MY LIFE IN SIX WORDS: BUILDING INCLUSION IN SHERNETT’S GRADE 7/8 CLASSROOM
I used this lesson last year with Grade 7 and 8 students. It was an in- stant hit! Students were intrigued about writing an autobiography in six words. In the age of Twitter and texting, students are becoming more experienced at communicating using as little text as possible. This activity is a great way to build inclusion by introducing students to each other and allowing them to write honestly about who they are. You can also have students create a video or use a photo story to
create six slides with their six words and attach a picture, if they wish. Students can present their words to the class and the completed activ- ity can be used to decorate the classroom. Who are you? What are you most proud of? How would you de- scribe your life to a stranger?
Background Everyone has a story to tell. Six words are all they need. That’s what editor Larry Smith discovered when he posted a six-
word memoir challenge on his website
smithmag.net in November 2006, asking readers to write their life story in precisely six words. Within the fi rst two months, the site received 15,000 replies. The best have been reproduced in a book that has become a bestseller, aptly titled Not Quite What I Was Planning. Read some of the examples that I have printed from the site with
your table group.
What do the six words tell you about the person? Consider the following:
• Male or female? • What age? • Any challenges? • Would you want to know this person? Why or why not? • Is this person’s life in six words inspirational?
Once you have discussed the examples with your group, it’s time to do some thinking and refl ecting.
Think About: • What are you most proud of? • What has brought you great joy in your life thus far?
• What role do your family, friends, pets, mentors play in your happiness or lack thereof?
• What goals do you have for the future?
Task: Using the paper provided, draft your autobiography in six words (no more, no less). Your work will be scattered around on the tables for your classmates to view. Use creativity and colour to add some fl air to your lettering. Have fun! To present or NOT to present . . . that is the question! If you are
comfortable sharing your work by presenting it in front of the class, please let me know.
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