Year 5 - English
Researching Harriet Tubman in preparation for writing a biography
Harriet Tubman: biographical writing
Study Hub
Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils write a biography based on Harriet Tubman, centred around her significance as a historical figure, her early life and her civil rights activism. Pupils conduct research about the subject and organise their research into clear paragraphs, using a range of cohesive devices.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to research and gather information about Harriet Tubman's life in preparation for writing a biography about her.
Key Notes
- When preparing to write a biography, it is important to thoroughly research the person we are writing about.
- Biographies usually share information about the person's life in chronological order.
- Recording information in chronological order helps the reader understand how different events are related & sequenced.
Vocabulary To Learn
- chronological order: following the order in which a series of events happened
- plantation: a large farm that specialises in growing one type of crop
- extradite: to hand over a person accused or convicted of a crime to the state in which the crime was committed
- Underground Railroad: a secret network of people offering shelter and aid to fugitive enslaved people
- civil war: a war between citizens of the same country
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- This lesson contains a lot of subject-specific language and information related to the civil war in America.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
When preparing to write a biography, it is important to thoroughly research the person we are writing about. Biographies usually share information about the person's life in chronological order.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'chronological order'
following the order in which a series of events happened.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: This lesson contains a lot of subject-specific language and information related to the civil war in America. Correction: Information is chunked into small, accessible parts and subject-specific vocabulary is explicitly defined.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Identifying the features of a biography Study Guide
- Peer editing the early life section of a biography about Harriet Tubman Study Guide
- Planning and writing the conclusion of a biography about Harriet Tubman Study Guide
- Planning and writing the introduction of a biography about Harriet Tubman Study Guide
- Planning and writing the section about Harriet Tubman's early life Study Guide
- Planning the section about Harriet Tubman's activism Study Guide
- Writing the section about Harriet Tubman's activism Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 5 English guide library.