How To Teach Bio Poems on the 1st Day of School

As a writing teacher, I like to dive into writing right from the start! One way I get this accomplished is by making bio poems and self-portraits. Bio poems are simple poems about a person. They are easy for students to write because it follows a predictable pattern.

Writing bio poems to get to know each other is a great back to school icebreaker. Besides, it connects poetry and art in a meaningful way for upper elementary students.

Here is a glimpse of my students breaking the ice through poetry and art. 

How to Write Bio Poems

Step 1 Gathering Ideas

Before my students write, I ask them to join me on the carpet. I start by asking them questions related to their interest. This is a quick warm-up and a fast way to get students thinking before they receive their papers. It cuts down a lot of the “um” and “I don’t know” once they draft their bio poem. Afterward, I give them two minutes to share their response with classmates nearby. 

Next, I direct their attention to the bio poem examples on the presentation. This introduces them to the structure of the bio poem.

Here, I emphasize that it is unnecessary for bio poems to rhyme. Right after, I show them a finished project of the bio poem and self-portrait. I use this opportunity to introduce myself by sharing my bio poem. 

Step 2 Draft Bio Poem

 The next step is to complete a draft of the bio poem by answering the questions on the bio poem planning page. The answers to these questions are used to complete the bio poem template.

Writing projects with two parts such as an art and writing component, I start the kids off with the writing piece first and move them on to the art component last. 

As students are working, I use this opportunity to hold student conferences by walking around the room. During these writing conferences, I review their draft. One of my goals is to get a feel of their attitude towards writing. I must admit that this part of the project is my favorite!  

Step 3 Publish Bio Poem

 After they polish the draft, they publish their poem. I try to make this a special event by allowing them to write with pens or other writing materials besides a pencil.

Last, I show them how to put the bio poem and self-portrait together. They glue the rubric on the back of their project. Some students add their own flair to their self-portraits by adding different accessories or making their backgrounds unique. 

Step 4 Sharing Bio Poems

We close the activity by returning to the carpet and sharing the final project. While the kids are presenting, I fill out the rubric and paste it to the back of the projects.

When the kids present the projects to their classmates is one way to start building a community of writers in the classroom. 

The last step in this back to school ice breaker activity is to celebrate our first writing activity! This is done by students posting their bio poem projects on our classroom bulletin board.

Bio Poem Examples

Here is an example of a student bio poem.

Lilena

funny, smart, resourceful

who loves to ride a bike and talk to friends

who wonders about space, and music

who fears snakes , and roller coasters

who feels happy when eating a crepe , and reading a good book 

who would like to learn how to cook

who dreams of running a marathon 

Rodriguez

Other Ways To Use Bio Poems In The Classroom

Once the kids understand the mechanics of bio poems, they can use the bio poem template to write from the perspective of a famous person, such as historical figures, or characters in stories.

For example, as part of our unit for MLK Day, the kids write bio poems about Martin Luther King Jr. by making inferences based on his character traits.

Wrapping It Up

I love activities that have multi-purposes such as the self-portrait and bio poems. They make the first few days of school fly! If you want to join in the fun, you can download the bio poem and self-portrait activity over at my store.