Pieces of Me 

SUBMITTED BY: Tori T. Thomas   SCHOOL: Hand Middle School

Grade: 8   SUBJECT: Reading/Language Arts 

CORE CURRICULUM OBJECTIVE (S): Write compositions for a variety of purposes, use brainstorming techniques to generate and explore ideas. (8-WA-3), (8-WP-2) 

RESTATEMENT: Students will write personal information about themselves in the form of an autobiography on large size puzzle pieces for display. 

OVERVIEW: Students will compose a brief autobiographical sketch about themselves. This lesson will provide both teachers and other students with a better understanding of one another. This is meant to be a beginning of the year activity.

FOCUS/ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What is an autobiography? What kinds of information can I put in an autobiography? Can I write an autobiography?

TIME FRAME: Two to three fifty minute periods

RESOURCES: 
* Overhead 
* Overhead markers
 * Pencil 
* Paper 
* Prewriting sheet 
* Puzzle pieces
 * Poster board 
* Markers 
* Photograph of each student (either taken by teacher or brought in by student) 
* Access to laminating machine (optional)

ASSESSMENT: The culminating assessment for this lesson will be the autobiography completed by the students. An assessment rubric is included.

INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES: 
Activity One: 
* The teacher should begin this activity by asking students to define community. The teacher should list these ideas on the overhead. The teacher should then discuss the importance of knowing one another within a community. He/she should also stress the importance of community and the idea of using knowledge about one another in order to build a better community. 

The teacher should then introduce the autobiography. As a class, brainstorm about the definition of autobiography. Show the connection between writing an autobiography and building a community. Next, the teacher should explain to students that getting to know one another is pertinent to forming a strong community. 

Students when then brainstorm why forming a strong community in the classroom is needed. The teacher should then explain to the students why this is important. Once the tone is set, students can begin to brainstorm ideas for their autobiographies. 

Students will be given a prewriting sheet that contains four components of their life(childhood, middle years, family, future goals). In groups, students should brainstorm ideas for each component (See attachment A). 

Students should complete the rest of this process at home alone if they do not finish it in class. 

-Note: Remind students that they need not share information that makes them feel uncomfortable 

Activity Two: 
* Now that students have brainstormed for each of the four components of their life they can begin writing their autobiographies. Students should now be given four large puzzle pieces. Each piece should contain the information they brainstormed on the prewriting sheet. The information can either be in a paragraph or bulleted format. 

Once a student has completed each piece he/she can be given a half piece of poster board. They can arrange the puzzle pieces on the poster board in any way that he/she wants. Each student will self-evaluate his/hr poster according to the rubric prior to turning in to teacher.

An opportunity to correct/improve the poster will be divided. Once he/she has neatly arranged the pieces he/she can let their creative juices flow and decorate to taste. Once posters are completed they will be hung in or out of the classroom for display.

 -Note: Due to the size of puzzle pieces, the poster board may need to be cut to size.

PIECES OF ME (PREWRITING)

Pieces of Me 

Autobiographical Sketch 

Directions: This writing assignment has been designed to help you get more acquainted with your fellow students and me. The assignment will require that you write a short autobiographical sketch about yourself. You will discuss your childhood, family, time at Hand (middle years), and your future goals. You are also required to either bring in a picture of yourself or have me take one of you. You will be writing your assignment on puzzle pieces and should be aware of their size (those of you who tend to write in a large size may need to adjust). The rubric below will be used to grade your project.

The following rubric is worth 35 points   

Final Grade ___________________________________ 

Failure to return this rubric will result in a loss of five points.