First Body Paragraph Instructions, Rubric, Suggestions, and Example

Using the resources you have already found to complete your “Character Online Dating Profile”
you will write a narrative essay about the person you have chosen as if you are that person,
meaning it will be in first person such as I, we, me, us, my, mine, our, and ours.
Depending on the amount of information you provided in your “Character Online Dating Profile”
you may be required to seek out more information, which is completely fine. This document will
serve the purpose of the first body paragraph for your essay. This paragraph will need to be 6
sentences or more and will discuss the early life of your chosen person. You will need to
have your sources listed or linked at the end of your first body paragraph. Failure to do
so will result in a significant reduction of your essay not meeting the requirements. Listed
below is the rubric in which you will be graded for this first body paragraph.

Rubric 0 1 2 3

Grammar 6 or more 3-5 grammar 1-2 grammar 0 grammar

grammar errors errors errors errors

Spelling 6 or more 3-5 1-2 0 misspellings

misspellings misspellings misspellings

Punctuation No punctuation 3-5 errors or 1-2 errors 0 errors

more

Sentence 3 Sentences or 4 sentences or 5 sentences or 6 sentences or

Length less less less more

Resources No sources 1 source linked 2 sources 3 or more

linked or listed and/or listed linked and/or sources linked
listed and/or listed

Topics to consider covering in the first body paragraph:

Where did you grow up?

Any significant events that shaped your childhood?
What was it like growing up in your era (time) 1920s, 1960s, etc?
How were you treated by your family and friends as a child (pre-adulthood)?
Did you play any sports?
Did you have any hobbies?
Do you have any cherished memories from your childhood?
How was your relationship with your parents?
How was your relationship with your siblings?
What obstacles did you have to overcome at an early age?
What was your daily routine like as a child?
How was your educational upbringing?
Here is an example of the first paragraph of your narrative essay written by me (Mr. Marshall) as
Gordon Parks. This example is creative in nature, but rooted in the truth.

Life was no picnic for me growing up in Fort Scott, Kansas in the 1910s and 1920s.
Growing up poor the opportunities were limited for me, especially being a person of color
in those times. Poverty is something that I grew up knowing all too well. I was always
given the hand me downs from my brothers and sometimes even sisters. Being the
youngest of fifteen children there was no extra money for me to have new shirts, shoes,
pants, or even my own bed. Fort Scott was a place of segregation where the teachers
seemingly made it their mission to dissuade Blacks from attending college. Thinking that
we were destined to only be maids or porters working for the rich families or railroad
companies that frequently went through Fort Scott. Maybe I let that play in my head too
much because after momma died I quit school and headed to St. Paul, Minnesota to live
with an older sister. I think the trip there lasted longer than my stay. I have never been a
person to keep quiet about the things that bothered me, so my brother-in-law kicked me
out before my tea cooled down. It is funny how things seem to work out sometimes
although it didn’t seem like there were many blessings in my younger days. Things got
better the older I got.

Here are the sources that I used to create my first body paragraph narrative.
https://www.gordonparksfoundation.org/gordon-parks/biography#:~:text=Born%20into%
20poverty%20and%20segregation,himself%20how%20to%20use%20it.

https://www.notablebiographies.com/newsmakers2/2007-Li-Pr/Parks-Gordon.html

You may write your first body paragraph of your narrative on the next page DO NOT
forget to have your sources linked. A failure to do so will result in a drop of two letter
grades (12/15= 80%) at the least. It is best to use at least two sources.