Memoir Unit Essential Understandings and Activities

Student will be able to:

•  identify the characteristics of a memoir
•  identify the So What? in published memoirs
•  understand the importance of So What? in providing focus and clarity in writing
•  understand the importance of voice in memoir to magnify the thoughts and feeling present in a memoir
•  use an effective lead, transitions, and conclusion to showcase the event, person or thing the student has chosen for his/her memoir

 Memoir Timeline:

Week One: Immersion:

• Students read as many picture books and excerpts from book-length memoirs as possible and record observations
• Mr. Loosveldt reads aloud from book-length memoirs, experts and picture books

Week Two: Generating:

• Students generate as many entries in their writer's notebook as possible, including lists, events, episodes, and images

Week Three: Selecting, Collecting, and Layering in the Writer's Notebook:

• Students choose a theme as a focus for their memoir draft (one or two days). After they know what their memoir will be about, they collect information and layer additional information to support their theme (two to three days)

Week Four: Planning and Drafting:

• Students begin a first draft, outside of their writer's notebook, using the material they have collected during week three

Week Five: Drafting and Revising:

• Students continue to draft their memoirs, applying several revision strategies to rework the structure, develop characters or scenes as appropriate
• Students share their changing versions with classmates and Mr. Loosveldt, getting feedback on what works and what still needs fine-tuning

Week Six: Editing, Publishing, and Celebrating:

• Students reread their final draft, adding, changing, and fixing the surface features of punctuation, and grammar
• Students read their published memoir to an audience or in some way make their memoir public

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