Former President Barack Obama's first book is a modern day classic of a young person growing up in the USA with the dream of being the change needed in the world. Readers follow President Obama from his high school life in Hawaii to his life as a college student to his days as a community organizer in Chicago. He has truly lived an adventurous life. This autobiography was written after President Obama was elected the first Black president of the Harvard Law Review but way before he had a thought of running to be POTUS.  

In this four-week class, students will read, analyze and discuss the book as a piece of creative nonfiction. Many American students are learning creative writing; however, they are not bringing their creativity to nonfiction writing. (I am reading a lot of lackluster essays and paragraphs that are in desperate need of stylistic flair.)


WEEK 1: Chapters 1-5 
(optional reading: introduction and preface)
1) 30-min discussion; 5 min break 
2) 20-min Review Game: Bingo; 5 min break
3) 30-min Writing Workshop: Similes & Metaphors
HW: Long Paragraph#1 (DRAFT) : Descriptive

WEEK 2:  Chapter 6-10
1) 30-min discussion; 5 min break 
2) 20-min Review Game: TicTacToe; 5 min break
3) 30-min Writing Workshop: Descriptive imagery
HW: Long Paragraph#1 (FINAL ) : Descriptive

WEEK 3: Chapters 11-15
1) 30-min discussion; 5 min break 
2) 20-min Review “I SPY” Game ; 5 min break
3) 30-min Writing Workshop : Idiom & Quotes
HW: Long Paragraph#2 (DRAFT) : Narrative

WEEK 4: Chapters 16-19 & Epilogue 
1) 30-min discussion; 5 min break 
2) 20-min Review Game: Roll the Dices; 5 min break
3) 30-min Writing Workshop : Scene Writing (dialogue, setting, point of view) 
HW: Long Paragraph#1 (FINAL) : Narrative