Legends: 52 People Who Made a Difference: Bio-Sketches for Reading, Telling, Listening, Writing, and Research

Legends is a versatile book that may be used in a variety of ways. The 52 bio-sketches have a two-page format. The first page has an illustration and a brief biography of the person. The back of the page has a timeline placing the person's life within the context of events and other people in American history. The pages are perforated for easy removal from the book. Or the pages can be left in the book, and it can be used as a reader. There are 13 groups of legendary people, each group represented by four people who made a mark in some aspect of life: folk heroes, civil war/anti-slavery heroes, Native Americans, inventors/scientists, educators, reformers, adventurers, human rights leaders, presidents, military heroes, writers, entertainers, and sports heroes. In each group of four there are four levels of challenge. For example, in the Sports Heroes group, Roberto Clemente's biography is about 100 words long; Wilma Rudolph, 150 words; Bruce Lee, 200 words, and Duke Kahanamoku, 250 words. In other words, the biographies can be used by learners at various proficiency levels. Use the bios as a reader. Have the students read the 13 easiest biographies (100 word-level). Then they move on to the 150 word bios, and so forth. As the students read, each bio is, of course, different, but words and phrases naturally recycle: (She was born in ... She decided ... She became a ... She died.) Use the bios for practicing speaking and listening. Each student gets a different legend. They study the bio-sketch. They find a partner and tell each other about their legend. Or they can role play: (I am Cesar Chavez. Who are you?) They look at the timelines and discuss their legends and the times they lived in. Two CDs are available for listening practice. At the bottom of the timeline, there is an internet address for further research.