Language Arts 9: Autobiography Endings

Writer's Journal Entry: If the world were going to end in one week, what would you do? What is on your "bucket list"?

Brainstorm common and cliched endings to movies, books, stories, etc.

Discuss common, overused endings to five-paragraph essays

Discuss cliched endings to autobiographies

Notes on strong conclusions

Handout: Read example of a strong ending to a memoir about place, Helen Blatt's "Returning Home."

Answer the following questions in 1-2 sentences each:

1. What did Blatt learn from her trip? Summarize this in a sentence or two on the bottom of the page.

2. How did she manage to convey this information without sounding cliché or overly sentimental? Explain this in another 1-2 sentences. 

Homework: Your "almost-final" draft of your environmental autobiography is due on Friday! Add a new conclusion based on today's information. Use my feedback on your draft to improve the organization, and make sure to avoid overused words!

Your final draft will be due on Tuesday.