Our next writing project for 3rd-8th grades is an AUTOBIOGRAPHY! The kids are very excited to write about themselves.
We discussed timelines in great detail, and all students went home with a timeline to work on with their families. They may use either the "line" format (birth on the far left...and future goals, dreams, ambitions on the far right) or "positive / negative" column format (left column = positive, right column = negative, birth listed at top...working down to future goals, dreams, ambitions at the bottom of the page.
Kids should include events that impacted their lives in some way.
Some examples:
moving
meeting their best friend
school
church
participating in a sport that they really love
activities - Awana, scouts, small group
significant illness/injury
loss of loved one
pets
siblings
marriage/divorce (including extended family - many kids "got another Grandma" when Grandpa remarried)
adoption
travel
community service
instrument they play
Timelines will help students to brainstorm and organize their thoughts chronologically.
Students should also look around their house and bedroom. What photos hang on the walls? What souvenirs, keepsakes and trophies are lying around? What is important to your family? To the student?
Students grades 3rd-6th may incorporate a few photos into their project. These photos will be pasted onto a sheet of paper, so don't send anything you want back in its original condition.
Students grades 7th-8th are required to include photos and other illustrations, as it will be a more in-depth book project spanning the next several weeks.
The kids are excited...and I'm excited! These should be FUN projects and will certainly be something worth looking back at in the years to come.
