1. Modeling Autobiographical Incident Step 2: Brainstorm events related to the prompt. Write about a conflict in your life My mom played Santa to poor kids My uncle taught me how to fish I learned how to play tennisI learned not to pick on somebody bigger

2. Modeling Autobiographical Incident Step 3: Explore your memory for details. Memorable Christmas Scenes My house (cheerful, decorated, presents) Poor house (dreary, plain, no presents)

3. Modeling Autobiographical Incident Step 3: Explore your memory for details. Memorable Christmas Scenes My house (cheerful, decorated, presents) Poor house (dreary, plain, no presents) Key People Me (happy, resentful) Mom (insightful, insistent) Poor kids (torn clothes, sad eyes) Poor mom (sad, glowing smile)

4. Modeling Autobiographical Incident Step 3: Explore your memory for details. Memorable Christmas Scenes My house (cheerful, decorated, presents) Poor house (dreary, plain, no presents) Key People Me (happy, resentful) Mom (insightful, insistent) Poor kids (torn clothes, sad eyes) Poor mom (sad, glowing smile) Main Events Got doll Made choice Visit kids Watch kids Reflected and thanked mom

5. Modeling Autobiographical Incident Step 3: Explore your memory for details. Memorable Christmas Scenes My house (cheerful, decorated, presents) Poor house (dreary, plain, no presents) Key People Me (happy, resentful) Mom (insightful, insistent) Poor kids (torn clothes, sad eyes) Poor mom (sad, glowing smile) Main Events Got doll Made choice Visit kids Watch kids Reflected and thanked mom Lesson Learned I learned that people can get more joy from giving than from receiving

6. Modeling Autobiographical Incident Step 4: Orally rehearse your autobiographical narrative with another person.

7. Modeling Autobiographical Incident Step 5: Write an introduction. Include a grabber, some background information, and a hint of the topic. Sometimes the best lessons in life come our way when we least expect them. That is exactly what happened on December 25 th in my ninth year of life. For weeks my mother had scurried around our spacious home decorating each room with traditional Christmas paraphernalia. For days, Mom had stationed herself in our kitchen preparing a special feast for all of the relatives who would arrive for Christmas dinner. This was not an unusual Christmas, or so I thought. Each year seemed to be just as festive and delightful as the previous one. Grabber Background Hint

8. Modeling Autobiographical Incident Step 6: Flow Map the first event that sets up the series of events that will lead to the main point of your narrative. This event precedes the most important event. Include details. Saw presents under the tree Early that morning many gifts, doll is favorite feelings, thoughts Mom’s announcement made choice

9. Modeling Autobiographical Incident Step 7: Flow Map the next events (these lead up to your main point). Remember to slow down the action and use precise details. Saw presents under the tree Transition 1 Rising Action Took gifts to poor kids Transition 2 Climax(1) Drove back home Transition 3 Falling Action 1._______________ 2._______________ 3._______________ 4._______________ 5._______________ 1._____________ 2._____________ 3._____________ 4._____________ 5._____________ 1._____________ 2._____________ 3._____________ 4._____________ 5._____________

10. MEDIA QUESTIONS 1. What was I doing? 2. What were those around me doing? 3. What was I thinking? ***** 4. What was I feeling? ******* 5. Describe the scene

11. Modeling Autobiographical Incident Step 7: Flow Map the next events (these lead up to your main point). Remember to slow down the action and use precise details. Saw presents under the tree Early that morning many gifts, doll is favorite feelings, thoughts Mom’s announcement made choice Took gifts to poor kids About mid-morning describe poor house describe poor kids describe poor mother kids’ reaction my thoughts, feelings what Mom did Drove back home A short while later my thoughts and feelings in the car Conversation With Mom

12. Modeling Autobiographical Incident Step 8: Write your conclusion. Remember to state or imply what happened as a result of your experience. Try to use a statement about human experience in general. Many Christmas days have come and gone as that one. No present, food, or decoration since that one Christmas when we visited the poor kids...Yet no Christmas has been quite as meaningful has succeeded in warming my heart like the smile of the little ragged girl who received my special Christmas doll. I learned something about life that day – real joy comes in giving, rather than in receiving. My mother taught me well. why it was memorable relate to human experience