Map of My Heart

Next week, your assignment will be to create a personal narrative essay about one topic that is special, important, and/or meaningful to your life.

Personal Narrative... Essay?

Personal Narrative writing is...

• Telling a story with vivid details, details, DETAILS!
• Based on an experience from the author's own life.
• Author reflects on a significant event or thing, maybe a life lesson

Before writing a personal narrative, however, we need to BRAINSTORM ideas about
things which matter to us.

But we will also need to avoid getting LOST in an endless world of ideas.

We need a map.

Map of My Heart is an arts activity we will use to visually express this brainstorm.

What is a Heart Map?

• A list of things, people, places, experiences important to you... and only you!
• A source of story idea "seeds" you can use for creative writing
• A list of topics that will help you write passionately ("from the heart")

What is passionate writing?

• Vivid imagery
• Dialogue
• Inspiring language
• Powerful vocabulary
• Qualities which make an engaging and entertaining story!

But a Heart Map is not a list

• It is VISUAL ART that uses specific words and images, partitioned into sections, to describe what we consider special to our lives.

Examples

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Directions

STEP 1: BRAINSTORM

• Use the Heart Map Brainstorm form (or, on a blank sheet, write "Brainstorm".
• Make a list of at least 12 items that have had the biggest impact on who you are today, or that have strong significance.
• The THINGS, PEOPLE, PLACES, and EXPERIENCES that have shaped you.
• (Don't worry about neatness. You'll type your list into an online document later.)

What Kinds of "Items"?

• THINGS you do on your free time
• THINGS or objects that hold a special meaning (a flower, a stuffed animal, a piece of clothing, a photograph, a letter)
• PEOPLE you care about
• PLACES you have lived or visited
• EXPERIENCES, like an unforgettable event or memory

Guiding Questions

• What memories do you have stored in your heart?
• What people are important to you? Why?

More Guiding Questions

• What are some experiences or events you will never forget?
• What happy or sad memories do you have?

More ideas

• What things or objects are important to you? A tree in your backyard? A pet dog? A favorite shirt? Stuffed animal? Bicycle? Song?

STEP 2: SYMBOLS

• On the BRAINSTORM sheet, design a symbol for EACH item on your list.
• A symbol is a picture that represents an idea. (e.g., a FISHING POLE represents fishing for catfish with my grandfather.)
• DO NOT spend more than one minute on each symbol. (Don't overthink it!)
• DO draw one symbol for each item on your list.

STEP 3: DRAFT YOUR MAP

• Get a copy of the Heart Map (or draw an outline of a heart free-hand).
• Count the number of items on your list. You must create enough sections in your heart map for all the items on your list.
• You must create at least 12 sections.You can use straight, wavy, even puzzle-shaped lines to create sections.

Things to Consider About Sections

• Think creatively about where you want to place each item on your Heart Map, and the size and shape of each section.
• Most Heart Maps keep important people, places, things, and memories towards the center, where they are most visible
• Less important items can be kept on the outer areas of your Heart Map

STEP 4: COMPLETE YOUR MAP

• Using BLACK or BLUE pen, make your sections permanent by tracing over the sections you originally sketched in pencil.
• Use images and text to illustrate one section for each item on your list. Include the symbols you created for each item.
• Be creative! If you have colored pens, use them to add color to your map.

STEP 5: TURN IN YOUR MAP!

• Once you have completed your Heart Map (fully colored; no blank/empty sections), take a photo of it and attach it to the Google Classroom assignment.
• In the document titled "Brainstorm" (from the Google Classroom assignment), list your 12 items
• Submit BOTH documents (Heart Map AND Brainstorm) via Google Classroom!

More Examples

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Umm... Will this be graded?

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Questions?

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