Biography and Autobiography - Lesson 2 - Conventions of Biography PowerPoint

In a lesson centred around the conventions of biography writing, students are introduced to the main features of this literary style, with a particular focus on the life of the esteemed children's author, Roald Dahl. The lesson objectives are clear: to understand the characteristics of biographical writing and to delve into the life and works of Roald Dahl. The lesson emphasises the use of third-person narration, explaining that biographical writing involves describing someone's life events, thoughts, and feelings from an external perspective. Students learn to use third-person pronouns such as 'he', 'she', 'they', and the person's name, to craft a narrative that feels both personal and informative.

As part of the lesson, students engage in an interactive activity where they work in pairs to create a spider diagram, pooling their knowledge about Roald Dahl. This sets the stage for the study of Dahl's autobiography, 'Boy', but before delving into the book, the class explores a brief biography of the author. They are encouraged to become Roald Dahl experts by the end of the lesson, aided by a short film about his life. Dahl's background as a novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot, and screenwriter is highlighted, along with his legacy as one of the 20th century's greatest storytellers for children. The lesson culminates with students creating their own Roald Dahl fact files, drawing upon what they've learned from the lesson and additional resources, including a BBC video clip.