Making Memories

Title: Writing About Artifacts or Classroom Family Tree

Summary: Students in first or second grades will create fiction narratives using treasured objects.

Materials: Mentor Texts, 4-8 treasured objects, original writing excerpts about memories inspired by objects.

Mentor Texts/Citations:

Fox, Mem. Wilfred Gordon Mcdonald Partridge. Marco Book Company, 2009.

Bunting, Eve, and Ted Rand. The Memory String. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015.

Howard, E. F., & Ransome, J. (1990). Aunt Flossie’s hats (and crab cakes later). New York : Clarion Books, 1991.

“I Do It”

Hook: Return to mentor text and ask students to notice how the author used artifacts to spark memories and show emotion.  In the Wilfrid Gordon, Miss Nancy remembered her lost brother, a bird’s nest she found, and going to the beach as a child after Wilfrid Gordon gathered objects for her.  

*Mem Fox uses a ton of imagery and craft in this text that must be overlooked for now…the important part is how the objects spark memory!

Purpose: Authors can build stories around objects and artifacts.  Stories can be sparked by personal connection to an object or provide ideas for settings, characters, or events.  Today I will show you how to build a story around an object.

“We Do It”

Brainstorming: Ask students to bring in 3-5 objects that are important to them, and tell the story of who they are.  For three minutes, ask them to choose one or more of the objects to sketch and/or jot down any words or short phrases that come to mind in their notebooks (first graders may only be able to draw).  For the next three minutes share/talk about their pictures and objects with their partner and include why they brought/chose them.  Document photos of objects and story ideas for the group on chart paper, projection, etc. 

*What does it remind you of? Use sentence starter: “I remember when…” “This reminds me of…”

Teacher Modeling: “I remember when…”

On that day or another, share a treasured object and a story it elicits and also seems easily relatable your class.  Share why you chose this object and model a flash draft while thinking aloud. 

Ex. My stepfather lost his eye in the third grade from when a friend was throwing rocks.  He was playing with in his neighborhood, Sunset Park near the Cape Fear River (near the ocean).  He missed more than a year of school! I remember that he always had to keep the window down in the car when he was driving because he couldn’t see out that way and he wanted to hear cars that were coming.  I also remember that I could never tell which one was fake and which one was real when I looked at him. Marvel at the engaged, emotional reaction from bringing a real glass eye to school!

“You Do It Together”

Shared Writing: With their partner, choose one story idea from brainstormed pictures and words in their notebooks or class posting. Have students take turns telling their partner the story using blank booklets with 8 or so pages to point to “events” as they orally tell the story.  Ask them to include (or remind their partners to include) the “who, what, when, where, and why?”. Consider a visual card reminding them of these elements because of their young age. Repeat as necessary with other ideas from brainstormed list.

“You Do It Alone”

Independent Writing: For those that are ready, students will begin a new independent story in their notebooks using an idea mapped with their class or partner.  They may also choose to use another object or story idea posted or shared, mapping the important elements first.

Reflection:

How did the objects help with story ideas?

What objects sparked ideas for you? Why do you think that is?

Do you think you would like to use objects to create stories again?

Did sharing ideas about the objects give you ideas for other stories you are working on?

Extensions and Considerations:

*This activity is perfect for the first 3-6 weeks of school! When students and teachers share connections and memories, they build a classroom community and culture, so important in the first six weeks in an elementary setting.

*Students can also interview family members then share a particular story of theirs using an object or artifact.  Great for grandparents day too! *better suited for grades 3-5

*This lesson will pair so nicely with the literal intended population (a 1st grade class at Two Rivers Community School) because of the connection to the elderly and their ongoing service project with Deerfield Ridge Assisted Living

*Prompt students that are able write from the perspective of that object or person in the memory