Grade One

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 Generating 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 all traits Happy 100th Day!
	Two very different friends explore what it would be like to be more like the other.	The objective of this lesson is to have young students add details or elaborate on one idea.	Writing Trait: Ideas Me and You Lesson
	There are lots of new things in kindergarten. tiptoe into offers a glimpse into the first days of school when doing things with others may be a bit overwhelming.	The objective of this lesson is to teach young children how to elaborate or add details about one topic using Lori Rog’s Five Finger strategy.	Writing Trait: Ideas Tiptoe into kindergarten Lesson
	While students and teacher walk to the park, the last child in the line sees something that no one else sees and the creativity begins.	Students create their own squiggles using string or markers, then turn them into something imaginative.	Writing Trait: Ideas The Squiggle Lesson
	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 are lots of things to see, taste, and catch while taking a walk through the seasons.	In this lesson, grade one students will write simple sentences showing seasonal differences. If completed during the different seasons, these samples may be used in a portfolio to show student writing progress.
	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
	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
	Father and son watch machines at work while a new school is built.	Getting young students to add details to their written work is the focus of this lesson.	Writing Trait: Ideas Building With Dad
	Granpa has magical explanations for ordinary things – a frosty window-pan, dewdrops sparkling on the grass, even his own bald head – and Granpa never lies.	In this lesson, students listen for the kinds of details that writers include that other people tend to miss. Teacher and students co-construct criteria about adding details to a their writing.	Writing Trait: Ideas Grandpa Never Lies
	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 Show Don’t Tell BLM Food Play Images Mad Dad