All About Me Bio Poem Simile Writing Getting to Know You Activity

Looking for an “All About Me” bio poem activity that actually gets your students writing (and sharing a bit about themselves)?

At the start of the year, I always find that some students are excited to talk… and others just don’t know what to say or write. That’s where this has worked really well in my classroom.

This bio poem activity gives students a simple structure to follow, so they’re not stuck staring at a blank page. The templates guide them step by step, and the simile prompts help them add a bit more detail and personality to their writing without overthinking it.

I usually start by showing them an example (there’s one included), and we talk through it together. After that, they brainstorm their own ideas and use the notebook-style templates to draft their poem. It’s very manageable, even for students who aren’t confident writers yet.

Once they’ve written their poem, they can create a neat final version using the publishing page. These look great displayed in the classroom, and students genuinely enjoy reading about each other.

Everything is included to make it easy to run as a full lesson—there’s a simple lesson plan to follow, plus a rubric if you want to assess the writing without spending ages on marking.

I’ve found this works especially well as a getting-to-know-you activity, but it also fits nicely into poetry or writing lessons any time of the year.

Items Included

• Bio poem interactive notebook templates to scaffold student writing

• Simile writing prompts to help with descriptions

• Clear, student-friendly example (color and blackline posters)

• Step-by-step lesson plan for easy teaching

• Publishing sheet for a final copy

• Assessment rubric for quick marking

How to Use in Your Classroom

You might start by modelling a bio poem about yourself or a familiar person using the included examples. This helps students see exactly what’s expected.

From there, students can brainstorm ideas and use the interactive notebook templates to plan and draft their poems. The simile prompts support them in adding richer, more descriptive language. Once complete, students can create a polished final copy using the publishing pages—perfect for a classroom display!

The included rubric makes assessment simple and clear.

Skills Covered

• Poetry writing

• Simile and figurative language

• Descriptive writing

• Self-expression and identity

• Writing organisation and structure

• Editing and revising

These make a beautiful back-to-school bulletin board display—and students love reading about each other once they’re finished!