Reading & Writing
Narratives
How can we write a Memoir?
Warm Up
 Notebook Set Up
 Number each page- front only- like at the beginning
of the year.
 Pages 1-3- Table of Contents- write Table of
Contents in the heading
 Page 4- heading-Memoir- The Jacket 1/24/13
Homework
 Grammar Sheet- complete the
grammar sheet.
 Write the sentences correctly on
the line. Like we do for warm
ups some days.
What are the characteristics of a
memoir?
 Memoirs focus and reflect on the relationship
between the writer and a particular person, place,
animal, time or object.
 It explains the importance of the relationship.
 It is like an autobiography but, is limited to a only
one time period, place, or object. An autobiography
is about the writers entire life.
 It maintains a first person point of view (me, my,
we and I).
“The Jacket”
By Gary Soto
What makes “The Jacket” memoir?
•A significant event in the author’s life.
•Told in the first person point of view. (This
means the author speaks about himself and
uses the pronouns “I” ”my” “me” and “we”
•A Narrative (beginning; middle and end)
•Uses descriptive language
“The Jacket”
By Gary Soto
 As we read the memoir “The
Jacket”, try to find as many
examples of figurative language
as you can.
 List them in the chart on your
notes sheet.
Notebook Heading:
The Elements of a Personal Narrative
1/25/13
Warm Up:
Describe, in detail, the
worst gift you ever
received.
Homework
 Think about your favorite childhood toy or game.
List 10 words to describe it.
 BE CREATIVE
Descriptive Language
 It adds purpose and emotion to a text
 Makes use of metaphors, similes, adjectives and
adverbs
 Conveys feeling as well as action.
 The girl drank juice. VS The girl hurriedly drank the
juice.
“I described something like bikers wear: black
leather & silver studs…I discovered draped on
my bedpost a jacket the color of day-old
guacamole.”
Descriptive Words
“But when I returned to class I slipped the jacket on & shivered
until I was warm. I sat on my hands, heating them up, while my
teeth chattered like a cup of crooked dice.”
sight
feel
sound
Sensory
Details
smell
taste
Descriptive Language
Scavenger Hunt
 List 10 descriptive adjectives used in “The Jacket”.
 3 examples of Figurative Language (Personification,
metaphor, simile)
 5 sensory details – 1 descriptive phrase for each of
the five senses. Write the sentence.
 Visualization – Draw a picture of something that
was clearly described.
To write a good memoir
you should:
 Have a narrow topic and focus
 Brainstorm, visualize, free write, web, cluster
 Use your own voice
 Develop characters through thoughts, characters
and words
 Use sensory details
 Write a good lead in
 Place ideas and details in meaningful order
Ticket Out “The Jacket”
1. “My clothes have failed me.”
1. Can clothes fail you?
2. Explain this quote.