Biographies have been a hot topic recently in the grade 2 classroom at Aichi International School. Students not only studied and read biographies, they wrote, edited, and published their own as well.
This was an elaborate and involved undertaking. Firstly, each student chose a peer to write about, and then conducted interviews by creating questions, planning discussion topics, and taking notes. Students then wrote a rough draft, edited it twice, and ultimately prepared a final copy. The biographies were filled with factual information from the time of birth through to present day life, including special experiences, as well as hopes and dreams for the future.
Each manuscript included a picture with a caption, as well as a cover page and a snazzy title. Some titles included A Musical Journey: The Life of Kise Kawamoto, Dancing Queen: The Jitse Alliet Story, and Big Fish: The Life and Times of Sota Mizuno. Some students even created a timeline of their biographical subject’s life.
Students were given the unusual and special opportunity of sharing their biographies with their teacher’s parents during a visit from them on December 14. Her parents were visiting Japan for the first time from the United States, and they were happy to listen to the children reading aloud, as well as delighted to spend the entire day with them.
The second grade teacher later reported how her students had made her extremely proud that day.
— ALLISON MANDEL
