Obituary Project

Mrs. Tweedy
You will explore creative writing
You will go through the complete writing
process

Purpose
An obituary is a piece of writing that is
published in the newspaper that
announces your death.
The goal of an obituary is to briefly
highlight a persons life and achievements.
It is generally written by family or close
friends.

What’s an obituary?
I know it sounds a little weird, but trust
me, you’ll enjoy this assignment.
It allows you to have some fun and be
creative in your writing.
It allows you to imagine how your life
might turn out.
It is supposed to be FUN!!

Why do I have to write an

obituary??
First,look at the newspapers that I have
given you.
Read through several obituaries with a
partner.
Make a list of 10 things you learned about
the person from their obituary.
We’re going to share your lists in about
10 minutes – be ready.

What you are going to do…

Now that you know what an obituary
looks like, it’s time to get started writing
your own.
Let’s look over the rubric and grading
criteria so you know what is expected.

Any questions before we move on?

What you are going to do…

You need to make a timeline of your life.
The events up until this year should be
factual (when and where you were born,
your family, etc.).
All the events from now until your death
are for you to decide. Make sure you list
dates and locations for major life events
(weddings, careers, travels, etc.).

What you are going to do…

You are going to use your timeline as a
guide to write your rough draft.
It is easiest to write your obituary in
chronological order – starting with your
childhood and working into adulthood.
This is a rough draft, just get your ideas
on paper. We can change or add
information later if you want to.

Writing your rough draft…

You need to edit and proofread your
paper several times. Use proofreading
marks when you make corrections.
Have two or three peers read and make
corrections to your paper as well.

Edit and Proofread…

Obituaries are written in columns, not as
a full page.
You can fold your paper if it helps you
stay in the column.
Final drafts will be handwritten and should
be error free.
Remember, you have to have a picture or
drawing of yourself attached to your
obituary when you turn it in.

Final draft…