Homework Helper

                                                    Mae Jemison: Space Star

1. The writer includes the name of the person he or she is writing about. The first sentence grabs the reader’s attention with a question. The writer question.explains whom the biography is about and what that person is

known for.

Have you ever dreamed of flying freely through outer space, surrounded by a sea of stars? Mae Jemison fulfilled that dream.On September 12, 1992, aboard the spaceship Endeavour, shebecame the first African-American woman to blast into outer space. This wasn’t the only time, however, that Jemison had reached for the stars and realized her dreams.

2, The writer provides  information about Jemison’s childhood. The writer uses Jemison’s education as an example to show how she worked hard to achieve her goals.

Jemison was born on October 17, 1956, in Decatur, Alabama, but she grew up in Chicago, Illinois. There weren’t many wellknown African-American female role models while Jemison was growing up, but she didn’t let that stop her from achieving her goals. She was especially interested in anthropology, archaeology and astronomy. Luckily, her parents encouraged those interests.That encouragement drove her to excel. She graduated from high school at 16! Then she earned degrees in chemical engineering and African-American studies at Stanford University. Later, she graduated from Cornell University’s medical school. No challenge was too great for Jemison to take on.

3,The writer gives examples of Jemison’s accomplishments.

Jemison’s accomplishments did not end there. In 1981, she joined NASA’s space program in Houston, Texas. And in 1988, Jemison realized her biggest dream: She finally became an astronaut! Just four years later, she was named science mission specialist (another NASA first) on an Endeavour flight. 

4. The conclusion lets the reader know why Jemison is an important person to learn about.

Today, Jamison encourages young people—especially women and girls—to study the sciences. Her life example teaches us to follow our dreams, no matter how great.