Introduction into Memoir Characteristics
& Memoir Writing: A 5th Grade Unit
By Amy Krupski
Writing Workshop Lesson Day #1
TITLE: Rambling Autobiography
DURATION: 55 minutes___
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DIRECT LESSON
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PURPOSE –
In today’s writing workshop, students will be writing Rambling Autobiographies about themselves. This
is a writing piece that will get students thinking about themselves, the impacts specific events had on their
lives, what’s important and meaningful to them. This writing will open the door to the Memoir unit in
helping students to get to know themselves and finding out what is memorable and important in their
lives.
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MATERIALS –
- Writer’s Notebook
- Writer’s workshop file folder
- Rambling Autobiography Idea Starters worksheet
- Teacher’s Rambling Autobiography to model
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STANDARDS/BENCHMARKS –
W.PR.05.01 set a purpose, consider audience, and replicate authors’ styles and patterns when writing a
narrative or informational piece.
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OBJECTIVES –
 Students will be able to write a rambling autobiography on themselves.
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ASSESMENT OF OBJECTIVES –
Students will be working alone in writing their own rambling autobiography on themselves in their
writer’s notebook.
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ANTICIPATORY SET –
Students will be intrigued when they see the word ‘Autobiography’ written on chart paper. This will get
the students ready for today’s writing activity.
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INPUT –
 First, begin brainstorming what an autobiography is on chart paper. If students aren’t sure, that’s
okay.
- Autobiography
- events in one’s own life
- characters are well developed
- interesting detail
- 1st person point of view
- authors purpose: make sense of events in their lives
- uses descriptive detail
- conclusion

Teacher says, “An autobiography has several characteristics that we’ve just listed. But today, we
are going to eliminate most of these characteristics and write our own autobiographies (cross out
details we won’t be using. Everything except ‘events in our own life’ and ‘1st person point of
view’). Today we are going to write a Rambling Autobiography. We will be writing events that
has happened in our lives…and that’s all we will be writing. As you can infer, we will be
rambling on about our life. I have written my own Rambling Autobiography that I will read for
you. After I show you mine, I will have you begin with yours.”
 Show Teacher example. Put on overhead and read to students.
 Inform students, that they will be writing their own rambling autobiographies into their writer’s
notebooks.
 Teacher says,
- “Open to a clean page in your notebooks.
- Title the top of the page ‘Rambling Autobiography’
- For those of you who may need or want a little help in getting started; (put sentence starters on
overhead) here are several examples of sentence starters (read list).
- I want you to write as much as you can; to fill the page.
- You will have the remainder of writer’s workshop to work on this.”
 Tell students, “Your autobiography will not have an ending. We will keep it going so that we may
add to it later on down the road.”
 Pass out copies of sentences starters to each student.
 Allow the rest of Writing Workshop to work on this piece.
 As the students are working/writing; go around and self -assess each student in making sure they
understand the assignment and are staying on task.
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MODELING –
I will model for students what they must be doing in order to be successful in this mini-lesson.
 I will model with my own rambling autobiography.
 I will show students where and how to title their page in their notebooks.
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CHECKING FOR UNDERSTANDING –
I will make sure the students know what is expected of them to do will on the assigned task.
 I will repeat the directions to the students.
 I will ask the students if they need further clarification or if they understand what is expected of
them.
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GUIDED PRACTICE –
Students will be working on their own, writing their own rambling autobiographies.
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CLOSURE –
The teacher says, “Writer’s workshop has come to a close and don’t worry if you don’t think you’ve
finished your autobiography. Remember, we are going to keep these open ended and come back to them
later.”
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INDEPENDENT PRACTICE –
Students will not have homework assigned. The rambling autobiography is to be worked on during class
time where students are given a good chunk of time to write.
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ADAPTATIONS/ DIFFERENTATION –
 For ESL students, I will repeat the directions to them in several different ways to ensure they
understand the assignment.
 I will be modeling directions for students verbally and visually. This will help those students who
are more visual learners and also the ESL students.
 I will walk around and assess students as they are writing to ensure understanding and clarify if
necessary.
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