Soon we will begin our memoir and then our memoir poem…I cannot wait to help you write these pieces! So far, we have focused our time on building our writing territories and trying to get to know ourselves better as writers. Time was spent discovering what we like/dislike. Also, we uncovered some of our fears, passions, sorrows, and obsessions. Today we will delve a bit deeper into things we hold within our hearts…

The activity we do today, will help us with both writing projects. It should especially help with our memoir poem. Last, at the end of the year we do a unit on poetry and you will revisit this entry in your WN. This entry is a very important one!

Let’s begin…

Poets write from their heart and share what is important to them.

Poetry is a genre that allows the author to share their inner visions.

Where do you think the topics for these poems come from?

It comes from what is inside our hearts.

Nancy Atwell says, “Of all the genres, poetry is the one that is made for feelings. It expresses my needs, dreams and emotions.”

The next step is exploring your dreams, emotions, and needs.

Who are the people you really care about? What are the places you really care about? Which memories have stayed with you? What are happy, sad, scared, jealous, lonely times that you remember? What things do you love? What things bring you comfort? What connects you to other people? What are your dreams? To help you get started think about what really affects your heart? Ask yourself:

Now you are ready to make your heart map. Remember to keep the most important things in the center of your heart.

Your heart map can take different forms as long as you consider the things that matter.

You heart map might look like this sample.

Or it might look like this.

Or it might look like Nancy Atwell’s Heart Map

It doesn’t matter which heart you chose, but dig in and reveal what affects your heart.

Activity: Heart Map Questions for Mining your Heart Map What has stayed in your heart? Memories Moments People Animals Objects Places Books Fears Scars Friends Siblings Parents Grandparents Teachers Other People Journeys Secrets Dreams Crushes Relationships Comforts Learning Experiences? On the next page in your WN, draw the outline of a large heart. Consider these questions as you fill your heart with what has mattered most in your life. What’s at the center? The edges? What’s in your heart? Adapted from Lessons That Change Writers, Nancie Atwell