
Fifty-Five Word Stories, and Six Word Memoirs A memoir is a story based on a personal memory. 55 Word Stories are told in just 55 words as writers carefully choose what to cut, and figure out what must be included to tell their story in a concise way. A six-word memoir is an impossible exercise trying to tell a story in only six words. That means you must choose your words precisely so your memoir has as much meaning as you can squeeze into those few words. It must be six words that hint at a much larger, more intricate story (i.e. Hemingway’s “For Sale: baby shoes, never worn”). Those six words point at a very interesting story. 1) Students wrote out a two page memoir of an event in their life that was important in shaping who they are. 2) They then wrote a one-hundred word draft of their story. 3) After studying many fifty-five word stories, students reworked their memoir into just fifty-five carefully chosen words over several revisions. 4) They then reworked that story into a few six word memoirs, each attempting to capture as much of the story's complexity as possible in only six words. After choosing one memoir to focus on they revised, revised, and revised, attempting to use the most specific words possible to get as much meaning into those six words as possible. 5) After revisions and final drafts were polished students presented their memoirs to their peers. They then took questions and accepted constructive criticism, then posted their final drafts to the classroom blog: http://andreeinstitute.blogspot.com/
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So Long by K. Kay "See you soon!" |
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Parties, Vacations, Bliss by O. Lanagan "It's a dog party!" Little me sat on the couch, reading Go Dog Go! without looking at the book. Go Dog Go! 365 vacations, bliss. |
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The Fighter by G. Silva I was very young when my mother left. I barely saw my dad. I blamed myself. As a result I hung out with unruly crowds. Many fights with raging anger. Joining M.M.A. helped me gain control of my furious temper. It positively changed my life. It improved my low self-esteem and transformed my aggression problem. Abandonment: the substance of a fighter. |
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Phelps: My Mentor by L. Machado “Step up! Take your mark! GO!” Famous Natator motivated young Phelps Phanatics!
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A Wonderful Failure by C. Vaitses My greatest dream. Working with Grammy. Frustrating rage. Money spent on canvas. Water used for clay. Few minutes of explanation leading this whole new aspect of creativity. A reflection of personality. Moments of success. Facing asperity along the way. Moments of failure. Frustration and relaxation, building up and letting go. More work yet to come. Mindless clay play turns to work.
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Unbalancing Act by K. Sethares At five, I got my first bike. Cousin Sheila taught my sister Jill and me to ride. Dad eventually took off the training wheels. Sheila would patiently hold up the bikes while we rode around the yard. I thought it was the best activity ever because it was the first thing I really practiced at. Unbalanced, Sheila teaches balancing act: biking. |
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Digging Myself a Grave by S. McIntyre In a hole upside down I reviewed options: die, be saved. Time was short water was rising. Darkness and my only hope was being noticed. Odds weren’t with me. Strong hands on my feet hope rushed through my veins. Saved. It was the closest I had come to death. Extensive therapy needed because of incident. Hole tried killing me. Therapy needed.
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Parachuter by M. Geldmacher People were jumping out of planes. I decided to try. I ascended the tree, jumped, hit the ground, and started screaming. Mom looking nervous called 911. Came home limp and on crutches from Toby Hospital. I learned not to be impulsive, and not to do anything thinking it’s easy. It also brought my family closer. Jumps. Falls. Lands on cold crutches.
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Clown by M. Despres Clown showed up and "helped" me with my candles, nose falling off in the process. Later, Clown jumped into my pool, his cheap make-up washing off, Horrifying everyone. I cried all night. Ever since clowns have always terrified me. Watching The Dark Knight didn't help. The crazy killer clown gave me nightmares. Joker wasn't funny. Catastrophic Clown: Fake nose, Genuine Tears.
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The Orlando April Vacation by K. Beauregard “Budump!” The car hit my leg. Diesel filled my nose as it stopped, backed up I saw the accessories: spinners, shiny orange paint, lambo doors, and a booming stereo being turned down. The windows rolled down, four Jamaicans jamming. Came up with some odd excuses. Now I always pay attention when out in the street. Car. Impact. Jamaicans jamming. Consequences paid. |
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Stick-to-itiveness by B. Costa "I'm afraid.""Afraid of what, you baby?" Kelly said. Back-handsprings. On beam. Crap. "Might miss my hands." Think more positively. Get up. Do it." Just 1… I did it. I lived. Intrepidity came through for me. Timorousness will never stop me again: on floor, beam, vault, or bars. Only the upside of things, no more down. Plucky stick-to-itiveness dawned in gymnastics future. |
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Death Lies by K.Medeiros “Nakida fell asleep under the maple tree and never woke up,” Mom said. I was five and didn’t know what death was so I felt guilty because she fell asleep under my tree. I’ll always have memories of those who passed, we have to move on and remember the impact they had on our lives. Under the maple tree, death lies.
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Punk'd by T. Gomes Punk'd! 10 years old short and stupid. Home plotting. Lighting tables on fire with Mom's candles. Grounded 24/7. "Talon get over here is heard no more. Talons creativity is on the rise. Thoughts of invincibility. I was wrong. I've learned to take a joke but also to retaliate. Always exciting. Effort is constant. Mom is more vigilant. Punk'd, pranked, bamboozled: All are appropriate. |
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Rio by J. Enos “Sold!” Raised Rio: Love, Trust, Happiness, Horsemanship. |
One drop of paint goes a long way. by S. Ribeiro Smack! A hand hits my face. Dripping with paint, my hand raises. Justin gets a mask of paint. A riot erupts. There's only two left. Aunt Nancy watches as we paint the exterior of the house. For once "Quiet Sarah" came out of her shell. Quiet Sarah's gone. It's like the paint never washed away. Saved by paint party. Goodbye introvert. |
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The Stomping of a Lifetime by K. Buler "Ouch!, The horse stepped on my foot!" It started when my mom signed up to be a horse instructor. This has a relationship to me because I was the one who got hurt. Today I still hate horses... That problem is never going to be solved. Affliction, enmity, and the dumb horse.
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Lack of Sunshine Makes More Than Skin Transparent by J. Smilan Friends galore, accepted into a prestigious arts school — 5th grade ended marvelously. Then, Mom accepted a job in Massachusetts. We traded sunshine for somberness, promise for perdition. I wore a cool facade and made acquaintances, but few friends. after a year of low self-esteem I decided to change. With superficiality and self-pity gone, happiness ensued. Hated who I wanted to be. |
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Swenglish by E. Goerges Mom was an American nanny in Sweden, met Dad, had me and Nick, then wanted to go home . Dad being Swedish and Mom being American is basically like living two different lifestyles. Celebrating Mid Summer and St.Lucia with Dad, and Thanksgiving and the 4th with Mom . My whole lifestyle is different , because my mixed parents. American/Swedish parents equals amalgam girl . |
Gymnastics = Life by H. Talty Energetic three- year old turned to gymnastics. The “Little Gym” closed, so I started at a new one. Competition season came in level four, I joined. Nervous excitement and new responsibility followed. After five years, I switched again. Longer practices, better coaches, new friends. In competition, I took gold. This Fall, new challenge: level eight. Baby tumbling turns into lifetime sport. |
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Choosing My Future by M. Downey Stang/ORR. Make a choice. Both good schools. Deciscion will reflect on my future. Brothers went to stang, didn't love it. Owen transferred. Stang: cousins, friends. ORR: more friends, brother. Many people didn't like stang: teachers, religion, but many did like ORR: teachers, well-organized schedule. This will have an impact on life. Choose carefully. ORR/Stang: Compare/Contrast. Choose carefully. |
Baseball Romance by N. Bergeron Forced into baseball and I was bad. Practiced hard but wasn't getting better. Coach picked me for little league. I played bench. Coach pushed me and at 13 my worked showed. I became a pitcher for an AAU team and wouldn't have without Coach. Through countless and relentless hours he taught me perseverance and dedication. |
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