Biographies for 5th grade book report

[AustinTink]

Any suggestions for a biography or autobiography for a 5th grade book report? This is DS's first biography and he's having a hard time choosing. Thanks!

 

[koolaidmoms]

Any suggestions for a biography or autobiography for a 5th grade book report? This is DS's first biography and he's having a hard time choosing. Thanks!

What is he interested in?

Sports? Computers? Food?

My DS just read a couple biographies one on Milton Hershey - "Chocolate by Hershey" by Betty Berford and one on Henry Ford that I think was called "The Man, The Myth, The Machine" that he really liked. He is only 6 but he reads at a 4th -5th grade reading level so both are age appropriate.

 

[AustinTink]

What is he interested in?

Sports? Computers? Food?

All of the above!

We just saw a biography of Walt Disney on Amazon... we may have a winner. Does anyone have a favorite biography of Walt they would like to recommend?

 

[JessicaR]

When my son was in 5th grade he did his report on Derek Jeter. The Life You Imagine: Life Lessons for Achieving Your Dreams.

It was a great read and he found it very interesting. He wasn't even into Baseball all that much. It was a good book for his level of comprehension and interest.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

Here is a good series to pick from:

Robert F. Kennedy (Up Close Series) by Marc Aronson

Up Close: Theodore Roosevelt (Viking, 2009) by Michael L Cooper

Oprah Winfrey (Up Close Series) by Ilene Cooper

Harper Lee (A Twentieth-century Life) (Up Close Series) by: Kerry Madden

Up Close: Jane Goodall by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen

 

[hockeyplayer]

How about "The Autobiography of Bill Peet?" Peet was a Disney animator, before he quit to write children's books. He worked on Snow White, and his name is featured in the credits for 101 Dalmations. It's a fairly easy read, filled with lots of Peet's wonderful illustrations. Unfortunately, Peet didn't always see eye to eye with Walt, whom he found "difficult" to work for at times, but I found it interesting to see his perspective on what was going on right at the dawn of animated full length features.

 

[lovesmurfs]

DS did 2 -- Peyton Manning and Sally Ride in 5th Grade -- still remembers a lot of what he learned.

 

[Ceila]

Doesn't he have access to his school's library? That would be one of the best places for him to start, as the materials there would be on the right level for students. Also, since it is a school assignment, his teacher may have already spoken with the school librarian who can offer good suggestions.

 

[AustinTink]

Doesn't he have access to his school's library? That would be one of the best places for him to start, as the materials there would be on the right level for students. Also, since it is a school assignment, his teacher may have already spoken with the school librarian who can offer good suggestions.

You would think so, right? Honestly, it's a small private school and the library is sorely lacking. I work there as a volunteer and the older kids, 5th grade and up, rarely check anything out. The few books of interest are always checked out. My son and I spend a lot of time and money at the used book store.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

My son is in 5th grade and he did his biography book report on Walt Disney. There are lots of bios on him and the one my son read chronicled his early years. It started with his birth and explained how he got into cartooning. It ended with him getting the idea to build Disneyland. The kids in the class had to dress in something related to their subject and be interviewed by the teacher. My son wore a WDW t-shirt and his golden Mickey ears from DL's 50th anniversary. His teacher was impressed with how much he knew about Disney!

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

How about "The Autobiography of Bill Peet?" Peet was a Disney animator, before he quit to write children's books. He worked on Snow White, and his name is featured in the credits for 101 Dalmations. It's a fairly easy read, filled with lots of Peet's wonderful illustrations. Unfortunately, Peet didn't always see eye to eye with Walt, whom he found "difficult" to work for at times, but I found it interesting to see his perspective on what was going on right at the dawn of animated full length features.

I loved this biography! We had a whole section on Bill Peet in 3rd grade. We read all of his books and finished with the autobiography.

 

[Cindy B]

My daughter went to our township library and found a great bio on Vera Wang. She found fashion spreads, magazine pictures, even some perfume samples. She even wore one of my Kohl's Vera Wang shirts.

She got a great grade.

 

[AustinTink]

My son is in 5th grade and he did his biography book report on Walt Disney. There are lots of bios on him and the one my son read chronicled his early years. It started with his birth and explained how he got into cartooning. It ended with him getting the idea to build Disneyland. The kids in the class had to dress in something related to their subject and be interviewed by the teacher. My son wore a WDW t-shirt and his golden Mickey ears from DL's 50th anniversary. His teacher was impressed with how much he knew about Disney!

There really are so many bios out there about Walt Disney. It'll be a tough choice. I figure we could put together one heck of a poster/visual aid with our personal disney memorabilia alone! We have the golden ears also... nice touch!

There have been some great suggestions on this thread. I told DS I'd show them all to him in the morning when he wakes up. Thanks everyone!

 

[luvmyfam444]

We've done Abraham Lincoln, Helen Keller and Levi Strauss one of the explorers was assigned to dd.

What is he interested in? Is there a sport? Or music? Pick someone that invented the instrument or sporting equipment or made the sport, instrument etc famous.

Of course he could do Walt Disney!

I'm sitting here myself trying to pick someone for my class - though mine has to be 1700's - 1900s & European - just haven't made any decisions yet.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I think I did a bio on Walt Disney when I was in sixth grade.

 

[luvmyfam444]

You would think so, right? Honestly, it's a small private school and the library is sorely lacking. I work there as a volunteer and the older kids, 5th grade and up, rarely check anything out. The few books of interest are always checked out. My son and I spend a lot of time and money at the used book store.

OOO that stinks! Kids here are required to check out books once a week starting in kindergarten (those can't come home - they stay in the classroom til they are 1st grade then they bring them home)

Now middle school is different - they havee required reading we have to get from library or buy - though sometimes there's a class set of books

We are in a public school system with great librarians @ all the schools & a great city library - so we're fortunate that way & of course I still spend money @ the indie bookstore!

 

[gregokdisney]

Try Knucklehead, an autobiography by author Jon Sczieska. It's supposedly very funny - according to the kids in the middle school I work in.

 

[Pooh's Pixie]

One son did Tiger Woods, but not a good choice now!

My DS in 4th is doing one right now on Jeff Corwin -- he seriously wants to be him when he grows up. We have also done Milton Hershey, JFK, Samuel Adams...good luck!

 

[stsomewhere]

My DS is in 6th grade and did a report o0n Grant Imahara from Mythbusters. He has done so cool rhings like control R2D2 in the movie.

 

[dismom2]

My son is in 5th grade and he did his biography book report on Walt Disney. There are lots of bios on him and the one my son read chronicled his early years. It started with his birth and explained how he got into cartooning. It ended with him getting the idea to build Disneyland. The kids in the class had to dress in something related to their subject and be interviewed by the teacher. My son wore a WDW t-shirt and his golden Mickey ears from DL's 50th anniversary. His teacher was impressed with how much he knew about Disney!

My DD did Walt Disney, too.