Irish Immigrants Coming to America

 

Graded Assignment

Your Voice Project

This document provides an overview of the tasks and time line for completing this assignment.

Assignment Instructions

In this unit, you will learn about some of the different American experiences of individuals, families, and groups or communities in the second half of the twentieth century.

As you work through the lessons in this unit, you will examine your own American experience. You will complete a writing assignment that expresses or explains what being an American means to you and how America and its core values have influenced your life. You may write about your individual American experience, the experience of your family, or the experience of the group from which you derive your cultural heritage and identity. You may choose to write a short story, an article, or a memoir.

Process

You should always use a process for your writing that includes planning and drafting. To complete this assignment, you will do the following:

  • Review the assignment instructions and grading criteria thoroughly. The writing assignment you complete in this unit will be graded against a rubric that assesses the product in five categories. These categories address the purpose; ideas and content; structure and organization; language, word choice and style; and sentences and mechanics of your project.
  • Read the rubric on the last page of this document. Keep the criteria listed on the rubric in mind as you complete the writing assignment.
  • Define what being an American means to you and how its core values have influenced your life.
  • Decide on a subject for your writing that reflects your beliefs about being an American. You may wish to focus on yourself, your family, or the group from which you derive your cultural heritage and identity.
  • Identify the best format for your writing.
  • Develop a plan for gathering information and organizing your opinions in the most effective way possible.
  • Gather research and conduct interviews as necessary.
  • Create an outline for your writing.
  • Begin drafting your project, using your outline as a guide.
  • Review and revise your first draft. You should try to have another person read your work and give you feedback as part of your revision process.
  • Write the final draft of your project. Follow these requirements and recommendations when completing your draft:

Open a new Microsoft Word document. Type your name and the date at the top of your document. To help your teacher know from whom the project came, save the file as:

ENG303/ENG304_S2_11_Unit Project Assignment_Name_FirstInitial_LastName.docx

Example: ENG303/ENG304_ S2_11_Your_Voice_M_Smith.docx

Type your project in the document you create.

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Time Line

You will complete this project over the course of this unit.

Task Start Complete
Print and review assignment instructions. (Lesson 1) Day 161 Day 161
Decide on a subject. (Lesson 2) Day 162 Day 162
Decide on a format and purpose for your assignment.
(Lesson 3)
Day 163 Day 163
Gather research and conduct interviews as necessary.
(Lesson 4)
Day 164 Day 166
Create an outline for your assignment. (Lesson 7) Day 167 Day 167
Write a first draft of your assignment. (Lesson 8) Day 168 Day 168
Complete writing and begin revisions. (Lesson 10) Day 170 Day 170
Submit your final draft for a grade. (Lesson 12) Day 172 Day 172

Grading/Point Values

Assignment Point Value: 200

Required Final Draft Length

Short Story: 2–4 pages (700–1,300 words)

Article: 2–4 pages (700–1,300 words)

Memoir: 2–4 pages (700–1,300 words)

Writing Assignment Grading Rubric

Your essay will be evaluated based on the rubric below.


Criterion 5 4 3 2 1
Purpose The written assignment completely fulfills its purpose of communicating the student’s expression or explanation of the American experience and America’s core values. The written assignment partially fulfills its purpose of communicating the student’s expression or explanation of the American experience and America’s core values. It may lack focus on a telling experience, or it may not focus one of the three possible topics. The purpose of this written assignment is not entirely clear.The writing provides some explanation of the student’s American experience but does not communicate specific ideas about the impact of this experience or its connection to America’s core values. The written assignment does not fulfill its purpose because it does not express or explain the student’s understanding of the American experience. It may address more than one of the three subject options or fail to take into consideration the student’s understanding America’s core values. The written assignment does not use one of the four format options presented and does not include information or opinions about the student’s American experience.
Ideas and Content The written assignment contains insightful explanations and examples of the student’s American experience and the importance in the student’s life of America’s core values. The student has effectively used one of the four format options to present the information. The written assignment contains explanations and examples of the student’s American experience, but some points remain unsupported, or the student does not connect his or her experience to America’s core values. The student has used one of the four format options to present the information fairly effectively. The written assignment explains a little about the student’s American experience, but the connections between this experience, America’s core values, and the student’s life are unclear and undeveloped. The assignment may not use one of the four format options effectively. The written assignment does not offer a clear explanation or expression of the student’s American experience or does not connect the student’s experience to his or her understanding of America’s core values. The assignment does not make correct use of one of the four format options. The written assignment includes no reflection on or expression of the student’s American experience or the influence of America’s core values on the student’s life and does not conform to one of the four format options.
Structure and Organization The writing assignment follows a clear and logical structure appropriate to the format the student has chosen. Articles reveal an underlying outline and clear thesis statement; short stories and memoirs use chronological organization; and poems have a structure that leads readers to the poem’s theme. The writing assignment follows a somewhat logical structure appropriate to the format the student has chosen. Articles include a thesis statement followed by supporting main ideas; short stories and memoirs use mostly chronological organization; and poems have a structure that helps readers understand the poem’s theme. The writing assignment follows a structure appropriate to the format the student has chosen but may lack clarifying transitions or may present some information in a disorganized manner. Articles include a thesis statement that is somewhat supported by main ideas; short stories and memoirs use chronological organization but may have events out of order; and poems lack a clear structure that helps readers understand the poem’s theme. The writing assignment does not use a structure appropriate to the format the student has chosen. The student may have blended the structure of an article and memoir, for example, or have attempted to write a literary essay instead of an article, short story, memoir, or poem. Articles lack a clear thesis statement and supporting main ideas; short stories and memoirs do not use chronological organization; and poems lack structure and fail to communicate a theme. The student has not chosen one of the four format options in which to present his or her information. The written assignment cannot be categorized as an article, short story, memoir, or poem.
Language, Word Choice, and Style The writer uses effective, compelling language to express key ideas. He or she considers purpose, audience, and tone in language and word choice. Articles are written in a formal tone and include factual detail; short stories and memoirs incorporate elements of fiction writing such as character development and language that builds and then resolves the conflict; poems use poetic devices such as figurative language and imagery. The writer uses effective language to express key ideas. He or she usually considers purpose, audience, and tone in language and word choice. Articles are written in a somewhat formal tone; short stories and memoirs incorporate some elements of fiction writing; poems use some poetic devices. The writer’s language is occasionally compelling. The writer attempts to consider purpose, audience, and tone, but sometimes loses sight of one of these aspects and includes inappropriate language or wording. Articles may be written in an inappropriately informal tone and lack factual detail; short stories and memoirs may incorporate elements of essays or other nonfiction writing rather than elements of fiction writing; poems may lack poetic devices such as figurative language. The written assignment lacks compelling language. The writer does not consider purpose, audience, or tone and uses inappropriate language or wording. Diction and tone are not appropriate to the chosen format; fiction options lack elements of fiction writing such as language that builds and resolves the conflict. The written assignment’s language is often incoherent. The writer does not consider purpose, audience, or tone. The student misunderstands what kind of diction and tone are appropriate to the format option he or she has chosen.
Sentences and Mechanics Each sentence expresses a complete thought. In articles, there are extremely few errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics; those that exist do not impede understanding. In memoirs, short stories, and poems, fragments are used effectively; dialogue is correctly punctuated and formatted. Most sentences contain complete thoughts. In articles, there are few errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics; those that exist usually do not impede understanding. In memoirs, short stories, and poems, fragments are used effectively; dialogue is usually correctly punctuated and formatted in most instances. Sentences do not all contain complete thoughts. There are several unintentional and ineffective fragments and run-ons. Dialogue may not be punctuated and formatted correctly. Errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics sometimes interfere with the reader’s ability to understand. Many sentences are incomplete, and it is difficult to follow dialogue because of incorrect punctuation and formatting. Fragments are unintentional and ineffective. Errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics make the written assignment difficult to understand. Most sentences contain errors in structure. Dialogue, if used, is incorrectly punctuated and formatted. Multiple errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics make the written assignment difficult to understand.
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