This lesson plan and its extensions are designed to facilitate students' observations of art and then extend to an essay writing assignment. A follow-up writing unit will follow when my sophomores will write a memoir in which they incorporate their own growing up experiences and memories of hurt, frustration, loneliness, joy, and discovery. The best of these products will be submitted to the Scholastic Writing contest and will follow the word count/formatting guidelines dictated by the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards: http://www.artandwriting.org/. This collection was created in conjunction with the National Portrait Gallery's 2016 Learning to Look Summer Teacher Institute. TAGS: #NPGteach ; portrait; National Portrait Gallery