Vignette Assignment: What’s In A Name? English 1CP

50 point assignment Mamangakis & Hajjar

September 18, 2015

A name is just a word. And yet it’s more than just that. Names have feelings, memories, meanings, and histories associated with them. We can find meanings for our names in dictionaries, but again, our names are more than that. Our names contain our families, our pasts, our feelings, our memories, our dreams. When we explore our names, we are exploring ourselves and our identities.

Objective: Write a vignette exploring your name, using “My Name” by Sandra Cisneros as a model.

Requirements:

· Begin your vignette with an interesting title and hook (an opening that captures your reader’s

attention).

· Capture the factual definitions, personal associations (familial, historical, etc.), and individual traits or

meanings of your name.

· Use vivid sensory imagery. Include original similes and metaphors.

· Briefly and thoughtfully reflect about the relationship between your name and identity at the end of

your vignette.

· Polish your piece: Check your diction (word choice), spelling, and punctuation.

· Length: No more than one page, double spaced, size 12 academic font.

Check Points / Period 2 Due Dates / Period 3 Due Dates
Full draft of your vignette on the Google doc you’ve shared with Ms. M & Ms. H. / Monday, September 21 by class time / Tuesday, September 22 by class time
Submission of your final draft to TurnItIn.com / Friday, September 25 by 8:00am / Friday, September 25 by 8:00am

If you are unsure how to start or structure your vignette, we suggest the following:

1.  Title

2.  Hook

3.  Facts about your name

4.  Definitions & meanings of your name

5.  Associations you have with your name

6.  Feelings about your name

7.  Reflection on the relationship between your name & your identity

*Assignment adapted from Carol Booth Olson’s The Reading/Writing Connection.

“My Name” Vignette Rubric

Category / 4
Distinguished / 3
Proficient / 2
Needs Improvement / 1
Unsatisfactory
Ideas & Content
(x 5) / __ Insightful facts, feelings & meanings of your name. Insightful
associations with your name.
__ Thoughtful reflection on the relationship between your name & identity / __ Appropriate facts, feelings & meanings of your name. Appropriate
associations with your name.
__ Adequate reflection on relationship between your name & identity / __ Limited facts, feelings & meanings of your name. Limited associations with your name.
__ Superficial or little reflection on the relationship between your name & identity / __ Lacking facts, feelings & meanings of your name. Lacking associations with your name.
__ No reflection on the relationship between your name & identity
Written Expression
(x 5) / __ Vivid sensory imagery
__ Creative and original similes & metaphors
__ Engaging opening hook / __ Clear sensory imagery
__ Some creative similes & metaphors
__ Adequate hook / __ Attempted sensory imagery
__ Mostly cliché or confusing similes and metaphors
__ Unclear hook / __ Little to no imagery
__ Few, if any, similes & metaphors
__ No hook
Organization
(x 1.5) / __ Well-
organized vignette that flows fluidly for the reader. / __ Mostly organized vignette. Reader may have a bit of difficulty following the flow of the piece. / __ Somewhat organized vignette. Reader has difficulty following the piece’s flow / __ Lacks any sense of organization. Reader cannot follow the flow of the piece.
Mechanics & Grammar
(x 1) / __ Polished spelling & grammar. / __ Several minor spelling & grammar errors. / __ Many spelling & grammar errors that may interfere with reader understanding. / __ Many major spelling & grammar errors that seriously interfere with reader comprehension.