Write short biography or science reports

A BIOGRAPHY is a true story about a real person’s life. A SCIENCE REPORT explains a topic, an animal, or a discovery using facts. They sound like different jobs, but they share the same SPINE: an introduction, some background, the key facts, and a short conclusion. Once you can write one, you can write the other.

The Shared Spine

1. INTRODUCTION — names the person or the topic and tells the reader why it matters. One short paragraph that hooks them in.
2. BACKGROUND — for a bio: birthplace, family, early life. For a science report: definition, history, how it was discovered.
3. KEY FACTS — for a bio: 3 to 5 main achievements. For a science report: examples, how it works, main details.
4. IMPACT or CONCLUSION — explains how the person or the discovery changed the world, then sums up the main lesson.
5. SOURCES — at the very end, list every book, website, or article you used. Cite EVERY source, even for one fact.

What Goes in a Biography

• BIRTHPLACE and EARLY LIFE — where the person was born, who raised them, what they were like as a child.
• ACHIEVEMENTS — the 3 to 5 things this person is most known for. Pick the biggest, not every little event.
• CHALLENGES — many great people faced hard times. Mentioning these makes the story honest, not boring.
• LEGACY — what stays behind after the person is gone? Inventions, books, ideas, schools, laws.

What Goes in a Science Report

• DEFINITION — say in one clear sentence what the topic is. ("A volcano is an opening in Earth’s crust where lava escapes.")
• EXAMPLES — name 2 or 3 real examples so the reader has something to picture.
• HOW IT WORKS — short, plain explanation. Avoid jargon you cannot define.
• WHY IT MATTERS — how does this affect people, the planet, or other living things?

Facts, Not Feelings

• A report uses FACTS the reader can check. "Marie Curie won two Nobel Prizes" is a fact.
• A feeling is fine in a journal but not here. "I think she was the smartest ever" is an opinion.
• When in doubt, ask: could a librarian look this up? If yes, it is a fact. If no, it is a feeling.
• Cite where the fact came from. Even one fact from one website needs to appear in your Sources list.

How to Plan in 5 Minutes

1. Write the FIVE section names down the side of a page: Introduction, Background, Key Facts, Impact, Sources.
2. Under each name, jot 2 or 3 short notes. Do not write full sentences yet.
3. Read the notes back. Move any fact that landed under the wrong heading.
4. Now turn each set of notes into one short paragraph. Skip a line between sections so the headings stand out.