English 12: Senior Memory Book: Semester 1
 The culmination of your public education qualifies as a significant “rite of passage” in life. To
chronicle the journey you’ve been on, you will be writing about memories and experiences in your
life so far. This Memory Book Project will take the entire year, and when you’re finished, you will not
only have a chronicle of your life, but also a meaningful, creative, and unique expression of who you
are.
 During Semester 1, you will write the first six chapters. Each chapter will be due on a specific date,
and must meet prescribed requirements. You will be able to choose your topics from a variety of
choices and there are various extra credit opportunities with several chapter options.
Requirements: Vary your chapters by changing the point of view.
o Write some chapters from someone else’s point of view, maybe your kindergarten teacher talks
about your first day, i.e. “Little Steven was the quietest boy on the first day of kindergarten. I
wondered how long it would take him to make some friends…”
o Or, write about yourself in third person. “Stephen knew he was in love the first time he saw Mary
walk in to his third grade classroom. He started sweating and fidgeting before he had even spoken
to her.”
o Also, write some pieces in past tense, i.e. “The room was full of noisy kids and I didn’t know any of
them. I walked toward the teacher and hoped she would help me.”
o Write some in present tense, i.e. “The noisy kids are staring at me and I don’t know anyone. I
slowly walk toward the one adult, hoping she can help me.”
Vary your chapters by changing the format. Options include narrative, memoir, personal
essay, screenplay, and journal entries,
Chapters 1-6: Choose six of the following options:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
“Before I Was, There Were…” – Write a brief description of your family tree. Tell about the folks who
were around before you were born: grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, siblings, parents, cousins,
etc. Describe some of these people and interview them to find out what their lives were like before
you were born.
"Family Lore"--Collect at least three family stories from a variety of family members. These can be
about you or about someone else in your family. You may want to try to find one story about each
member of your family. You may collect these in person by actually sitting down and talking to the
family member or you may want to write, either via e-mail or regular mail, to that person. Encourage
the person you talk to, to be as detailed as possible and even to provide pictures if possible
(photocopies are fine). Put the stories together in whatever logical order you feel is best; write an
introduction and a conclusion. Make sure you clarify who told you the story and the role it’s played in
your family.
"Suddenly, I Became Me"--When and where were you born? Were there any unusual or humorous
circumstances surrounding your birth? How was your name chosen? What were the first couple of
years like? (Look back at your baby book--first tooth? first word? first step? etc.) What memories do
you have of your first five years? Were younger siblings born during that time? Any childhood
illnesses? Resources: baby book, family members (List these) EXTRA CREDIT: Have your mom or dad
(or both) write a reflection about the time leading up to your birth, their fears, excitement, etc.
"I Grew Up Here!"--Write a chapter about your home and/or neighborhood. You may have moved
around a bit; if so, include information about all the homes you've lived in. Describe your bedroom
over the years. How did your space change as you grew up? Describe the colors, decorations, etc. of
your various rooms. What was the neighborhood like? Was there one special hangout that all the kids
went to? Make the reader see the various places you lived. Resources: parents, your own memories,
old pictures of various places you've lived.
“An Early Memory” – This should be some event or interaction you remember from your earliest
years. Maybe a funny story from pre-school, or the time you fell off the swing set and had to go to the
emergency room. Maybe the first time you met Santa Clause or when you got your first puppy. Focus
on one, specific moment, not on a general recollection. The focus here is on descriptive writing. Use
sensory details and imagery to make the incident come alive.
6. “Hide and Seek”- Write about a game you remember playing as a child. Describe it, who you played it
with, what were the rules, why did you like it?
7. "School Bells"--Write about kindergarten through Grade 3--first day jitters, fears, anticipation;
learning to read and write; special friends, teachers; school programs (Did you play a tree in a school
production?), etc. This is a good place to include some of your early schoolwork or artwork when you
put the final book together next semester. EXTRA CREDIT: If you are still in touch with any of your
teachers from this period, ask them to write a memory about you.
8. “First Friends” – Write about your first friend. How did you meet? Describe the person and what
kinds of things you liked to do together. How did the friendship evolve and change? Are you still
friends? Why or why not?
9. “Growing Pains” – What were some of the "growing pains" you went through during this preadolescent time in your life? Write about the first crush you had. Who was it? What happened? Your
body was changing and most girls outgrow boys at this time. This is the clumsy period. How did you
survive? (Hint: Ask your mom!)
10. "Middle School"--Okay, you are not a "little kid" anymore. You are one of the "big kids." How was it
your first day at middle school? How did you adjust from having one teacher in one classroom to
having several and having to change classes? How did the work change? How did your relationships
with your friends and with the opposite sex change? Tell about the significant things you remember,
good and bad. EXTRA CREDIT: Have one of your middle school teachers write a favorite memory of
you to include in the book.
In addition to the first six chapters, this semester you need to complete at least one of two required Creative
Pages. Choose from the following options:
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A list of at least 5-10 quotations that are meaningful to you
A list of at least 5-10 passages from books or movies that are meaningful to you (include titles)
A list of at least 5-10 pieces of art that are meaningful to you
A gallery of your school pictures
A family tree of at least four generations
Create a piece of art to accompany any of the chapters you’ve written
If you have your own idea for a Creative Page, just clear it with me first.
Specifics:
Each chapter should be between 2-3 pages, typed, double-spaced, MLA format. Each chapter is worth 35
points, and as you turn them in, they will be graded on a rubric that includes organization, content, and
mechanics. That means you must proofread and edit each chapter before you turn it in. Chapters submitted
with more than five mistakes on the first page will be considered “first drafts” and won’t receive any
points. The chapters are due on specific days and because of the volume of papers I will be keeping up with,
they will not be accepted late.
DUE DATES:
Chapter 1: _______
Chapter 4: ______
Chapter 2: _______
Chapter 5: ______
Chapter 3: _______
Chapter 6: ______
I will distribute options for the last 6 chapters and the final product requirements at the beginning of next
semester. Enjoy! This is your chance to be creative, have fun with writing, and create something truly your
own.