Senior English / Mr. Pfister
Values Paper
Due: 30% of the 1st Quarter Grade – double spaced
You are required to write a 4-6 page essay about your values, the values of a character in your biography or autobiography, the values of your peers and parents, the values of the school administration/staff and the values of the characters in the film that we watch as a class.
Part I. “Introduction of Self”
Introduce yourself and discuss your values. Discuss what makes you feel the way you do about certain issues (i.e. parental or peer influence), and how you react to people who do not hold the same values as you. End this section with a thesis statement that clearly states the point you will be trying to make through your analysis and comparison of yourself to the characters in the biography, and to your classmates, parents, school administration/staff, and to the characters in The Breakfast Club.
Sample thesis statement: “Through the analysis of real and fictional characters, as well as my classmates in Senior English, I have found that I share the value of integrity but differ in the value of family relationships.”
Part II. “Comparison of Yourself to Others”
A. Biography/Autobiography (or article Level 2)
Discuss the values of the main character from the bio/autobio you read. Introduce the main subject by giving a brief life summary, and then compare and contrast your similarities and differences in values to the person you have read about. Provide specific examples and details from the text. Use quotes from the text in this section.
B. Interviews of school staff/administration
Discuss the values of staff/administration taken from your live interviews. Provide the reader with types of questions you asked and what you were hoping to learn from them. Compare and contrast your similarities and differences in values to the interview subjects. Include as many direct quotes as possible.
C. Your Parents/Guardians/Other Adults in your lives
Discuss the values of your parents, guardians, and/or other adults in your lives. Provide the reader with types of questions you asked and what you were hoping to learn from them. Compare and contrast your similarities and differences to the interview subjects. Include as many direct quotes as possible.
D. Your classmates
Discuss the values of your classmates provided by material taken from your group interviews and an analysis of the survey completed in class. Provide the reader with types of questions you asked and what you were hoping to learn from them. Compare and contrast your similarities and differences to the interview subjects. Include as many direct quotes as possible.
E. Fictional Characters
Discuss the values of the main characters from the movie. Compare and contrast your similarities and differences in values to at least 2 characters
F. Nonfiction articles/Survey from class
Use any of the articles given or discussed in class to support your thesis. Be sure to quote them directly.
Part III. Conclusion
This is the place for you to tie everything together. Go back to your thesis statement and show that you have proven it in the last page of your paper. Discuss what you have learned about yourself, others, and society and your reactions to have you have learned.
You must include @ least 10 direct quotes from your sources
RUBRIC / VALUES PAPER – Level 1
I Introduction ______
10
II Body: Compare self to others
A. Subject of biography/autobiography ______
15
B. Fictional characters from film ______
Use @ least 3 characters 15
C. Interviews w/ school staff/admin. ______
Use @ least 3 15
D. Interviews w/ parent/guardian ______
Use @ least 1 10
E. Interviews w/ classmates ______
Use @ least 2 10
F. Information from articles, survey results ______
10
III Conclusion ______
10
IV Grammar/Mechanics/spelling ______
5
Don’t forget to include specific quotes from teachers, administration, parents, and peers.
RUBRIC / VALUES PAPER – Level 2
I Introduction-Contains information about the task of the assignment, the sources ______
WRITE THE SOURCES USED HERE 5
A . Thesis-one sentence that introduces the goal of the essay is present WRITE IT HERE ______
5
II Body: Each part compares self to source
A. Summary of biography/autobiography ______
1. Title and author given- WRITE THEM HERE 12
B. Fictional characters from film ______
1. Characters’ names used and examples are explained 12
2. Uses @ least 2 characters WRITE THEM HERE
C. Interview w/ school staff/admin. ______
1. Interviewee named and examples are explained WRITE IT HERE 12
2. Uses @ least 2 quotes
D. Interviews w/ parent/guardian ______
1. Interviewee named and examples are explained 12
2. Uses @ least 2 quotes
WRITE IT HERE
E. Interviews w/ classmates ______
1. Interviewee named and examples are explained 12
2. Uses @ least 2 quotes WRITE IT HERE
F. Information from news articles ______
1. Summary of Article and connection to self 12
Write one sentence which summarizes the article here
III Conclusion-Restates the thesis, explains what was learned and why this is important ______
8
IV Grammar/Mechanics/spelling ______
10
How many quotes are used throughout the entire paper?
Don’t forget to include specific quotes from teachers, administration, parents, and peers.