1. Personal Memoire Story Elements: Organize the 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 – don’t 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 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.