Ideas for biography project for elementary school

[elbert]

DD is in third grade and had to do s "biography book fair" project - they each select a person and read a biography, prepare a report and presentation, and dress up like him/her at a fair/open house type event.

I'm trying to help DD with some unique ideas. She's a very advanced reader (testing at high school instructional level) and wants to select a woman, and preferably one alive - or at least not one who died a tragic death.

Her initial idea was Hillary Clinton, which I'm trying to steer her away from so she's not "campaigning". Other ideas are Malala and Louisa May Alcott. She's not interested in Eleamor Roosevelt (since we've already read quite a few books about her), Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Clara Barton, Harriet Tubman, Pocahantus, or Rosa Parks.

Any interesting suggestions? We're pretty into social justice as a family, and less likely to lean toward a sports or entertainment personality...

Thanks for any thoughts!

[vonfirmath]

I would recommend going to the Who-Was books site and narrowing it down to the Women's history. It will give you a good amount of women. If the title says "Who is" The person is still alive (or was when the book was written). and you will know you have at least one good biography written to their level.

http://www.whowasbookseries.com/who-was/

(Or Malala. She's very close in age yet has already made such an impact on the conscience of the world. Might be a good one to give her an idea of what can be done even when young)

[rlu]

There was at least one Jane Goodall at our similar project "wax museum" back in 3rd grade.
Sally Ride? (eta: Crud, forgot she passed)

[keh602]

DD just did this for a 4th grade project, and she chose Laura Ingalls Wilder. She's not still alive, but she did die at the age of 90. We have the Who Was book about her. Those are fantastic!

[KrisM]

Julia Butterfly Hill (lived in a redwood tree for 2 years to prevent it from being cut down)
Amelia Earhart
Jerrie Mock (first woman to fly solo around the world)

[georgiegirl]

Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I'm trying to convince DD (4th grade) to write her Hall of Fame report on RBG. DD wants to do Anne Frank or Helen Keller.

[Cam&Clay]

I was going to suggest Amelia Earhart, but there's likely some kind of tragedy involved there.

If she can read at that high of a level, I'd steer clear of the "easy" ones, like Pocahontas, Betsy Ross, etc. Sounds like she can handle a politician. I think Malala is a fantastic idea. I'd look at other women in government like Sandra Day O'Connor. I'm also a fan of Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman doctor.

[ett]

Irena Sendler
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Phillis Wheatley
Marie Curie
Rachel Carson
Grace Hopper

[Cam&Clay]

JK Rowling

[oneplustwo]

Julia Butterfly Hill
Amelia Earhart
Jerrie MockI was going to suggest Julia Butterfly Hill! DD chose her for her 5th grade biography project. She'd learned about her in 3rd grade; I'd never heard of her before DD told me she was going to petition the 5th grade teachers to do JBH for the project. There are a couple of age-appropriate biographies of her as well, although not necessarily easy to track down.

[Tenasparkl]

DD just did her similar project on Juliette Gordon Lowe (the founder of Girl Scouts). She's no longer living, but was very inspirational for us to read about.

[elbert]

OP here. These are great ideas...even though I had to google a few of them ;)

Thank you!

[melwe]

Sacagawea. DD did her book report this year (3rd grade) on her.

[Kestrel]

Elinor Smith? She earned her pilot's license at just 16 years old - in 1928! She flew under all four bridges that span New York city's east river, because she was mocked as "not a real pilot" or girls shouldn't fly. A barrier-breaker!

[oneplustwo]

Elinor Smith? She earned her pilot's license at just 16 years old - in 1928! She flew under all four bridges that span New York city's east river, because she was mocked as "not a real pilot" or girls shouldn't fly. A barrier-breaker!

You just reminded me of Alice Ramsey, the first woman to drive across the US. She's not alive now, but she lived a long life and didn't have a tragic death. She ended up driving cross country over 30 times.... this was back when there were no street signs, no maps, and once she was out in the middle of the country and farther west, no streets or sometimes even no paths or anything to help navigate, at least the first few times she drove cross country. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/womens-history/alice-ramseys-historic-cross-country-drive-29114570/?no-ist

[KrisM]

Maybe Bethany Hamilton - she lost her arm in a shark attack at age 13.

[mom_hanna]

Misty Copeland, ballerina with the ABT. First female African American principal dancer. Or Angela Merkel, first female Chancellor of Germany, has won the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

[Kindra178]

The Jane Goodall book was awesome from the series mentioned above.


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[elbert]

Loving all the girl power!

[jerseygirl]

here are some not already mentioned:

Sheryl Sandberg
Maya Angelou
gloria steinem
madeleine albright
marissa mayer
condalezza rice
ruth bader ginsburg

there are many in the political/business arena

[petesgirl]

Misty Copeland, ballerina with the ABT. First female African American principal dancer. Or Angela Merkel, first female Chancellor of Germany, has won the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

I was going to mention Angela Merkel, she was time magazine's person of the year for 2015.

[Corie]

DD just did her similar project on Juliette Gordon Lowe (the founder of Girl Scouts). She's no longer living, but was very inspirational for us to read about.


When my daughter was in the 4th grade, she did her big biography project on Juliette Gordon Lowe.

[Twoboos]

DD1 did Jane Goodall, DD2 did Gloria Steinem. (We found the perfect large sunglasses, and she wore her straight blonde hair parted right down the middle, her look was spot on. ;))

[ilfaith]

If it were me, I would be all about Ruth Bader Ginsburg (A.K.A. "The Notorious R.B.G."). I have a friend whose grandmother went to summer camp with her back when she was "Kiki" Bader. She was quite the baton twirler back in the day.

Actually, this might be my next Halloween costume...the tight bun, the glasses, the robe and lace collar...and a baton.

[newnana]

Not mentioned yet and still alive: Sylvia Earle! She's an oceanographer and even has her own lego mini fig! She's done TED talks and founder of the Mission Blue initiative along with the Sylvia Earle Alliance (SEA). Lots of great books on and by her and lots of levels. DD just did a great project on her.

[georgiegirl]

So many good ideas. I've been trying to convince DD to branch out, but her first choice is Anne Frank, then Helen Keller. She totally nixed the notorious RBG (costume would be so cute) and Malala (didn't like the whole getting shot in the head part.)

[crispychicky]

Mae Jemison - First African-American astronaut, also a dancer, doctor, and big advocate for science and math education

Irena Sendler - saved 2500 Jewish children from the Nazis in Warsaw. Known as the female Oskar Schindler

[Mommaof3]

My daughter was Albert Einstein! It was awesome. They sell wigs of him and she wore a small white lab coat.

[daisysmom]

Our school did this biography project this year and my DD chose Helen Keller. I loved what she did with it! Our school doesn't involve the parents at all in the topic selection - so I would try to let her chose and own her choice.

[boolady]

My DD is in the midst of working on her biography project right now and is doing J.K. Rowling. She has wanted Rowling to be the subject of her project since she started reading a biography of her at B&N one day a few months ago.

[basilicali]

My DD has wax museum at her school each year. She was Jane Goodall with some stuffed gorillla/monkeys and Queen Isabella of Spain (she gave out chocolate gold coins).