Hey friends!
So, it's been close to a month since I published Part One of my Memoir Writing series, but we are only about 7ish days past where I last left off.
Writing this post and reflecting on the past month is a stark reminder of just how much gets in the way of your best-laid lesson plans. Between illness, professional development days, President's day, a spelling bee, benchmark testing, and on, and on, and on, we are just wrapping up day 14 of our memoir unit.
Yikes! No wonder being flexible is such an essential skill for teachers!
Before I share my plans, I want to mention that for many of the days in the unit, students spend a good 20 minutes writing while I walk around and conference with them. You can read all about how I conduct a writing conference here.
Day 8
Objective: SWBAT recognize how memoir writers use descriptive language and sensory details to create a sense of place.
Share the student-created mentor piece "The House of the Four Leaf Clovers" from this unit. Spend some time analyzing the piece with students noting the strengths of the writing. Give students the remainder of the class period to work on their "memorable places" writings.
Day 9
Objective: SWBAT explore how memoir often include or focus on significant people in the writer's life.
Set up the story "Thank You, Mr. Falker" by Patricia Polacco and then read aloud (have a tissue ready!!). Discuss the story, noting the elements of memoir we see. Have students create a list of their "Top Ten Most Influential People" from their lives. Once they finish, they can start writing about someone from their list.
Day 10
Objective: SWBAT identify the four methods authors can use to reveal a character to their reader and write a character description using the four methods.
In order to practice writing about people, I used this resource today.
Day 11
Objective: SWBAT to explain the significance of some of their memories.
Explain to students that one of the main reasons why we read is to be entertained. That means that our writing has to be interesting and engaging to our reader. I tell them that no one wants to read a story and be left thinking "so what?" and so it is a writer's job to make sure that the significance of their story shines through. Read the chapter "War" from Jerry Spinelli's Knots in My Yo-Yo String. Focus on the two parts of the story where Spinelli reflects on his experience with "war." Discuss how those parts explain to the reader the significance of those stories in Spinelli's life. Have students work on the "Top Ten Lessons Learned" list. Once they finish, they can start writing about one of their memories.
Day 12
Objective: SWBAT to explain the significance of some of their memories.
Share the student-created mentor piece "Cluster of Queens" from this resource. Spend some time analyzing the piece with students noting the strengths of the writing. Give students the remainder of the class period to work on their "lessons learned" writings.
Day 13
Objective: SWBAT draft a memoir.
Today is just a writing day. Students have the entire class period to work on drafting while I walk around and conference.
Day 14
Objective: SWBAT use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters and use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to convey experiences and events.
Typically, one of the first things that I notice during my writing conferences is that kids often tell me things rather than show me what is happening. In order to practice showing and not telling, I used this resource today.
So, it's been close to a month since I published Part One of my Memoir Writing series, but we are only about 7ish days past where I last left off.
Writing this post and reflecting on the past month is a stark reminder of just how much gets in the way of your best-laid lesson plans. Between illness, professional development days, President's day, a spelling bee, benchmark testing, and on, and on, and on, we are just wrapping up day 14 of our memoir unit.
Yikes! No wonder being flexible is such an essential skill for teachers!
Before I share my plans, I want to mention that for many of the days in the unit, students spend a good 20 minutes writing while I walk around and conference with them. You can read all about how I conduct a writing conference here.
Day 8
Objective: SWBAT recognize how memoir writers use descriptive language and sensory details to create a sense of place.
Share the student-created mentor piece "The House of the Four Leaf Clovers" from this unit. Spend some time analyzing the piece with students noting the strengths of the writing. Give students the remainder of the class period to work on their "memorable places" writings.
Day 9
Objective: SWBAT explore how memoir often include or focus on significant people in the writer's life.
Set up the story "Thank You, Mr. Falker" by Patricia Polacco and then read aloud (have a tissue ready!!). Discuss the story, noting the elements of memoir we see. Have students create a list of their "Top Ten Most Influential People" from their lives. Once they finish, they can start writing about someone from their list.
Day 10
Objective: SWBAT identify the four methods authors can use to reveal a character to their reader and write a character description using the four methods.
In order to practice writing about people, I used this resource today.
Day 11
Objective: SWBAT to explain the significance of some of their memories.
Explain to students that one of the main reasons why we read is to be entertained. That means that our writing has to be interesting and engaging to our reader. I tell them that no one wants to read a story and be left thinking "so what?" and so it is a writer's job to make sure that the significance of their story shines through. Read the chapter "War" from Jerry Spinelli's Knots in My Yo-Yo String. Focus on the two parts of the story where Spinelli reflects on his experience with "war." Discuss how those parts explain to the reader the significance of those stories in Spinelli's life. Have students work on the "Top Ten Lessons Learned" list. Once they finish, they can start writing about one of their memories.
Objective: SWBAT to explain the significance of some of their memories.
Share the student-created mentor piece "Cluster of Queens" from this resource. Spend some time analyzing the piece with students noting the strengths of the writing. Give students the remainder of the class period to work on their "lessons learned" writings.
Objective: SWBAT draft a memoir.
Today is just a writing day. Students have the entire class period to work on drafting while I walk around and conference.
Day 14
Objective: SWBAT use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters and use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to convey experiences and events.
Typically, one of the first things that I notice during my writing conferences is that kids often tell me things rather than show me what is happening. In order to practice showing and not telling, I used this resource today.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Phew! And that is where I currently am in this unit! I've got several days of teaching left and plenty of drafting and conferencing ahead.
Thoughts, questions, concerns so far? I'll be back in a bit with third (and likely last!) leg of our memoir journey, so stay tuned!
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