1. Modeling Autobiographical Incident
Step 2: Brainstorm events related to the prompt.
My mom played Santa
to poor kids
Write about a
conflict
in your life
I learned how
to play tennis
I learned not
to pick on
somebody
bigger
My uncle taught me
how to fish

2. Modeling Autobiographical Incident
Step 3: Explore your memory for details.
Memorable Christmas
Scenes
My house
(cheerful,
decorated,
presents)
Poor house
(dreary,
plain, no
presents)

3. Modeling Autobiographical Incident
Step 3: Explore your memory for details.
Memorable Christmas
Scenes
Key People
Me (happy,
resentful)
My house
(cheerful,
decorated,
presents)
Mom (insightful,
insistent)
Poor kids
(torn clothes,
sad eyes)
Poor house
(dreary,
plain, no
presents)
Poor mom (sad,
glowing smile)

4. Modeling Autobiographical Incident
Step 3: Explore your memory for details.
Memorable Christmas
Main Events
Scenes
Key People
Me (happy,
resentful)
My house
(cheerful,
decorated,
presents)
Got doll
Made choice
Mom (insightful,
insistent)
Visit kids
Watch kids
Poor kids
(torn clothes,
sad eyes)
Poor house
(dreary,
plain, no
presents)
Reflected and
thanked mom
Poor mom (sad,
glowing smile)

5. I learned that people can get more joy from giving than from receiving
Modeling Autobiographical Incident
Step 3: Explore your memory for details.
Memorable Christmas
Main Events
Scenes
Key People
Lesson Learned
Me (happy,
resentful)
My house
(cheerful,
decorated,
presents)
Got doll
I learned that people can get more joy from giving than from receiving
Made choice
Mom (insightful,
insistent)
Visit kids
Watch kids
Poor kids
(torn clothes,
sad eyes)
Poor house
(dreary,
plain, no
presents)
Reflected and
thanked mom
Poor mom (sad,
glowing smile)

6. Modeling Autobiographical Incident
Step 5: Write an introduction. Include a grabber, some
background information, and a hint of the topic.
Sometimes the best lessons in life come our way when we
least expect them. That is exactly what happened on
December 25th in my ninth year of life. For weeks my mother
had scurried around our spacious home decorating each
room with traditional Christmas paraphernalia. For days,
Mom had stationed herself in our kitchen preparing a
special feast for all of the relatives who would arrive for
Christmas dinner. This was not an unusual Christmas, or
so I thought. Each year seemed to be just as festive and
delightful as the previous one.
Grabber
Background
Hint

7. Modeling Autobiographical Incident
Step 7: Flow Map the next events (these lead up to your main point). Remember to slow down the action and use precise details.
Transition 1
Rising Action
Transition 2
Climax(1)
Transition 3
Falling Action
Saw presents
under the tree
Took gifts to
poor kids
Drove back
home
1._______________
2._______________
3._______________
4._______________
5._______________
1._____________
2._____________
3._____________
4._____________
5._____________
1._____________
2._____________
3._____________
4._____________
5._____________

8. MEDIA QUESTIONS 1. What was I doing?
2. What were those around me doing?
3. What was I thinking? *****
4. What was I feeling? *******
5. Describe the scene

9. Modeling Autobiographical Incident
Step 8: Write your conclusion. Remember to state or imply what happened as a result of your experience. Try
to use a statement about human experience in general .
Many Christmas days have come and gone as that one. No
present, food, or decoration since that one
Christmas when we visited the poor kids. . .Yet no
Christmas has been quite as meaningful has succeeded in warming
my heart like the smile of the little ragged girl who
received my special Christmas doll. I learned something
about life that day – real joy comes in giving, rather than
in receiving. My mother taught me well.
why it was memorable
relate to human experience