Grade 2

Memoir Writing Memoir … Journal .. Diary… Personal Narrative … At the beginning of your memoir unit, have students write a memoir and assess using a personal narrative or impromptu quick scale (see assessment tab above for student-friendly rubrics). Use this assessment to inform your instruction. As you explicitly teach each mini-lessons like those below, assess again, providing students with descriptive feedback regarding their progress. When students see their progress on a highlighted rubric, they are motivated to continue.
Book Title/Cover	Memoir Overview	Objective	Lesson Links & Black Line Masters
	Number 21 recalls an event in author Nancy Hundal’s life in which her Dad brings home a new truck. Readers are lead on a mini mystery as the truck is used in an unconventional way on a hot summer day.	Well written memoirs are based on ideas that have a very tight focus. In this lesson, Nancy’s book is used as a mentor text to model the narrow writing focus we want our students to have.	Generating memoir topics at the beginning of the unit Writing Trait: Ideas Number 21 Lesson Ideas
	Graham isn’t too sure about school and reading is often difficult for him. When he realizes that the 100th day of school falls on the same day as his birthday, he’s sure everyone will forget about his special day. Do they?	In this lesson students will infer meaning from pictures by adding their brilliant thinking and co-create writing criteria. When the rules for writing come from them, our students are more likely to apply the criteria. The result ~ happy teachers and happy kids!	Writing Trait: Co-create criteria Happy 100th Day!
	Be careful with that stick… or is it a stick? This book provides creative inspiration.	In this lessons, students think of different things that a stick might become. This is not a stick, it’s a magician’s wand!	Writing Trait: Ideas Not a Stick Lesson
	There’s something in the tackle box. Fly-fishing items are pulled out, described and illustrated in this snapshot. At the end, we find out what is being sought.	Building memoir writing criteria together as a class is the focus of this lesson.	All Writing Traits A Good Day’s Fishing Primary
	To prevent his son from being injured, mother mouse wraps her son in cotton balls. Will this protective coating protect her son from injury.	Adding details to a memoir about an “owie” is the objective of this writing lesson. After co-creating criteria about what to include when writing a personal story, the focus of the lesson and self assessment is about details.	Writing Trait: Ideas Cottonball Colin Cotton Ball Colin BLM for writing ~ (print on 11 x 17 paper)
	When Matt goes out to play in his new neighborhood, all he sees is a boring, empty lot. But with a stick, a little imagination and a few new friends, Mattland is born.	In this lesson, students use the *Show, Don’t Tell* writing strategy to add details to their writing.	Writing Trait: Ideas Mattland
	Be sure to have a discussion with your students about the subtle message conveyed in this relatively simple picture book. Students will be using their brain as they infer the author’s subtle message.	I’m always looking for books that allow kids to play. This one is perfect in that regard! After reading, have students build a device that would get a bird from one side of the river to another. Afterwards, have them write a memoir about their experience or do a procedural write in which they retell the steps they followed to build their contraption.	Writing Trait: Ideas & Organization Ten Birds
	Fletcher shares all sorts of suggestions to help writers tell their life stories. With quick lines such as, “Write small. I’m talking details here.” he shares humorous insights about his craft. A great read aloud during a memoir writing unit.	Share knowledge of the writer’s craft. This book contains lots of ideas to turn into explicit mini-lessons.	Collect family stories – page 10 Gather life’s artifacts – page 12 Sketch a map of your neighborhood (pg.13) or your heart (pg. 18) Find a focus – page 27 Write small – page 46 Inside/outside of a character – page 54
	From the first line of text, you just know this book is loaded with voice! Sophie Peterman has a lot to say about baby brothers. Will her opinion change as she gets to know the newest member of the family?	In this lesson, students learn about voice by assessing voice in sample pieces of text.	Writing Trait: Voice Sophie Peterman Lesson Sophie Peterman Sophie Peterman Voice Rubric
	This is a wordless picture book with hilarious photos of food.	Use the photos as a means to gather details in a kid-friendly way. Use the Show, Don’t Tell strategy to describe emotions. In this example “mad” is analyzed.	Writing Trait: Ideas Food Play Lesson
	This book is about looking closely. Something as simple as a rock can come to life when a writer adds just the right details.	In this lesson students play as they gather their rock collection! When back in the classroom, young writers are encouraged to notice what others might miss by adding details that describe characteristics of a specially chosen rock.	Writing Traits: Ideas and Word Choice If you Find a Rock: Play-Based Writing
	Given a classrooom writing assignment, all the other students seem to have things to write about. Author Janet Wong shares ideas to turn everyday events into personal stories worth telling.	Use as a read-aloud.	Writing Trait: Ideas Simply create a class chart listing some of Wong’s advice.