Tuesdays With Story: A Reflective Writing Project

Project Overview
This project will engage students in three tried and true methods to achieve
wisdom: asking questions of ourselves, asking questions of those who have been
there before us, and taking time to write down our reflections. Life is full of
paradoxes. For example, many adults say that teenagers are nave orjust don't
understand, yet we often rely on them to help us navigate technology
advancements and social media culture. We are also advised to trust the wisdom
of the elderly, yet many of our most experienced individuals are secluded in an
environment where their knowledge and wisdom is isolated from the masses. It is
time to bridge this gap and recognize the timeless value of generations, young
and old.
Project Duration
Anywhere from 4 weeks to a semester!
Essential Questions
What can I/or others learn from my personal life journey?
What can I learn from the personal life journey of a more experienced
human being?
How can consistent reflective writing and drafting increase my confidence in
writing, in art, and in myself?
Objectives
To examine your personal history, past events, tragedies and triumphs that
have shaped who you are.
To explore and learn from the life and legacy of an experienced human
being.
To develop writing skills, share writing pieces, and participate in a writing
peer response group.
To develop artistic technique, commission drawings, and participate in art
peer response group.
Final Products
Personal Vignette: Throughout this project you will write about different
periods, events, moments from your life thus far. You will then select an
experience to submit for publication.
Brookdale Place Video Interview: You and your partners will film and edit an
interview of a Brookdale Place resident to capture the story of his or her life.
This DVD will then be gifted to the resident/resident's family.
Artistic Drawing/Abstract Art Piece: After taking a photograph of your
assigned Brookdale Place resident, you and your partners will complete two
art pieces. One will be a drawing/sketch of the resident and the other is an
abstract piece that is inspired by something you learned about the resident
in your interview.
Soundtrack: During the interview with your resident you will discover the

music that they enjoyed throughout their life time and create a soundtrack
to their lives. This CD will then be gifted to the resident/resident's family.
Design a memorableTuesdays with Story exhibition that honors the lives
of Brookdale Place residents!

Habits of Heart and Mind

Significance, Perspective, Evidence, Connection, Supposition, Self-Advocacy,
Integrity, Cooperation, Intellectual Curiosity, Unlimited Potential
Common Core Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.2.B, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.2.C , CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.2.D, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.1112.2.E, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.4, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.5, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.6, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.1112.10

Challenge Option Ideas

Complete an additional My Life Story Project for an elderly member of your family.

Sunday

Monday

Tuesdays with Story

Tuesday
Wednesda Thursday
y

10

11

16

23

12

13

Friday

Saturday

14

15

Rough
EDITING
Cut Due!

EDITING
21

17

18

19

20

EDITING

EDITING

Revision
EDITING
with
Narrative
Arc,
initial
Supportin
g
Materials
and sound
due!

EDITING

24

25

26

27

28

THANKS-

GIV-

ING

BREAK!

:)

22

29

30

December 2
1
Final
Draft
Due!

10

11

12

13

Revision/E Revision/E Revision/E Revision/E Revision/E

xhibition
xhibition
xhibition
xhibition
xhibition
Prep
Prep
Prep
Prep
Prep
14

15

16

17

18

19

20

Tuesdays
with Story
Exhibition!
Tips to get started!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/karl-a-pillemer-phd/why-should-we-listen-toold-people_b_1207996.html
http://www.aliveinside.us/#trailer
http://www.amazon.com/30-Lessons-Living-AdviceAmericans/dp/1594630844
http://advantahomecare.net/east-vs-west-how-we-treat-our-elderly
http://theweek.com/article/index/246810/how-the-elderly-are-treatedaround-the-world
There's an irony behind the latest efforts to extend
human life: It's no picnic to be an old person in a youthoriented society. Older people can become isolated,
lacking meaningful work and low on funds. In this
intriguing talk, Jared Diamond looks at how many
different societies treat their elders -- some better,
some worse -- and suggests we ...
http://www.ted.com/talks/jared_diamond_how_societies_can_grow_old_better
As we expect more from technology, do we expect less from each other?
Sherry Turkle studies how our devices and online personas are redefining
human connection and communication -- and asks us to think deeply about
the new kinds of connection we want to have.
http://www.ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_alone_together

Brainbow Time!!
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Need External Microphones
Research on the area, the formative years, living through.
Get birthdate, timeline,
Involve children, chapters,
Project Logs
Interview their own grandparents
Exhibition Ideas:
Museum exhibit, music playing on the side
Have students make their own music
artifacts on display from the residents lives
Gallery is accessible
immersive?
How can we put the audience in that perspective of the resident?
Moments in their life, maybe reconstruct the moment, if a photo is
sitting in the front yard, have students become part of the exhibit
Put something from that time (newspaper/photography), that matches
the music, *elderly people are filled with information. It's fascinating
that they were there.
Questions connected to the elderly person's answer, while students are
acting out what is happening as it is being narrated. Really interesting
story from the each decade.
Multifaceted and all actions.
Have someone singing the song from the era.
Script going into the nursing home because elderly people can ramble.
Limit them. Price of bread, what they paid for their car.
More relevant to interview an elderly is person. Practice on both.

Stepping out of their comfort zone, talking to someone new.

Pull out common threads of how things were during certain time periods.
Immersive. *Life Lessons
Better to interview family afterwards, mistakes allow them to learn, if
they are developing empathy...don't worry they will be front loaded with
as well.
Crackerbarrel- Books that say what happened the days that people were
born.
Not everybody likes to talk about WWII, be sensitive to what people are
willing to discuss.
Videos, timeline, one with chapters so they can skip ahead of back. Plug
in the history. Select a certain event.
Look at context, commonality, similar monumental moments, what are
the key themes, pull those clips, artifacts, music, focus on events rather
than individual stories.
How do we show them off?
Museum, timeline, audiovisual ten main events
Documentary, visuals,
Pick 8 moments that were crucial and focus on those.
Artifacts- the story tells the story
Pick a moment that really hits home
Means more if the person chooses the moment, audio of that moment
playing,
artifacts
Invite seniors