Remember: Writing Through Memory, Identity, and the Natural World

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Remember, by Joy Harjo and illustrations by Michaela Goade, is an invitation to reflect on who we are, where we come from, and how we are connected to the world around us. Through Harjo’s poetic repetition and grounding language, readers are reminded that memory is not just something we recall—it is something we carry.

The text moves gently through reminders of connection: to the earth, to ancestors, to breath, to belonging.

This book encourages us to slow down, to listen inward, and to recognize that our stories are part of something larger. For writers, Remember becomes an entry point into reflective writing, where memory, identity, and observation can meet.

In this post, you can find…

• Tips for using this book as a mentor text for writing

• Ways to use the book with preschoolers, grades k-5, grades 6-8, grades 9-12, and for disciplinary literacy projects

• Journaling prompts linked to the book (including nature journaling)

• One grammar exercise to access grammar instruction

Remember

by Joy Harjo and Michaela Goade

US Poet Laureate Joy Harjo’s iconic poem "Remember," illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade, invites young readers to pause and reflect on the wonder of the world around them, and to remember the importance of their place in it.

Remember the sky you were born under,
Know each of the star's stories.
Remember the moon, know who she is.
Remember the sun's birth at dawn,
That is the strongest point of time.

So begins the picture book adaptation of the renowned poem that encourages young readers to reflect on family, nature, and their heritage. In simple and direct language, Harjo, a member of the Mvskoke Nation, urges readers to pay close attention to who they are, the world they were born into, and how all inhabitants on earth are connected. Michaela Goade, drawing from her Tlingit culture, has created vivid illustrations that make the words come alive in an engaging and accessible way.

This timeless poem paired with magnificent paintings makes for a picture book that is a true celebration of life and our human role within it.

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Using Remember as a Mentor Text

This mentor text is ideal for teaching repetition, structure, and reflective writing. Harjo models how a single word—remember—can anchor an entire piece, creating rhythm, emphasis, and meaning.

When reading Remember, notice how she:

• Uses repetition to build structure – The repeated phrase “Remember…” creates a steady rhythm and unifies the text

• Connects the personal to the universal – Individual experience is tied to nature, history, and shared humanity

• Builds meaning through accumulation – Each line adds another layer of understanding

• Uses simple language with deep impact – The words are accessible, but the meaning is expansive

As a mentor text, Remember shows that writing can be both simple and profound—that meaning grows through reflection and connection.

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Writing Prompt: “Remember…”

Open your notebook and begin with one word:

Remember…

Let your writing unfold from there. Write a series of lines or sentences, each beginning with “Remember,” or returning to the idea of memory and connection.

You might write:

• A memory from your childhood

• A place that feels important to you

• Something someone once told you

• A moment you don’t want to forget

• A connection to the natural world

Try to mirror Harjo’s style—repetitive, reflective, and grounded in meaning.

Sample Openings

• Remember the way the air felt just before it rained…

• Remember the place you return to in your mind…

• Remember something small that still matters…

• Remember who you were before you knew how to explain it…

This type of writing builds voice, reflection, and depth, helping writers connect personal experience to larger ideas.

Storymatic Rememory – Writing Prompts and Memory Prompts

Memory-based Writing Prompts: Used by memoir writers, poets, artists, and creative people around the world; These 230 cards can help you access memories to explore and share; Helps with writer’s block; Ideal for journaling; Great gift for writers

How to Use: It’s super easy: draw one Generation card, one Season card, one Prompt card, and let a memory come to you; Use by yourself or in a group; Includes ideas for non-competitive, memory-based storytelling games; Great gift for teachers

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From Stephanie’s notebook, 2026

Why This Works

Writing from memory invites both attention and meaning-making. When we pause to remember, we begin to notice patterns, connections, and moments that shape who we are.

Remember reminds us that writing is not just about describing what we see—it’s about understanding what it means.

Writing in this way helps us:

• Develop a stronger sense of voice

• Make connections across experiences

• Reflect on identity and belonging

• Build fluency through repetition

👉 Try it today: Write for five minutes beginning with “Remember…” and see where your thinking takes you.

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For Educators: Bringing Remember into the Classroom

Grades K–5

• Use the sentence stem “Remember…” to help students share personal memories

• Draw and label a memory before writing

• Create a class book: Things We Remember

• Practice oral storytelling before writing

Grades 6–8

• Quickwrite: “One memory that has stayed with me…”

• Study how repetition builds structure and meaning

• Write a series of “Remember…” lines connected by a theme

• Revise by adding detail or expanding one line

Grades 9–12

• Reflective writing: What does it mean to remember?

• Analyze how repetition shapes tone and purpose

• Write a piece connecting personal memory to a larger idea (identity, place, community)

• Experiment with structure: repetition, line breaks, pacing

Disciplinary Literacy Connections

Remember can extend across content areas:

• Science: Write about environmental connections or natural cycles

• Social Studies: Explore cultural memory, history, and storytelling traditions

• Art: Create visual representations of memory using color and symbolism

• ELA: Analyze repetition and structure in poetry and prose

Each activity reinforces that writing is a way to connect, reflect, and understand.

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Grammar Focus: Sentence-Level Craft

Skill Focus: Understanding Verb Tense (Past, Present, Future)

In Remember, verbs help us understand when something happened—what we carry from the past, what we know now, and what we are still becoming.

Teach students to notice:

• Past tense shows what has already happened

• Present tense shows what is happening now or what is true

• Future tense shows what is ahead or possible

Model Examples:

• Past: I remembered the stories my grandmother told me.

• Present: I remember where I come from.

• Future: I will remember who I am becoming.

Connect to the style of the text:

• I carried my family’s stories with me. (past)

• I carry my family’s stories with me. (present)

• I will carry my family’s stories with me. (future)

Have students:

• Start with a simple sentence stem (I remember…, I carry…, I believe…)

• Write the same idea in past, present, and future tense

• Notice how the meaning shifts depending on the tense

Student Examples:

• I walked through the forest with my family. (past)

• I walk through the forest with my family. (present)

• I will walk through the forest with my family. (future)

• I felt strong when I tried something new. (past)

• I feel strong when I try something new. (present)

• I will feel strong when I try something new. (future)

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Nature Journaling Connection

Remember invites writers to connect memory to the natural world—showing how what we see around us can hold meaning, history, and feeling.

Try this:

• Sit quietly indoors or outside

• Notice one small detail in your environment (a sound, texture, movement, light)

• Write from two layers:

  • What you see now

  • What it reminds you of

Student Examples (Observation → Memory):

• I see sunlight stretching across the floor. → It reminds me of early mornings at my grandma’s house.

• I hear birds calling outside my window. → It reminds me of walking to school in the spring.

• I notice the wind moving the trees. → It reminds me of the day we flew a kite at the park.

• I see rain hitting the sidewalk. → It reminds me of when I used to jump in puddles.

Or, try writing from two perspectives:

• “I remember…” (personal memory)

• “The world remembers…” (a broader, nature-centered perspective)

Student Examples (Dual Perspective):

• I remember sitting under this tree with my family.
  The world remembers every person who has rested in its shade.

• I remember picking flowers in the field.
  The world remembers each season they have bloomed and faded.

• I remember learning to ride my bike on this street.
  The world remembers all the wheels that have passed over it.

• I remember watching the ocean for the first time.
  The world remembers every wave that has reached the shore.

Additional Prompts for Reflection and Wellness

• What memories shape who I am today?

• What places feel like part of me?

• What do I carry that others cannot see?

• What do I want to remember more often?

These prompts support identity, grounding, and emotional awareness.

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Final Thought

Remember reminds us that writing is not just about recording the present—it is about honoring the past and making sense of who we are.

When we invite students to remember, we invite them to:

• slow down

• reflect

• connect

And in doing so, we help them discover that their experiences—and their voices—matter.

How would you use Remember in your classroom, home, and notebook?