Genre Study: Teaching Memoir Writing

by Donna Baker
http://www.webpages4teachers.com/thewriteresource
Steps to Planning & Implementing Your Memoir S tudy:
Writing pre-assessment - determine your students needs
Compile your resources and plan the lessons you would like to teach. Make sure that your lessons
address a variety of writing strategies (e.g. 6 + 1 Traits)
Prior to asking students to write memoirs, immerse them in Memoir texts to determine characteristics of
the genre.
Have students generate many ideas and many drafts in the first few weeks of study.
Teach mini -lessons and have students apply skills and strategies to their drafts.
Use the writing process to encourage students to revise their drafts using tips f rom mini-lessons
Ask students to choose their best from the drafts they have written. They will then revise & edit the
draft before producing their good copy.

SAMPLE MEMOIR STUDY

Week One/Two: Immersion in Memoir Texts: Students determine characteristics of the genre:
A memory; a description of an event from the past
Written in the first person; told from one persons point of view
Based on the truth
Reveals the feelings of the writer
Has meaning; shows what the author learned from the experience
Focused on one event; about one point in the authors life
About the authors experience more than about the event itself
From: Lattimer, Heather. Thinking Through Genre: Units of study in Reading and Writing Workshops 4 -12,
Stenhouse Publishers, 2003.

Author Studies Patricia Polacco, Eve Bunting

Novels/Short Story Collections: Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street
Ehrlich, Amy. When I Was Your Age
Fletcher, Ralph. Fig Pudding
Minilessons
Skill Focus Generating Ideas & Topics
Whats A Good Idea: Something you know a lot about
(SP)
Writing Bingo (WG p.63)
WAGI: Something you can describe in great detail
Personal Survey
WAGI: Something you have strong feelings about
Topic T -Chart: Best/Worst Life Events
Turn & Talk sharing ideas with groups & partner

Readers Workshop Connection

My Mama Had a Dancing Heart- Libba
Moore Gray
The Relatives Came - Cynthia Rylant
Tar Beach Faith Ringgold
My Maple Leaf Sweater Mike Leonetti
Owl Moon Jane Yolen
Alexander and the Horrible, No Good, Very
Bad Day- Judith Viorst

Skill Focus - Organization

Personal Memoir Organizer (WG p.53)
Organizing writing using time
Using transition words (A Day to Remember)
Bold Beginnings (MWWLE p. 40)
Extended Story Endings (MWWLE p. 89-90)
Skill Focus Voice
Voice Descriptors- Compare 2 Versions (Fly Away Home)
Voice Points of View (PBTW p. 60)
Adding Voice (10 WL p. 39-43)
Skill Focus Ideas - Content
What Counts in Ideas and Content
Zoom In on a Personal Moment (WA p. 31-32)
Sharpening the Focus (10 WL p 12-17)
Adding Details (10WL p. 31-38; SP)
Show Dont Tell (WLFTO p. 52-59)
Skill Focus Word Choice
Use vivid and powerful words Sparkling Words
Vivid Verbs The Trait Crate Grade 3
Compare Two Versions Poetry (WLFTO- p20)
Skill Focus Sentence Fluency
Create Student Charts: Super Sentence Writers
Use vivid and powerful words Sparkling Words
SSW - Use appropriate poetic devices: Simile & Metaphor
SSW - Use appropriate poetic devices: Onomatopoeia
SSW - Use a variety of sentence lengths: Counting Words
in Sentences
Improving Sentence Fluency (10 WL p.54-60)
Skill Focus Conventions & Presentation
Strategies to try when you dont know how to spell a
word:squiggle under word, Have-A-Go pad
Punctuating Dialogue
COPS

Complete organizer for books read in Wk 1

Alexander and the Horrible, No Good, Very
Bad Day- Judith Viorst
My Mama had a Dancing Heart

Fly Away Home Eve Bunting

Sister Annes Hands Marybeth Lorbiecki
The Memory String - Eve Bunting
The Butterfly - Patricia Polacco
My Mama had a Dancing Heart
Grandpas Face - Eloise Greenfield
Thunder Cake - Patricia Polacco
Owl Moon - Jane Yolen
Thundercake- Patricia Polacco

Freedom Summer Deborah Wiles

Hey You! Cmere Elizabeth Swados
Rag Coat - Lauren Mills
Fireflies Julie Brinckloe

See my website for lesson ideas

Resource Key:
10 WL Schaefer, Lola M. Ten Writing Lessons for the Overhead Grades 3-6.Scholastic, 2002.
WLFTO Schaefer, Lola M. Writing Lessons for the Overhead: Grades 5 & Up. Scholastic, 2003.
MWWLE Mariconda, Barbara. The Most Wonderful Writing Lessons Ever.Scholastic, 1999.
WG Rog, Lori Jamison. Kropp, P. Write Genre. Pembroke Publishers Ltd. 2004.
PBTW - Culham, Ruth. Using Picture Books to Teach Writing with the Traits, Scholastic, 2004.
SP Peha, Steve. website: www.ttms.org (a must see he has great resources for writing)

Characteristics of Memoirs
A memory; a description of an event
from the past
Writ ten in the first person; told
from one persons point of view
Based on the truth
Reveals the feelings of the writer
Has meaning; shows what the
author learned from the experience
Focused on one event; about one
point in the authors life
About the authors experience more
than about the event itself
from: Lattimer, Heather. Thinking Through Genre: Units of study in Reading and Writing
Workshops 4-12, Stenhouse Publishers, 2003, p.45

Whats a Good Idea?

Something you have STRONG FEELINGS
about.
Something you KNOW A LOT about.
Something you can DESCRIBE IN GREAT
DETAIL.
Something your AUDIENCE will be
INTERESTED in.
Something your AUDIENCE will feel
was WORTH READING.
from: Steve Peha, Teaching That Makes Sense, www.ttms.org

What Counts in Ideas & Content?

The story is clear and focused.
Ideas are fresh and original.
The writer stays on topic, and it is easy to tell what the main idea is.
It hold's the reader's attention. Once you start reading the story,
you don't want to stop.
Level One

Level Two

Level Three

Level Four

R It is hard to find my main idea.

R I do not focus on one incident.
R My paper is not interesting, it is simple.

I have few or no details.

R My main idea is there but not developed clearly.
R Some of my memoir is focused on one incident.
R My paper is not very interesting and very
predictable.
R I often use details that are repeated and may not
fit with main idea.
R My main idea is clear
R Most of my memoir is focused on one incident.
R My paper is fairly interesting, I use some original
ideas, but more predictable ideas.
R I use supporting details that usually fit with the
main idea.
R My main idea is very clear.
R I always stay on topic.
R My paper is interesting, fresh and original.
R My supporting details fit with the main idea.

Teaching Note: Choose a well written piece (see Wasnt That Fun? or a good picture book (e.g.
My Mama Had a Dancing Heart by Libba Moore Gray) and ask students to rate it
using the criteria and rubric.

PERSONAL SURVEY
Places I have been
Things I can do
Games I know how to play
My favourite things
Interesting people I know
from: Freeman, Marcia S. Building a Writing Community: A practical guide.
Gainesville, Fla.: Maupin House. 1999. p. 47.

ZOOM IN!
one moment in time
tell the ou tside stor y - what was
happening
tell the inside story - what you
were thinking and feeling
use dialogue to add impact
tell details only the writer knows
from: Wells, J.; Reid, J. Writing Anchors. Pembroke Publishers, 2004, p. 31

Wasnt That Fun?

I couldnt believe it! I was actually going to do it! I was
lining up for the Cork Screw. I was wide eyed, staring at
the gigantic ride. High above me was endless hoops, turns,
jerks, hills, loops and twirls. My heart, I could feel
pounding. I chose to go on this, but why? I asked myself.
So I could get out of this terrible situation, I closed my
eyes.
In my head, I could imagine myself taking steps
toward home. Suddenly, Alex yelled, Good luck! I was
two people away from my worst nightmare. Two
passengers then I could be on board. Id been chattering
my teeth now for the past 20 minutes. They hurt, so did
my knees. They had been knocking together since the last
time I checked my watch.
Someone pushed my back. I looked back but no one
was there. Oh well I thought aloud. While I was thinking
about who pushed me someone latched me up! I looked
around. I was trapped in the bars! I tried to escape the
huge ride by closing my eyes. I was bumping up and down
very slowly. We were going up the hill bump. Bump. Bump. I
looked up for a moment at the sky to wish that I would
have a safe journey. I said to myself It cant be that

bbbbbaaaddddd HELP ME!!!! I was taking the long journey

down.
Then we started the endless curves and bumps. We
went straight. Then to the left! Then to the right! Then
up. Then down. And to the right, Then left!
Oh no! We were coming up to the. . . Upside down,
screaming, yelling, gasping for air loop da loop. Upside
down! Twice! Straight, straight, straight, loop, loop around
and around again. My head was spinning and fast. Again up
we went suddenly! I held onto my head thinking it might
come off. I couldnt take it anymore! Then we slowly went
down the hill. Straight. Straight.
I could see people waiting in line. It slides. Then halts.
Its over. I quietly sigh with relief. Terror loosened its
grip from my shoulders from everyone begging me to go on.
I had done it. I was a survivor. I got off the ride still
scared, but proud. Then Alex, Jenny and Zarhra came up
to me and hollered, Wasnt that fun?
by Tracy- Grade 4

from: Wells, J. Writing Anchors. p. 32

Teaching Note: Use this writing piece as an exemplar which shows a writer who Zoomed In
Ask students to identify the parts which followed the Zoom In criteria.

A Day to Remember (not)!

It seemed li ke an ordinary d ay when I got up

y e s t e r d a y m o r ni n g , b u t I w a s a b o u t t o e m b a r k o n t h e
worst day of my lif e. First, I fell in th e bathtub
b e c a u s e m y m o t h e r n e g l e c t e d t o r i n s e o u t h e r b a th o i l .
Then I spilled orange ju ice on the outfit that I spent
h o u r s p u t t i n g t o g e t h e r f o r s c h o o l p i c t u r e s. W h i l e I
was changing, I messed up th e beautiful French braid
mom put in my hair. As I walked out the door, I
dropped all of my school books and my math homework
flew away. Im sure my teacher will b elieve that!
Finally I made it to the car and I thought
everything would be all right. Wrong! My father wasnt
looking before he back ed out of the driveway and ran
right into the neighbor s truck. Of course , my side of
t h e c a r w a s d a m a g ed t h e m o s t , a n d I e n d e d u p w i t h a
broken arm. That night I went to bed early , before any
other horribl e things could hap pen.

Teaching Note: Use this sample to have students identify the transitions words used in the piece.

Bold Beginnings - Memoir

One sunny day I went to the beach and saw a
mermaid.

ACTION
I dove into the ocean, kicked my feet in the cool water, stood
up, and wiped the water from my face. I paused. Something
strange near the rocks caught my eye.

DIALOGUE
What a great day for the beach! I yelled as I splashed
in the waves.

A THOUGHT, A QUESTION, OR FEELING

(If you were at the beach, what might you be thinking or feeling?)

If only I could swim out to that sandbar, I thought. Theres

something very st range out there. Something Ive never
seen here at the beach before.

A SOUND EFFECT

(What sounds might you hear at the beach?)

Kersplash! The waves crashed over me as I stood staring

at the strange sight out on the jet ty.

From: Mariconda, Barbara, The Most Wonderful Writing Lessons Ever, 1999, p. 40-41

Bold Beginnings - Memoir

ACTION

DIALOGUE

A THOUGHT, A QUESTION, OR FEELING

(What might you be thinking or feeling?)

A SOUND EFFECT

(What sounds might you hear?)

From: Mariconda, Barbara, The Most Wonderful Writing Lessons Ever, 1999, p. 40-41

Ingredients for an
Extended Story Ending
A memory of t he main event.
The main characters feelings.
The main characters
hope/wis hes.
A decision/defining actio n.
From: Mariconda, Barbara, The Most Wonderful Writing Lessons Ever, 1999, p. 89

Extended Story Endings

BEFORE:
So that is the end of the story
about my big baseball victory.
AFTER:
Ill never forget the crack of the bat as I
hit that homerun and the way my heart
pounded as the ball flew out of the park.
I hope well be just as lucky at our next
game, too! You can be sure Ill be
practicing extra hard for the play-offs next
week!
From: Mariconda, Barbara, The Most Wonderful Writing Lessons Ever, 1999, p. 91

ADDING VOICE
Use words from your natural
speaking vocabulary.
Make it sound like YOU.
Select topics that you feel
strongly about and know about.
Make sure your feelings about
your topic come through.
Write with your audience
in mind.
Adapted from: Schaefer, Lola M. 10 Writing Lessons for the Overhead: Grades 3 - 6.
Scholastic, 2002. p. 44.

Rip in the Pants by a fifth grader

Just about a week ago my teacher had a rip in his pants. It was really
funny. I didn't see it right away but someone told me then I saw it and
wanted to laugh but I held it in. Then someone told him and everyone
started to laugh. Then he went home to change. The End.

Possible Points of View:

j
j
j
j
j
j
j

the student
the principal
the teacher
another teacher
a student who liked the teacher
a student who disliked the teacher
the pants

from: Culham, Ruth. Using Picture Books to Teach Writing with the Traits, Scholastic, 2004,
page 60

From the Point of View of the Pants:

This is not right. I wasnt made to be worn by a
guy this big. Oww! Every time he does anything
but stand still, I hurt. Im pinched and mushed
and cramped so tight I can hardly breathe. I
need relief. What I really want is revenge. I
know...rrrrrrrip! Ha! Thatll show him. But wait,
what happens next? Maybe hell just throw me
out and Ill never see the light of day again.
Man, oh man, if Id only been a tie, then I
couldve just choked him!

from: Culham, Ruth. Using Picture Books to Teach Writing with the Traits, Scholastic, 2004,
page 60

I saw a bird in the airport that

couldn't get out. The bird flew all
over the place until it was so tired
it stopped.
I thought, "Why doesn't this bird just
fly out of here?"
After several days, the bird saw
a sliding door open and it flew out.
I watched it fly away.
Teaching Note: Show this version to students and then read aloud the version from the book
(see next page). Ask students to tell why they liked the books version better.
Use the Adding Voice suggestions to see if the author used any of the
techniques.

Once a little brown bird got into the main terminal

and couldn't get out. It fluttered in the high, hollow
spaces. It threw itself at the glass, fell panting on
the floor, flew to a tall, metal girder, and perched
there, exhausted.
"Don't stop trying," I told it silently. "Don't! You
can get out!"
For days the bird flew around, dragging one wing.
And then it found the instant when a sliding door
was open and slipped through. I watched it rise. Its
wing seemed OK.
"Fly, bird" I whispered. "Fly away home!"
Though I couldn't hear it, I knew it was singing.
Nothing made me as happy as that bird.

Adapted from a lesson by Janet Dubiel. This page is from the book: Fly Away Home by
Eve Bunting.

Sparkling Words

On sultry summer days at my grandmas farm in Michigan, the air gets

damp and heavy. Stormclouds drift low over the fields. Birds fly close
to the ground. The clouds glow for an instant wit h a sharp, crackling light,
and then a roaring, low, tumbling sound of thunder makes the windows
shudder in their panes. The sound used to scare me when I was lit tle.
I loved to go to Grandmas house, but I feared Michigans summer storms.
I feared the sound of thunder more than anything.

SPARKLING

WORDS/PHRASES FROM THUNDERCAKE

by Patricia Polacco
sultry summer days

penned (wrote)

clouds glow

scurried (walk quickly)

window panes shudder

lightning flashed

drew a deep breath

lightning slit the sky

stammered (said)

jagged edge of lightning

surveyed (looked, watched, and

crept (walked slow and

analyze)

carefully)

strode (walked)

thunder bellowed

crowed (said)

luscious (very delicious)

fingered (turned the pages)

rumbled closer

Onomatopoeia
CRASH

CRACKLE CRACKLE

BOOM

BBBBAAAARRRROOOOOOMMMMM

BAROOOOOOM

BOOOOMMMM KA-BOOOM

KA-BOOM

KA-BANG

ZIP

I went for a walk to the beach.

I was walking along when I got a
look at a seabird eating a fish. I
went for a closer look. It was
eating the fish whole!

Went - traveled, meandered, scurried, trotted, hurried, scuttled, rushed, darted,

dashed, bustled, crept, crawled, edged, strolled, roamed, wandered, ambled,
scampered
Look - peer, gaze, peek, stare, glance, peep, glimpse
Eat - nibble, crunch, gobble, wolf, munch, chomp, devour, gorge,
swallow, gnaw, chew, bite, snack

Improving Word Choice - Vivid Verbs

Synonyms:
Original Verb:

1.
2.
3.

Synonyms:
Original Verb:

1.
2.
3.

Synonyms:
Original Verb:

1.
2.
3.
from: Culham, Ruth. The Trait Crate Grade 3: Teaching Word Choice. Scholastic, 2007

Super Sentence Writers...

Use vivid and powerful words

(adjectives, strong verbs, specific

nouns, adverbs)

Use appropriate poetic devices

(simile, onomatopoeia, metaphor,

alliteration)

Use a variety of sentence lengths

Use different sentence beginnings
Use different sentence types

(statements, exclamatory,
questions, commands)

Teaching Note: Teach each of these headings as separate mini-lessons. Keep adding to your
Super Sentence Writers Chart as you teach each lesson.

Super Sentence Writers

Use a variety of sentence lengths.

Each day I hurried home to see my coat.

It was looking like the colors of the fall days -the yellow-golds of the birch leaves, the
silvery grays and purples of the sky, the deep
greens of the pines, and the rusty reds of the
chimney bricks-- all the colors Papa would
have chosen. I decided to put a piece of
his work jacket in there. It just seemed right.

Sentence Fluency
Sentence
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Number of Words in
Each Sentence

First Word in Each

Sentence

Super Sentence Writers

Use appropriate poetic devices.

John Henrys skin is t he color of browned but ter.

He smells like pine needles after a good rain.
My skin is the color of the pale moths that dance
around the porch light at night.
John Henry says I smell like a just-washed sock.
This means war! I shout.
We churn that water into a white hurricane until our
sides hurt.
Then we float on our backs and spout like whales.
Teaching Note: Use this book to teach simile and metaphor.

Memoir Rubric
Criteria
Ideas and
Content

Level One
R It is hard to find

my main idea.
R I do not focus on
one incident.
R My paper is not
interesting, it is
simple.
R I have few or no
details.
Organization R I have no logical
-Logical
plan or sequence.
sequence
R I do not use
-Transition
transition words.
words
R I have not broken
-Sentences
my ideas into
organized into
paragraphs.
paragraphs
-Focus on one
incident
-Strong
supporting
details

Level Two
R My main idea is there but not
developed clearly.
R Some of my memoir is focused
on one incident.
R My paper is not very interesting
and very predictable.
R I often use details that are
repeated and may not fit with main
idea.
R My plan and sequencing are
weak. Sometimes you cannot
understand my piece
R I try to use transition words, but
sometimes they do not make sense
R I have tried a few paragraphs,

Level Three
R My main idea is clear
R Most of my memoir is
focused on one incident.
R My paper is fairly interesting,
I use some original ideas, but
more predictable ideas.
R I use supporting details that
usually fit with the main idea.

Level Four
R My main idea is very clear.
R I always stay on topic.
R My paper is interesting and
original.
R My supporting details fit with
the main idea.

R My ideas flow, sequencing is

R I have a very strong plan,

adequate,
R I use transitions, sometimes I
choose the wrong ones.
R My paragraphing is usually
correct.

my ideas flow, sequencing is

excellent
R My transitions are used well.
R My paragraphing is correct.

Voice

R I do not CARE

R It is hard to tell I CARE about

R Sometimes it sounds like I

R You can tell I really CARE

Effective
Use of
Language
-Word Choice

about this topic.

R My word choice is
very limited, basic
and sometimes I use
words incorrectly.
R I use short, simple
sentences

this topic.
R My word choice is accurate but
limited I have used very few
synonyms for tired words. You will
find a lot of words repeated
R I usually follow one sentence
pattern. There is little variety in my
sentence structure, length, or style.

about this topic.

R My word choice is accurate,
descriptive, imaginative.
R I use similes and metaphors
(Figurative language) to make
my descriptions more exciting.
R My sentences are varied in
structure, length & style.

R I have many

R I have quite a few spelling

spelling errors.
R I have used little
or no punctuation.
R It is almost
impossible to
understand my
writing.
R A great deal of
editing, correcting and
revising is needed.

errors.
R My punctuation is not always
used correctly.
R I have not tried to use advanced
punctuation or if I tried I was not
usually successful.
R My many errors make it difficult
to read my writing.
R I still need quite a bit of editing,
correcting and revising.

CARE about this topic.

R My word choices are usually
good.
R I am trying to experiment with
language (new vocabulary,
similes, metaphors).
R I have some variation in
sentence structure, length &
style.
R I have very few spelling
errors
R Capitals, end punctuation are
used; apostrophes, commas,
some quotation marks are used;
effort to use advanced
punctuation is made and is often
successful.
R Some errors may interfere a
little with reading the piece.
R Very little editing, revising or
correcting necessary.

-Sentence
Fluency

Conventions
-Spelling
-Punctuation
-Capitals

R My spelling is excellent
R Capitals, end punctuation
are used well; apostrophes,
commas, quotation marks are
used well; I am successful when
using advanced punctuation
(colons, semi-colon, hyphen,
parenthesis, dash).
R My errors do not interfere
with the reading of this piece.
R Little or no editing, revising
or correcting necessary.