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Student facing checklists are wonderful for fostering reflection and to support responsive planning.

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justine@erinkentconsulting.com
twitter: @justine_otte @EKC_Literacy
#EKC

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Connect with educators around the world!

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Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

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Noticing Predictable Needs G5 Information

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PK-Grade 6 Information Writing Progression

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PK-Grade 6 Information Writing Progression

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Create an account at Heinemann.com to easily place orders, check the status and history of orders, enter registration codes for companion resources, and opt-in to receive personalized email announcements!

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Create an account at Heinemann.com to easily place orders, check the status and history of orders, enter registration codes for companion resources, and opt-in to receive personalized email announcements! * indicates a required field

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Grade 4 + Grade 5 Info Writing Checklist

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Grade 4 + Grade 5 Info Writing Checklist

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Want - How to run small group sessions in a class where there is a big range of writers

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Want - How to run small group sessions in a class where there is a big range of writers

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Got- Creating a checklist to differentiate for the individual student's need- using checklists from other grades.

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Got- Creating a checklist to differentiate for the individual student's need- using checklists from other grades.

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Grade 5 Feature Articles - Conflict Information Writing

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Grade 5 Feature Articles - Conflict Information Writing

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Conflict resolution requires patience, compromise and negotiation

Grade 5 have written Feature Articles (a form of information writing) about the causes of conflict, how conflict impacts human rights and equity and how we resolve conflict. In their feature articles they have included case studies of conflicts from research that they have conducted.

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The central idea for our 4th unit of inquiry is: Conflict resolution requires patience, compromise and negotiation Grade 5 have written Feature Articles (a form of information writing) about the causes of conflict, how conflict impacts human rights and equity and how we resolve conflict. In their

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We are starting the year, and the creation of our writing portfolio, with a unit focused on memoir and personal essay. I am hoping that in this unit, the students will start to share parts of their writing identity through discussion of what makes them a writer or not, the erules of writing and which we need to break, as well as experimentation with writing based in their own lives.

I have been gathering memoirs and personal essays for a while now, trying to focus on stories that may enrich their understanding of how others see the world so that they in turn can focus on their own lives.

As always, our trusted picture books are part of the mentor text collection that will surround students as we embark into this work, so here are the ones I have pulled so far that focus on small moments and written in 1st person. While some of these are true memoirs, others are texts I can use as models despite them not being true stories.

Life Doesn't Frighten Me by Maya Angelou, paintings by Jean-Michel Basquiat and edited by Sara Jane Boyers

I will add more as I pull them, especially newer books to use. If you would like to see other lists of favorite books, go here.

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We are starting the year, and the creation of our writing portfolio, with a unit focused on memoir and personal essay. I am hoping that in this unit, the students will start to share parts of their writing identity through discussion of what makes them a writer or not, the erules of writing and which...

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Ms. Rosen Reads Edublog

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Memoirs mentor texts are perfect for teaching students this genre. The perfect place to start when you want them to write their own memoirs.

What is a memoir?

It's important to understand the definition of a memoir.

The root of the word sounds like "memory," and that helps students understand what it is:

The personal account of an event or time period someone experienced.

Autobiography vs memoir - what's the difference?

Generally, an autobiography is someone's life story. From beginning (or often pre-beginning!) to current day. The story is written by the person who lived the experience.

Again, understanding the meaning of "auto" as "self" helps students see that it is a story someone writes about themselves.

A memoir is a story someone writes about a smaller portion of their life.

Memoirs generally involved a particular important or significant event that the person experienced.

So for example:

An autobiography could be My Life by Edgar Allan Poe

A memoir could be My Childhood by Edgar Allan Poe

I want you to know that this post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small fee from any qualifying purchases you make. You can read more here.
How to use memoir mentor texts

Read alouds. Open your reading workshop by reading a portion or chapter of a memoir.

Writing prompt. A book like When I was Young and In the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant provides a perfect writing prompt with the repeated statement "When I was young and in..." students can use this same prompt to write about many different situations. For example, "When I was young and in summer camp" or "When I was young and taking piano lessons." You could use this prompt several times with different memories sparked.

Idea generators. After reading a text (or selection) to students, have them brainstorm ideas from their own lives that the text sparked. I love What We Keep by Bill Shapiro since it provides a natural opportunity for students to think about an item in their life that holds a memory for them.

Reading analysis. Ask students to work independently or with a partner to analyze one of the mentor texts. This works well with picture books. Share as a class using an anchor chart.

Analyze descriptive writing. Because the writer wants the reader to experience an event, memoir writing relies on vivid details and precise language. Ask your students to find "mentor sentences" that they can record in their resource books as examples for their own writing.

Use as literature circle texts. Even a picture book can be used as a book club or literature circle text. For example, can be read on many different levels. Students can analyze internal conflict, character development, and point of view. This text also relies on a lot of inference. Great way to practice reading skills as students dive deep into the elements of a successful memoir.

(If you're ready to start teaching memoir writing, you can find 20 mini lessons in my shop that will help you every step of the way!)

When you start teaching memoir writing or personal narratives, you'll want to provide students with mentor texts that they can analyze. There are so many great memoirs you can use! Here is the start of my list!

Memoir Examples (Book Length)

Here are several ideas for mentor texts you can use with your class. You may want to read excerpts or chapters aloud to your class to illustrate points.

You will want to preview stories to make sure they're appropriate for your students, but there are real gems here that your students will be able to relate to.

These fun, short reflections that are perfect to get your students started with writing a memoir. Have their bring in (and share) an item that is important to them.

Memoir Mentor Texts (Picture Books)

I dare you not to cry! This is a moving story. Fiction, yes. But the premise behind it is similar to What We Keep. In this story, Laura keeps a string of buttons and each one has a memory.

When I was Young and In the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant. This is a great read to get students thinking about their own life experiences. Rylant uses the phrase, "When I was young and in the mountains" to recall different events of her childhood. Students can use a similar phrase like "When I was young and in preschool" or "When I was young and lived on Maple Street" to generate ideas. You can use this for a warm up writing prompt - or even as the basis of their memoir.

Thank you, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco. This story is based on the author's experience with difficulty reading as a child.

Providing your students with memoir mentor texts will help them understand the genre.

Be sure to allow them to dig into a variety of different texts so they can compare, contrast, and list elements they thing help create a vivid, meaningful memoir.

This is just a partial list of mentor texts. What other ones would you add?

Did you teach this lesson?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #justaddstudents.

With gratitude,

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Memoirs mentor texts are perfect for teaching students this genre. The perfect place to start when you want them to write their own memoirs. What is a memoir? It's important to understand the definition of a memoir. The root of the word sounds like "memory," and that helps students understand what it is: The personal ...

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Memoir Mentor Texts

When I Was Your Age- Amy Ehrlich

Guys Write for Guys Read- Jon Sciezka

Hey World! Here I am- Jean Little

The Last Kiss- Ralph Fletcher

The House on Mango Street- Sandra Cisneros

Thank you Mr. Falkner- Patricia Polacco

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Found in Heinemann resources

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Found in Heinemann resources

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Found in Heinemann resources

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Found in Heinemann resources

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Found in Heinemann resources

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Found in Heinemann resources

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Found in Heinemann resources

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Found in Heinemann resources

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Beacon Brazil Y4 WW Online Session 3 (April 2023) (2)

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Beacon Brazil Y4 WW Online Session 3 (April 2023)

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Students will choose a genre and then lean on the most relevant writing checklist as a reflective tool.

Narrative Checklist

Opinion Checklist

Information Checklist

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This template can be used to plan out each component of the workshop. Build on the learning focus and plan with clear intentions for whole group and small group sessions.

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Practice using the ladder to guide partner feedback.