Teaching Memoir Writing

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Genre Study: Teaching Memoir Writingby Donna Baker

http://www.webpages4teachers.com/thewriteresource

Steps to Planning & Implementing Your Memoir Study:

Writing pre-assessment - determine your students needs Compile your resources and plan the lessons you would like to teach. Make sure that your lessons

address a variety of writing strategies (e.g. 6 + 1 Traits)

Prior to asking students to write memoirs, immerse them in Memoir texts to determine characteristics ofthe genre.

Have students generate many ideas and many drafts in the first few weeks of study. Teach mini -lessons and have students apply skills and strategies to their drafts. Use the writing process to encourage students to revise their drafts using tips f rom mini-lessons Ask students to choose their best from the drafts they have written. They will then revise & edit thedraft before producing their good copy.SAMPLE MEMOIR STUDY

Week One/Two: Immersion in Memoir Texts: Students determine characteristics of the genre:A memory; a description of an event from the pastWritten in the first person; told from one persons point of viewBased on the truthReveals the feelings of the writerHas meaning; shows what the author learned from the experienceFocused on one event; about one point in the authors lifeAbout the authors experience more than about the event itself


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Skill Focus - Organization

Personal Memoir Organizer (WG p.53) Organizing writing using time Using transition words (A Day to Remember) Bold Beginnings (MWWLE p. 40) Extended Story Endings (MWWLE p. 89-90)

Complete organizer for books read in Wk 1Alexander and the Horrible, No Good, VeryBad Day- Judith ViorstMy Mama had a Dancing Heart

Skill Focus Voice Voice Descriptors- Compare 2 Versions (Fly Away Home) Voice Points of View (PBTW p. 60) Adding Voice (10 WL p. 39-43)

Fly Away Home Eve BuntingSister Annes Hands Marybeth Lorbiecki

The Memory String - Eve BuntingThe Butterfly - Patricia Polacco

Skill Focus Ideas - Content What Counts in Ideas and Content Zoom In on a Personal Moment (WA p. 31-32) Sharpening the Focus (10 WL p 12-17) Adding Details (10WL p. 31-38; SP) Show Dont Tell (WLFTO p. 52-59)

My Mama had a Dancing Heart

Grandpas Face - Eloise GreenfieldThunder Cake - Patricia PolaccoOwl Moon - Jane Yolen

Skill Focus Word Choice Use vivid and powerful words Sparkling Words Vivid Verbs The Trait Crate Grade 3 Compare Two Versions Poetry (WLFTO- p20)Thundercake- Patricia Polacco

Skill Focus Sentence Fluency Create Student Charts: Super Sentence Writers Use vivid and powerful words Sparkling Words SSW - Use appropriate poetic devices: Simile & Metaphor SSW - Use appropriate poetic devices: Onomatopoeia SSW - Use a variety of sentence lengths: Counting Words

in Sentences Improving Sentence Fluency (10 WL p.54-60)

Freedom Summer Deborah WilesHey You! Cmere Elizabeth Swados

Rag Coat - Lauren MillsFireflies Julie Brinckloe


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Characteristics of MemoirsA memory; a description of an event

from the pastWritten in the first person; told

from one persons point of viewBased on the truthReveals the feelings of the writer

Has meaning; shows what theuth r l rn d fr th xp ri n


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Whats a Good Idea?Something you haveabout. STRONG FEELINGS

KNOW A LOTDESCRIBE IN GREAT

DETAIL.

AUDIENCE

Something you about.Something you can

S thin y ur ill b


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What Counts in Ideas & Content?

Level One R It is hard to find my main idea.R I do not focus on one incident.R My paper is not interesting, it is simple.

I have few or no details.

Level Two R My main idea is there but not developed clearly.R Some of my memoir is focused on one incident.R My paper is not very interesting and very

The story is clear and focused.

Ideas are fresh and original.

The writer stays on topic, and it is easy to tell what the main idea is.

It hold's the reader's at tention. Once you start reading the story,

you don't want to stop.


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Places I have been

Things I can do

Games I know how to play

PERSONAL SURVEY


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ZOOM IN!OOM IN!one moment in time

tell the ou tside story - what washappening

tell the inside story - what youthi ki d f li


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Wasnt That Fun?

I couldnt believe it! I was actually going to do it! I was

lining up for the Cork Screw. I was wide eyed, staring at

the gigantic ride. High above me was endless hoops, turns,

jerks, hills, loops and twirls. My heart, I could feelpounding. I chose to go on this, but why? I asked myself.

So I could get out of this terrible situation, I closed my

eyes.

In my head, I could imagine myself taking steps

toward home. Suddenly, Alex yelled, Good luck! I was

two people away from my worst nightmare. Two

passengers then I could be on board. Id been chattering

my teeth now for the past 20 minutes. They hurt, so didmy knees. They had been knocking together since the last


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bbbbbaaaddddd HELP ME!!!! I was taking the long journeydown.

Then we started the endless curves and bumps. We

went straight. Then to the left! Then to the right! Thenup. Then down. And to the right, Then left!

Oh no! We were coming up to the. . . Upside down,

screaming, yelling, gasping for air loop da loop. Upsidedown! Twice! Straight, straight, straight, loop, loop around

and around again. My head was spinning and fast. Again up

we went suddenly! I held onto my head thinking it might

come off. I couldnt take it anymore! Then we slowly went

down the hill. Straight. Straight.


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A Day to Remember (not) !

It seemed l i ke an ord i nary d ay when I got up

yes terda y morni ng , but I was about t o embark on the

worst day of my l i fe . F i r s t , I fe l l i n th e bathtub

because my mother neg lected to r i nse o ut her bath o i l .

Then I sp i l l ed orange ju i ce on the outf i t that I spent

hours putt i ng together for schoo l p i c tures. Whi l e I

was chang i ng , I messed up th e beaut i ful French bra id

mom put i n my ha i r . As I wa lked out the door , I

dropped a l l of my schoo l books and my math homework

f lew away . I m sure my t eacher w il l b e l i e ve that !

F i l l I d i t t th d I th ht


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Bold Beginnings - Memoir

One sunny day I went to the beach and saw amermaid.

ACTION

DIALOGUE

A THOUGHT, A QUESTION, OR FEELING

I dove into the ocean, kicked my feet in the cool water, stoodup, and wiped the water from my face. I paused. Something

strange near the rocks caught my eye.

What a great day for the beach! I yelled as I splashedin the waves.

(If you were at the beach, what might you be thinking or feeling?)


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ACTION

DIALOGUE

A THOUGHT, A QUESTION, OR FEELING

Bold Beginnings - Memoir

(What might you be thinking or feeling?)


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Ingredients for anExtended Story Ending

Ingredients for anExtended Story EndingA memory of t he main event .

The main character s feelings .

The main characters

A m emor y of t he m a in e vent .The m ai n ch arac te r s fee l ing s .


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BEFORE:

So that is the end of the storyabout my big baseball victory.

AFTER:

Ill never forget the crack of the bat as Ihit that homerun and the way my heartIll never forget the crack of the bat as I

Extended Story Endingsxtended Story Endings


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Use words from your natural

speaking vocabulary.Make it sound like YOU.

Select topics that you feelstrongly about and know about.

k f l

ADDING VOICE


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Rip in the Pants by a fifth grader

Just about a week ago my teacher had a rip in his pants. It was reallyfunny. I didn't see it right away but someone told me then I saw it andwanted to laugh but I held it in. Then someone told him and everyone

started to laugh. Then he went home to change. The End.

the student

the principal

the teacheranother teacher

jjjj

Possible Points of View:


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From the Point of View of the Pants:

This is not right. I wasnt made to be worn by a

guy this big. Oww! Every t ime he does anything

but stand still, I hurt. Im pinched and mushed

and cramped so tight I can hardly breathe. I

need relief. What I really want is revenge. Iknow...rrrrrrrip! Ha! Thatll show him. But wait,

what happens next? Maybe hell just throw me

out and Ill never see the light of day again.Man oh an if Id only been a tie then I


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I saw a bird in the airport thatcouldn't get out. The bird flew all

over the place until it was so tiredit stopped.


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Once a little brown bird got into the main terminaland couldn't get out. It fluttered in the high, hollow

spaces. It threw itself at the glass, fell panting onthe floor, flew to a tall, metal girder, and perchedthere, exhausted.

"Don't stop trying," I told it silently. "Don't! Youcan get out!"

For days the bird flew around, dragging one wing.

nd then it found the instant when a sliding doorwas open and slipped through. I watched it rise. Its


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Sparkling Wordsparkling Words

On sultry summer days at my grandmas farm in Michigan the air gets


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SPARKLINGWORDS/PHRASES FROM THUNDERCAKE

by Patricia Polacco

sultry summer days clouds glow window panes shudder drew a deep breath

stammered (said) surveyed (looked, watched, andanalyze)

strode (walked) crowed (said)

penned (wrote) scurried (walk quickly) lightning flashed lightning slit the sky

jagged edge of lightning crept (walked slow andcarefully)

thunder bellowed luscious (very delicious)


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I went for a walk to the beach.I was walking along when I got a

look at a seabird eating a fish. Iwent for a closer look. It was

eating the fish whole!


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Improving Word Choice - Vivid Verbs

Original Verb:

Synonyms:

1.

2.

3.

Original Verb:

Synonyms:

1.

2.

3.


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Super Sentence Writers...Use vivid and powerful words(adjectives, strong verbs, specificnouns, adverbs)

Use appropriate poetic devices

(simile, onomatopoeia, metaphor,alliteration)

U i t f t l th


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Super Sentence Writers

Use a variety of sentence lengths.

Each day I hurried home to see my coat.It was looking like the colors of the fall days --


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Sentence Fluency

Sentence

#

Number of Words in

Each Sentence

First Word in Each

Sentence

1

2

3

4

5


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John Henrys skin is t he color of browned but ter.

He smells like pine needles after a good rain.

Super Sentence Writers

Use appropriate poetic devices.


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Memoir Rubric

Criteria Level One Level Two Level Three Level FourIdeas andContent-Focus on oneincident

-Strongsupportingdetails

R It is hard to findmy main idea.R I do not focus onone incident.R My paper is notinteresting, it issimple.R I have few or nodetails.

R My main idea is there but notdeveloped clearly.R Some of my memoir is focusedon one incident.R My paper is not very interestingand very predictable.R I often use details that arerepeated and may not fit with mainidea.

R My main idea is clearR Most of my memoir isfocused on one incident.R My paper is fairly interesting,I use some original ideas, butmore predictable ideas.R I use supporting details thatusually fit with the main idea.

R My main idea is very clear.R I always stay on topic.R My paper is interesting andoriginal.R My supporting details fit withthe main idea.

Organization-Logicalsequence-Transitionwords-Sentencesorganized into

paragraphs

R I have no logicalplan or sequence.R I do not usetransition words.R I have not brokenmy ideas into

paragraphs.

R My plan and sequencing areweak. Sometimes you cannotunderstand my pieceR I try to use transition words, butsometimes they do not make senseR I have tried a few paragraphs,

R My ideas flow, sequencing isadequate,R I use transitions, sometimes Ichoose the wrong ones.R My paragraphing is usuallycorrect.

R I have a very strong plan,my ideas flow, sequencing isexcellentR My transitions are used well.R My paragraphing is correct.

Voice R I do not CAREabout this topic.

R It is hard to tell I CARE aboutthis topic.

R Sometimes it sounds like ICARE about this topic.

R You can tell I really CAREabout this topic.

EffectiveUse ofLanguage-Word Choice

-SentenceFluency

R My word choice isvery limited, basicand sometimes I usewords incorrectly.R I use short, simplesentences

R My word choice is accurate butlimited I have used very fewsynonyms for tired words. You willfind a lot of words repeatedR I usually follow one sentencepattern. There is little variety in mysentence structure, length, or style.

R My word choices are usuallygood.R I am trying to experiment withlanguage (new vocabulary,similes, metaphors).R I have some variation insentence structure, length &style.

R My word choice is accurate,descriptive, imaginative.R I use similes and metaphors(Figurative language) to makemy descriptions more exciting.R My sentences are varied instructure, length & style.

Conventions-Spelling-Punctuation-Capitals

R I have manyspelling errors.R I have used littleor no punctuation.R It is almostimpossible tounderstand mywriting.RA great deal ofediting, correcting andrevising is needed.

R I have quite a few spellingerrors.R My punctuation is not alwaysused correctly.R I have not tried to use advancedpunctuation or if I tried I was notusually successful.R My many errors make it difficultto read my writing.R I still need quite a bit of editing,correcting and revising.

R I have very few spellingerrorsR Capitals, end punctuation areused; apostrophes, commas,some quotation marks are used;effort to use advancedpunctuation is made and is oftensuccessful.R Some errors may interfere alittle with reading the piece.R Very little editing, revising orcorrecting necessary.

R My spelling is excellentR Capitals, end punctuationare used well; apostrophes,commas, quotation marks areused well; I am successful whenusing advanced punctuation(colons, semi-colon, hyphen,parenthesis, dash).R My errors do not interferewith the reading of this piece.R Little or no editing, revisingor correcting necessary.

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Teaching Memoir Writing