PERFORMANCE TASK 1

Directions: Write your own reflective essay. Write your answers on a separate sheet of
paper. The rubric that follows will be used to assess your output (20 points).

RUBRIC FOR REFLECTIVE ESSAY WRITING

Traits Very Good (4) Good (3) Fair (2) Poor (1)
Demonstrates a
conscious and Demonstrates
thorough Demonstrates little or no
Demonstrates a
understanding a thoughtful understanding
basic
Depth of of the writing understanding of the writing
understanding
Reflection prompt and the of the writing prompt and
of the writing
(x2) subject matter. prompt and subject
prompt and the
This reflection the subject matter.
subject matter.
can be used as matter. This reflection
an example for needs revision.
other students.
Uses specific
Uses relevant No examples
and convincing
examples from Uses examples from the text
examples from
the texts from the text to are used and
Use of the texts
studied to support most claims made
textual studied to
support claims in your in
evidence support claims
claims in your writing with your own
and in your own
own writing, some writing are
historical writing, making
making connections unsupported
context insightful and
applicable made between and irrelevant
applicable
connections texts. to the topic at
connections
between texts. hand.
between texts.
Uses stylistically Uses basic but
Uses language
sophisticated appropriate
that is fluent Uses language
language that is language, with
and original, that is
precise and a basic sense of
with evident a unsuitable for
engaging, with voice, some
sense of voice, the audience
Language notable sense of awareness of
awareness of and purpose,
use voice, audience and
audience and with little or no
awareness of purpose and
purpose, and awareness of
audience and some attempt
the ability to sentence
purpose, and to vary
vary sentence structure.
varied sentence sentence
structure.
structure. structure.
Demonstrates
Demonstrates
Demonstrates partial control Demonstrates
control of the
control of the of the little or no
conventions,
conventions conventions, control of the
exhibiting
Conven with essentially exhibiting conventions,
occasional
tions no errors, even occasional making
errors only
with errors that do comprehension
when using
sophisticated not hinder almost
sophisticated
language. comprehension impossible.
language.
.
 PERFORMANCE TASK 2
Directions: Critique the autobiography on pages 3-6. Focus on the effectiveness of
the written work to convey the life of the author and the strengths and weaknesses
of the entire output. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper. Use the
following rubric as basis on what to include in your critique (30 points).
RUBRIC FOR SCORING CRITIQUE PAPER

Highly Satisfactory Satisfactory Fairly Satisfactory

Traits
5 pts 3 pts 1 pt
Strengths and Strengths and Strengths and
weaknesses that are weaknesses that are weaknesses are
central to the article peripheral to the addressed weakly.
Critique / are addressed. The article are addressed. The discussion of
Content discussion of The discussion of strengths and
(x2) strengths and strengths and weaknesses take
weaknesses take up weaknesses take up up only a small
the majority of the the majority of the part of the
assignment. assignment assignment
Paper is well Paper is organized, Paper is not well
Organization organized, has a very has an intro, body organized in the
clear intro, body and and conclusion. The intro, body, and
 PERFORMANCE TASK 3
Directions: Construct your autobiography using the guide that you have
accomplished earlier. Write your autobiography on a separate sheet of paper. The
rubric that follows will be used to assess your output. (40 points)
RUBRIC FOR AUTOBIOGRAPHY WRITING
Very Good Good Fair Poor
Traits
(10) (8) (6) (4)
The The The
introduction introduction introduction The
is very is quite is not introduction
Introductory interesting interesting adequately is not at all
Paragraph and it and attempts interesting or interesting and
catches the to catch the the topic is it is poorly
attention of attention of vague to the constructed.
the reader. the reader. reader.
Most events
are in a
Most events The use of the
logical order
are placed in Some events are graphic
but some are
Body a logical missing and are organizer is not
either missing
(Sequence of order and not included in utilized properly
or in the
Events) keeps the the graphic to logically
wrong order
reader’s organizer. present the
and this
interest. events.
distracts the
reader.
 PERFORMANCE TASK 4

What to do
Write your own memoir. Your memoir should focus on the aspects of your
life that is meaningful to you. The following topics and ideas may help you get
started.
1. The Most Interesting Thing that Ever Happened to You
We all have some event or events in our lives that have stayed in our memory.
It could be that these events are those that define us, or changed our
understanding of ourselves. Maybe it was a road trip you took, the time you saved
someone's life, or someone saved yours. Look at what you consider the most
interesting or influential experience in your life. Did you learn something from it?
Do you have regrets about it? How did this event define you? How did it impact
your view of yourself or others?
2. Major Life Events
Think about the milestones in your life you have crossed. Explore the ways that
these major events have shaped your life. Have they changed your perspectives? If
so, how? If not, why?
3. What Makes You, You
Another angle to take to formulate ideas for your memoir is to think about the way
you define yourself. Imagine you were going to write a character sketch of yourself.
Think not just of your physical appearance, but the aspects of your personality.
When you try to define yourself, what comes to mind? Your family? Your friends?
What, if anything, do they tell you about yourself?
4. In Your Dreams
Have you ever found yourself revisiting some place from your past in your dreams?
Maybe you remember the sights, the smells, and the people you associated with
that time. Is this a time in your life that is still relevant to your present, or is it a
time you never thought about until you dreamt it? Use vivid descriptive language to
recount this time and what you take from it.
Requirements:
 A well-written 3-6 paragraph memoir with a strong lead and a strong conclusion.
 A creative and reflective title centered at the top of your paper with your name,
grade level and section centered under the title.
 Imagery and figurative language throughout your memoir should be present.
Show your story, don’t tell it.
 Review the requirements listed on your rubric.

22
2. Major Life Events
Think about the milestones in your life you have crossed. Explore the ways that
these major events have shaped your life. Have they changed your perspectives? If
so, how? If not, why?
3. What Makes You, You
Another angle to take to formulate ideas for your memoir is to think about the way
you define yourself. Imagine you were going to write a character sketch of yourself.
Think not just of your physical appearance, but the aspects of your personality.
When you try to define yourself, what comes to mind? Your family? Your friends?
What, if anything, do they tell you about yourself?
4. In Your Dreams
Have you ever found yourself revisiting some place from your past in your dreams?
Maybe you remember the sights, the smells, and the people you associated with
that time. Is this a time in your life that is still relevant to your present, or is it a
time you never thought about until you dreamt it? Use vivid descriptive language to
recount this time and what you take from it.
Requirements:
 A well-written 3-6 paragraph memoir with a strong lead and a strong conclusion.
 Typed in 12 point Arial or Tahoma font, double-spaced.
 A creative and reflective title centered at the top of your paper with your name,
grade level and section centered under the title.
 Imagery and figurative language throughout your memoir should be present.
Show your story, don’t tell it.
 Review the requirements listed on your rubric.
23
1-Needs
4- Excellent 3- Very Good 2-Satisfactory
Improvement
*Generally
*Somewhat
focused on the *Not focused
*Well-focused focused on the
topic on the topic
on the topic topic
*Some lapses *No clear
*Logical *Poor
in organization
Organization organization organization
organization *No transitions
*Excellent *Few
*Some *Difficult to
transitions transitions
transitions impossible to
*Easy to follow *Difficult to
*Usually easy follow
follow
to follow
Introductory Introductory
Introductory
paragraph paragraph No attempt is
paragraph
states subject attempts to made to state
clearly states
of essay but is state subject of the subject of
Introduction subject of essay
not essay but does the essay in an
and captures
particularly not capture introductory
reader's
inviting to the reader's paragraph.
attention.
reader. attention.
*Vague,
*Fairly
mundane
precise,
word choices
*Precise, vivid interesting *Very limited
*Wording is
and interesting and somewhat word choices
sometimes
Word Choice word choices varied word *Wording is
repetitive
*Wide variety of choices bland and not
*More
word choices *Wording descriptive
descriptive
could be more
words are
specific
needed
Essay includes
details that Includes
Includes Includes no
appeal to at details that
details that details that
Sensory least three of appeal to
appeal to only appeal to one
Detail the five senses fewer than
one of the five of the five
(taste, touch, three of the
senses. senses.
sound, sight, five senses.
smell).
Writer Writer uses
Writer may try
effectively uses one example Writer does not
to use simile,
simile, of simile, include simile,
Figurative metaphor, and
metaphor, and metaphor, or metaphor, or
Language personification
personification personification personification
but does so
to describe the to describe the in essay.
incorrectly.
subject. subject.
*Occasional
sentence *Frequent use
*Uses
*Uses complete fragment or of sentence
complete
sentences run-on fragments or
sentences
Sentence *Varying sentences*Sim run-on
*Generally
Fluency sentence ple sentences*Sent
simple
structure and sentence ences are
sentence
lengths structure is difficult to
structures
used understand
repeatedly
Conventions *Proper *Few errors of *Errors in *Frequent
grammar, grammar and grammar, errors in
usage usage usage and grammar,
*Correct *Mostly spelling usage, spelling,
spelling correct sometimes capitalization
Correct spelling, make and
punctuation punctuation understanding punctuation
 difficult
make
*Some errors
*Correct and understanding
in punctuation
capitalization capitalization difficult or
and
impossible
capitalization
*Voice is fairly
*Voice is fitting *Voice rarely *Voice is weak
clear and
for the topic comes through or
seems to fit
and engaging *Not always inappropriate
Voice the topic
*Well-suited for suited for *No sense of
*Suited for
audience and audience and audience and
audience and
purpose purpose purpose
purpose