definition of Biography

A biography also referred as ‘bio’ is a detailed account of a person’s life written or produced by another person. It gives an elaborate information regarding the birthplace, educational background, work, relationships and demise of the person concerned. It presents the subject’s intimate details about life, focusing on the highs and lows and analysing their whole personality.

A biography is usually in the written form but can also be made in other forms of a music composition or literature to film interpretation.

It is the recreation of the life of an individual composed of words by another person. The author collects every single detail about the subject and presents those facts in the biography, which are relevant and interesting, to engross the readers in the story.

Definition of Autobiography

An autobiography is the life sketch of a person written by that person himself or herself. The word auto means ‘self.’ Therefore, autobiography contains all the elements of a biography but composed or narrated by the author himself. He/She may write on their own or may hire ghostwriters to write for them.

An autobiography presents the narrator’s character sketch, the place where he is born and brought up, his education, work, life experiences, challenges, and achievements. This may include events and stories of his childhood, teenage, and adulthood.

Key Differences Between Biography and Autobiography

The difference between biography and autobiography are discussed in detail in the following points:

Biography is a detailed account of a person’s life written by someone else, while an autobiography is written by the subject themselves.
Biography can be written with (authorised) or without permission (unauthorised) from the person/heir’s concerned. Therefore, there are chances of factual mistakes in the information. On the other hand, autobiographies are self-written and therefore doesn’t require any authorization.
Biographies contain information that is collected over a period of time from different sources and thus, it projects a different outlook to the readers. On the other hand, autobiographies are written by the subject themselves, therefore, the writer presents the facts and his thinking in his own way, thus providing an overall narrow and biased perspective to the readers.
In an Autobiography, the author uses the first narrative like I, me, we, he, she, etc. This, in turn, makes an intimate connection between the author and the reader since the reader experience various aspects as if he/she is in that time period. As opposed a biography is from a third person’s view and is much less intimate.
The purpose of writing a biography is to introduce and inform the readers about the person and his life whereas an autobiography is written in order to express, the life experiences and achievements of the narrator.

Video: Biography Vs Autobiography

There are several autobiographies which are worth mentioning like ‘The Story of My Life’ by Helen Keller, ‘An Autobiography’ by Jawaharlal Nehru, ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ by Anne Frank, ‘Memoirs of the Second World War’ by Winston Churchill, ‘Wings of Fire’ by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and much more.

Examples of some famous biographies are- Tolstoy: A Russian Life by Rosamund Bartlett, His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis, Einstein: The Life and Times by Ronald William Clark, Biography of Walt Disney: The Inspirational Life Story of Walt Disney – The Man Behind “Disneyland” by Steve Walters, Princess Diana- A Biography Of The Princess Of Wales by Drew L. Crichton.

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May 7, 2023 at 6:47 am

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Manish Bhati says

June 21, 2023 at 11:51 am

Great explanation by Surbhi S, it clears confusion between biographies and autobiographies.