ELA10 - Spoken Language (2 credit), CSS, Seipp

Learning Target (Curricular Competencies): Transform ideas and information to create original texts.  Use writing and design processes to plan, develop, and create spoken language and other texts for a variety of purposes and audiences.

A personal narrative is an essay about personal experience that tells a story, so it is usually written in the first person. A personal narrative is a true story about something that happened in your life. You might share an exciting, surprising, or scary experience, like the time you went camping and saw a bear. Or you might share a moment when you learned an important lesson.

Task: 

Your project for this unit is to write a personal narrative that is based on a proverb.  Your goal is to prove (or disprove) the proverb based on a personal experience.

A proverb or adage is a simple and concrete saying, popularly known and repeated, that expresses a truth based on common sense or experience. They are often metaphorical.

Here are some common examples...

• A watched pot never boils
• If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong
• Actions speak louder than words
• Don't bite the hand that feeds you
• Necessity is the mother of invention
• Don't judge a book by its cover
• Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
• The grass is always greener on the other side of the hill
• A penny saved is a penny earned
• If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
• Good things come to those who wait.

OR  write an example of one of your own

 Step 1:  Generate Ideas

Before you begin planning your personal narrative, spend some time thinking about events (big or small) in your life that were meaningful or formative to you. It might be something you decided not to do and regret. It might be something you almost didn't do but are so glad you did. Maybe you learned something about yourself?

Step 2:  Connect one of your experiences to a proverb to SHOW how the proverb is true or not true.

Step 3:  Write the rough draft

Step 4:  Proofread and Edit.  See the checklist on Editing and Proofreading in Class Handouts

Step 5:  Write the final draft. 

 

Assessment:  Below you will find the exemplary criteria used to assess the assignment.  

Learning Target: (Exemplary 6/6): Exemplary comprehension of the task and clear accomplishment of the objective.  Student demonstrates exemplary personal narrative writing skills.  Final product demonstrates a thorough understanding of the format of the multi-paragraph composition.  There is a clear main idea that connects to one of the prompts.  Body is developed with engaging and convincing support.  The concluding idea makes a strong final statement of the main idea.  Student demonstrates exemplary use of descriptive language to convey emotion.

Ideas/Content: (Exemplary (6/6): Exemplary development of ideas.  Content contributes to the central idea and makes insightful connections.  Support is engaging and convincing. It is logically developed to show the main idea.  Accomplishes the purpose with originality, individuality, maturity, and sophistication.

Reflection and Insight:  (Exemplary (6/6):  Complex emotional connections and original ideas are included in a thoughtful response that includes specific example(s) of the student’s learning with connection to meaningful personal experiences.  Development and support indicate exemplary reflection and insight.

Written Expression:  (Exemplary (6/6):  Sentence structure and vocabulary are varied, skillfully written, and carefully chosen.  Work has been proofread and there are few or no errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar.  

Submission: 

Use the "3.6 PROJECT - Writing a Personal Narrative" link on the main page of this section of the course to upload your assignment to your teacher for marking.