Personal Memoire

1
Personal Memoire

• Story Elements
• Characters, Setting, Problem, Details of Events,
  Turning Point, Conflict, Conclusion or Resolution
  to the Problem, the Conflict is not always
  resolved
• Organize the Elements
• Exposition characters, setting, problem
• Rising Action Details of Events, Suspense,
  Conflict
• Climax reveals or answers the epiphany
• Falling Action Starts gathering details that
  lead to the resolution or conclusion of the ideas
• Denouement The problem must be solved
  explanation of what lesson or personal changed
  occurred because of the event explains the
  personal epiphany

2
Brain Storming Ideas for a Personal Memoire

• Events
• These are positive or negative events that happen
  to YOU.
• There needs to be a problem and conflict.
• The problem must be solved.
• YOU must have an epiphany.
• YOU must have learned a lesson which creates
  personal change (change in attitude toward LIFE).
• Do not worry about organizing your thoughts or
  events.
• Just write down pieces of the events dont
  worry about writing down all the details (TRIGGER
  THOUGHTS)

3
Selecting an Event for a Personal Memoire

• Read over each event and ask the following
  questions
• Am I okay with sharing this event with my peers?
• If the answer is NO, then cross it out.
• Did I really have an attitude toward life change?
• If the answer is NO, then cross it out.
• If the answer is YES, decide if it is worth
  sharing with others. Another words, will it
  create a change in others?

4
Planning for Personal Memoire(horizontally on
your paper)
Exposition Characters Setting Problem Rising Action (list of major events) Climax Falling Action (list of major events leading to the resolution) Denouement (explain the epiphany lesson learned and what changed occurred)
5
First Draft Set-up

• Skip lines write on every other line
• Write on 26 lines total no more
• Writing on the FRONT SIDES ONLY
• Thesis Statement introduction statement
• ONE SENTENCE ONLY
• Ex. When I was four years old, I experienced a
  traumatic event that I have never forgotten.
• Body Paragraphs only happen when you begin a new
  topic
• Conclusion Statement ONE SENTENCE
• Explain the lesson or personal changed occurred
  or explain how the epiphany changed you

6
Help with Revision for a Personal Memoire

• Cross-out unnecessary details ones that are not
  related to the event
• These distract the reader from the real event
• Word Choice changing repetition words, details
  (phrases, etc.)
• Adding suspense, humor, or dramatic (positive or
  negative) tone
• Sentence Variety make sure the sentence styles
  vary use simple, compound, AND complex.
• Fill in the GAPS of your event do not skip
  around or leave out IMPORTANT details

7
Paired-Share Revision Activity

• With a partner
• Read your paper TWICE to your partner
• Read slowly and clearly
• Do not stop and correct yourself or try to make
  verbal or written changes while you are reading
• While LISTENING
• Write notes to your partner on the given post-it
  note
• Is there a clear thesis statement?
• Did you recognize the tone?
• Fluency is it choppy or do the sentences seem
  breathless?
• Distracting details are there any that do not
  enhance the memoire?
• Lesson Learned or Attitude Change did you hear
  it or is it missing? (this should be the
  conclusion statement)

8
Revision Part 2

• Highlight every other sentence use 2 different
  colors
• Look at the highlighted sentences and make sure
  you do not have all of one kind of sentence.
  There should be a variety of simple, compound,
  and complex sentences.
• Using a marker or colored pencil, circle the
  first word of every sentence
• Revise the beginning of your sentences to make
  sure they begin differently. Do not use the same
  word more than 2 times.
• Using a different color marker or colored pencil,
  circle all the PERSONAL PRONOUNS I, me, my,
  mine, myself, we, us, our
• Revise your PRONOUNS you may not use these
  personal pronouns more than 10 times total.
  Reword your sentences to take out the over used
  pronouns.

9
Ratiocination Activity Editing (Page 1)

• Using ORANGE, TO BE verb (am, is, are, was,
  were, be, being, been) you find in the paper
• Replace all TO BE verbs with verbs that create a
  picture of the action rather than telling the
  action.
• Using GREEN, put an X on the following words
  Good, Bad, Really, Very, any form of Got, A lot
• Use your thesaurus to find stronger and better
  words.
• Using PURPLE, put a box around all coordinating
  conjunctions and make sure there are NO run-on
  sentences.
• Rewrite your sentences so you do not have any
  run-on sentences

10
Ratiocination Activity Editing (Page 2)

• Using RED, mark any sentence fragment with an F
  and add needed information to correct the
  fragment
• Rewrite your sentences so you do not have any
  fragment sentences
• Using BROWN, circle all transition words first,
  second, third, next, then, after, before, last,
  finally.
• Replace these words with more descriptive
  transitions.