That Frederick Douglass was a slave, Benjamin Franklin a printer, Maya Angelou a writer, and Anne Frank a brave young girl are facts well known; yet who are these people? If they were to visit us, what would they say, how would they say it, and why? This unit will answer these questions, while providing the opportunity for students to meet many interesting characters through the reading of their autobiographies and in person! Finally, the unit will provide models of writing styles for student autobiographies.
The unit will be divided into three sections, Section one will introduce students to autobiographical writing, section two will involve role playing, and section three will involve autobiographical writing by the students themselves based on their experiences in sections one and two. While focusing on different skills, the sections are closely related. The unit is intended for children in grade six or older and would be a part of the English program. The time allotted for the unit will be one marking period per section; the first marking period a reading unit, the second public speaking, and in the third marking period a writing unit. I would like to thank Richard Brodhead, Professor of English at Yale, for sharing many ideas with members of our seminar concerning selections which will be discussed within the unit.
