AUTOBIOGRAPHY PROJECT

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AUTOBIOGRAPHY PROJECT

• Adapted by Kay Steineker

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General Objectives To further enhance voice
and tone in writing, students will create an
autobiography project consisting of several
activities and writings. It should reveal things
about the students personalities and
interests. GLE 2 GLE 3 C http//dese.mo.gov/divi
mprove/curriculum/GLE/FINAL-CA_GLE_10.18.04.pdf
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Concept Map
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Cover

• A cover will be created for the autobiography.
  This can be done from your own art work, magazine
  clippings, computer graphic, etc. It should
  reveal things about your personalities and
  interests. Somewhere on the cover needs to be a
  favorite quote of yours select one that means
  something to you. Be sure to give credit to the
  author of the quotation. Make sure your cover is
  neat, eye-catching, and appropriate.

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• Incident
• By Countee Cullen
• After listening to poem, write reaction.
• Discuss reactions, then write a 1st hand account
  of when you have felt similar to the narrator in
  the poem.
• Highlight key phrases and words in your account
• Develop a poem, describing your incident.

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• What is a Memory?
• Fill in the blanks below
• Memories of long ago (jot down your earliest
  memories)
• a.
• b.
• c.
• Memories that make you laugh
• a.
• b.
• c.

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• What is a Memory?
• Memories that make you cry
• a.
• b.
• c.
• Memories that are warm (moments that give you
  hope in bad times)
• a.
• b.
• c.
• Memories precious as gold (moments you wouldnt
  trade for anythingproud moments and big
  accomplishments)
• a.
• b.
• c.

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• What is a Memory?
• After filling in the blanks, pick one from each
  category and write a 2-3 sentence describing each
  one. Put together as a memory reminiscence.

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• Open-ended Sentences
• Complete the following open-ended sentences to be
  true for you
• One thing people often think about me but is not
  true is
• One of my greatest fears is
• Most people dont know this, but I
• It makes me so angry when
• One thing I do not understand is
• Then pick one and write a description.

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• Bio-poem
• Use the following form to write a biographical
  poem.
• First Name
• 4 adjectives
• Son or daughter of
• Lover of (3)
• Who feels (3)
• Who needs (3)
• Who gives (3)
• Who fears (3)
• Who would like to see (3)
• Resident of
• Last name.

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• Questioning Me
• Write down 25 questions you have about anything
  things you have always wondered about. They will
  probably be a mixture of serious and not so
  serious things. Some of your questions may be
  unanswerable.

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• Biographer
• Choose someone who has known you your entire life
  and memories they have of you. It could be a
  parent or grandparent, aunt or uncle, older
  brother or sister, neighbor, etc.
• Have them write a biography of you from their
  point of view.

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• Name History
• Find out the answers to the following questions
• Why were you named what you were named?
• What is the ethnic origin of your name?
• What does your name mean?
• If YOU could have chosen your name, what would
  you have picked and why?
• Then, create a page, however you want, answering
  these questions.

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• Family History
• Talk to some of your relatives and find out an
  interesting story from your familys history.
• Write it down in narrative form at least one
  page.

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• Shopping List
• Write a simple grocery list at least 5 items
• Pick 2 and write a paragraph over each in an
  original, thoroughly entertaining way. See who
  can come up with the most imaginative
  descriptions.
• Example Moms pick-me-up around 3 or 4 pm,
  sometimes earlier, depending on how much the
  children have been arguing. A quick, sugar fix
  to help Mom finish the laundry and start supper.
  It is Moms drinking binge on Saturdays. Of
  course, it has to be the leaded - no-diet, no
  caffeine free, salt free or whatever those are
  worse than cold medicines. Since the school
  switched to Coke, it is imperative that the Pepsi
  makes it home. You know, Mom would walk 10 miles
  through 3 feet of snow for a drink of that magic
  panacea.

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• Dear Self
• This assignment is unusual in that you will be
  writing a letter to YOURSELF Like the tv show
  First Edition, you have the ability to tell
  yourself things that will happen in the
  futurehere are the topics you are to write
  aboutplease tell yourself
• Something to look forward to
• Something to watch out about
• Something/someone to avoid
• Something to work hard at
• Someone to be especially nice to
• Someone to really listen to
• Somewhere to be sure not to go
• Something not to worry about
• Plan your letter first by deciding which items
  above you are going to use and how, then write to
  the little girl/boyTO YOURSELF!!!

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• Assessment

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• Lesson Summary
• Students will research personal history and
  personality to further enhance voice and tone in
  writing. They will create an autobiography
  project consisting of several activities and
  writings. It should reveal things about the
  students personalities and interests.

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• References
• Cartee, Angela, and Mary Kim Schreck. Raise Your
  Voicewith Writing. 2006 Write to Learn
  Conference.

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• Career Areas
• Skills developed in this lesson are used by
  people who research and mold information, who
  communicate in creative ways, and who use
  personal experiences to communicate effectively.