Knowledge Stream Lesson Title: Introduction to Writing a Memoir with Susan Richards Shreve Grade level(s): 7-8Author and School: Anita Price, Lake Middle School, Millbury, Ohio Date: 2/1/09

Standard: Writing Process Indicators: 1. Generate writing ideas through discussions with others and from printed materials.

3. Establish a thesis statement or a plan for narrative writing.4. Determine a purpose and audience.5. Use organizational strategies to plan writing. 6. Organize writing11. Reread and analyze clarity of writing. 12. Add and delete information and details to better elaborate on a stated central idea

and to more effectively accomplish purpose. 13. Rearrange words, sentences, and paragraphs and add transitional words to clarify.15. Proofread writing16. Apply tools to judge the quality of writing.

Standard: Writing ApplicationsIndicators:

• Write narratives that maintain a clear focus and point of view and use sensory details and dialogue to develop plot, character, and a specific setting.

Introduction to Writing a Memoir with Susan Richards Shreve

Lesson Summary: Students witness an author’s process of writing a memoir, by showing the video clip (Introduction to Writing a Memoir with Susan Richards Shreve) and how it is different than writing fictional novels. After viewing the video clip student are given Handout 1(The Five-Minute Interview: Novelist Susan Richards Shreve) to read, discuss, and further explore in the complexities of writing a memoir versus writing a fictional narrative. In a group discussion students will explain how writing a memoir is different than writing a fictional narrative. Then to extend students’ thinking we will go through the writing process of composing their own narrative, utilizing Scholastic.com website or handouts 2- 4 below if computers are not available. The memoirs composed by students will be evaluated by other students using the narrative rubric for plot, literary devices used, and characters in a believable setting. All student memoirs will be compiled into a book to display in the classroom library for students to read, enjoy and write a paragraph explaining what memoir they like the best and why. Teacher will read 2-3 paragraph explanations aloud each day until all are shared.

Materials Needed:

• Knowledge Stream Video clip: : Introduction to Writing a Memoir with Susan Richards Shreve (computer and projector)• Computers (enough for each student or a computer to share if available, not necessary for lesson)• Scholastic website http://teacher.scholastic.com/writeit/memoir/brainstorm/ for students to view writing process steps (or print the following handouts if enough computers are not available) Go through writing process, brainstorm, draft, revise, polish, and publish (teacher may choose what link to click on or students could be given a choice.)• Handouts (print out if not enough computers are available) and links on website where each activity is found (there are other activities if you choose)1. The Five-Minute Interview: Novelist Susan Richards Shreve (print out)

2. Example of a Memoir (Brainstorm link on Scholastic site)3. Prewriting and Drafting a Memoir (Draft link on Scholastic site)4. Sandwich Critique (Review link)5. 10 Ways to Revise a Memoir (Revise link on Scholastic site) 6. Rubric for Memoir (print out adapted from Read Write Think site)

Lesson Implementation ______________________________________________________________ Engage: Students watch Knowledge Stream video clip “Introduction to Writing a Memoir with Susan Richards Shreve” (5 minutes). This video segment will have students experience what it is like for a fictional novelist to change writing styles and tackle a memoir. Shreve shares the difficulties of writing a memoir in the clip.

Explore: After viewing the video clip, students will read Handout 1, “The Five-Minute Interview: Novelist Susan Richards Shreve,” and will keep a list of any more differences when writing fiction or a memoir. Students will share any of the differences Shreve discusses in the article in a whole class dialogue. The teacher should write student responses on the board in a t-chart format; one side for fiction and the other for memoirs. Pass out Handout 2 Example Memoir, allow students to examine, discuss, and provide a framework for students to frame their memoirs that they will begin the next day and work on over the next several days. (25 minutes)

Explain: Over the next several days (3-5 days 20 minutes each day) students will go through the process of writing their own memoir using all the information gleaned in the video clip and first handout. Students will access the Scholastic website: http://teacher.scholastic.com/writeit/memoir/brainstorm/ and go through the links on the left: Brainstorm, Draft, Review, Revise, and Polish (there is also a Publish if you wish to publish on-line or compete in writing contests) or print out the Handouts 2-6 for students to use as they are working on their memoir.

Evaluate: Students will use a Memoir Rubric to evaluate their own memoir and someone else’s. Then students will be able to make revisions before a final submission for teacher evaluation and book copy.

Extend: All the memoirs will be compiled into a classroom book for students to review. Students must read 5 memoirs (randomly selected) and write a paragraph explaining what memoir they enjoyed the most and why, examining writing style, plot, characters, setting, and literary devices. These

paragraphs will be read aloud by the teacher (2-3 paragraphs each day) and discussed by students until all paragraphs are read.

The Five-Minute Interview: Novelist Susan Richards Shreve

August 23, 2007

By Colleen Kearney Rich and Art Taylor

Susan ShrevePhoto ©David Carmack/carmackphoto.com

Susan Richards Shreve, Mason’s writer in residence, has taught fiction writing at Mason for more than 30 years and helped start the university’s nationally ranked graduate creative writing program.

She is the author of 40 novels: 13 for adults, including “A Student of Living Things,” and 27 for children. This summer she published a memoir, “Warm Springs: Traces of a Childhood at FDR’s Polio Haven,” a first for Shreve.

Those who have studied or worked with Shreve might be surprised to learn that she contracted polio as an infant and walked with the aid of leg braces. At age 11, she was sent to Warm Springs, a rehabilitation center for polio patients in Georgia, which was founded by Franklin D. Roosevelt after he sought treatment at the mineral springs for his own polio. There she endured surgeries and physical therapy to help restore the muscles in her legs.

Of the book, a reviewer at the Boston Globe wrote: “Wrenching but entirely lacking in self-pity, ‘Warm Springs’ is both funny and revelatory, its narrator emerging as a thoroughly endearing girl poised on adolescence who had grown up long before.”

After numerous works of fiction, you've written your first memoir. What prompted this switch to nonfiction? First, because I’m old enough. I never imagined writing a memoir, but this one covers ancient personal history between the time I was 11 and almost 13 living in a polio hospital in Warm Springs, Ga. It occurred to me that the place itself, the happily-ever-after 1950s, racial complexities in the south and finally my solo journey at Warm Springs without my parents had life, and I wanted to tell this story before I couldn’t remember it. Not only is Warm Springs an entirely different place than it was, but I was struck by the fact that I lived in a hospital without my parents for two years off and on — something that wouldn't happen today. I did some crucial growing up traveling solo.

What were the specific challenges you faced writing a memoir that you hadn't encountered with fiction? What did you find easier? I love fiction because I make it up. That said, the memoir was much faster in the writing because I knew the story and the principal characters. The hard part was the bargain I made with myself to be honest and uncompromising.

The book attempts not just a portrait of a person but also a portrait of place —and ultimately a place larger than the Warm Springs of the title. How did you balance writing your personal history against writing about the larger history of the United States during these years? I was not interested in writing a memoir about my own life without including the context of the world in which I lived — and my intention in structuring the book was to include not just the particulars of my story, but the larger context which I believe defines us all in time and place.

In one newspaper interview, you spoke about going to the library to do research for the book. What kinds of things did you research? The main research I did had to do with Roosevelt, the beginnings of Warm Springs, the history of polio and simply the culture of the 1950s, which is so different from today.

Does having people read about such a difficult part of your life and a physical disability make you self-conscious? I would have been incredibly self-conscious to write about polio when I was younger. In fact, I did write about it when I was 18 in a dreadful novel, unpublished, called “Wooden and Wicker” and featuring an insipid, annoying young heroine. Now, so many years later, it wasn't difficult to write about myself in those years, but I wouldn't dare write about the ones after 16 — not because they were difficult, but rather the people involved are living, so I'd be uncomfortable arriving at the truth.

As a part of a Fall for the Book panel on memoir writing last fall, [Mason English professor and author] Kyoko Mori said she always felt like her fiction revealed more about her — things she didn't intend to reveal — than her memoir did. Do you find that to be the case with your work? I agree. This is also why I wouldn't venture to write a memoir covering the years when I am older — those belong in fiction when even I don't know what I'm revealing.

Do you anticipate writing more nonfiction or is it back to another novel now? I have no plans to write another memoir. I’m writing a novel called “Left at Wichita” — it may be about the mystery of community, but I haven't gotten there yet. [I am also] continuing to work on a prequel to the novel I wrote [under a pseudonym] called “Believing in the Mercy of the World.” I plan to finish the first by late winter, the second maybe sometime, maybe never.

In your novels for children, you often write about adolescents at about the point you were at when you went to Warm Springs. Coincidence? Or is there something about this time in a person's life that resonates with you? Such a great question about adolescents. I love the years of “change” in our lives — not to live them necessarily, but to write about them. Change is at the heart of fiction and I think resonates with me because it’s at the heart of life as well — change and what a person does with it.

Colleen Kearney Rich and Art Taylor “The Five-Minute Interview: Novelist Susan Richards Shreve.” The Mason Gazette. 23 August 2007. 18 January 2009 http://gazette.gmu.edu/articles/10676/print

MASTERCLASS>>

Writing in the First PersonIT’S EASY TO BE YOURSELF, BUT IT’S DIFFICULT TO SHOWYOUR READERS WHO YOU ARE. FRANK McCOURT, ACONTEMPORARY MASTER OF THE FIRST PERSONNARRATIVE, REVEALS HIMSELF THROUGH EVERY WORD INHIS MEMOIR. LC SHOWS YOU HOW HE DOES IT SO YOU CANDO IT TOO.

Who is Frank McCourt?Frank McCourt was born in 1930 to Irish Catholic parentsin Brooklyn, New York. The U.S. was in the GreatDepression, and his father couldn’t find work. When hewas 4, the family moved back to his mother Angela’snative Limerick in the south of Ireland. Angela’s Ashes isa memoir of his impoverished childhood in Ireland.

Eventually, all the McCourt brothersmoved to New York. Frank startedout as a bellboy in the BiltmoreHotel, and got his education atthe New York Public Libraryon 42nd Street. He spent 30years teaching writing in NewYork public schools. WhenAngela’s Ashes was publishedin 1996, it became an instantclassic, remaining on The NewYork Times Best-seller List for115 weeks. The book wonthe Pulitzer Prize forBiography in 1997. Hestill lives in New York.

28 Literary Cavalcade JANUARY 2004

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How towrite frommodels>>Read theexcerpt oncethrough withoutreading thenotes.

>>Read it asecond time,with the notes.

>>Think abouthow you wouldwrite a similarpassage.

>>Use thenotes andwritingprompts atthe end toget started.

1. Here, McCourt lays the scene with a series of expositorysentences in order to let the reader know what’s going on.Once the context is in place, the action can unfold.

3. This run-on sentence is a breathless

glimpse into the thoughts of a desperate,

hungry boy. The lack of punctuation and

the jumble of words related to food,

warmth, and comfort give the reader a

sense of the narrator’s intense longing.

2. McCourt brings other characters’voices into the text withoutabandoning his own voice by usingindirect dialogue, a device in whichcharacters’ speech is written withoutquotation marks. In this section, youcan hear his grandmother’s voicecoming through to scold him.continued ➟

Literary Cavalcade JANUARY 2004 29

We don’t laugh long, there is no more bread and we’re

hungry, the four of us. We can get no more credit at

O’Connell’s shop. We can’t go near Grandma, either. She yells

at us all the time because Dad is from the North and he never

sends money home from England where he is working in a

munitions factory. Grandma says we could starve to death

for all he cares. That would teach Mam a lesson for marrying

a man from the North with sallow skin, an odd manner and a

look of the Presbyterian about him.

Still, I’ll have to try Kathleen O’Connell once more. I’ll tell

her my mother is sick above in the bed, my brothers are

starving and we’ll all be dead for the want of bread.

I put on my shoes and run quickly through the streets of

Limerick to keep myself warm against the February frost.

You can look in people’s windows and see how cozy it is in

their kitchens with fires glowing or ranges black and hot

everything bright in the electric light cups and saucers on the

tables with plates of sliced bread pounds of butter jars of jam

smells of fried eggs and rashers coming through the windows

enough to make the water run in your mouth and families

sitting there digging in all smiling the mother crisp and clean

in her apron everyone washed and the Sacred Heart of Jesus

looking down on them from the wall suffering and sad but

still happy with all that food and light and good Catholics at

their breakfast.

(excerpt from Angela’s Ashes)

FROMANGELA'SASHES BY

FRANKMCCOURT.

COPYRIGHT © 1996 BY

FRANKMcCOURT.

PUBLISHED BYSCRIBNER, ADIVISION OF

SIMON &SCHUSTER.

MASTER CLASS >>

30 Literary Cavalcade JANUARY 2004

4. After the long sentence in the preceding

paragraph, McCourt gives the reader a rest with

one sentence that shifts into the voice of the older

narrator looking back on his childhood.

5. The word “lemonade” puts thereader back into the action of thestory, and signals the moment whenFrank spots the lemonade he’s beenlooking for. When you read the wordon the page, it’s as though you seethe bottle of lemonade with him.

6. This last paragraph combines several

techniques to illustrate the narrator’s

thought process. McCourt uses exposition

and indirect dialogue, and mixes the

perspectives of the young boy with the

older man to create a rich effect.

I try to find music in my own head but all I can find is my

mother moaning for lemonade.

Lemonade. There’s a van pulling away from South’s pub

leaving crates of beer and lemonade outside and there isn’t a

soul on the street. In a second I have two bottles of

lemonade up under my jersey and I saunter away trying to

look innocent.

There’s a bread van outside Kathleen O’Connell’s shop.

The back door is open on shelves of steaming newly baked

bread. The van driver is inside the shop having tea and a bun

with Kathleen and it’s no trouble for me to help myself to a

loaf of bread. It’s wrong to steal from Kathleen with the way

she’s always good to us but if I go in and ask her for bread

she’ll be annoyed and tell me I’m ruining her morning cup of

tea, which she’d like to have in peace ease and comfort thank

you. It’s easier to stick the bread up under my jersey with the

lemonade and promise to tell everything in confession.

Write Your Own First-Person AccountUSE A MEMORY FROM YOUR OWN CHILDHOOD AS A STARTING POINT FOR THIS EXERCISE

1 Re-read note #1. Don’tforget that, even though youremember all the details,

this scene is entirely new to yourreader. Take the time to describethe physical scene and to givesome context for your story.

2 Review note #2. Who arethe other people in yourscene? Try to remember

their voices—the things that theysaid and the way that they saidthem. Incorporate their speech intoyour essay using either direct orindirect dialogue.

3Note #3. Have you evernoticed how your thoughtsrun on and on without

punctuation or even logic? Try tocapture some of your own uniquethought patterns in a sentence ortwo. You will likely discoverconnections to themes that gobeyond the immediate scene.

4 Note #4. Don’t forget topace your scenes. If youhave been racing through a

lot of dense material, try to giveyour reader a break byinterspersing shorter sentences orparagraphs. If your writing tends tobe slow and expository, try toinclude some action periodically tokeep your reader’s interest.

5 Note #5. Althoughunconventional, one-wordsentences are a great way to

let your voice shine through, implyaction, or portray thoughts. If yourteacher doesn’t mind the grammar,try using this device.

6 Note #6. The best writingmixes multiple devices inthe service of story. Don’t

be afraid to combine techniques inorder to capture your own voiceand experience.

7 To finish your story, letmemory be your guide . . .

Literary Cavalcade JANUARY 2004 31

Prewriting and Drafting a Memoir:Truth and Fiction: A Memory ExerciseWhat does it mean to write a memoir? When writing down memories, where is the line between truth and fiction? Finally, what makes a memoir compelling? Step 1: Write a detailed description of a real memory. Convince your reader that it really happened.

Step 2: Write a detailed description of a constructed memory, something that never happened to you. Convince your reader that it really happened.

Step 3: Read your two memories, true and constructed, to a friend. When reading, try not to give away which of the two memories really happened.

Step 4: Ask your friend to identify which of the memories was true or constructed. Before revealing the truth, ask your friend to explain his or her reasoning.

Step 5: With the help of your reader, identify which of your two memories was most compelling? Why?

Step 6: Is there such thing as a “true memory?”

Step 7: What makes a memory stick in the reader’s mind? Drawing from this exercise, use what you’ve learned to draft a compelling memoir.

“Draft Truth or Fiction: A Memory Exercise.” Write It Memoir. Scholastic. 2 February 2009. http://teacher.scholastic.com/writeit/memoir/draft/memoryexercise.htm

10 Ways to Revise a MemoirThere are many ways to revise a memoir. If you’re stuck for ideas, here’s a list of 10 ways to revise your piece!1. Revise for VoiceWhat is the right voice for your memoir: conversational, informal, reserved, or distant? Explore different options until you find the right one!

2. Revise for ToneWhat is the tone of your memoir? Is it humorous, dire, ponderous, cynical, or optimistic? Make sure your tone is right for the contents of your piece!3. Revise for TenseIn what tense is your memoir told? Does the narrator look back from the present or take the reader into the past through the present tense? Find the combination that works best for your piece!

4. Revise for MeaningDoes everything in your memoir mean what you intend it to mean? Go through your piece and look for sources of confusion.5. Revise for ConflictDoes your memoir revolve around a central conflict? If not, go back and identify what’s stopping your narrator from getting what he or she wants!

6. Revise for DescriptionIs your memoir descriptive enough? Does it invite the reader to experience your memories? Is it too descriptive? Does your memoir get bogged down with too many adjectives and not enough verbs?7. Revise for DiscoveryDoes the reader discover anything new while reading your memoir?

8. Revise for AudienceIdentify your audience and make sure your memoir speaks directly to them!9. Revise for SurpriseDoes your memoir surprise the reader? Or is it completely predictable?

10. Revise for ResolutionHow does your memoir end? Does it resolve? Or is the reader left hanging?“10 Ways to Revise a Memoir.” Write It Memoir. Scholastic. 2 February 2009. http://teacher.scholastic.com/writeit/memoir/revise/10ways.htm

Sandwich Critique

Here's a clever way to make criticism more palatable and constructive to your peer review partner. Be honest with your thoughts, but considerate as well.

I like how you … But I feel you could have improved on… perhaps you could try… Finally, I think it's great how you …

www.scholastic.com/writeit

Memoir Rubric

Key: 4 = Memoir is fully developed in this regard; very little need for revision in this area3 = Memoir is mostly developed; some revision in this area would improve the overall

effect of the piece2 = Memoir somewhat developed in this regard; this is an area to consider for

significant revision1 = Memoir demonstrates little to no development in this area; there is a clear need

for revision in this regardComments:

Memoir event is well-chosen and appropriateThe subject of the memory and its significance tothe author are clear 4 3 2 1

Memoir makes clear the people, places, and actionsof the event 4 3 2 1

Appropriate details appear in the memoir 4 3 2 1

Literary devices are used to enhance the writing 4 3 2 1

Memoir contains an interesting hook to engage thereader 4 3 2 1

Memoir plot, events and reactions are sufficientlydeveloped 4 3 2 1

Memoir contains a strong closing that does notmerely restate events ideas, but rather reflects ontheir significance 4 3 2 1

Adapted from Read Write Think Rubric http://www.readwritethink.org/lesson_images/lesson13/DescriptiveMemoirRubric.pdf