Capturing
Memories
There’s so much to write
about in your writer’s
notebook:
current events in the world,
happenings in school,
friends,
feelings,
dreams,
and random thoughts,
How about memories?
Does it ever happen to you
that an old memory suddenly
bubbles up in your mind?
Your mind records memories
throughout your entire life.
Capturing these memories
helps us to appreciate our
lives.
The writer’s notebook is the
perfect place to unearth and
write about your memories
because it’s safe and private.
Nobody has to read it unless
you want them to.
Kelsey, a student in Fairfield,
Connecticut, used her writer’s
notebook to capture a special
memory about going to the coffee
shop with her father. Let’s read it
together:
Coffee and Hot Chocolate
By: Kelsey
I was sitting on my bed waiting. I saw little sparkles fall from the sky and
leave drizzles of water sliding down the window like tears coming
from my eyes, just waiting. I heard the running and the pitter
pattering of the rain, and me , just waiting. Suddenly I saw my Dad
stand right next to my bed. Finally it was ready. I whipped on my
jeans and shirt and threw on my rain slicker, and ran into my Dad’s
car to the coffee shop we were going to go to. When we got there
we ordered two bagels, poppy seed and everything. We also got a
coffee and hot chocolate. After that , when my Dad was ordering, I
tried to look for the best ever to sit. Just then, in the blink of an
eye, I saw the perfect place, a small table with tree chairs. The both
of us started to eat and drink. My warm hot cocoa tasted soooo
sweet in my throat, my bagel so crunchy with the poppy seeds and so
creamy with the cream cheese. My Dad read the paper and I
scanned the Cherry Blossom Festival paper. Then I would just stare
at my dad happily, and as I sipped my hot cocoa warm thoughts slid
into my mind slowly. That’s what happened on that Saturday
morning. I’ll never forget that Saturday morning when I went to the
coffee shop with my Dad! How we got hot coca and coffe and
poppy seed and everything bagels. How it took so long to find a table
for me and my Dad, I’ll never forget when I went to the coffee shop
with my Dad.
• What did
you notice
about
Kelsey’s
piece?
What
details did
she include
that made
this writing
strong?
I was sitting on my bed waiting. I saw little sparkles fall
from the sky and leave drizzles of water sliding down
the window like tears coming from my eyes, just waiting.
I heard the running and the pitter pattering of the rain,
and me , just waiting. Suddenly I saw my Dad stand
right next to my bed. Finally it was ready. I whipped on
my jeans and shirt and threw on my rain slicker, and ran
into my Dad’s car to the coffee shop we were going to
go to. When we got there we ordered two bagels, poppy
seed and everything. We also got a coffee and hot
chocolate. After that , when my Dad was ordering, I
tried to look for the best ever to sit. Just then, in the
blink of an eye, I saw the perfect place, a small table
with tree chairs. The both of us started to eat and
drink. My warm hot cocoa tasted soooo sweet in my
throat, my bagel so crunchy with the poppy seeds and
so creamy with the cream cheese. My Dad read the
paper and I scanned the Cherry Blossom Festival paper.
Then I would just stare at my dad happily, and as I
sipped my hot cocoa warm thoughts slid into my mind
slowly. That’s what happened on that Saturday morning.
I’ll never forget that Saturday morning when I went to
the coffee shop with my Dad! How we got hot coca
and coffe and poppy seed and everything bagels. How it
took so long to find a table for me and my Dad, I’ll
never forget when I went to the coffee shop with my
Dad.
Let’s hear what Ralph Fletcher
has to say about using his
writer’s notebook:
This is yet another way to use
your writer’s notebook.
Remember, you can write the
whole memory, as Kelsey did,
or you can use shorthand as
Ralph Fletcher describes.
Either way, try to jot down the
important details that will
make the memory come alive.
Conference Questions
• As you wrote about this memory, what
feelings did it bring up?
• How did you use the details to help you
picture it again?
• Why do you think you’re remembering this
now?
Taken from “Lessons for the Writer’s Notebook”, Ralph Fletcher (firsthand publications)