A&E Classroom's BIOGRAPHY invites you to witness the private moments and public spectacle that have shaped the leaders of our world. History, government and the arts come alive as you and your students share the difficulties and triumphs that lead to greatness. Using unique footage and exclusive interviews, these documentaries reveal that outstanding performance in any field requires persistence and that leadership is rare without effort. BIOGRAPHY vividly illustrates concepts concerning Politics, Language, History and the Performing Arts. Most appropriate for Grades 5-12, BIOGRAPHY also offers effective leadership training to members of Student Government.

1. I. Before Viewing: Preparation

2. a) Discuss character traits that may lead to success. Introduce vocabulary (see below). Brainstorm a list of current or historical figures who display these characteristics. Are all ethnicities and both sexes equally represented on this list? Why or why not?

3. II. After Viewing: Discussion

4. a) Ask students to watch BIOGRAPHY and discover traits that may have contributed to this individual's accomplishments. Which attributes were specific to his/her field and which might lead to success in any field? How much of this person's success was due to natural talent and how much to hard work? What is the role of the person's background or personal circumstances in their success? How did this person's childhood effect adult achievement? What difficulties were encountered and how were they overcome? What actions did the subject take to reach his/her goals? Were these actions controversial? Why are some people more willing to risk peer disapproval in order to succeed?

1. Assume that you are a reporter interviewing those who were involved with this notable individual at various times in his/her life. Write a newspaper article for your paper about this person.

2. According to Martha Graham, a ground-breaking choreographer, "Practice is a means of inviting perfection."Do you agree or disagree with her statement? Choose a partner or divide into groups to debate this issue. Cite examples from BIOGRAPHY and your own life experiences to clarify your position.

3. Consider the time period in which this individual grew up. Research that era's political climate, social expectations, clothing, lifestyle. How might these have influenced his/her development? How is life different today? Interview people from your grandparents' generation. Ask them to recall their impressions of this famous personality and the era in which s/he was famous. Share their responses with the class and use a chart to present your findings.

4. A&E BIOGRAPHY: AN EXPLORATION OF LEADERSHIP QUALITIES

5. Leaders in History, Sports, Government and the Arts tend to share certain personal characteristics. After viewing an A&E Biography, your class may discuss which behaviourial traits are illustrated by the life of the person studied. Behaviour characteristics include : PERSEVERANCE (persistent belief in ones' goals; holding to a course of action without giving up), INDUSTRIOUSNESS (willingness to work hard), PROFICIENCY (quality of being an expert or highly skilled in a specific field), ASSERTIVENESS (ability to express oneself forcefully), INGENUITY (inventive skill; imagination), APTITUDE (natural talent, gift or tendency), and AUDACITY (daring; willingness to risk social disapproval).

6. Which characteristics contributed most to this person's success? What characteristics would you add to this list that played a significant role in this person's success? Which traits do you share with this famous person? Which qualities do you most admire in this person? In others?