The Autobiography

What is an autobiography?  “True” life story of a person  Written by THAT person  (A biography is written by someone else.)

Famous Autobiographies  Booker T. Washington, Up From Slavery, 1901  Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf (My Struggle), 1925  Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl, 1947  Eminem, The Way I Am, 2008

Why make one?  Make money  Spread a message/life lesson  Inspire others  Self-Discover

Write your own story!  Do you have a Facebook?  This week we are going to be creating our own autobiography.  Creating an autobiography will require you to learn to:  Choose details effectively (CCSS: WS: 3)  Organize your writing logically (CCSS: WS: 4)  Explain complex ideas (like why you’ve become who you are!) (CCSS: WS: 2)  This should help you to better understand yourself – why you are who you are, who you want to be, and how to become the best you!

What belongs in an autobiography?  Personal Profile  How the author became who he or she is through:  Upbringing  Interaction with others  Struggles  Accomplishments  Major Life Lessons  Hint of the Future

Where to start?  Gather Information! Start with your personal profile by answering questions like these that focus on what makes you who you are:  What physical attributes make you unique?  What are your five most obvious personality characteristics? (smart, outgoing, funny, quiet, etc.)  What are your five favorite things to do?  What are a few things that you dislike?  What kind of friend are you? Student? Son/daughter/sibling?  What goals/dreams do you have?  What are some of your strengths and flaws?  Other things that are significant to who you are!

Mr. Price’s Personal Profile  I’m tall and thin. I had braces, so my teeth are very straight.  My personality is fun-loving, level-headed, practical, confident, caring, and honest.  I love to watch Michigan football, play video games (especially RPG’s), play sports like tennis and football, read fantasy novels, crack jokes  I dislike waking up to an alarm, talking on the phone, olives, and unkindness  As a friend, I am helpful and dependable. My friends come to me with problems and know that I will be completely honest with my opinion and advice.  One day, I plan to live in and be an active member of the community in which I teach.  One flaw that I am working on improving is procrastinating. It gets makes life hard at times!  I love rock music and attended many concerts as a young adult.

What’s Next?  Make a timeline of your life. Think of your timeline on Facebook! This will help you organize your life in chronological order.  Make notes next to each event (that you can) to explain how these events contributed to who you are today. The goal for your autobiography is to make sure your reader understands how you became who are you as described in your personal profile!  For example, if you said in your personal profile that you’re a loyal friend, you should have an event on your timeline of you learning how being a loyal friend can be a good thing!

Your Timeline  If you find that one of the events you put on your timeline describes part of you that isn’t described in your profile, go back and add that part to it!  On the timeline, put any of the major events of your life that can help to explain who you are like:  Your birth, birth of a sibling, first pet, accomplishments (like making the football team, getting your first A), struggles (like moving to a new school, death of a pet).  Your timeline should have at least 5 events that explain something from your personal profile

Mr. Price’s Timeline  Watch as Mr. Price begins to build his timeline on the back chalkboard

Making your personal profile and timeline into an autobiography  Begin with a paragraph describing your personal profile. Who are you?  “I always say that it’s not possible to be exceptional and normal at the same time; you have to be at least a little weird. Maybe I just say that to make myself feel better about being different. I’m Nicholas Price, a tall and thin twenty-seven-year old. My straight teeth can be attributed to my mom’s demand that I get braces…”

Making your personal profile and timeline into an autobiography  Then, explain how you became you with paragraphs explaining the events from your timeline. Include at least 5 detailed events from your timeline!  “I was born on April 18 th, 1985 to parents who have loved me very much. The love they shared for each other didn’t last long, however. They divorced when I was still an infant. Growing up with divorced parents was difficult at times, but it helped me to understand that love, in real life, is rarely like the fairy tales. I know now to appreciate it while it’s there because it’s not always ‘happily ever after.’ This outlook shows the beginnings of my practical side.”

Making your personal profile and timeline into an autobiography  Finish with a paragraph that makes a big, new conclusion based on the life lessons you described earlier and hints at the future  “Overcoming the struggles I faced like x, y, and z made me become a stronger person who’s prepared to face hardship. This strength will serve me well as I reach more difficult challenges in 12th grade.”)

Making your personal profile and timeline into an autobiography  Begin with a paragraph describing your personal profile.  Then, explain how you became you with paragraphs explaining the events from your timeline.  Finish with a paragraph that makes a big, new conclusion based on the life lessons you described earlier and hints at the future.