Write what you know, sound advice for any writer and something many famous authors are known to have done. Use these materials to explore how Shakespeare's life influenced his plays. This resource is packed with readings, video segments, and graphic organizers that will allow your class to gather and organize textual evidence on this subject, culminating in a written opinion piece. Although much of the resource focuses on Shakespeare and his play The Tempest, there is also a link to a website containing biographical information on a wide range of authors so you can adapt this lesson to the author and works of your choice. Note: See the Lesson Activities page for lesson procedure.