Project Details
What determines an event in my life ‘significant’?
Why is writing about my personal life important?
What makes sharing my personal stories to others valuable?
Every 6th grade student has experienced many significant events so far in their lives. In this project, 6th graders will decide which of these events were most important in shaping the person that they’ve become today and will get to share them with your classmates and the school community!
Timeline (10 points): Students will create a visual timeline by hand on the outsides of their writing journal.
- Timeline must be in chronological order
- Timeline must contain images
- Timeline must contain written information about each event
Personal Narrative (10 points): Students will write a personal narrative about 1 of the events on their timeline. Personal narrative must include detailed information describing the event and why it was significant to your life.
*Personal Narratives will be displayed with the entire 6th grade team in the hallway on a giant timeline.
Presentation (10 points): Students will read their personal narratives aloud to their classmates and teammates in our closing storytelling ceremony.
Students will know:
- How to create a timeline of their own life.
- How to write a personal narrative.
- How to effectively tell a story to a small group of individuals.
Writing a Personal Narrative
Using figurative language (i.e. simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia, personification, hyperbole)
Benchmarks (Tentative)
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| 9/3/12
Project Launch & Brainstorm |
09/04/12
Collect Supplies |
09/05/12
Organize and construct Timelines |
09/06/12
Continue construction |
09/07/12
Continue Construction |
| 9/10/12
Start Personal Narratives |
09/11/12
Critique/Edit |
09/12/12
Critique/Edit |
09/13/12
Critique/Edit |
09/14/12
Finish Timelines and Personal Narratives |
| 9/17/12
Construct Wall Timeline |
09/18/12
Construct Wall Timeline |
09/19/12
Story Telling |
09/20/12
Story Telling |
09/21/12
End Project |
| 9/24/12 | 09/25/12 | 09/26/12 | 09/27/12 | 9/28/12 |
At the tail end of the project, students shared their personal narratives about a significant life event to a small group of classmates.
This is an image of the timeline that was created by both classes combined. The picture frames represent ages 3-12. The yarn connects each personal narrative to the age it connects with.
Example Journal Timeline
