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Handout
Scholastic

Scholastic: Laura Numeroff Biography

For Students Pre-K - 1st
This resource features a biography of the author Laura Numeroff. Students and teachers will benefit from this inside look at the life and work of this children's author.
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Handout
Scholastic

Scholastic Authors & Books: Paul Zindel's Biography

For Students 9th - 10th
Scholastic's biography of Paul Zindel contains the author's memories of his early life, career choices, and reasons for writing: "I have to tell stories because that's the way the wiring went in."
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Handout
Scholastic

Scholastic: Jane Yolen Biography

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Discover more about the award-winning Caldecott author Jane Yolen when you explore this site. This resource provides a biography, interview transcript, booklist and more.
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Activity
Other

Advice for Young Writers: 10 Tips for Students in Writing Biographies

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
Children's author, Kathleen Krull, writer of many biographies, shares some tips for making biographies come alive. Perhaps her most interesting tips are to be nosy, and look for juicy details.
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Handout
Scholastic

Scholastic: Eric Carle Biography

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Discover more about your favorite children's author, Eric Carle, when you visit this biography. Students and teachers will gain a new perspective of this author's life and work.
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Handout
Scholastic

Scholastic: Madeleine L'engle's Biography

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
A first-person biography of Newbery Award winning author Madeleine L'Engle. L'Engle discusses her childhood, her personal life, and her writing.
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Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Southern Renaissance: Thomas Wolfe

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Thomas Wolfe is presented in this brief biography, highlighting his writings which exemplified the American culture of the 1920's-1930's. Click on "Thomas Wolfe Activities" for related resources.
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Unit Plan
National Endowment for the Arts

National Endowment for the Arts: The Big Read: Wolff: Old School

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Guide to Tobias Wolff's Old School, with historical information, author biographies, discussion questions, and a ten-lesson unit of study including activities, writing exercises, project ideas, and essay topics. A radio show, with...
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Unit Plan
McGraw Hill

Glencoe Literature Library: "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" Study Guide [Pdf]

For Students 5th - 8th
A great reading guide for "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" by Elizabeth George Speare. Provides plenty of pre-reading material, including an author biography, an introductory article, activities, and vocabulary, as well as brainstorming and...
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Unit Plan
McGraw Hill

Glencoe Literature Library: "The Pigman" Study Guide [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
This study guide for Paul Zindel's "The Pigman" provides pre-reading material (author biography, novel setting, vocabulary lists), brainstorming activities, writing prompts, and questions for comparing "The Pigman" to other pieces of...
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Unit Plan
McGraw Hill

Glencoe Literature Library: "The House of Dies Drear" Study Guide [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Reading guide to Virginia Hamilton's "The House of Dies Drear" with pre- and post-reading material, as well as brainstorming activities and writing prompts. Includes brief author biography, an introduction to the text, a preview of...
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Unit Plan
McGraw Hill

Glencoe Literature Library: "High Elk's Treasure" Study Guide [Pdf]

For Students 6th - 8th
Explore the novel "High Elk's Treasure," by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, with the help of this study guide, useful for all stages of the reading process. Complete with pre-reading material, including author biography, novel introduction,...
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Unit Plan
McGraw Hill

Glencoe Literature Library: "Hatchet" Study Guide [Pdf]

For Students 6th - 8th
Great study guide for Gary Paulsen's "Hatchet," complete with pre-reading materials, including an author biography and vocabulary preview, brainstorming activities, thought-provoking questions about plot, theme, and character, and...
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Unit Plan
McGraw Hill

Glencoe Lit Library: "Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman" Study Guide [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Enhance your reading of "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman" by Ernest Gaines with the help of an author biography, novel introduction, vocabulary lists, and reading-response exercises. After completing the novel, write about the...
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Unit Plan
McGraw Hill

Glencoe Literature Library: "Across Five Aprils" Study Guide [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Reading guide for Irene Hunt's historical fiction, "Across Five Aprils," with a variety of resources, discussion and writing questions, and brainstorming activities. Provides pre-reading material, such as an author biography, novel...
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Unit Plan
McGraw Hill

Glencoe Literature Library: "Heart of Darkness" and "The Secret Sharer" [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Explore Joseph Conrad's novella, "Heart of Darkness," and his short story, "The Secret Sharer," with the help of this study guide. It provides pre-reading material (author biography, vocabulary, introductory article), reading activities,...
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Unit Plan
McGraw Hill

Glencoe Literature Library: "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Great study guide for Robert Louis Stevenson's novella, "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Before reading the book, check out an author biography, vocabulary, and pre-reading activities and questions. Also, use the guide's...
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Unit Plan
Scholastic

Scholastic: The Great Gilly Hopkins

For Students 3rd - 8th
This site features the book "The Great Gilly Hopkins," by Katherine Paterson. This online resource offers discussion questions, a writing prompt and more.
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Unit Plan
Scholastic

Scholastic: Biography Writer's Workshop

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
This tutorial has students follow a step-by-step guide to write their very own biography using that of Frederick Douglass as a model.
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Article
Authors Calendar

Author's Calendar: Angela (Olive) Carter

For Students 9th - 10th
Information about the life, theory, and works of author Angela Carter, especially her use of "magic realism" in her writing.
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Website
Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech: Betsy Byars: Techniques and Themes

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Teachers with classes reading the works of Betsy Byars will find information on this prolific author's craft.
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Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: An Author Study: Christopher Paul Curtis

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
This five-day lesson will introduce the students to the author of the novel as the beginning of a unit. The students will conduct research to obtain biographical information about the author and read/analyze summaries and critiques of...
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Website
Authors Calendar

Author's Calendar: Francois Charles Mauriac

For Students 9th - 10th
An overview of the writing career of Francois Charles Mauriac along with a bibliography of his works.
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Website
Authors Calendar

Author's Calendar: Truman Capote

For Students 9th - 10th
The creator of the "nonfiction novel," Truman Capote, who established his career as a Southern gothic writer, crossed the line between journalism and fiction. This biography provides his background and information about his writing and...