Introduction

Homer J. Simpson is the patriarch of the Simpsons clan. He is married to Marge(nee Bouvier) and has three children: Bart, Lisa and Maggie. Homer works at Springfield's Nuclear Power Plant as a Safety Inspector. He enjoys spending quality time with his family, taking exciting trips around the world. Now I have told you about Homer J. Simpson and his family. Tell me about your family, but first Homer will show you how.

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The Task

You are going to create a Life Map to represent personal events and goals in your life. After reading life story texts, autobiographical lyrics and writing your Life Map you will write your autobiography. My wife Marge will explain the process . click here Process

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The Process

1.First you are going to read "No One Ever Told Me Not To Dream" by Charlayne Hunter - Garrett(p. 371 Anthology) or read The House on Mango Street by Sandra Ciseros (Chapter1)

Write a brief constructed response that shows how setting relates to events that occur and the character's actions and reactions. Click on the following links to find more information about the setting.

Latin American Culture

http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/s00001428.shtml

The Civil Rights Movement and the Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.

http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/civilrts/

National Civil Rights Museum

http://www.civilrightsmuseum.org/

2. Now that was heavy. Read Shoshauna Shy's poem "Bringing My Son to the Police Station to be Fingerprinted"http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/or

"Who I Am" Brandyhttp://www.lyricsdomain.com/2/brandy/who_i_am.html

3. Now create a Life Map that captures the key settings/places in your life.

Life Events Checklist

• Where you were born
• Where you first lived
• Where you went to kindergarten
• Where you went to middle sch.
• Your High School
• Where you want to go to college or
• vocational training school
• Career after college
• Major events in your life

4.View the slides below to receive details on how to write an autobiography.

5. You have 3 choices.

I) You can create a song lyric about an autobiographical incident from your life.

II) Write your autobiography based on your life map.

III) Write a biography of a person of historical significance and follow the same steps as those for the autobiography.

6. Now you'll meet with the teacher to discuss the first draft before the revision process starts.

7. Find a classmate to read your paper using the peer editing checklist.

Click here for the checklist. http://content.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/u/unit_autobio_peercheck.pdf

8. Use word processing or any other form of your choice to publish your paper.

Click to Proceed to Resources

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Resources

General information about using the Web in education

• Cunningham, Craig A. and Marty Billinsley. 2006. Curriculum Webs: Weaving the Web into Teaching and Learning. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
• Companion web site for Curriculum Webs, 2/e; http://curriculumwebs.com.

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Evaluation

Your grade will be based on the Autobiography/Biography and Graphic Life Rubrics.

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Conclusion

Students will read different types of literature that may be used as models of personal narratives before attempting to write their own life story/personal narrative. Students can photograph their family and create a powerpoint presentation of the autobiography.

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Credits & References

Images - http://www.lardlad.com/
Music - http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Island/5650/Simpsons.mid

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Teaching Guides

Teaching Guide

Personal Narratives

produced by 

Donna Thompson

Menu

• Introduction
• Aim
• Rationale
• General Goals
• Subject-Matter Description
• Learner Description
• Prerequisites
• Learning Objectives
• Materials
• Instructional Plan
• Plan for Assessment and Evaluation
• Appendices
• Resources
• Glossary

Introduction

Personal Narratives is a curriculum web that introduces students to the different types of personal narratives. The Simpson family will lead students through the process of telling their life stories to share with their classmates.

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Aim

The personal narrative web aim is to give students the opportunity to write about an autobiographical incident.

 
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Rationale

This web is designed to offer students an overview of the elements of autobiographies, biographies, autobiographical poems and autobiographical song lyrics to build on their reading and writing strategies learned in preparation for the Maryland High School Assessment. The target is the application of these skills to the understanding and comprehension of personal narratives, life stories, poems and lyrics. Students will have the opportunity to write about an autobiography incident. They will identify their life goals as they write.

 
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General Goals

The student will analyze and evaluate a variety of print, non-print and electronic texts, and other media. The student will compose in a variety of modes by developing content, employing specific forms, and selecting language appropriate for a particular audience and purpose.(MSDE, 2007, pp. 1- 21)
 
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Subject-Matter Description

 
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Learner Description

The activities in this web are designed specifically for ninth grade students in alternative programs who have no experience using curriculum web pages. The reading levels range from 3rd to 10th grade.

 
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Prerequisites

Students should be willing to seek help from the teacher or classmates when computer problems arise or has difficulty comprehending texts.

 
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Learning Objectives

Students will read autobiographical stories and poems to recognize and connect to the author's experience and the meaning of the biographical incident.

Students will create a life map.

Students will use the life map as agraphical organizer when writing the autobiography/biography assignment.

 
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Materials

lap top computer lab

Print text

"No One Ever Told Me Not To Dream" by Charlayne HUnter - Garrett Anthology p. 371

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros Chapter1

Rubrics/Checklists

Autobiography/Biography, Graphic Life Map, Life Map Checklist, Peer Editing Checklist

Web pages

http://content.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/u/unit_autobio_peercheck.pdf

http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/s00001428.shtml

http://www.civilrightsmuseum.org/

http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180

http://www.lyricsdomain.com/2/brandy/who_i_am.html

http://www.lardlad.com/

http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Island/5650/allmidi.htm

 
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Instructional Plan

This web is designed for students to work individually due to students irregular attendance and varying ability levels in one class.

 
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Plan for Assessment and Evaluation

The final assessment is based on the autobiography/biography rubric. Students should use the rubic as a guide when completing the assignment.
 

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Appendices (optional, if needed)

Resources

Here are some web pages and sites useful for writing autobiographies.

http://www.webenglishteacher.com/biography.html

http://dmoz.org/kids_and_Teens/People_and_Society/Biography/Authors/

http://42explore.com/writing.htm
 
Glossary

autobiography - The biography of a person written by that person.

biography - An account of a person's life written, composed, or produced by another

memoir - An account of the personal experiences of an author

personal journal - a personal record of occurrences, experiences, and reflections kept on a regular basis; a diary