Writing about Me
Building Identity through Autobiographical Writing
Ilissa Fenlason Lemmon Valley Elementary
Rationale I chose to focus my research on autobiographical writing because it is my favorite type of writing to teach and read, however I had spent very little time researching and investigating its effectiveness. I know that my students excel when they have the opportunity to write about themselves in fun and creative ways. Writing autobiographies, memoirs, personal narratives, and other pieces about themselves also helps my students express who they are through their writing. Each time I give my students an autobiographical assignment, I learn a great deal about who they are, and I think they learn a little about themselves along the way as well. Another reason I was inspired to conduct this inquiry was because of an experience my little brother shared with me when he was in high school. His senior English teachers (Amie Newberry and Rob Stone, both from Washoe County School District) held a special celebration at the end of the year that they called “Museum of Me.” One night after school, the families of all the students were invited to come read some of the autobiographical pieces their children had written and collected over the course of the year. The students were not there, but they had left notes to each person they invited telling us about their projects and explaining how we should read and respond to their work. Reading this collection of pieces that my little brother had written about himself was a very powerful experience for both of us. As I sat there in that quiet classroom, I felt like I got to see pieces of my brother that I never knew were there. Even now, years later, when we talk about that project his face lights up with pride. That night I knew that I wanted to find a way to bring a similar experience to the students at my school. For the past two years I have begun incorporating the “Museum of Me” practice into my teaching, but I still feel like there is something missing and I have room to grow. I knew this inquiry project was the
perfect opportunity to find out more about how to successfully incorporate autobiographical writing into my teaching practice. Through this inquiry process I hoped to find research supporting the use of autobiographical writing in the classroom, as well as ideas about how to teach this genre effectively. I began my inquiry by thinking about the ways I already use autobiographical writing. Then I searched for books and articles that would add to my knowledge base and repertoire of teaching strategies.
Essential Question: How can writing autobiographical pieces support students’ narrative writing skills, while at the same time building their sense of identity? Common Core Writing Standards: A large range of writing standards are addressed when teaching students to write autobiographies effectively, including standards about types of writing, research, the writing process, collaboration, and publication. The two standards that are most closely linked to my inquiry are: Text Types and Purposes: W.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. Production and Distribution of Writing W.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. More about the Narrative Writing Standard According to the Common Core State Standards (2010), “Narrative writing conveys experience, either real or imaginary, and uses time as its deep structure. It can be used for many purposes, such as to inform, instruct, persuade, or entertain. In English language arts, students produce narratives that take the form of creative fictional stories, memoirs, anecdotes, and autobiographies. Over time, they learn to provide visual details of scenes, objects, or people; to depict specific actions (for example, movements, gestures, postures, and expressions); to use dialogue and interior monologue that provide insight into the narrator’s and characters’ personalities and motives; and to manipulate pace to highlight the significance of events and create tension and suspense. In history/social studies, students write narrative accounts about individuals. They also construct event models of what happened, selecting from their sources only the most relevant information. In science, students write narrative descriptions of the step-by-step procedures they follow in their investigations so that others can replicate their procedures and (perhaps) reach the same results. With practice, students expand their repertoire and control of different narrative strategies.” (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010, appendix A, p. 24)
Autobiography vs. Memoir As I conducted my research, I began to wonder what the difference was between an autobiography and a memoir. The two terms are often used interchangeably; however there are differences between them. According to Publishing Solutions Inc. (2012), the following are the key features of autobiographies and memoirs. Autobiography: An autobiography is a person’s life story told in chronological order. An autobiography includes facts and details about all major events in the person’s lifetime. In an autobiography it is important for information to be accurate, so some research about dates, places, and people may be necessary. Memoir: A memoir is a narrative piece of writing that focuses on a particular time period or theme in a person’s life. Although a memoir is based in real experiences, the focus in on thoughts, emotions, mood, and tone, rather than on facts. A memoir is guided by the writer’s memory of an event, so accuracy is not as important as in an autobiography.
Methods of Analysis For this project, I began by gathering the resources I already had that related to autobiographical writing. First I pulled the lessons on autobiography that I was already using in my classroom. Next, I turned to the binders full of articles on good teaching that I had previously read. I rediscovered many great articles about helping students develop and express their identities through writing. Then I conducted a search using the database Education Researcher Complete (EbscoHost). I searched for information using combinations of keywords such as: autobiography, memoir, writing, teaching, personal narrative, and identity. Finally, I read and reread everything I had collected while taking notes on the content, searching for patterns of thought as well as unique and insightful ideas. Literature Review Writing stories about personal experiences is an important skill for students in every grade level. Whether they are called personal narratives, autobiographies, or memoirs, these stories can help students develop their writing skills while at the same time building and expressing their unique identities. There are many ideas for how to help students write these autobiographical texts effectively, including using mentor texts and a variety of writing structures. I will begin by explaining reasons why autobiographical writing is so important and will follow with examples of ways to strengthen students’ autobiographical writing. The Importance of Autobiography One reason to incorporate autobiographical writing into the writing curriculum is that is gives students opportunities to build their overall writing skills. Through the process of writing and rewriting autobiographical texts, students learn a great deal about the writing process (Birren & Svensson, 32006; Espinosa, 2006). Students can improve specific writing traits, such as word
choice and voice, by reading mentor texts that showcase these traits and then exploring them in their own writing (Brown, 2010; Espinosa, 2006; Sychterz, 2009). Students can also learn about development of character, setting, theme, or mood by writing separate pieces directed at each of these elements (Sychterz, 2009). By having students write a variety of autobiographical pieces, teachers can introduce students to structural techniques such as writing vignettes, creating a circular structure, hooking the reader, and using dialogue (Espinosa, 2006; Sychterz, 2009). Students can even explore elements of language in their autobiographical writing. They can learn to use repetition, run-on sentences and sentence fragments effectively (Sychterz, 2009). Students also learn the importance of using vivid details to tell their story (Espinosa, 2006). There are clearly many benefits for students writing skills from writing narratives and autobiographical texts. While improving students’ writing is an essential goal for any teacher, perhaps the most important reason for using autobiographical writing in the classroom is that it allows students to develop their identity. Through writing, students have the opportunity to express who they are and feel that their voice and experiences are valued. Students can construct their identity within the classroom and in relation to their peers through their writing (Cappello, 2006). Unfortunately, today’s schools are often so focused on standardization and uniformity that students either do not have the chance to express their true identity or do not feel comfortable doing so (Gavelek & Bresnahan, 2009). Saenz (2004) describes his personal experiences as a student. He felt that others expected him to set aside his identity as a writer in order to take on a more “American” one. Clearly we need to do a better job of ensuring that each student’s voice is respected in our classrooms.
Autobiographical writing gives up the perfect occasion to showcase students’ identities. By allowing students to write about themselves, their families, their culture, and their experiences, we show them that these things matter. Benefits of writing and sharing autobiographies include improved sense of self and self-confidence (Birren & Svensson, 2006; Miller & Mehler, 1994). Second language learners and students from minority backgrounds also have a chance to see their culture displayed and appreciated in ways that the traditional curriculum doesn’t always allow for (Armon & Ortega, 2008; Espinosa, 2006; Sychterz, 2009). These children can use their writing to build bridges between their home and school life (Haas Dyson, 1993; Miller & Mehler, 1994). Furthermore, when people share their autobiographical writing, friendships develop and bonds between students and teachers strengthen (Armon & Ortega, 2008; Birren & Svensson, 2006). When students write about their experiences with common themes, issues, or emotions, others are able to relate to their stories on a personal level (Birren & Svensson, 2006; Brown, 2010). This also helps to build bonds between readers and writers. Helping Students Create Well-Crafted Autobiographies There are many ways teachers can support students’ writing of autobiographical pieces. These include letting students tell stories orally, providing mentor texts that inspire storytelling, and using a variety of structures for writing. Teachers should also give students time for sharing and response, encourage revision and rewriting, and arrange for occasions for publication or presentation. Many of the ideas discussed below are simply good writing practices that have been applied specifically to autobiographical writing.
Have students share their stories orally Children are often used to telling and listening to personal stories. Families often use storytelling at home as a way to socialize children and construct identities (Armon & Ortega, 2008; Miller & Mehler, 1994). We have all experienced these familial storytelling sessions, where decades old stories that have been told dozens of times are intertwined with brand new experiences. By participating in these events, students learn narrative structure as well as skills such as effective word choice, parallel constructions, and use of metaphors (Miler & Mehler, 1994). Teachers can tap into this resource by having students share their personal stories orally (Birren & Svensson, 2006; Espinosa, 2006; Miller & Mehler, 1994). This can be especially helpful for younger children (Miller & Mehler, 1994) and second language learners (Espinosa, 2006). Teachers should also be willing to share their own stories and model this for students (Espinosa, 2006). One way to structure oral autobiography time is similar to show and tell. Children can bring in objects that are important to them, but rather than merely describing the object, students should be encouraged to create a narrative about why this particular object matters to them or tell a story about the object (Miller & Mehler, 1994). These oral stories can then be used to spark student writing in later sessions. Use mentor texts to inspire writing There are many great autobiographies and memoirs written for children (see the supporting materials section for a list of recommended titles). Reading these texts with your students can inspire them to write about their own memories and experiences in unique and powerful ways (Armon & Ortega, 2008; Espinosa, 2006; Sychterz 2009). Sychterz (2009) suggests that students can learn to focus on specific elements of their writing, such as
characterization, word choice, theme, mood, and voice, by exploring those elements in a mentor text and then experimenting with them in their own narrative pieces. Mentor texts can be read aloud to students and used to inspire their writing instead of giving them a writing prompt (Espinosa, 2006). Students can be asked to write their own autobiographical piece in response to a mentor text that borrows a technique from the mentor text or matches the tone or topic of the mentor text. Introduce students to a variety of structures and types of texts There are many different structures that can be effective for writing autobiographical pieces. Students can write about a single event (Sychterz, 2009). They can write a collection of vignettes centered around an important life theme, such as friendship, goals, family, or growing up (Birren & Svensson, 2006; Sychterz, 2009) or told in chronological order like a written timeline (Sychterz, 2009). Adding illustrations to these collections of vignettes is another way to deepen this experience (Armon & Ortega, 2008). Students can even write their own autobiographical comics or graphic novels (Sychterz, 2009). Students may want to try writing a memoir with a circular structure, which begins in the same ways as it ends (Sychterz, 2009). Students can also write things like diary entries, letters, timelines, lists or poems or even incorporate writing into more artistic projects such as photo albums or scrapbooks, picture books, or self-portraits. Ask students to try using specific skills and techniques Students’ writing skills can be improved through autobiographical writing by having them use specific techniques in their pieces (Espinosa, 2006; Sychterz, 2009). For example, Sychterz (2009) recommends teaching students to incorporate dialogue, repetition, run-on
sentences and sentence fragments, and flashbacks in their writing. Bilingual students should be encouraged to use both of the languages that they speak in their autobiographical writing (Armon & Ortega, 2008; Espinosa, 2006). Students can also revise their writing by elaborating on a specific part and slowing down the action to give the reader an extraordinary amount of detail (Espinosa, 2006). Students can also incorporate figurative language into their autobiographical pieces (Miller & Mehler, 1994). Have students write seed stories and keep them to elaborate on later Sometimes the task of creating an amazing piece of writing can be overwhelming to students or the prompts we use to get our students writing are not meaningful to them. That is where the idea of seed stories comes in. Seed stories are short, first draft, stories. The idea behind seed stories is that students do a quick write about whatever personal memory is sparked by a mentor text or someone else’s story (Espinosa, 2006).. These stories can be kept in a writer’s notebook and used for later writing assignments (Espinosa, 2006). Once students have a collection of seed stories, they can choose the ones that are meaningful to them to revise and publish (Espinosa, 2006). Teachers can also use seed stories when they want students to practice a specific technique. For example, Espinosa recommends having students try techniques such as exploding a moment or using dialogue by revising a seed story. Seed stories are powerful because they give all students in the class an opportunity to experiment with the same writing prompt or topic, but don’t force students to spend a lot of time writing and rewriting something that they don’t care about. Having choice is essential when having students write about personal experiences (Fletcher, 2007)
Allow time for student sharing, response, and collaboration Children need time to talk about their writing. Espinosa (2006) suggests having students talk about their ideas with a partner before they begin writing. Partners can then prompt one another to tell about details the reader would be interested in hearing (Espinosa, 2006). Another benefit of having students discuss their ideas before writing is that one child’s story may spark a memory for another child (Espinosa, 2006). Having students talk during the writing process, for example after they have written a first draft but before they do any revision, can also help strengthen writing (Birren & Svensson, 2006; Espinosa, 2006). Even talking while writing can strengthen students’ work (Cappello, 2006). Both listening to the ideas of others and hearing feedback about their own writing can help students make meaningful revisions (Birren & Svensson, 2006). Critiquing and discussing students’ work in small groups or as a whole class can also be effective (Armon & Ortega, 2008). Armon and Ortega explain that benefits of group critiques include the author hearing positive comments and constructive feedback, as well as the other members of the class having the opportunity to focus in on things the writer has done well. Collect autobiographical pieces in a portfolio and find a meaningful way to share them with others Students often feel a great sense of pride after writing their own autobiographical pieces (Birren & Svensson, 2006). We can help develop this pride by allowing them to share their stories with others. Students can collect their autobiographical pieces in a portfolio throughout the year, or just during a particular unit. Then teachers should give students a special opportunity to publish their writing or share it with others. Armon and Ortega (2008) recommend holding an evening celebration in which students can show off their finished autobiographical projects.
Students can read their work aloud (Armon & Ortega, 2008). They can also display it in creative ways, such as accordion books made of file folders (Armon & Ortega, 2008). At the Museum of Me that my brother’s school held, students got to display their work in whatever format they chose, including on poster boards and in binders, and their families left notes about their child’s work. Author’s chair is another powerful way to give students a chance to present their memoirs and personal narratives (Cappello, 2006). Analyzing Student Samples One autobiographical writing assignment I have given my students in the past is called “25 Things You Don’t Know About Me” (from a WCSD teacher named Aime Newberry; lesson plans and materials included in the supplement section of this booklet). In this assignment, students create a list of 25 interesting facts about themselves, inspired by the “25 Things You Don’t Know About…” articles from US Weekly magazine. For this assignment, the writing focus is on sentence fluency as students try to make their list more interesting my varying their sentence lengths, structures, and beginning words. For the final draft of this piece, students create a poster with all of their facts as well as pictures they feel represent them. This is always one of my students’ favorite writing activities of the year. The following excerpts came from two former students:
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Excerpt from “25 Things You Don’t Know About Alex” I know that I don’t dance at school but trust me I’m a dance freak! I’m 10 years old and I’m the youngest in my family. When I get older my goal is to go pass high school go to college and be a doctor. I like going outside & pertend that people are playing soccer with me and that is how I like soccer. Goal! Well this might be funny for you people but I almos got squshed by an elevator.
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Excerpt from “25 Things You Don’t Know About Me! (Andrea)” I love to eat peanut butter with a spoon. I read more than 3 books in a week. The total number of animals I have at home is 15. I like to sing but not in front of everyone. I am able to speak Spanish and English.
Both Alex and Andrea used this piece of writing to build their identity within the classroom, as well as to establish the differences between who they are at school and their more private sides at home. Alex is definitely experimenting with sentence fluency in his piece, and is also working to include vivid details. Andrea is beginning to work toward these skills, but needs additional support and guidance. Clearly this assignment gives students meets my goal of developing students writing skills while allowing them to express their identity. I learned a lot about my students’ backgrounds and interests through this piece, which is another reason I was inspired to have my students do more autobiographical writing. I also have my students create picture book autobiographies each year. For this assignment, they write 5 short stories about different points in their life, and collect them in one book. Below you will find two complete student samples, as well as an excerpt from another students’ writing. Both Andrew and Vanessa completed the assignment and told about things that were important to them. By reading their books we are able to begin forming a picture of who they are. They both have the beginnings of many interesting stories about themselves. What both of these books lacked was enough detail to help the reader visualize the memories. Megan’s book, on the other hand, was filled with personal stories with many details. One reason I wanted to do this inquiry was to find out how to help all of my students develop their autobiographical
writing as fully as Megan has. I plan to apply many of the ideas discussed in the literature review above in order to help improve my students’ autobiographical pieces. “Me, Myself, and I” by Vanessa My name is Vanessa and Im a hyper person! Im going to tell you about myself! I love to hang out with my friends and family. When I was a baby I picked up random stuff and ate it! I picked up like change and rocks and other crazy stuff! I didn’t know what to do with it so I ate it! I don’t know how it tastes now because I don’t remember! I love being a baby! My earliest memory was going to the movies! I watched “Cabin in the Woods”! Only one part scared me! When a wolf popped up out of noware! I have a lot of friends that I love! I love them because they make me laugh! They hang out with me. They help me with my problems and they always have my back! Me and my family went to the middle of noware! We packed food and water! Then off we went! We couldn’t see anything any more. So we stoped and found a park and had a picknick! I want to be a nurse for babys! I want to go to college! I want to be a nures for babys because I love them! I want people to remember me as Vanessa and that I am a hyper person! I love babys and I want to go to college! “My Life About Andrew” Oh. My name is Andrew. I am a 10 year old boy that was born 8/11 Aogest eleventh I am jast a normel kid that lives a normel life everyday When I was little I used to shake my cribs rails and escapre and go down stars and hide I remeber I used to go to my gmas house every weekend and play gold with my gpa. I had some elictoonic train tracks that I played with them. I whould help cook with my gma. My family is realy big but my baby brother is realy cure also he was bron this year oliver was cute when I first saw him. I got to hold him at the hospital. He was little when I first saw him. I Always get As and Bs to get A and B Honer roll. I get good grades every time. My mom and my brothers came to every assembly. I got a award and a pencil for a, b Honer roll. I wanted to become a famus cook. I love to cook eggs with some meat. I love to cook whenever I can. I whant to own a restrant when I am older. I whant some people to rember me by the stuff I do and the things I own then I pass down from father to son to on and on.
Excerpt from “Me, Myself and I� by Megan I remember when I went camping and I never went fishing. My brother took me down to the creeck and my brother was going to teach me how to fish but when he was teaching me I hardly ever listened to him. Then he left and told me he would be back. I just sat and sang a song till I felt a tug I was so excited that it was probably a fish, so I pulled as hard as I could. I railed the fishing line in and there it was a fish my brother came back and saw the fish he was similing from left to right. It was the best day ever.
Conclusion Researching autobiographical writing has been a joy. I have learned a lot about why it is important for teachers to incorporate autobiographical writing into their practice, as well as how to do so effectively. I have also had the opportunity to read some really outstanding writing as I explored the mentor texts referred to in the books and articles I read. I am excited to improve my current teaching practice based on what I have learned through this project, and can’t wait to see where this journey leads next. In the following pages, I have provided supporting materials for any teacher who is interested in autobiographical writing. These materials include lesson plans and lists of topics and mentor texts to inspire great writing.
Prompts and Topics Kids can be inspired to write by written prompts, pictures, mentor texts, etc. Autobiographical writing can be about many topics, as long as they relate to who the student is in some way. Ideas include: •
Memorable events (holidays, birthdays, special activities, traditions)
•
People who have influenced them (parents, family members, teachers, friends, heroes, role models, pets)
•
Places that hold special meaning (vacation spots, houses, schools, cities, neighborhoods)
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Meaningful objects (something passed down, gifts, valuable items)
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Personal history (family stories, childhood, name)
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Feelings & emotions (proud, worried, excited, annoyed, embarrassed)
Mentor Texts Picture Books and Poetry All the Places to Love by Patricia MacLachlan (1994) America is Her Name by Luis Rodriguez (1997) The Art Lesson by Tomie dePaola (1989) Been to Yesterdays: Poems of a Life by Bennett Hopkins (1999) Bigmama’s by Donald Crews (1991) A Fire in My Hands by Gary Soto (2006) Grandpa was a Cowboy by Silky Sullivan (1996) I Meant to Tell You by James Stevenson (1996) The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco (1998) La Mariposa by Francisco Jimenez (1998) The Memory Box by Mary Bahr (1992) Midnight in the Mountains by Julie Lawson (1998) Miz Berlin Walks by Jane Yolen (1997) Mr. Lincoln’s Way by Patricia Polacco (2001) My Dad by Anthony Browne (2001) My Mama Had a Dancing Heart by Libba Moore Gray (1995) My Mom by Anthony Browne (2005) My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother by Patricia Polacco (1994) My Very Own Room/Mi Propio Cuartito by Amanda Irma Perez (2000) A Nickel, A Trolley, a Treasure House by Sharon Reiss Baker (2007) Neighborhood Odes by Gary Soto (2005) Owl Moon by Jane Yolen (1987) Pictures from Our Vacation by Lynne Rae Perkins (2007) Raising Yoder’s Barn by Jane Yolen (2002) The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant (1985) Sister Anne’s Hands by Marybeth Lorbiecki (1998) Stagestruck by Tomie dePaola (2005) Star of Fear, Star of Hope by Johanna Hoestlandt (1993) Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold (1996) Terrible Storm by Carol Otis Hurst (2007) Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto (1993) The Upside Down Boy: El Nino de Cabeza by Juan Felipe Herrera (2000) When Everybody Wore a Hat by William Steig (2005) When I Was Nine by James Stevenson (1986) When I was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant (1993) Where I’m From by George Ella Lyons (1999) Willie and Max: A Holocaust Story by Amy Littlesugar (2006)
Collections/Chapter Books The Abracadabra Kid: A Writer’s Life by Sid Fleischman (1996) Bad Boy: A Memoir by Walter Dean Myers (2001) Boy: Tales of a Childhood by Roald Dahl (2009) Boy's Life by Robert R. McCammon (2008) But I’ll Be Back Again by Cynthia Rylant (1993) Childtimes: A Three-Generation Memoir by Eloise Greenfield and Leslie Jones Little (1993) The Circuit: Stories From the Life of a Migrant Child by Francisco Jimenez (1997) Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney (200&0 Don’t Tell the Girls: A Family Memoir by Patricia Reilly Giff (2005) A Girl from Yamhill: A Memoir by Beverly Cleary (1996) Going Solo by Roald Dahl (2009) Guts by Gary Paulson (2002) Guys Write for Guys Read edited by Jon Scieszka (2008) Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos (2002) The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros (1984) I Don’t Want to Be Crazy by Samantha Shutz (2006) King of the Mild Frontier: An Ill-Advised Autobiography by Chris Crutcher (2004) Knots in My Yo-Yo String: The Autobiography of a Kid by Jerry Spinelli (1998) Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Almost True Stories of Growing up Scieszka by Jon Scieszka (2008) Little By Little: A Writer’s Education by Jean Little (1991) Looking Back by Lois Lowry (1998) Marshfield Dreams: When I Was a Kid by Ralph Fletcher (2005) Mendel’s Daughter by Martin Lemelman (2006) Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli (2010) The Moon and I by Betsy Byars (1996) My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulsen (1999) Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff (2004) Riding Freedom by Pam Munoz Ryan (1998) When I Was Your Age edited by Amy Ehrlich (1996) When I Was Your Age, Volume Two edited by Amy Ehrlich (1999) Women Hollering Creek and Other Stories by Sandra Cisneros (1991) A Writer’s Story: From Life to Fiction by Marion Dane Bauer (1995
Writing Fix Lessons The website www.writingfix.com has many resources for writing teachers. Specifically, the page http://writingfix.com/genres/narrative.htm features writing lessons that use mentor texts to inspire students to write their own memoirs and personal narratives. Below are the links to a few of my favorite lessons, along with a brief description of each.
Bizarre Foods with Ralph Fletcher http://writingfix.com/process/Revision/Marshfield_Dreams_Revision.htm Lesson Overview: “This is a revision lesson that again introduces Ralph Fletcher’s writing style to student writers. After students write a rough draft about a time they eat (or saw someone else eat) something unusual, they analyze Fletcher’s “Eating the World” chapter from Marshfield Dreams. Students rewrite their rough drafts, trying to add skills that would impress Ralph Fletcher, if he knew they had been studying his writing style.”
What Your Room Shows about You! http://writingfix.com/Chapter_Book_Prompts/boys_life1.htm Lesson Overview: “Robert McCammon’s novel-- Boy's Life--captures the magic of everyday life, filled with adventure, discovery, fear, joy, and heartache. In the first two opening pages of the book, we meet Cory, an eleven-year-old boy, whose character we begin to understand based on the personal treasures he keeps in his room. This lesson has students brainstorm and record some of their treasures on a writer's notebook page. Later, students to reflect on their own rooms (and their personal treasures) and write short narrative descriptions which will allow readers to know each writer better by the details he/she chooses to show about his/her room.”
Summertime-inspired Memoirs http://writingfix.com/I_Pod_Prompts/Summertime3.htm Lesson Overview: “By listening and then responding to multiple versions of the song “Summertime,” students will understand how songs can convey various moods. Writing about a personal summertime memory, students will try to mimic a mood from one of the song versions during a number of quick-writes. At the end of the week, students will pick one summertime memory from their quick-writes to expand on and take through the writing process.”
Episodic Narrative Writing http://writingfix.com/Chapter_Book_Prompts/PicturesHollisWoods1.htm Lesson Overview: “Students will plan a thematically-based story that can be told in a series of related or unrelated episodes. Each written episode's goal will be to add another perspective or thinking-point about the writer's chosen theme. When several episodes are written, the writer will sequence them together as one story (told in multiple episodes) about their theme, and they will have a piece of episodic writing for their portfolios.”
A Moment Like This Memoir http://writingfix.com/Chapter_Book_Prompts/Milkweed1.htm Lesson Overview: “After discussing memories and memoir writing by discussing chapter one of Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli, students will plan their own memoirs based on a specific memory from their past or current life. Word choice and details will be brainstormed before students begin drafting.”
Strong Memoirs Inspired by a Wimpy Diary http://writingfix.com/genres/narrative_mentor_texts/DiaryWimpyKid.htm Lesson Overview: Includes suggestions for ways to use Jeff Kinney’s popular book Diary of a Wimpy Kid” to inspire memoir writing.
From US Weekly, October 19, 2009
From US Weekly, November 8, 2010
From Don’t Forget to Write (Traig, 2011, p. 184-185)
Bibliography Armon, J., & Ortega, T. (2008). Autobiographical snapshots: Constructing self in letras y arte. Language Arts 86(2), 108-119. Birren, J. E., & Svensson, C. M. (2006). Guided autobiography: Writing and telling the stories of lives. LLI Review, vol. 1, 113-119. Brown, M. (2010). The memoir as provocation: A case for "me studies" in undergraduate classes. College Literature, 37(3), 121-142. Cappello, M. (2006). Under construction: Voice and identity development in writing workshop. Language Arts, 83(6), 482–491. Espinosa, C. M. (2006). Finding memorable moments: Images and identities in autobiographical writing. Language Arts, 84(2), 136–144. Fletcher, R. (2007) How to Write Your Life Story. New York, NY: Harper Collins. Gavelek, J. & Bresnahan, P. (2009). Ways of meaning making: Sociocultural perspectives on reading comprehension. In Susan E. Israel & Gerald G. Duffy (Eds.), Handbook of research on reading comprehension (pp. 140–176). New York: Routledge. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers (2010). Common Core State Standards for English language arts & literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. Washington D.C.: National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers. Publishing Solutions Inc. (2012). Differences between memoir and autobiography. Retrieved from http://www.wordclay.com/genre/memoirautobiography.aspx Saenz, B. A. (2004). I want to write an American poem II. In O. Santa Ana (Ed.), Tongue-tied:
The lives of multilingual children in public education (pp. 253–254). New York: Rowman & Littlefield. Sychterz, T. (2009). Mentor texts that inspire memoir. Journal of Children's Literature, 35(1), 32-37. Traig, J. (2011) Don’t Forget to Write for the Elementary Grades: 50 Enthralling and Effective Writing Lessons for Ages 5 to 12. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass