1 Week Group Biography Research Project turns your students into biographers and historians. This intensive 500-minute module (designed for five 100-minute blocks) provides a streamlined, high-interest pathway for students to master informational research through the lens of individual agency. It is the perfect standalone project or a powerful capstone to the Activists of Color unit.
Students choose from a curated list of modern and historical trailblazers—including athletes like Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe, artists like Bruce Lee, and scientists like Chien-Shiung Wu. Using a specialized Biography Notes Sheet and curated Padlet Research Sets, groups interrogate various texts and videos to find the central idea of the activist’s life. The project culminates in a collaborative PowerPoint presentation where students must synthesize images, evidence, and analysis to tell a story of resistance and achievement.
What’s Included
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Comprehensive 5-day lesson plan with minute-by-minute breakdowns for a 100-minute block schedule.
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8+ Curated Biography Padlet Sets (Lin-Manuel Miranda, Claudette Colvin, Simone Biles, and more).
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L13. Biography Notes Sheet specifically designed for tracking an individual’s impact over time.
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L13. Reading Roles Guide to ensure equitable research duties within the group.
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L13. Biography PowerPoint & Presentation Rubric—a professional-grade tool for assessing both the digital product and the oral delivery.
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Strong Presentation Examples to provide students with a clear visual benchmark for success.
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Alignment with WAESN Elements of Liberation (Identity & Agency) and CCSS ELA standards for collaborative research and digital presentation.
Why Educators Use This Lesson
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Instant High Interest: Features icons that students already admire (Chadwick Boseman, Selena, etc.), making the research feel relevant and urgent.
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Streamlined Research: The pre-built Padlet sets eliminate the google-search spiral, keeping students focused on analysis rather than just searching.
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Collaborative Rigor: Uses the Reading Roles and peer-editing protocols to turn group work into a high-accountability academic environment.
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Teaches Visual Communication: Explicitly guides students on how to select images and phrases that enhance a presentation rather than just cluttering a slide.
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Celebrates Identity: Every featured activist is a person of color who has challenged systems of oppression, providing powerful mirrors and windows for all students.
This is the project that takes the icons off the posters and puts their strategies into the hands of your students.