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Writer's pictureJessica

Torn Paper Autobiography Lesson

This lesson focuses on the C of “communication.” It teaches kids how to tell their stories and memories. One of my favorite parts of the lesson was having kids share with their classmates. It’s best for 2nd grade and above!


Skills Understands and applies media, techniques, and processes related to the visual arts


What You Need: Construction paper in various colors, glue, copy paper, crayons

What to Do: Understanding one’s own life story is an important part of adolescence. Using colorful torn paper, students will make a self-portrait and then write an accompanying “life story.”

Steps:

  • Start by reviewing the elements of autobiography (one type of expository writing): speaking candidly about oneself, talking about important life events, and presenting ideas in a logical, often chronological, way.

    • Expository writing

      • Writing about a topic. Explain to the reader what you can inform them about.

      • Writing how to do something. Explain to the reader step by step how to do something.

    • Hook sentence -> general background information about topic -> thesis (what the paper will be about) -> main idea -> details -> conclusion

    • Biography: a true story about someone's life

    • Autobiography: the biography of a person written by that person.

  • Then, have students sketch their portraits on a sheet of construction paper.

  • After they’ve finished, hand out different-colored construction paper and have them tear the paper into small pieces.

  • Instruct students to glue the paper bits over their pencil drawings to create a torn-paper portrait.

  • Now it’s time to write their autobiographies. Remind students to write about important life experiences, putting events in chronological order. Have them end with positive predictions for their own futures.

  • They can then display their artwork and read their autobiographies to the class.





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