California common core standards (pdf)
3rd grade common core standards pdf...
Using Biographies to Help Students Meet Common Core Reading Standards
Beginning in the second grade, the Common Core State Standards require students to "describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text" (R Informational Text).
Second grade common core standards pdf
One great way to get students to understand historical events in sequence and to see the connection between the events is to present them with biographies.
Biographies provide a built-in connection between events: the person who is the subject of the biography is the constant thread.
Following the trajectory of an interesting person's life through historical events will help students to see the cause-and-effect behind these events.
Biographies also have the added benefit of allowing students to get a peek inside the motivations of a historical or public figure.
While mainly a part of the Literature standards—which ask students to be able to describe characters in