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Six-Word Memoirs boil complex ideas down to their essence.

By limiting the number of words available to student authors, the six word format encourages clarity and creativity, comprehensive understanding and concise communication. We like to think of the six word constraint as a box, and there are just two rules that apply to what you can put in that box: 1) A story that is exactly six words, 2) A story that is true and personal to the author.

Six-Word Memoirs pack a whole lot of meaning into an unintimidating, accessible package while getting to the heart of the matter. That’s why so many teachers have used Six-Word Memoirs to encourage students to mark special celebrations, commemorate important holidays, and celebrate other significant moments in the academic year.

Teachers have used Six-Word Memoirs to…

1.  Say farewell to a departing classmate
2.  Welcome a new student to the learning community
3.  Celebrate classroom holidays (Random Acts of Kindness Day, Valentine’s Day, Earth Day)
4.  Mark milestone moments (the end of a semester, the conclusion of an academic unit, the start of a new project)

Teachers have also used Six-Word Memoirs to engage students during commemorative months. One teacher invited students to write Six-Word Memoirs that summarized their experiences with stories and songs studied during Black History Month. Another asked her students to share six word predictions for the year ahead.

Here are just a few of the commemorative months teachers have celebrated with Six-Word Memoirs:

February Black History Month

March
Women’s History Month National Reading Month

May Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

September LatinX Heritage Month

October LGBTQ+ History Month

November Native American Heritage Month

If you’d like to further brainstorm about how to best commemorate a particular moment in your community using the six word format, our team would love to connect with you. Want to schedule an exploration call? View Our Calendar Here.

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