Session 5: Angling the Memoir Concept: Reading Immersion and Drafting Memoirs

Teaching Point Copy in NB: Memoirists determine the angle of the memoir/event(s) they want to tell. These decisions allow writers to flexibly control time, focus, and details.

Framing Quote Glue into your NB: From “The Butterfly Effect…” article: “It’s impossible not to make a difference. Every choice we make leads either toward health or toward disease; there’s no other direction. The question is not ‘How can I, one person, make a difference?’ The question is ‘What kind of difference do I want to make?’ ” - Julia Butterfly Hill

Teacher Think-Aloud Let’s annotate the selection from Jeannette Walls about her childhood GOAL: What decisions is she making about focus/time/details? GOAL: Notice TIME – How much times passes for this event to occur? Is it a single event or a series of events?

Guided Practice Let’s continue reading the memoir, both together, and with a partner. Jot down in on your “Memoir Research” handout the decisions Walls is making

Active Engagement – Your Turn With a partner, read and identify the decisions being made in the other two memoir texts. Write all of decisions you identify on the “Memoir Research” handout

Independent Practice - Write Mini-Task for today: Write about an emblematic memory using some of the decisions you studied in your reading immersion. LABEL the decisions you used in the margin as you write.

Turn & Talk – Time to Share Take turns reading the write that you did today. Group members will name one decision they admired and believe helped a listener understand the “truth” behind the emblematic memory.

Reflection #5: Using a writing process to explore an event and track and idea. Label your NB – Reflection #5 What worked today? How did you adjust your writing process to keep writing? How did you adjust your writing process to keep track of the decisions you were making?