Name ______Date ______Period ______
My Name Assignment (Due Tuesday, 9/4)
Step 1: Brainstorm
Write for a few minutes on a separate sheet of paper using the questions below as a guide:
◦ How did you come to be named?
◦ Who made the decision about your official name?
◦ What nicknames do you have?
◦ What names do you like or dislike and why?
◦ If you could pick out your own name, what would you select?
◦ How do you feel about your name?
◦ How do others respond to your name?
◦ Think about using the senses to describe your name: What might your name taste, smell, feel, look, and sound like?
◦ What emotions do you associate with your name?
◦ Look up the dictionary definition or the meaning of your name online
Step 2: Do a little research at home
Interview members of your family/guardians to find out additional details about your name. You can ask questions about why you were named as you were, what other names were considered, and who ended up picking out your name. You can also focus on your nickname instead of your given name if you so choose. The only requirement is that you either can interview someone who knows the story of how the nickname was chosen OR you were there when the nickname was chosen so you’re aware of the details of the choice.
Step 3: Compose a paragraph
Think about the way the speaker in the Cisneros excerpt discusses the meaning of her name. She employs imagery and simple but powerful metaphors to help the reader not only understand, but feel, the meaning of her name. She delves into specific details about her family that relate to the history behind her name, but also describes the ways in which she sees her name as a challenge. She closes the passage by providing the reader with a few examples of names that, in her opinion, seem more fitting for her character.
In 8-10 sentences, use your brainstorm notes, information from home, and stylistic ideas from Cisneros to help me understand the meaning behind your name. This is your opportunity to allow me to get to know you. Please don’t include anything that you wouldn't feel comfortable sharing in class.
Your paragraph needs to be typed, double-spaced, and must include a proper MLA heading and 1-inch margins. Like the Cisneros excerpt, your paragraph should be titled “My Name.”
Step 4: Decorate
Use the white space around your typed paragraph for a visual representation of your name. For example, Cisneros uses words like “sadness,” “muddy,” and “songs like sobbing” to build the meaning behind her speaker’s name. Consider how you might draw, or what pictures you might associate with those descriptors. Be creative (and appropriate)! This assignment is something that I want to display in the classroom J. No Clipart or random Google images, please.
Grading Rubric:
· 8-10 sentence paragraph that provides insight into student’s name ______(5 points)
· Proper format (typed, double-spaced, MLA heading, 1” margins, title) ______(5 points)
· Decorations are thoughtful and adequately illustrate student’s name ______(5 points)
Total ______/15