11th Grade - robbinsville.k12.nj.us · Burroughs, Augusten Running With Scissors Coates, TaNehisi Between the World and Me DeGeneres, Ellen The Funny Thing Is… Didion, Joan THe

11th Grade

Reading, Unit One Launch: Literary Nonfiction­­Memoir

Enduring Understandings

How to develop theories about the author’s purpose and identify central ideas Examine conflicts and choices by the author/ speaker/ subject and how decisions made

when facing obstacles helps define theme and illuminate character traits Analyze the genre of memoir, how it differs from and is similar to biography and

autobiography How to share summaries, confusions, interpretations with others to further one’s

understanding of a text How to self­monitor reading, set goals, and lift the level of one’s reading

Essential Questions:

What reading and thinking habits do I have or will learn by stretching and extending my reading in literary nonfiction?

What strategies and processes do I use to engage in reading to explore central ideas and arguments posed in nonfiction texts?

What are the structures of book­length literary nonfiction texts, and how do they vary across genres?

How can I use knowledge about these structures to enable me to engage in increasingly complex texts to identify an author’s multiple purposes and main ideas in a text?

Learning Outcomes:

Readers participate in a reading community by sharing their thinking about reading, the books they love, and by responding to others’ ideas about their reading.

Readers push themselves to read books outside their comfort zone in genre, and they can recognize what sets the genre of memoir apart.

Readers can identify more than one main idea and theme in a literary nonfiction work, and write about it with appropriate evidence to back up those theories.

Readers are able to independently track their reading volume and use that data to push themselves further as readers.

Readers are able to use the craft moves they notice and admire in their literary nonfiction book choices and consider if and how to apply those moves to their own writing.

Standards:

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RI.11.1, RI.11.2, RI.11.7, RI.11.9, RI.11.10, W.11.4, W.11.10, SL11.1a, SL11.3, L.11.6 Resources Used: Memoir Unit , Nicole Jodarski, University of Minnesota: http://www.d.umn.edu/~bscarbro/TeachingEnglishHomePage/TeachingUnits/MemoirUnit.htm Michigan Association and Oakland Schools 11th Grade Independent Reading Nancie Atwell, The Reading Zone: How to Help Kids Become Skilled, Passionate, Habitual, Critical Readers . James E. Frederiksen, Jeffrey Willhelm and Michael Smith, So, What’s the Story? Teaching Narrative to Understand Ourselves, Others, and the World. Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, Units of Study Literacy Design Collaborative: www.literacydesigncollaborative.org Memoirs to use as mentor texts and suggest to students*: *Until independent reading is well­established, it may be a struggle to get all students into a choice book that fits the unit’s focus genre, in this case, memoir (and biography/ autobiography to some extent). Once the majority of students, however, are comfortably reading choice books independently, it is advised that this unit requires students to find a memoir to read for this first unit. Below is a short list of books many 11th graders have enjoyed, mostly memoir, with a few autobiographies and biographies thrown in. Please feel free to add to this list! Also, check out this list of contemporary creative nonfiction books compiled by a university professor: http://www.suewilliamsilverman.com/click_here_to_see_sue_silverman_s_list_of_contemporary_literary_nonfiction__71566.htm Angelou, Maya I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Beah, Ishmael A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier Bechdel, Alison Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic Bryson, Bill (Various) Burroughs, Augusten Running With Scissors Coates, Ta­Nehisi Between the World and Me DeGeneres, Ellen The Funny Thing Is… Didion, Joan THe Year of Magical Thinking Fey, Tina BossyPants Fuller, Alexandra Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight Gilbert, Elizabeth Eat, Pray, Love

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Grogan, John Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog Kaling, Mindy Why Not Me? Karr, Mary The Liars’ Club King, Stephen On Writing: A Memoir of Craft Klein, Jessi You’ll Grow Out of It Krakauer, Jon Into Thin Air Martin, Steve Born STanding Up: A Comic’s Life McBride, James The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother McCullough, David John Adams McCourt, Frank Angela’s Ashes Notaro, Laurie THe Idiot Girl’s Action­Adventure Club: True TAles from a Magnificent and Clumsy Life Powell, Julie Julie and Julia Reichl, Ruth Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table Satrapi, Marjane Persepolis Sebold, Alice Lucky Sedaris, David Me Talk Pretty One Day Smith, Patti Just Kids Strayed, Cheryl Wild Yousafzai, Malala I am Malala Walls, Jeannette The Glass Castle Wiesel, Elie Night West, Lindy Shrill Wolff, Tobias This Boy’s Life Pre­Assessment: Because this is the first unit of the year, it is important to get to know your students, and to get to know them as readers. What is their current identity as a reader? What are their reading habits? Preferences? Dislikes? Strengths? Weaknesses? How are they prepared to push themselves this year? There are multiple reading inventories, surveys online, but a simple reflection assignment also works. It helps if you model your own answer to this question first, and emphasize that you are looking for honest, authentic answers as that is the only way they will be able to grow in their reading. How are my reading habits, my identity as a reader, or my preferences for reading staying the same? Changing? What are my current strengths and weaknesses as a reader? (have them write as much as they can on this topic during one reading period, then let them turn to big piles of choice memoir texts they may select from as their independent reading book.)

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Possible Summative Assessments:

Post Assessment Reflection regarding reading habits (attached at end) Reading Notebook with Rubric Bringing independent reading book home and back to school every day Staying on task during reading time Reading bookmarks. Book completed at minimum every one to two weeks. Their independent log of reading­­ volume.

Lessons 1­4, depending on what is needed and what students know from previous years

Pre ­ Assessment (above) Reading notebooks established with table of contents at the

beginning (either digital or marble composition notebooks) Established way to document daily/ nightly reading, such as

reading bookmark. Reading bookmarks. Book completed at minimum every

two weeks. If preferred, use page number of at least 220 pages. (9th grade uses 200 pages, 11 and 12 will be 250)

See attachment as model. Time where teacher does many (as much as possible) book

buzzes for memoir/ biography/ autobiography books. Time to visit library and perhaps have pre­selected piles of

books (ask the librarian) that are all within this genre. Time for them to research a memoir/ biography/ autobiography

they want to read. (see above list for suggestions)

Lesson 5 Readers set goals for their reading, both for inside and outside of school. They think about how much they will read, how they will fit in that reading, and what reading habits they need to support that volume. They also think about what kinds of books they will read, and how they will grow as a reader this year. Teacher models setting goals for their reading, making it clear that reading needs to happen in and out of class. Thinks through all the possible obstacles that get in the way of reading at home when we treat it as an “extra” to get to if we have time, and all the things that tempt us away from reading (netflix, phone, sleep, etc.). Models how they fit in time to read, consistently, by always having a book, scheduling it, more. Also, how to set goals for genre, book choices, and reading habits. In their notebooks, Students set reading goals for volume of reading in and out of class, how they will get to that reading out of class, what

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books they will choose, what reading habits they will rely on. They also set a goal for reading that very evening after school in terms of minutes or page numbers. HW: Read according to your reading goal, short reflection in notebook about what worked/ didn’t work to meet that goal.

Lesson 6 Readers develop fluency as they get acquainted with a narrator’s voice and connect to central ideas in the text. Teacher has selected a memoir they will use as a mentor text throughout the unit, and shares several short excerpts that reveal the narrator’s voice. Teacher thinks aloud, sharing what they notice about the narrator’s voice, and what they are starting to think the author feels is important in this text (main ideas). Students read their memoir/ biography/ autobiography, taking notes about their author’s voice and what they feel are big ideas in this text. HW: Read according to reading goals, notes on today’s topic and/ or how they are meeting reading goals.

Lesson 7 Readers research unfamiliar vocabulary, background information that is important to the book, and the author to help acquaint themselves with their book and read it as an informed audience. Teacher shares any unfamiliar vocabulary in their memoir, and if there is none, shares one of the students’ that contains it. Also, shares how looking up some background information on the context of their memoir, as well as the author, improved their understanding of the text as a whole. Students spend some time doing research on their memoir/ literary nonfiction work, to better acquaint themselves with the context of the work and the author. Also, they should be taking note of unfamiliar words (domain specific vocabulary/ CCSS) and using research to understand key terms. HW: Continue with research and note­taking in reader's notebook to reflect on how this improves understanding of the work and/ or author/speaker.

Lesson 8 Readers reread key chapters and sections to identify and connect details that convey central ideas.

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Teacher models a part of their memoir that is important, and how they reread it to look further into its big ideas and how they connect to other parts of the text. Students continue reading their literary nonfiction books, taking note of where there are big issues/ main ideas coming up, and how rereading those parts increases our understanding of the work as a whole. HW: Continue reading according to reading goals and documenting volume.

Lesson 9 Readers ask and answer questions as they read. Teacher models by reading a complex part of their text and asking questions about it as they read. They share that asking questions is a way to stay focused, to engage oneself in reading well. It also helps monitor understanding and to figure out what you are still wanting to know. Teacher also models that while it’s important to ask these questions, it's equally important to try to answer them or to make a plan for answering them. If there are any questions that cannot be answered from the reading itself, the teacher models marking them to research later on (or right there in the lesson). Readers go on to ask and answer questions in their books, starring those questions that they cannot answer yet. They may need to research those answers tonight online. HW: Read, continue to pose questions, and research any unanswered questions from today in class.

Lesson 10 OPEN Every fifth day is at your discretion to repeat one of the previous teaching points or to teach something new that you realize they need. Often this lesson will be about general reading habits versus a specific genre­based lesson. For instance, a strategy for staying focused when you read, or how to find time outside of class to read, versus text features in nonfiction. Regardless, there should still be time for them to independently read!

Lesson 11 Readers think about who influenced the author, and what impact those people had.

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Teacher takes notes in a T­chart or otherwise, showing who are the people who have impact on the speaker/ author/ subject of the book. They should model taking notes with specific text evidence to back up these theories about influential people, and the impact they had, be it positive or negative. Also, how does this impact our idea of what makes this person memorable? Students continue reading, and taking notes according to who they notice is influential, and how so. HW: Continue reading according to reading goals/ bookmark.

Lesson 12 Readers pay attention to how the memoir is structured, and how that structure impacts the reader. Just as they have looked at this in the writing portion of class, the teacher should again pull readers’ attention to the structure of longer memoirs, and how their mentor text is structured. They should share how time is woven throughout, either through flashbacks, chronological, or events interspersed with reflection. Readers continue reading and note­taking, paying close attention to the structure of their memoir. HW: Continue reading and note­taking, with a focus on how the memoir is structured.

Lesson 13 Readers pay attention to what is said and unsaid, and whose voice is heard and whose voice is not heard. Teacher shares how their memoir represents a certain point of view, biased toward whose voice is heard, and whose voices aren't heard. They might also look at who is silenced, and whose voices continue to resonate throughout the text. What impact do these voices, silenced and heard, have on our impression of the memoirist? Students continue reading, paying attention to and note­taking on whose voices they are noticing getting “airtime” and whose are silenced. HW: Continue reading according to bookmark or other goal­setting for volume, as well as note­taking on the voices heard/ silenced in their memoir.

Lesson 14 Readers evaluate how they are changing as readers and

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self­monitor growth. Teacher models posting their own reading goals and volume, and reflecting on how they are pushing themselves as a reader, what they are noticing, and how they are tracking progress. Students also take time to look through their reader's notebooks, volume tracking system, and book choices to reflect (in written form) on how they are changing as readers. What new things are they noticing? How are they pushing themselves in book choices? Habits? Writing about reading? Volume? And, how will they continue to do so for the rest of the unit/ marking period? HW: Continue reading according to reading calendar/ bookmark.

Lesson 15 OPEN Every fifth day is at your discretion to repeat one of the previous teaching points or to teach something new that you realize they need. Often this lesson will be about general reading habits versus a specific genre­based lesson. For instance, a strategy for staying focused when you read, or how to find time outside of class to read, versus text features in nonfiction. Regardless, there should still be time for them to independently read!

Lesson 16 Readers think about each time period presented in a memoir, and ask themselves, “What is this part mostly about?” They state an idea about that portion of the story, and then connect those parts and ideas for a theme of the work as a whole. Teacher retells significant events in their person’s life, asking themselves what the main idea is for each of those events/ scenes/ chapters. What does it seem like the main idea of this part of the person’s life is? And, putting them all together, what’s the main idea of the whole work? HW: Readers read according to their reading calendars and taking notes in reading notebooks.

Lesson 17 Readers of memoirs understand one of the characteristics of memoir is the focus upon the relationship between the writer and other people. Teacher models by charting the relationship between the author of their mentor text memoir and key people in that person’s life, and how those relationships impacted the author, positively or negatively.

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Teacher might ask (and have students do with their books):

Who is the story about (this one of many)? What is the relationship between the subject and the writer? What is the writer’s purpose? In other words, what does the

writer want you to know about this relationship? What is the one impression the writer wants you to have about

his/ her subject? How does the writer show you how important this person in in

the story/ piece? Through thoughts? Feelings? Details and description ?

What are the writer's’ thoughts and feelings about this person now? (what insights do they share)

Readers continue analyzing the text for this same kind of focus on the relationships in their memoir. HW: Continue reading and note­taking.

Lesson 18 Readers investigate many possible themes and meanings, thinking about moments that illuminate that theme. Teacher models how their memoir does not contain only one main idea or central theme, but many, but sharing multiple themes/ main ideas from their memoir. Teacher models using text evidence to determine these themes and ideas, in particular the narrative moments that illuminate them. Readers continue reading and note­taking, with continued focus on the multiple themes present in more complex works of literary nonfiction, as opposed to one main idea or theme. HW: Readers continue reading and notetaking.

Lesson 19 Readers delight in specific lines and sections of well­written books. In class,they also share those with others. Teacher shares how when reading, specific lines or excerpts stand out as particularly well­written, beautiful, or impactful. Teacher isolates those lines and shares how they made him/ her stop and repeat the line, considering its impact. Readers look for specific lines and sections in their book that stand out for their craft, nuance, surprising imagery or comparisons, or other.

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They take time to share these with a reading partner before the end of class, or as a whole class by the end of the reading period. Possible that students also take time to make a graffiti wall of these beautiful lines on a bulletin board, on the class website, or other. HW: Continue reading and note­taking.

Lesson 20 OPEN Every fifth day is at your discretion to repeat one of the previous teaching points or to teach something new that you realize they need. Often this lesson will be about general reading habits versus a specific genre­based lesson. For instance, a strategy for staying focused when you read, or how to find time outside of class to read, versus text features in nonfiction. Regardless, there should still be time for them to independently read!

Lesson 21 Readers compare summaries, interpretations, interesting and confusing parts, with partners, even when they don't’ read the same book. Teacher asks a student to model with him/ her, sharing summaries, interpretations, interesting and confusing parts of their memoirs. When sharing this in a model conversation, students should take notes on what they notice they talk about, what works, what doesn’t in a paired conversation about two books. Some things to highlight:

1. Give a quick summary of the book to orient your partner, but not as much as you’d think!

2. Come prepared to the conversation with highlighted sections from your notebook, questions, or other notes ready to go.

3. Ask questions and listen, take turns. 4. The big goal is to keep the conversation going­­ what do readers

ask one another about their reading? Generate some sample questions here.

Students are in assigned pairs and before talking, they take a few minutes to prepare some notes, interpretations, etc. There is also time to read in class. It may work, too, to do the conversations toward the end of class so students have time to get their thinking ready. Possible resource: Conversation Preparation Card

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1. What seems to be the central idea(s) in the text so far? 2. What key details are interesting to you or challenge your

thinking? 3. What ideas about the world do you think are being expressed?

What makes you think this? 4. Which part(s) do you find confusing? 5. Which lines seem to challenge your thinking so far in your

reading? Use the following sentence stems to help you in your conversation:

I like… I dislike… I can’t believe… I wonder… I know someone like… I’ve always been interested in…

HW: Continue reading and note­taking.

Lesson 22 Readers pay attention to the details the author has chosen. Why those details? What feeling or tone do those evoke? Teacher pre selects details from their mentor memoir that are particularly evocative of a feeling or tone. They excerpt those and ask the students what feeling or tone they notice, then ask students to pay close attention to the details in her memoir,too, noting what kind of feeling or tone they evoke. Students should be aware that authors choose those details for a reason (even if it is a subconscious one) in order to convey a certain tone or mood or feeling. HW: Continue reading and note­taking, paying close attention to the details the author has chosen, and considering why they chose those details and not others.

Lesson 23 Readers pay attention when the story or speaker/ subject changes suddenly. Why this narrative disruption? What does it tell us? Teacher selects a portion of the memoir when the author/ speaker has a sudden change, or an event is out of the norm. It is important to pay attention to these times when a character acts out of character, or a speaker departs from their norm. TEacher shares out what that narrative disruption tells us, and how it makes the speaker complex. Readers continue reading and note­taking, recording moments when the

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speaker/ author acts out of character, or an event departs from the norm in any way. Why is that change or event significant? HW: Continue reading and notetaking

Lesson 24 Readers constantly pose deep thinking questions as they read. Teacher models asking some of the following questions as they read, reminding readers that this kind of questioning the text is something they can do in almost any reading:

1. Who benefits from the story being told this way or people being represented this way?

2. Do I perceive any subtext? What does this story imply about possibility, choice, issues?

3. What does this text suggest about issues such as race, class, gender, children, adolescents?

4. What other ideas, themes or issues seem to be hiding in this text?

5. Does this text seem to want to teach me certain things or influence me?

6. How does it get me to think these things? 7. What understandings do I come to when I read this text? 8. Do I think the same way this text seems to want me to think? 9. Does this text reinforce the way I thought already about this

issue or social norm or discourse? 10. Or does it make me think differently? Does it interrupt common

social norms? Teacher thinks aloud about some of these questions and records that thinking in their reading notebooks. Readers go on to pose similar deep­thinking questions as they read, documenting their thinking and trying to get to this critical analysis as they read, not just after in a literary essay. HW: Continue reading and answer at least two more questions in your reading notebook.

Lesson 25 Readers track how many books they read. It’s essential that readers are independently (not just relying on teacher’s management) tracking what they read, and volume (that is the bookmark or other way of tracing pages/ minutes read). Today the teacher has them consider multiple techniques for remembering the

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books they read. Ideally, they are able to choose from these options. Some possibilities:

Using a Kindle app Using the calendar app, listing a book title on the date finished Taking a pic of the book cover and adding it to a digital file

(evernote, etc) Using goodreads.com to create virutal bookshelves Making a list of “finished books” in reading notebook

Students decide which option works best for them and commits to trying it, inserting the titles they’ve read so far with memoirs and starting their lists. Post assessment for homework (or in class). See below

___________________’s

Bookmark Calendar

Title

Author

Date Pages

Y N

Y N

Y N

Y N

Y N

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Y N

Y N

Y N

Y N

Y N

Date Completed:

QUESTIONS FOR CONFERRING DURING READING WORKSHOP

Conference serves several purposes:

1. a check point for reading volume, fluency, and comprehension

2. a teachable moment based on the student’s strengths or instructional needs

3. an opportunity to engage students in conversations about their reading with another

reader

These questions open conversations with students so they can explain

1. the ways they are monitoring their reading

2. how they are applying the mini­lessons

3. the decisions and/or evaluation of the readings to develop an identity as a reader and

personal taste

4. the ways the reading is engaging them

Categories of Questions for Independent Reading Conferences

Identity as a Reader Self­Monitoring Engagement with

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narrator/characters, plot, or

ideas

Why did you decide to

read this book?

What strategies are you using

to be an interactive reader?

∙ Why are you using

this/these strategies?

∙ Which strategy is most effective? Why?

Who’s the narrator? Is this

story told in first person?

∙ Do you like/dislike the

narrator/the way the story is

told?

∙ What do you have in common with the narrator?

What do you like/dislike

about the genre/author’s

style?

Are you rereading?

∙ when you are reading

words but can’t remember what

you’ve read

∙ when you need to clarify a question ∙ when you stop to summarize ∙ when you want to develop a fluent, expressive voice ∙ when you find yourself distracted

What’s happening now?

∙ How does this affect your

view of the story?

∙ Are you still interested? Why?

Why not?

How does this book

compare with other books

you’ve read/other books

by this author/other books

in this genre?

What encourages you to keep

reading?

Is this book drawing you in?

Are you able to read without a

lot of effort?

Any surprises so far?

Is this a page­turner or a

literary novel? Why?

What do you notice?

Are you staying on target with

your reading goals?

∙ How much did you read

Any theories about the novel?

∙ What evidence prompts you

to believe this theory?

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yesterday?

∙ Where are you finding time to read? ∙ What challenges keep you from meeting your goals? ∙ How will you address these challenges?

∙ So how’s your theory about _________ going? Any evidence emerging to support your thinking? ∙ Have you developed any new theories? What evidence is encouraging you to add this theory?

Are you considering

∙ abandoning this

book?

∙ Reading another by the same author? ∙ Reading another in the same genre?

Are you making a connection

with this book? What do you

like?

∙ book/narrator

∙ plot or action ∙ ideas ∙ genre

Do you approve or disapprove

of the character’s

∙ views or actions?

∙ reactions and treatment of other characters/animals/etc.?

Now that you’ve finished

this, what will you rate

this book?

∙ author

∙ genre

Are you skipping or skimming

sections?

∙ too much unnecessary

description

∙ unimportant action

Which character is most like

you? Most unlike? Why?

What’s another book

you’ve been considering?

I think you might

like________.

How did today’s mini­lesson

help you focus your reading?

Which character do you want

as a friend? Why?

Conversation Preparation Card

1. What seems to be the central idea(s) in the text so far?

2. What key details are interesting to you or challenge your thinking?

3. What ideas about the world do you think are being expressed? What makes you think

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this?

4. Which part(s) do you find confusing?

5. Which lines seem to challenge your thinking so far in your reading?

Use the following sentence stems to help you in your conversation:

I like…

I dislike…

I can’t believe…

I wonder…

I know someone like…

I’ve always been interested in…

Post Assessment: Revisit the same reading reflection as in the pre­assessment to track how they’ve grown, pushed themselves, stayed the same, etc. Ask them to document these changes of growth, or consistencies, with evidence from their book choices, notebooks, conversations with reading partners, volunteering to do book buzzes, and more. And/ or add the following question: “What reading habit impacted the way you analyzed and tracked the main ideas in your memoir/ biography/ autobiography books? Write 2­3 paragraphs to state the main ideas and/ or purpose of the whole book, explain how the author connected details across the text to promote those main ideas, and explain how the author structures a single chapter, or pair of chapters, to establish and explore one of the main ideas of the text. And, write on how your reading habits have changed during this unit and how this change will impact future reading of literary nonfiction texts.

Possible Rubric for the Post­Assessment

Post Assessment Rubric Informational Product Rubric*

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Highly Proficient Meets Expectations Attempting to Meet Expectations

Focus Addresses all aspects of prompt with a highly focused and detailed response.

Addresses prompt with a focused response.

Attempts to address prompt but lacks focus or is off­task.

Reading/ Research

Accurately presents and applies information relevant to the prompt with specific examples from the research.

Presents and applies information relevant to prompt with general accuracy and sufficient detail.

Attempts to present information relevant to task but may lack sufficient or relevant details.

Development Presents detailed information in order to answer questions and solve problems. Concisely explains key information with details. Identifies reading shifts and supplies evidence.

Presents information in order to answer questions and solve problems. Explains key information with some details. Identifies a reading shift.

Presents limited information. Ideas do not include details or examples.

Organization Applies appropriate structure(s) to explain, examine, convey, define, analyze, synthesize, compare, or explain cause/effect, problem/solution.

Applies a generally effective structure to explain, examine, convey, define, analyze, synthesize, compare, or explain cause/effect, problem/solution.

Applies an ineffective structure; text rambles or line of thought is disconnected.

Conventions Demonstrates a well­developed command of standard English conventions and cohesion; employs

Demonstrates a command of standard English conventions and cohesion; employs language

Demonstrates a weak command of standard English conventions; lacks cohesion; language and tone are

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language and tone appropriate to audience and purpose.

and tone appropriate to audience and purpose.

inappropriate to audience and purpose.

Possible Rubric for Reading Notebook

1 2 3 4

Notebook entries are brief (often less than three sentences). Ideas and opinions are not supported with evidence.

Notebook entries include opinions and summaries with little evidence from the book.

Notebook entries reflect a solid understanding of the book, as well as theories and ideas regarding character and theme that are supported with ample evidence from the book. Questions may be raised and or answered by the reader. It may also show evidence of interest in reading, and or growth by the reader. All entries are completed and organized according to the table of contents.

Notebook entries indicate an excellent understanding of the books. All ideas and writings about character and theme are supported with evidence from the text, as well as follow up thinking and explanations. Entries reflect a strong interest in reading as well as evidenced growth across the marking period. All entries are completed and organized according to the table of contents, and additional entries are evident as well.

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11th Grade

Writing, Unit One Launch: Memoir

Enduring Understandings

How to use a writer’s notebook to collect and develop ideas for memoirs, and use every step in the writing process to finely hone a finished piece;

How to critically read other memoirs and mine them for sophisticated craft moves to use in one’s own writing;

How memoir is a blend of both persuasive/ argument and narrative genres: that it brings forth meaning through both storytelling and exposition;

To be able to discover moments that matter and that are worth exploring in a memoir, and how to craft that moment so it has impact on the reader as well;

When to stick to exact truths and when to use poetic license when writing from one’s life; How to angle a memoir so a deeper insight or meaning is woven throughout and brought

to light through symbolism, pacing, structure, and stylistic details. Essential Questions:

How can I use personal experiences to influence readers? How can I observe my life and my world, pushing beyond just the telling of a good story,

and move toward insight that resonates with readers? What decisions does a memoirist make that separate this genre from storytelling?

Standards: W11.1.A, W11.1.B, W.11.1.D, W.11.1.E, W11.3A, W11.3.B, W11.3.C, W11.3.D, W11.3.E, W11.4, W11.5, W11.6, W11.10, RL.11.2, RL.11.4, RI11.5, RI11.6 Resources Used: Writing the Memoir: From Truth to Art , Judith Barrington. Old Friend From Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir , Natalie Goldberg Oakland Schools Literacy Website Teachers College Reading and Writing Project Units of Study Writing Pathways , Lucy Calkins Resources to draw on for memoir models: This American Life radio program/ podcast: www.thisamericanlife.org

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NBC’s The Office: Jim Halpert voicing a “true opinion” on jellybeans: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUydgDGjmf8&NR=1 Paul Auster, “Why Write” Joann Beard, “In the Current” Geoffrey Canada, Fist, Stick, Knife, Gun (graphic novel) Sandra Cisneros, “Eleven” Anderson Cooper, “Tsunami: Washed Away.” Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of WAr, Disasters, and Survival . 39­41, 42­45, 89­92. Joan Didion, “Why Write” Amy Erlich, editor: “When I was Your Age: Original Stories about Growing Up Ralph Fletcher, Marshfield Dreams (choose chapters) Kelle James “Smile for the Camera” Jean Little, Little by Little (choose chapters) Anne Mazer, Going Where I’m Coming From (anthology) Walter Dean Myers, Bad Boy Cynthia Rylant, “My Grandmother’s Hair” Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis David Sedaris, various essays. In particular, look at “SantaLand Diaries” from Holidays on Ice , pps. 3­8. Jerry Spinelli, “Knots in my Yo­Yo String” Nora Ephron, various essays Possible Summative Assessments:

Writing Notebook Rubric Preparation for and application of conferences with teacher Finished Memoir(s) with rubric/ checklist Self­assessment reflection Project Blog Gift Memoir

*Make sure you (and your students) are clear on the key differences between last year’s writing genre, personal narrative, and this year’s, memoir. Personal narrative writers write true stories and bring out a bigger idea that says what that story is really about. Memoirists often start wtih big, important ideas they want to explore, and that will tell their reader something essential about themselves. Once memoirists have that big idea that says something important about them, they think of moments from their life that will convey that idea. Then, they use a combination of those moments and small stories, along with persuasive writing techniques, to get the bigger idea across.

Lesson 1 Writers generate lots of small moment story ideas in their notebooks to research their lives.

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Teacher models how they wrote tons of anecdotes in their notebook, emphasizing that they are small moments that capture tension, pivotal points, and life themes. They’ll remind writers of all the strategies they’ve learned in previous years, perhaps listing them on the board as reference.

1. I Remembers 2. People, moments, issues 3. First Times 4. Last Times 5. Important places and moments that happened there

Writers do the same and start exploring several of these by writing long about those moments. They should feel some pressure to be generating volume right away in Grade 11, as well as frequent praise for filling up pages. They’ll also need reminders to try out different anecdotes and moments by writing about them, rather than only drafting one entire story. They’ll want lots of material to choose from for their memoir. See also at end of this unit: Writer's Notebook Prompts For Generating Events/ Ideas for Memoirs HW: Continue exploring anecdotes and small moments in your notebook, aiming for at least 4­5 pages total from class and at home.

Lesson 2 More generating of ideas.. See also at end of this unit: Writer's Notebook Prompts For Generating Events/ Ideas for Memoirs

Lesson 3 Writers look over their ideas to find themes and bigger ideas. Teacher models by looking through the explored anecdotes and small moments to see if there are patterns, emotions that keep recurring, or relationships that preoccupy them. The teacher shows them that when writing memoirs, we don’t just generate story ideas. We write to find depth in the ideas they’re already uncovering. Today, the teacher might show them how they will write about big topics in their life, and then ask, “What is the mystery or importance to this topic or idea?” Writers go on to find patterns in their anecdotes from yesterday, and

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then writing about what those big ideas are, or starting with the big ideas, and generating more moments and anecdotes that support them. They can try generating ideas by listing the following:

What are issues that relate to what’s right and wrong? What’s difficult? What’s fair and unfair? What people should or shouldn't do?

HW: Writers continue generating as many ideas as possible.

Lesson 4 Writers use digital forums to post work, receive feedback on their work, and provide feedback for others. Teacher explains the project blog, and has every student log in to post a few ideas and provide short feedback for at least one classmate as a way to try it out. Project Blog:

Teacher provides a blog forum on which students can post. Students can then post 3­5 times (more means higher grade/ points) in regard to their own project. They can also respond to the projects of their peers.

Students will need to upload part or all of their project onto Google Docs, then ask for specific feedback on the project. They can describe what they feel is strong, and what areas need work.

Students then also comment on the projects of their peers, giving detailed constructive feedback to the questions, as well as praise.

This is a place to test out ideas, revise the project, and sharpen the message you are trying to convey. The more you interact with one another, the more opportunities to better your final work.

Continue writing ideas for memoirs, posting for feedback if needed. HW: Provide feedback for one more classmate.

Lesson 5 OPEN

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Every fifth day is an opportunity to further differentiate for students’ needs, doing one of the following:

Redo one of the previous lessons that deserves more time and attention

Introduce a writing concept that is not in the unit, but that your students need

Revisit a general writing concept that is not specific to this unit or genre. For example, how to write fast and long without worrying too much if it’s “good” or “right”, how to slow down and elaborate, how to use mentor texts for “stealing” good writing moves, and more.

Lesson 6 Writers plan memoirs that don’t focus on events alone. Teacher models that they are writing a memoir that is not events alone, but about the person who experienced the events. It should convey something meaningful about that person. Teacher shares some of their ideas, then asks, “What am I trying to say about myself in this piece?” and “What do I want my readers to know about me?” Teacher shows how they revise one of their stories to show something about themselves. Voice over to show the meaning behind the event. Writers go on to look at their own stories, and write about what they want to show about themselves through events. HW: Continue writing in notebooks about what you want to say about yourself, and what you want readers to know about you through those events. Students can post and comment on peer projects at the project blog.

Lesson 7 Memoirists determine how much how much truth is too much, and what truth will be expressed. Teacher puts up a few mentor memoirs on the document camera or Smart Board, circling the “truth” the author is exploring in those excerpts. Ask, “How is this excerpt honest? What sentence seems to be the most truthful? What detail?” Then, writers set off to help them find important stories that matter, and think about what thoughts or details will those stories reveal in terms of “truths” about themselves.

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HW: Decide which events and “truths” and reflections you will want to focus on in your first memoir. Students can post and comment on peer projects at the project blog.

Lesson 8 Writers consider structure, then flash draft. After having read multiple mentor memoirs, writers should have a sense that memoirs do not rely on a set structure, such as a five paragraph essay. Rather, memoirists make decisions about how they want to structure their essay in a way that works for their ideas. Teacher models some ways that they have noticed memoirists use structure, boxing out narrative, than expository excerpts. Some basic variety of structures: narrative with reflective sections, back and forth between exposition and storytelling, one focused narrative, two stories held together by reflection, and more. Writers should consider how they will structure their memoir, and then they set out to draft that essay as much as they can in class. HW: Finish drafting memoir according to the structure you decided upon in today's class after looking at mentor structures. Students can post and comment on peer projects at the project blog.

Lesson 9 Writers make sure background information that a reader needs is woven in­­ the who, what, where, when, why context is embedded in the narrative. Teacher shares memoirs that do not begin with tons of background information (none of the models do), showing students that instead that information is woven throughout, or omitted as readers can infer more than we think. Writers work on incorporating any essential background information throughout their memoirs, as opposed to boring the reader at the beginning with lots of backstory.

Lesson 10 OPEN

Lesson 11 Writers slow down the pace so the reader can make a movie in their minds.

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Teacher share excerpts from the mentor memoirs that put a movie in the reader's mind, perhaps asking after reading it, “What do you see?” Writers can then work on making similar images and movies explicit in their work, perhaps trading pieces to ask their partner what they “saw” after reading that scene or section.

Lesson 12 Writers consider craft in memoirs, such as highlighting specific observable details. Teacher shows mentor memoirs that use the following ways to control craft through details: snapshots, zoom­ins, shrunken time, or details in threes. Writers should make control the craft in their memoir, going back to focus on details throughout, also considering ways they might make certain details symbolic. HW: Continue making additions and changes to drafted memoir by focusing on details. Students can post and comment on peer projects at the project blog.

Lesson 13 Writers consider craft (language), paying close attention to word choice throughout. The language is interesting: verbs like sputter, knead, spy, curl, polish, pinch, and grip are words a reader can see, feel, and hear. Teacher shows mentor memoirs and the way they use language in powerful ways, boxing out or underlining strong verbs or nouns, figurative language, and repetition. HW: Writers continue making changes to their memoirs, including focusing on language and detail. Students can post and comment on peer projects at the project blog.

Lesson 14 Writers consider craft (dialogue) in memoirs, such as passages of dialogue, tags (speaker or action tags), brief thoughts, and reflective passages. Teacher highlights passages of mentor memoirs that use dialogue (including inner thinking passages) to control craft moves. It’s important that the students see these as conscious craft decisions, that the author controls what the reader sees,and doesn’t see, hears and

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doesn’t hear, through dialogue. Writers go on to try adding dialogue and inner thinking in purposeful ways, such as they say in mentor texts. HW: Continue making change and additions to their memoirs, including dialogue and dinner thinking purposeful ways. Students can post and comment on peer projects at the project blog.

Lesson 15 OPEN Should also include time to look at writer's notebooks, consider a plan for a second memoir. Every fifth day is an opportunity to further differentiate for students’ needs, doing one of the following:

Redo one of the previous lessons that deserves more time and attention

Introduce a writing concept that is not in the unit, but that your students need

Revisit a general writing concept that is not specific to this unit or genre. For example, how to write fast and long without worrying too much if it’s “good” or “right”, how to slow down and elaborate, how to use mentor texts for “stealing” good writing moves, and more.

Lesson 16 Writers flash draft again, considering more structure/ time options to control craft *Don’t make a big deal about going through the process again, and they won’t think it is! It’s so important that they try this work again in a different idea than before so they practice the writer's’ craft. Teacher asks them to try writing without much pressure or fanfare. And, teacher asks them to consider the structure of mentor texts, such as;

1. A Journey structure that starts with an anecdote in which you, the writer, is on the cusp of learning something big, and ends with an anecdote that shows the completion of that journey.

2. Circular structure, begins and ends with a repeated image, scene, or line.

3. A blend of inner thinking and narrative, using words like, “previously” “prior” and “earlier” to signal a flashback, “meanwhile” “at the same time” and “simultaneously” to show inner thinking at the same time, and then “later” “after” and

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“now I realize” to show a jump forward in time. See also: Writers Notebook Prompts For Generating Events/ Ideas for Memoirs HW: Finish draft of this second memoir. Students can post and comment on peer projects at the project blog.

Lesson 17 Writers elaborate to bring out the most important part Teacher asks students to revisit and elaborate on the most significant parts of their draft, such as the telling details that convey thoughts and feelings, or the parts of the story that illuminate a central idea or theme. Writers might also choose to highlight and repeat powerful lines throughout, to make the most essential ideas stand out. OR, a metaphor or comparison can add beauty and capture a powerful meaning. Or, a recurring image throughout the narrative can reveal a truth. (ie., the repeated image of Great Grandmother planting teeth to show new beginnings in Marshfield Dreams ). This may take more than one day, but you can emphasize the importance of highlighting the overall meaning, or what the writer wants this work to say about themselves, and that it must be done through purposeful craft moves vs “telling” the reader. HW: continue elaborating to bring out the most important parts/ ideas/ truths in the memoir Students can post and comment on peer projects at the project blog.

Lesson 18 Writers play with the organization of their memoir, flashing back and forward in time and creating questions in the reader’s mind about what will happen next. Teacher shares at least one mentor memoir that uses flashbacks and flashforwards to creatively structure the piece, and that effectively creates questions in the reader’s mind about what will happen next. Then, they think aloud about how they will restructure their own rough draft, inserting flashbacks and flashforwards and omitting other parts to play with structure. Writers use the same strategies as they rework or continue drafting.

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HW: Continue playing with structure, incorporating flashbacks and flashforwards.

Lesson 19 Writers consider how to control readers’ emotions as they write memoirs. Teacher has pre selected a mentor text whose author controls the emotional territory of the work and shares it with the class, highlighting areas that control the emotional response. Students continue reading mentor texts, thinking about: How are the emotions of the narrator or other characters revealed? How does this emotional focus impactt the reader? Are the emotions revealed through actions, dialogue, thoughts, narrator commentary? Writers go on to write about an event from their lives, even one that seems quite routine and ordinary, using the techniques they just studied to make it more emotionally gripping for the reader. HW: Continue adjusting the writing of an event to reveal emotions. Students can post and comment on peer projects at the project blog.

Lesson 20 Writers compose purposeful endings to memoirs after looking at published memoirs as mentor texts. Teacher shows strategies for endings by looking again at mentor texts, noticing how writers reflect upon experiences and provide closure. (Spinelli’s Yo­Yo String , ends with a reflection from a current perspective, for instance) Others hint at what happens next for the writer, or what story will be next. Others have a cliffhanger, so the reader doesn’t know if there was a lesson learned or not. Still others end with narrative, making the lesson implicit but not directly stated. Writers go on to compose at least three endings to their memoir, trying out multiple strategies before choosing the one they like best. HW: Continue crafting strong endings, and/ or revising one’s memoir. Students can post and comment on peer projects at the project blog.

Lesson 21 OPEN Every fifth day is an opportunity to further differentiate for students’ needs, doing one of the following:

Redo one of the previous lessons that deserves more time and

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attention Introduce a writing concept that is not in the unit, but that your

students need Revisit a general writing concept that is not specific to this unit

or genre. For example, how to write fast and long without worrying too much if it’s “good” or “right”, how to slow down and elaborate, how to use mentor texts for “stealing” good writing moves, and more.

Lesson 22 Memoirists title their pieces in a way that invites the reader in and that fits the piece. They don’t just choose the first one they come up with. They write many after looking at mentor memoirs, and then choose the best one.

Lesson 23 Writers being considering how to publish their memoirs, getting ready to share their work with others. Teacher shares several options for how the class may choose to “publish” their memoirs, and students get their memoirs ready. One way to see how memoirs are organized by theme is by listening to an episode of “This American Life” (podcast, Ira Glass) in which there is a loose theme that unifies several different stories under umbrella labels such as, “Taking a Risk”, “Looking Back” “Being One of the Group Never Suited Me” or “First Times, Last Times”. Students could organize their memoirs into various themes present across the class and “publish” online, on the class website, in a photocopied anthology, as podcasts, or write them in large print and then wallpaper hallways and ceilings as installation art. HW: Continue revising and improving the second memoir. Students can post and comment on peer projects at the project blog.

Lesson 24 Writers use peer­response groups to push their revision and gain new perspectives. Students choose either first or second memoir for peer group response. Teacher shares how to provide powerful, yet positive feedback in a group so it moves the piece to the next level, supports the writer's’ efforts, and makes them want to revise. Students should be in groups of four students with copies of their memoirs if possible, or sharing online. They should adhere to the following protocols to ensure everyone receives meaningful feedback:

1. Every writer gets an equal amount of time for response (say, 10

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minutes) 2. Identify a timekeeper, and a first writer. 3. First writer reads their memoir, and is then silent during the

feedback, acting like an eavesdropper. They should take notes, however, during feedback.

4. Response group members engage in conversation about the memoir using the response group sentence starters (below). Group members do not talk to or ask questions of the writer. They need to let the writing speak for itself, and the writer should know that any questions need to be answered in the writing, not verbally.

5. At the very end, the writer thanks the group, and then can ask or answer questions to the group.

Sentence Starters for Response Group Feedback:

I noticed… The line that sticks out for me is… The part I remember best is… I felt… when this happened… I wish I knew more about… I wonder…

HW: What did you learn from responding to the writing of your classmates? What did the response group notice that helped you see your writing in a new way? Students can post and comment on peer projects at the project blog.

Lesson 25 Writers edit for sentence variety and powerful use of grammar and punctuation. Teacher models the directions and thinking for each section of the handout (attached below) for thinking through the parts of the sentence and the reasons for the types of punctuation. The students try a few in pairs, together, revising sentences to see ways to play with punctuation for impact. Class time is spent identifying sentences in the memoir to revise, and carefully proofreading memoirs for other types of editing errors. HW: Students continue focused on sentence level revision, making sure there is variety of sentence structure, correct punctuation, and that they

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are using punctuation for impact. Students can post and comment on peer projects at the project blog.

Lesson 26 Writers self­assess their work and revise accordingly. Teacher models by using the rubric to self­assess their memoir, being tough on their writing and pushing themselves to take it to the next level before a final revision. Teacher may also model making a short editing/ revision plan according to their self­assessment, and explaining how they will use that to revise. Students use class time to first use the rubric to self­assess, being hard on their writing to ensure that it fully meets the expectations, and then they use class time to revise their memoirs. *Possible, if time, that students also use the rubric to peer assess a memoir to provide additional feedback, see someone else’s writer’s moves they may want to borrow, and so the writer gets a fresh set of eyes on their work. HW: Final draft due with self­assessment/ rubric filled out. Students can post and comment on peer projects at the project blog.

Lesson 27 Writers reflect on and celebrate their work. Teacher decides what forum to have writers share and celebrate their work. Invite in another class section? Read from the class anthology, organized by theme? Have students listen in on each other’s podcast readings? Share in small groups with positive feedback? Class time is for sharing and celebrating students’ memoir pieces in small groups or as a class. Ideally, they provide positive feedback for one another as a way to celebrate these works. Constructive feedback isn’t necessary as students will not be further revising the memoirs. Students could use the following sentences to frame their feedback in specific, writerly, and positive ways:

I noticed… I loved… My favorite part… A writer’s move I want to steal from you is...

HW: Reflection on memoirs as post­assessment:

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1. How did reading memoirs impact your writing? Refer to at least

one specific memoir we read in class. 2. Discuss a memoir technique you used, and the effect it had on

your writing’s structure or meaning. Include at least one line or passage from your memoir that illustrates that decision.

3. Share any other ways you have changed as a writer during this unit, and include specific evidence from your notebook or memoir as appropriate.

Writers Notebook Prompts For Generating Events/ Ideas for Memoirs:

My parents were furious… The first time I drove a car… The first time… The last time… I thought I would never find…. Again… I had never seen this side of …. (person) I wish I could go back and visit…. I wish I could go back and talk to… My most vivid memory is… I never thought I would try… I couldn’t believe I finally learned how to… The hardest thing for me to do was… Every morning/ afternoon/ evening when I was… I used to… I was never the same after I… …. Still wouldn’t believe me if I told them about… The greatest challenge I’ve ever overcome is… The most exciting thing to happen to me was… …. Changed the way I think about...

Rules for Punctuating Dialogue

1. QUOTATION MARKS: Use quotation marks to enclose the exact words SPOKEN by a person.

SPOKEN —Exact words spoken aloud by a person

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James said, “This is the slowest bus on earth.” THOUGHT James thought this is the slowest bus in the world. 2. CAPITALS: The first word of a direct quote (spoken words) is capitalized.

Marme said, “I want to see the house on the corner of First and Northfield Drive.” If the direct quote is divided into two parts, do not capitalize the first word of the second part. “I want to see the new house on the corner,” Marme said, “of First and Northfield Drive.” If the direct quote is divided into two parts, capitalize it if the second part is a new sentence. “I want to see the new house on the corner,” Marme said. “It is next to the orange house.” 3. PUNCTUATION: Periods, commas, and question marks are generally placed inside the quotation marks if they are part of the quote.

“The hike should have taken an hour, but the fog slowed us down,” Frannie said. Frannie said, “The hike should have taken an hour, but the fog slowed us down.” “Be very careful when you drive through town!” William said. “What do you want me to do when I am finished painting?” Alex asked. 4. INDENTATIONS: When you write dialogue, begin a paragraph every time the speaker changes.

“Will you pass the salt?” Meranda asked. “Where is it?” Mother said when she realized she could not see the salt shaker that was hidden behind the bowl of potatoes. “Over by you,” said Meranda. “Where do you see it?” Mother said, “I can’t see it.” She craned her neck and leaned out looking for it, but until she stood up, she did not see it behind the bowl.

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Decisions for Tagging Dialogue

1. SPEAKER TAGS: Dialogue usually has tags that tell a reader who said the words.

I said, “Give me the five dollars you owe me.” “What?” Brad said. “I don’t owe you five bucks.” “Don’t do this. You always try to get out paying me back.” I said. “Hey! I am not trying to do anything. I don’t owe you any money,” Brad said, “and you have a lot of nerve saying that I never pay my debts.” 2. NO TAGS: Sometimes writers do not use speaker tags. However, they clearly set up who the speakers are in the conversation and carefully use indentations to help a reader know when the speakers change.

Fiona stepped forward and looked straight at Brad. “Give me the five dollars you owe me.” “What? I don’t owe you five bucks.” “Don’t do this. You always try to get out paying me back.” “Hey! I am not trying to do anything. I don’t owe you any money, and you have a lot of nerve saying that I never pay my debts.” 3. ACTION TAGS: Sometimes writers use actions to tag the words spoken.

I stepped forward and looked straight at Brad. “Give me the five dollars you owe me.” “What? I don’t owe you five bucks.” Brad took a step back and looked away, but I stepped in closer, lowered my voice, and gently put my hand on his arm. “Don’t do this. You always try to get out paying me back.” “Hey!” Brad pulled his arm away and stepped back again. “I am not trying to do anything. I don’t owe you any money, and you have a lot of nerve saying that I never pay my debts.” SHOW THE CONVERSATION. (And a note on said: Generally, writers use said or asked rather than searching for 100 synonyms, such as inquired , asked , or mumbled . They do this because they want the dialogue to do the work. They put all their energy into writing “real” talk that captures the person’s attitude and mannerisms. They may indicate volume with whispered or shouted . But generally they add actions or description to show the conversation.

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It was going to be unpleasant. I knew it. I should know better than to lend money,

but this time was going to be different. I was different. I stepped forward and looked straight at Brad. “You owe me five bucks. I need it back.” “What? I don’t owe you a thing.” Brad took a step back and looked away, but I stepped in closer, lowered my voice and gently put my hand on his arm. “Don’t do this. You always do this.” I paused. I could feel myself losing confidence. “Try to get out of paying me back. I need the money. If not today, tomorrow.” “Hey!” Brad pulled his arm away. “I am not trying anything.” He stepped back another step and turned before he said, “I don’t owe you and you’ve got a lot of nerve.”

Adding Power to a Memoir with Sentence Variety

LEADS: STACKING DETAILS TO GET STARTED

Take a close look at your first few sentences. Here are two different ways to grab a reader’s attention with sentence variety. Jo Ann Beardsley, from The Boys of My Youth Three sentences (2 fragments and 1 complete sentence)

The family vacation. Heat, flies, sand, and dirt. My mother sweeps and complains; my father

forever bats hooks and untangles lines.

One long compound sentence (a series of prepositional phrases adds details about each person)

My grandmother married a guy named Ralph about a year and half after Pokey; my real

grandfather died of a stroke in the upstairs bedroom of Uncle Rex’s house.

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Your Turn: Revise your lead by stacking details about the setting and or/the people in the event of the memoir.

Original Lead: _________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Revised Lead: (Three sentences) __________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Revised Lead: (One long compound sentence) _______________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Writer's Notebook Rubric

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Memoir Unit Notebooks will be a place to journal every day. There should be a rich collection of opinions, beliefs, musings, and experiences. The writing in this unit should focus largely on your life experiences, and then also a place to understand and reflect on the features of the genre, especially after looking at mentor texts by published authors. Your notebook is a tool for practicing remembering events that had a significant (or perhaps insignificant) impact on the person you are or are becoming. It will be a place for you to practice using detail and imagery, and showing rather than telling. You will be asked to consider the nature of truth in some of your entries. Do the best you can with each entry, incorporating what we learned in class. Ultimately, it is a resource for you to look back on to help choose a memory to relate in your final memoir. Each entry should be one page at a minimum, single­spaced. The more though you put into your entries and the deeper you delve into your memories and the “truth” behind them, the easier it will be to complete your final project. (Rubric included at end)

Memoir Rubric/ Self­Assessment Checklist

Grade 11 Memoir

Not yet

Starting to

Yes

Structure

Overall Anecdotes and events are clearly connected by an overall theme, and carry emotional impact. The events do not stand alone, but are about the person who experienced them, and that is done through voice­over to show the meaning behind the events.

Ending I tried multiple endings and chose the one that provides the reader with the most impact and closure. The ending uses one of the strategies from the mentor texts, such as a reflection from a current perspective, hint at what happens next, or use a cliffhanger.

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Organization I structured the memoir in purposeful ways, using and/ or adapting a structure from one of the mentor texts, such as a circular structure, a blend of narrative and exposition, several stories interspersed with reflection, one story fleshed out throughout the memoir with intermittent reflection, or others.

Development

Elaboration I revisited and explored the most significant parts of my memoir, making sure there are details that illuminate my central idea or theme. I might repeat powerful lines to make essential ideas stand out, use metaphors or comparisons, or have an image recur throughout to reveal a truth.

Craft Detail: I use mentor structure methods to make details come alive, such as snapshots, zooming in, shrinking time, and putting details in threes.

Language: I use language in powerful ways, such as strong verbs and nouns, naming things instead of leaving them generic, figurative language, and purposeful repetition.

Truth: I am honest in the events that I explore in my memoir, having found important stories that matter, and making sure they reveal a “truth” about myself.

Imagery: I conveyed the message through the use of image. The image is purposeful, symbolic, and used throughout the memoir. OR, images throughout vary but are purposeful and rich in detail so the reader can picture them in their mind. The scene is always in sharp, not blurry focus.

Voice: I used voice throughout, and a consistent first person point of view. There is personality demonstrated, and the reader feels as if they are hearing from a real person, distinct from others.

Language Conventions

Spelling I used internet tools and other sources to check the

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spelling and reread the narrative carefully to ensure all words were correctly spelled. No spelling errors.

Punctuation and sentence/ paragraph structure, verb tenses

I punctuated all dialogue correctly, and used appropriate speech tags so it’s clear who is talking when.

I used different punctuation throughout in purposeful and impactful ways.

I varied the sentence structure throughout, using craft­based decisions such as in the mentor texts to make them both flow and surprise.

I used verb tenses appropriately throughout, shifting when necessary for flashbacks and other tense changes, as well as using active and passive voice appropriately. I used transition words to help signify these changes in time such as “prior” “meanwhile” or “now I realize”.

Formatting I had 1” margins, single­spaced text, 12 point Times New Roman font. Title is bold, Upper and lower case for Title of Work Author, same line as title, bold, Upper and lower case 1 blank line between title and beginning of text

Additional Grades or Assignments: “Gift Memoir”: Choose an audience (a friend, relative, classmate, or someone else who is special to you). Recount an experience that you shared with this person in a short memoir piece. Present this memoir to them as a gift. *The purpose is to have extra practice writing within the memoir genre, but also in a way that allows you to write something that has a real audience and purpose. Project Blog:

Teacher provides a blog forum on which students can post. Students can then post 3­5 times (more means higher grade/ points) in regard to their own project. They can also respond to the projects of their peers.

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Students will need to upload part or all of their project onto Google Docs, then ask for specific feedback on the project. They can describe what they feel is strong, and what areas need work.

Students then also comment on the projects of their peers, giving detailed constructive feedback to the questions, as well as praise.

This is a place to test out ideas, revise the project, and sharpen the message you are trying to convey. The more you interact with one another, the more opportunities to better your final work.

Post Unit Reflection Checklist/ Rubric­­ adapt as needed

Writers complete a post­unit assessment, reflecting on their growth as writers and setting goals for future writing.

What was the most useful thing you learned about writing well in (genre taught), or as a writer in general?

In what way(s) did you grow the most as a writer? Be specific and/ or refer to examples from your writer’s notebook or final writing pieces to back up this growth.

What problems or challenges did you face? How did you deal with those? What will you do in the next unit to prevent them, if possible?

What was your best work? Why?

Post­Unit Reflection Writing Yes Starting to Not Yet

Depth and authenticity of self­reflection: In­depth analysis of writer’s strengths, weaknesses, and growth. Answers reflect honest and objective examination of writing throughout the entire unit.

Examples/ Evidence: Reflection of strengths, weaknesses, and growth are all backed up with appropriate and sufficient evidence from the writing.

Completion: All questions are answered thoroughly with complete sentences and sufficient explanation.

Neatness/ proofreading: Writing is edited for clarity, spelling, and punctuation.

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Writer's Notebook Rubric Memoir Unit Notebooks will be a place to journal every day. There should be a rich collection of opinions, beliefs, musings, and experiences. The writing in this unit should focus largely on your life experiences, and then also a place to understand and reflect on the features of the genre, especially after looking at mentor texts by published authors. Your notebook is a tool for practicing remembering events that had a significant (or perhaps insignificant) impact on the person you are or are becoming. It will be a place for you to practice using detail and imagery, and showing rather than telling. You will be asked to consider the nature of truth in some of your entries. Do the best you can with each entry, incorporating what we learned in class. Ultimately, it is a resource for you to look back on to help choose a memory to relate in your final memoir. Each entry should be one page at a minimum, single­spaced, but more is better. The more you write, the more you elaborate, and the more thinking you push yourself to do. The more though you put into your entries and the deeper you delve into your memories and the “truth” behind them, the easier it will be to complete your final project.

Writer’s Notebook Rubric (adapt as needed)

5 pts 4 pts 3 pts 2 pts

Quality Entries are detailed and show that you are regularly using strategies taught and modeled in the lessons. You pay attention to writer’s craft, take risks in your work, and

Entries are detailed and show that you are trying to use the strategies taught each day, as well as keeping in mind the strategies from before, too. You pay attention to detail and also

Some entries are detailed and you often show an attempt to use the strategy taught and modeled that day, but there is not evidence of trying to incorporate previous lessons and strategies as

Entries lack details and show little evidence of applying strategies taught and modeled in class. There is little to no evidence of incorporating learning from previous lessons, either.

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go above and beyond in not just applying that day’s teaching, but all the day’s before.

experiment at times, playing with language or creatively applying concepts.

well. There is some evidence of risk­taking or creativity in the entries.

No risk­taking in entries.

Quantity You are writing more than in the previous marking period. You write more than a page each day. You write in class and outside of class on a daily basis.

You are writing more than before. You write at least a page each day. You work on notebook entries in class and outside of class on a regular basis.

You are writing as much as before. You write less than a page (but more than a half page) each day. You work on entries in class mostly, and sometimes add at home.

You are writing less than before. You write less than a half page most days. You work on entries only in class, and rarely if ever at home.

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