My Autobiography

Final Due Date: Friday, September 16th

This is a major, multi-assignment project & you must complete at least 9

assignments.
5 of the assignments are required:
Title Page & Important Poem
Letter of Introduction
Personal Metaphors
Time Capsule
Epilogue
However, you are free to choose the remaining 4 assignments from the following list:
1. Title Page & Important Poem
create a title page with a unique title that has meaning to you and your life.
we will go over and complete the poems in class.
2. Letter of Introduction
Write me a friendly letter introducing yourself!
Tell me what I should know about you.
Describe why you chose the title of your autobiography.
3. Whats in a Name?
Names are an important part of who we are. Are your names the ones you would
have chosen for yourself (first, middle, and last names)?
Is there a story behind your name ( named after someone famous, a family member,
do you have weird initials)?
Does your name have symbolic meaning?
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 Is it ethnic or historic or literary?

Do you know if your parents considered other names?
How do you feel about your name?
4. Likes & Dislikes List
Create two columns (one for likes and the other for dislikes).
List 10-15 specific items in each column.
Avoid naming specific classmates, teachers, and generalizing.
5. Room Sweet Room
We are territorial animals, instinctively seeking a place we can call our own. The
rooms we live in and how we decorate them can be as revealing of our personality as
the kind of clothes we wear.
Examine your own room and all the things that make it uniquely yours.
Describe your room.
List the things in it, and describe the feelings you have for your room and the items in
it.
6. Personal Metaphors
Make a list of metaphorical comparisons.
For example, think: If I were an animal, what animal would I be?
For each item, write the metaphor and then clearly explain the comparison.
Be realistic and honest, and be able to explain your choices. Dont say youre a rose if
youre really a daisy.
7. Symbolic Recipe
Write a symbolic recipe for yourself.
This does not mean that your ingredients are things like blood, bones, muscles, etc.,
but rather that they are abstract qualities and personality traits like patience,
friendliness and humour.
Think: what is really necessary to create me?
Follow standard recipe format: Make a list of ingredients and exact measurements,
followed by a paragraph of instructions, advice about the proper sequence of the
steps, and any tips or warnings.
8. The Ultimate All-Purpose Excuse
Just in case you are late to class some day which of course is very unlikely. Right?
Come up with an elaborate, exaggerated, fantastic excuse for yourself.
Be as creative as you can.

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 In a paragraph, convince your heartless Language Arts teacher that your excuse is a
valid reason for being late to class.
9. Unfinished Sentences
Complete each of the following sentences. You may elaborate if you wish. As always,
be specific.
I usually worry about
I feel angry when
Im moody when
Im happiest when
I feel confident when
I feel frustrated when
I am comfortable when
I feel nervous when
10. Telling Tales
Think back to memories you associate with family storytelling.
These are the ones you hear over and over every holiday or family gathering.
Maybe these tales are the legends that have given your family courage in hardship?
Maybe they are religious stories or goofy songs or true family history? Maybe they all
seem to be about what a bad kid you were?
Embarrassing, hilarious, or unbelievable, you will retell one story you remember as
part of your familys heritage or make up one you wish had been told. If you do make
up the story, please include a note saying this is the case.
11. In Other Words
Try expressing yourself through someone elses words.
Select at least five Quotable Quotations which express your philosophy of life.
Choose quotations which represent your thought on several aspects of life not only
love, but also faith, success, integrity, character, friendship, etc.
List the FIVE you have selected, including the attribution (who said it).
12. My Own List of Lists
Write the general title for each category and underline it.
Then list from 6 to 10 specific items under each category.
You may write in two columns to save space.
People who have influenced me
Things that worry me
Places that make me happy
Things I would like to know how to do
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Places I would like to go

Things that have moved me
Things in people which I like
Things in people which I dislike
Ideas that intrigue me
13. One Medium Suitcase
Imagine that you are leaving home forever, and you can only take what will fit in one
medium-sized suitcase with you.
Specifically, what will you take with you and why?
Explain in paragraphs.
14. The Perfect Present
Pretend that I have the ability to select the perfect present for each of you.
Its something youve always wanted, something youve secretly yearned for.
Its not a new car or designer jeans because theres a catch - the gift is intangible, or
abstract.
This means that you cannot perceive it with the five senses.
For example, you might want patience, self-confidence, intuition.
Tell me what the gift is, why its the perfect gift, why you need it, and how it will affect
your life.
15. Advice to the Young
Right now, based upon your experience, what practical information about life, living,
and growing up could you give to a new grade 6 student?
Think of this as lessons learned.
You can choose to write this as a letter, or in descriptive paragraph form.
If you chose to do this assignment, you may also decide to actually share your work
with the new grade 6 students. (You may remain anonymous if you would like.)
16. The Examined Life
Divide a sheet of paper in half.
On one side, list the best things about yourself.
On the other side, list your greatest faults.
Your good side must be at least as long as your bad side! Remember, like everyone
else in the world, you have a combination of traits.
17. As Time Goes Bye-Bye
Pretend you can see into your future, 10 or 20 or more years from now.
Describe at least five things you dream or wish for your future.
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 Try to be realistic and specific.

For example, I would love to win the lottery in my future, but it probably wont
happen, so it isnt very realistic.
Also, I would love to travel more, but that is too general. Saying that I would like to
visit Greece and Italy, however, is more specific.
18. Who Am I?
Everyone is a combination of many selves.
You play a variety of roles, such as student, brother or sister, friend, basketball player,
music lover, worker, reader, and the like.
Make a list of five nouns (a person, place or thing) that you would use to identify
yourself.
What does the list suggest about your view of yourself as a person?
Explain each role with one or two sentences.
Include at least one illustration (original work or photograph).
19. Time Capsule
In twenty years you will have forgotten most of the things that fill your life now.
What are the things about who you are now, what you enjoy and value, what you do
with your time, and so on, that you want to remember twenty years from now?
Imagine what will be important to your memory of yourself later on.
Write these things down in a note to the future you, and it will be put into a time
capsule that we will hide/bury as a class after biographies are marked.
Chose one item/photograph/drawing to put in your time capsule with your note.
20. Epilogue
Imagine that you are a complete stranger standing right beside the author of this
book (Yup, thats you of course.)
Pretending to be a stranger, write a very detailed description of you.
Remember, a stranger would not know anything about you except what they see.
It may help to look in the mirror or talk to a classmate, friend or family member to get
some other opinion.
But remember, your classmates, friends and family know you; they are not strangers!
Pay attention to the senses as you write your description. What do strangers see
when they look at you? What do they hear? Include things such as clothing textures,
colours, smells, etc.

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 Most assignments will be completed in class, but some may be homework.

You should revise and edit all of your assignments before completing them in final
form.
You may type your assignments, or neatly and clearly write them in a good copy.
Start every new assignment on a new page (The back of the page is fine.)
When writing in paragraphs, please double-space the assignments.
Unless specified otherwise, please feel free to be as creative as possible when
completing the assignments.
Dont forget to arrange your completed assignments in the order shown.
Your autobiography must be assembled like a book in a folder. It will be displayed in
the classroom library. If you are uncomfortable with this, please come talk to me before
beginning the assignment you are concerned about.
Requirements:
Each assignment must have title at the top of the page.
A thoughtful response to each assigned topic.
Edited and revised as necessary.
Neatly written or typed.
In order, according to the following checklist.
Numbered by assignment in the top corner of the page.
There will be least 9 numbered assignments (This includes the required ones.)
To earn extra credit, you may complete 2 additional assignments bringing the total to
11.
In order to receive full marks, please the follow directions, complete each
assignment, and pay attention to word usage, sentence structure, spelling,
capitalization, and punctuation.

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Use this checklist to keep track of which assignments you have finished and which ones
you still need to complete. This is also a handy reminder of the order the items should
be placed in your final autobiography. You must do all of the required items and 6
others.
Title of Autobiography ________________________________________________
_____ 1.
_____ 2.
_____ 3.
_____ 4.
_____ 5.
_____ 6.
_____ 7.
_____ 8.
_____ 9.
_____ 10.
_____ 11.
_____ 12.
_____ 13.
_____ 14.
_____ 15.
_____ 16.
_____ 17.
_____ 18.
_____ 19.
_____ 20.

Title Page & Important Poem

Letter of Introduction
Whats in a Name?
Likes & Dislikes List
Room Sweet Room
Personal Metaphors
Symbolic Recipe
Ultimate All-Purpose Excuse
Unfinished Sentences
Telling Tales
In Other Words
My Own List of Lists
One Medium Suitcase
The Perfect Present
Advice to the Young
The Examined Life
As Time Goes Bye-Bye
Who am I?
Time Capsule
Epilogue

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My Autobiography - General Rubric

Category

Content/Required
Elements

The
autobiography
includes all
required elements.

Many of the
required elements
are included in the
autobiography.

Most of the
written
requirements
were met, but
some were not.

Several required
elements were
missing.

Information is very
organized and
follows the
guidelines.

Information is
organized with
only a few
guidelines missed.

Information is
somewhat
organized but
not all guidelines
are followed.

The information
is not
disorganized and
does not follow
the guidelines.

Sentences and
paragraphs are
complete, wellconstructed and of
varied structure.

All sentences are

complete and
well-constructed
(no fragments, no
run-ons).
Paragraphing is
generally done
well.

Most sentences
are complete and
well-constructed.
Paragraphing
needs some
work.

Many sentence
fragments or runon sentences OR
paragraphing
needs lots of
work.

Essentially free of
mechanical and
grammatical
errors.

Some mechanical
or grammatical
errors.

Many mechanical
and/or
grammatical
errors.

A large number
of mechanical
and/or
grammatical
errors.

The
autobiography is
exceptionally
attractive in terms
of design, layout,
and neatness.

The
autobiography is
attractive in terms
of design, layout
and neatness.

The
autobiography is
done but it is a
bit messy.

The
autobiography is
distractingly
messy and/or
very poorly laid
out.

Organization

Sentence and
Paragraph Structure

Grammar

Overall Appearance

Total: _____ / 20
Comments:

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