I have been a huge fan of the Who Was series of books for a long time. Especially for younger kids, historical events can feel distant, sometimes boring, and unrelated to their current lives of video games, youtube, and anything new that grabs kids’ attention at the time you’re reading this. That’s where a good biography comes in! students not only learn about the person, but also about the historical context in which he lived. themes become much more relatable and students can begin to make connections to our past. my favorite biography series to make this magic happen is definitely the who was/who is series! I’ll be sharing some of my favorite activities to go along with the books in this post, including a free who is michael jordan flipbook!
what is the who was series of books?
First published in 2002, the Who Was series depicts a highly diverse group of historically and culturally significant people, including Amelia Earhart, Steve Jobs, Michael Jordan, and Oprah Winfrey. You’ve probably seen them in bookstores. but you may refer to them by another name, such as “bighead biographies” or “bighead biographies” due to their recognizable covers. the books are incredibly popular with students because they are relatively short (each just over 100 pages!) and feature lots of engaging illustrations. They are also very popular with teachers because most of the books in the series only cost about $4.00.
You are reading: What reading level are the who was books
The editors have expanded the who went series to other topics with their what went? where is it? And what is the story about? series too, which means there are over 250 books to choose from. there is even a fun that was? activity book that has puzzles, mazes, quizzes, and other games based on the series. they are constantly adding titles and about 20 new books are published each year. You can find an up-to-date list of all the books in the who was biography series here!
What are who was‘s book reading levels?
Recommended reading levels vary by title, but generally fall within these ranges:
- school reading level: n-s
- lexile®: 620-900
- ages: 8-12
- grades: 3rd to 7th
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If you have a particular book in mind, I recommend searching for the title using Scholastic’s Book Wizard. you can find scholastic, lexile® levels, degree equivalents and dra, all in one place.
Why are who was it books perfect for integrating social studies and language arts?
The biographies of who it was are fun to read and full of history and culture. Unlike some history textbooks, the writing is fun and brings each person’s story to life. more than that, however, the books also make connections between historical themes and our current lives. each book begins with a chapter that provides context and sets the stage for the person’s life. most of the books are great at teaching and supporting the growth mindset, and readers are encouraged to explore their own potential to change the world.
While the series remains upbeat and positive, they are also not afraid to delve into more difficult topics such as racism, religion, extramarital affairs, drug use, sexual orientation, and death, as these topics are often be central to the stories of the people who appear. In the series, you can’t write a book about Harvey’s milk, for example, without discussing issues of homophobia and gay rights. And you can’t tell the story of Rosa Parks without also discussing racism, the Ku Klux Klan, Jim Crow, and the history of violence against black people in America. Despite the difficulty of these topics, the series as a whole manages to find a balance between the facts and knowing how to present them to young students by linking them to the biographies and providing the necessary context.
incorporate social studies skills
The Who It Was books also provide supplemental information that is great for incorporating social studies skills. Each book comes with not only a timeline of the person’s life, but also a timeline of the world during the same eras. Bibliographies are always included, and sidebars throughout the book provide more information on related topics. a sidebar on who was gone b. wells?, for example, talks about reconstruction and the three civil rights amendments passed during this era.
what are some who was it book activities that I can use in my classroom?
who was he book reports
One of the easiest ways to use the series is to have students complete a book report. you can assign a particular person, or just let students choose someone they are interested in. I also love the idea of picking a topic, letting students pick a person who fits the topic, and then having them share what they’ve learned with each other.
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For example, let’s say you were studying a unit on scouts and exploration. Students can break into groups and choose to learn about Jacques Cousteau, Ernest Shackleton, Sally Ride, Ferdinand Magellan, or Sacagawea. groups could team up and complete venn diagrams showing how their explorers were similar and different. Since there are so many books in the series, there are plenty of possibilities for topics including artists, scientists, and inventors, famous African Americans, founding fathers, presidents, athletes, writers, influential women, musicians, and more.
If you go the book report route, I recommend providing students with a graphic organizer or tri-fold brochure template to help them focus their research and keep track of notes as they read. Younger students especially need a note-taking framework to help them pick out the most important information. this is also a great idea to learn how to write a short essay. My graphic organizers are designed specifically to accompany the Who Was book series, and they make great templates for book reports. If you’re looking for digital activities for distance learning, I’ve got you covered with digital graphic organizers and digital trifold brochures too! Each set comes with templates for 108 (that’s right, I said one hundred and eight!) people featured in the Who Was series, and I make regular updates to add more people whenever I can.
who is _____?: the story of my life
who was the netflix series
did you know there’s also a whole netflix series about who was it books? well there is! I’ll be honest, as an adult with somewhat decent taste, I couldn’t even get through an episode. but, we all know how our students like things we can’t stand. there are 13 episodes, each featuring two people from the series and a particular theme of how they relate. For example, the Wright brothers and Pablo Picasso were paired as freethinkers, and Amelia Earhart and Isaac Newton are in the same episode as both being innovators. There’s an educator’s guide to the netflix series that includes some quick teaching tips that you might find helpful.
who has the headquarters
who was it? adventure app
if you’re looking for digital activities to use with whoever books, students will love the adventures app too! It is free and can be installed on apple devices. The app includes more than 5,000 questions about the famous characters from the books. Players can progress through more than 100 levels as they use timelines and learn new facts. the app would be a great activity for early finishers. And if you have enough gadgets in your classroom, it would be a fun indoor playground too!
Clearly, there are many ways to use the Who Was book series in your classroom. Did I forget a fun activity? Do you recommend any particular title of the series? Tell me about your experiences and ideas in the comments below!
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