Alcatraz (autobiography curriculum + creative writing)

Here are two lessons I had great fun to teach with my year 7. All the pupils were particularly fascinated and engaged — they kept asking for more lessons.

It all started after a conversation we had about our latest travel (before COVID) and I talked about visiting Alcatraz.
Because the Y7 were doing autobriography then, I designed lessons that would fit the curriculum. Personal photographs I took are featured on some slides for authenticity purposes (which made the kids more riveted, no doubt)— however, feel free to delete and replace with Google images.

The writing task is also differentiated depending on ability group.

For those who enjoy full immersion and role playing (beyond visual and sound effects), I pushed the theme further by calling pupils “inmate + first name” when they answered questions (and they took the initiative to call me “Warden” in response).

I hope you and your classes will take as much pleasure as we did!