Writing an Autobiography
An English Paper That Helps Students Write Their Personal Histories
Nov 13, 2008
English teachers often find that getting students to write papers is like pulling teeth. Finding the perfect assignment that all the students enjoy and can feel successful at is a difficult task. Writing an autobiography allows the student to write about a topic that they are most knowledgeable about. In addition the assignment allows the students to learn the conventions of writing and be as creative as possible.
This lesson plan could be used for anywhere from 2 weeks to three months depending on the length of time given for each section. The assignment is divided into chapters, some of which require assistance from the parents, while others are based strictly on what the student knows.
For each chapter, students need to do the research involved and then write a chapter based on the guidelines and the content suggested.
Chapter 1: Before I Was Born
The assignment for this chapter needs to be made with a couple of days to get it turned in. Students needs to ask their parents or grandparents for information about the history of the family. The history could include interesting anecdotes about the student's family as well as the names of famous ancestors.
A family tree is included in this section, which should go back to the student's great grandparents. The students could be given the following questions as guidelines:
- Where did my ancestors come from and why?
- What kinds of jobs did they do?
- Are there any family stories that are passed down from generation to generation? This chapter of the book allows the student to look into their family history with often some exciting results.
Chapter 2: My Entrance
The assignment for this chapter could be combined with chapter 1, as it also need assistance from the family. This chapter is all about the birth of the student. It should include details about the weather, vital statistics of the student at birth, and any other details that the family wishes to include such as doctor, hospital, etc. The student gains insight into his/her own life by the writing of this chapter.
Chapter 3: My Early Years
This chapter is all about the student's life before starting school. The student includes his earliest memory in this chapter. He includes details about his early life, including preschool attended and early friends. The student also includes favorite early childhood games, songs and movies or television shows. Any pertinent information from the student's earliest years are included in this section.
Chapter 4: My Family
This chapter is all about the student's immediate family. It should include information about parents, siblings and even pets. Things such as what makes the student similar each parent should be included, as well as a brief description of each person's personality. The student may also choose to include things that the whole family enjoys or has done together. Also, a part of this chapter is a floor plan of the house where the student lives. The floor plan can be drawn on computer paper and included in the book.
Chapter 5: School Years
This chapter concerns all the memories the student has from his schooling. It could include friends, teachers names, and favorite classes or activities. The student could also include information about any sports they participate in. This is the section for mentioning those favorite teachers. Any memories from the school years are included in this section.
The student has a good start with these five chapters. Students should compile their chapters into the start of a book. They can follow the steps of the writing process for peer review, revision and editing before completing their personal histories.
The completed book can include additional chapters to round out the student's life. Creating a keepsake book will allow students to learn about writing an autobiography and give them practice with these skills as they write their own personal histories.
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