Museum of Me Teacher Guide
6th-7th Grade Creative Writing
Museum of Me Teacher Guide
Teacher Resource
This multi-day creative writing project lets students curate their own virtual museum gallery, selecting 3-4 personal "artifacts" (hobbies, traits, or memories) and writing brief exhibit descriptions (labels) for each, capped with a visual display case art component.
Daily 55-Minute Lesson Outlines
Day 1: Gallery Launch & Artifact Selection
55 Mins
15m: Hook! Introduce the "Museum" concept. Share a teacher-modeled display shelf.
20m: Guided brainstorming. Look at word banks categorizing artifacts (e.g., Objects, Memories, Talents).
20m: Student brainstorming in planning packet. Choose 3 primary "artifacts" to curate.
Day 2: Drafting Exhibit Labels (Descriptions)
55 Mins
10m: Review selected artifacts. Introduce "Curator Labels" (short histories/explanations).
15m: Step-by-step teacher modeling. Draft an exhibit label with visual guides and word bank helpers.
30m: Independent drafting. Students complete structured planning guides with sentence starters.
Day 3: Final Catalog Writing
55 Mins
10m: Move to final catalog booklet. Set neatness and layout expectations.
35m: Final writing phase. Students write descriptions onto their final catalog page. focus on spelling accommodations.
10m: Peer check-in. Students read one artifact name and detail to a partner.
Day 4: Showcase Art & Museum Exhibition
55 Mins
25m: Art component. Students draw their artifacts onto the display case template.
20m: Gallery Exhibition Walk. Students leave booklets open on desks with post-it review sheets.
10m: Wrap up. Collect catalogs for descriptive assessment of writing progress.
Dyslexia Support & Accommodations
Spelling & Transcription
Prioritize content and ideas over absolute spelling accuracy. Encourage phonetic approximations (e.g., "trezhur" for treasure). Provide a visual word bank card with spelling helpers. Text-to-speech option is encouraged if writing blockages occur.
Reducing Cognitive Load
The **museum exhibit card layout** acts as an intuitive graphic scaffold. By isolating each artifact into its own distinct, bordered box, students feel less overwhelmed by a continuous blank page, making the writing task digestible.
The Museum of Me Project • Page 1 of 2
6th-7th Grade Creative Writing
Explicit Instruction Script
Teacher Script
Instructional Note: For students with dyslexia, instructions must be explicitly taught and modeled visually. Do not assume understanding of "how to structure exhibit labels." Model the entire thinking process aloud!
1. Hook & Introduction (Day 1)
Teacher says: "Think of a museum. It is filled with fascinating artifacts—like ancient swords, rare space rocks, or classic paintings. Each item has a story. Today, you are the curator of your own museum: the Museum of Me. You are going to choose 3-4 personal artifacts that represent your personality, hobbies, and strengths."
Teacher says: "Look at this sample. Rather than writing a long essay, we are going to write a highly organized gallery catalog with short, descriptive labels. Each item has its own box, making it simple and clean to read and write."
2. Modeling Artifact Labels & Titles (Day 2)
Teacher says: "Let's model a gallery label. I love building things with tools, reading historical books, and I have a very calm personality. I want to represent this with a symbolic artifact. I'll name Artifact 1: 'The Golden Hammer of Patience.' Watch how I draft the description label on the board."
Artifact 1: The Golden Hammer of Patience
This artifact represents my love for building models and working with my hands. It represents my calm personality because patience is needed to let things dry.
Teacher says: "Notice how I write down spelling helpers on the board as we go. If I'm stuck on spelling 'patience,' I can write 'p-a-t-i-e-n-s' first, verify with my helper sheet, and keep writing. Focus on getting your awesome ideas on paper!"
3. Launching Independent Work & Scaffolding (Day 2-3)
Teacher says: "Open your Gallery Planning Packets. Page 1 has our Artifact Brainstorm sheet, complete with a spelling list to give you ideas. Your first job is to choose **3-4 artifacts** that tell your unique story."
Teacher says: "I will walk around with spelling assistance. If you have trouble writing a word, say it aloud to me and we will build it together on a sticky note. Let's start curating our museums!"
The Museum of Me Project • Page 2 of 2
Museum of Me Planning Packet
NAME:
DATE:
PERIOD:
The Gallery Brainstorm
Step 1: Choose your personal artifacts & plan your museum collection!
What artifacts represent your life? Read the helper word bank below to gather your "exhibits." Put a checkmark [✓] next to 3 or 4 words that best describe your hobbies, traits, or passions!
Spelling Helper Word Bank Use these words or ask for spelling help!
Creative / Artist
Determined
Energetic
Funny / Humor
Curious Mind
Kind / Helper
Daydreamer
Quiet / Calm
Loyal Friend
Step 2: Choose Your 3 Artifacts
Name three items (objects, trophies, or memories) that show off your selected traits!
Exhibit 1:
The
of Personality
Exhibit 2:
My Special
Symbol
Exhibit 3:
The Great
Artifact
Need Ideas? The Trophy of Soccer, My Sketchbook of Dreams, The Cozy Hoodie of Calm, The Comic Book of Jokes.
Museum of Me • Planning Packet • Page 1
Step 3: Draft Your Gallery Labels
Write down why each artifact is in your Museum of Me!
Sentence Starters These help you start your draft!
This artifact represents... It is in my museum because... This item shows that I am...
Exhibit 1 Label (Draft)
Write 1 or 2 sentences about why this artifact represents your first trait/activity.
Exhibit 2 Label (Draft)
Write 1 or 2 sentences explaining why this artifact is included.
Exhibit 3 Label (Draft)
Write 1 or 2 sentences to complete your gallery label drafts.
Museum of Me • Planning Packet • Page 2
Museum of Me Final Booklet
CURATOR NAME:
DATE:
PERIOD:
Museum of Me
A curated collection of artifacts, achievements, and unique personal histories.
Gallery Items
EXHIBIT 1:
EXHIBIT 2:
EXHIBIT 3:
EXHIBIT 4:
Write short artifact names like "My Lucky Soccer Cleats" here!
Exhibit Labels
Exhibit 01:
Exhibit 02:
Exhibit 03:
Write neat sentences explaining the historical value and personality behind each artifact.
Museum of Me • Booklet Page 1
The Exhibition Display
Art Component: Sketch your primary artifacts in the glass display case!
How do your exhibits look when they are displayed? Inside the detailed glass case below, draw and color your three artifacts. Include a small plaque or symbol to show why they are special!
Exhibit Hall A
Museum of Me • Booklet Page 2 (Exhibit Art)
