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by Sharon Blumberg

Here’s a prewriting activity I’ve used in my language arts classroom when students get tired of traditional book reports. I have students write a book about themselves. First, they answer the following questions to create an autobiographical character sketch. Later, each student can use his character sketch to create his “book” – which is the story of his life.

Questions to Create Autobiographical Character Sketches

If someone were to read a book about you, what would be the title? ________________________

List three interesting facts about yourself. ____________________________________________

What is your most important accomplishment at this point in your life? ____________________

Create a timeline of the most important events in your life.
______________________________

Please write a paragraph explaining how the world would be different without your life accomplishments, at this point in time? ______________________________________________

What kinds of hobbies and interests make you unique? __________________________________

What are the strength and weaknesses that make you unique? ____________________________

In what kind of setting would a story of your life take place? _____________________________

Who would be the major characters in your life story? __________________________________

What would be the plot and major conflict in your life story? _____________________________

What would be the climax and resolution of your own life story? __________________________

What point of view would your life story be told from? _________________________________