English IV Mrs.

Davis 9/29/2011

 Questions about Resumes or Cover Letters Personal Narratives, Memoirs, and Essaysoh my! Question the Author Activity
Read the essay on your own. As a group, discuss and decide. Come back and present your findings.

Ten minute free-write practice

Personal Essay

Focused on belief or insight about life that is significant to the writer.

Personal Narrative

Focused on a significant event

Personal Memoir

Focused on a significant relationship between the writer and a person, place, or object

 Personal essays often combine elements of both the narrative and the memoir since an insight about life or a personal believe is usually based upon both experiences and relationships that have taught the writer what individual values are most important.

 I will be splitting the class into three groups for a reading strategy called Question the Author. Each group will have a different reading assignment. As you read:
Look for the authors focused purpose (What is the author trying to say here?) Identify which supporting details in each piece most effectively contribute to the authors purpose.

 Group activity
Read your assigned essay independently. Decide on a note-taker and a presenter. As a group, come up with a brief summary. Decide if your reading is a personal essay, memoir, or narrative. What details led you to this decision? Be prepared to present your findings to the class.

1. Most of us have been in a situation where we made a promise that for one reason or another we were unable to keep. When were you disappointed because someone made a promise that they failed to keep? Or when did you break a promise that you made to someone else? 2. All of us are works in progress with a long way to go before we reach our full potential. In what skill or area are you still working to make progress? 3. Our society uses the word hero in many different ways? How do you define hero, and who is a hero in your life?

4. We all tend to judge people by their appearances, even though looks can be deceiving. Have you ever prejudged someone incorrectly based on their appearance or has someone ever prejudged you unfairly based on how you look? 5. Everyone has problems or challenges to overcome. What obstacles are you proud to have faced and conquered? 6. There is a famous adage: To err is human, to forgive is devine. When did you feel divine because you were able to forgive someone for their mistake? When did someone act divine by forgiving your when you