An environmental autobiography is a personal history of the significant environments that have influenced one's life along with a description of how they have influenced it.

INSTRUCTIONS: Write an environmental autobiography that discusses the play ranges and significant physical environments of your childhood (birth to age 8). You do not have to include every single place you have experienced; just focus on the environments that were significant in your life. Your paper may include relevant photographs, sketches, and so on, and must be 4-5 pages long.

Your environmental autobiography must include:

a. a thorough description of your childhood play ranges and the factors that affected the extent of these play ranges; b. a description of the important physical environments you experienced as a child, e.g. the homes you lived in, child care or school facilities, community arena,parks, vacant lots, landmarks such as a bridge or tree or stream, hiding/secret places, etc. Be sure to describe the sensory aspects of these environments, e.g. sounds, smells, light. c. a description of your play experiences in these environments, e.g. What materials did you use? Were you alone? What games did you play? What did you create/pretend? d. a description of your emotional/psychological reactions to these environments, e.g. How did these places make you feel? What did they say to you? e. an explanation of how you think the spaces and places of your childhood influenced your development, positively and negatively. For example, did certain environments help you acquire specific skills, knowledge, and attitudes? How did certain places contribute to your social and emotional development, your sense of self, etc.? f. an explanation of how you think your childhood environments might still be influencing you today, e.g. Do you seek similar places today? Do you avoid certain places because of your childhood experiences? Did your childhood environments shape some of your adult interests, biases, values, preferences?