Year-end+reflective+writing+project

__**Project Overview:**__ During the third and fourth quarter, you will write a book, a book of memories. It will consist of your memories and thoughts from your life. You will be entering High School next year and this memory book will be a project you can look back on to see where you came from and where you thought you were going. Your finished book will be due May 6th or 7th. __**Book Format:**__ You have two choices on the format of you book. Regardless of which option you pick, you must have a cover (including your name and year), a dedication page, a copyright page, and a table of contents. We will then spiral bind your final book. For each option, you are welcome to scan in pictures once all other work is completed. **Option 1: Alphabiography** For this option, continue to record an event, person, object, or feeling associated with each letter of the alphabet. After the entry for each letter, sum up the stories and vignettes by recording the life lessons you learned from the events. Since this type of autobiography breaks out of chronological order, you can choose what has been important in your life. Each entry will be graded using the following rubric for a total of 21 points for each entry:
 * Reflective Writing Project**

3 points || 2-1 points || 1-0 points || The entry is titled and written correctly. || The entry is titled but not written correctly. || The entry is not titled. || The entry is 250+ words in length. || The entry is 200-249 words in length. || The entry is 199 words or less in length. || The entry has a life lesson that is clearly linked. || The life lesson is not clearly linked to the entry. || There is no life lesson written for the entry. || The grammar in the entry is correct. || There are five or less grammatical errors in the entry. || There are more than five grammatical errors in the entry. || The mechanics in the entry are correct. || There are five or less mechanical errors in the entry. || There are more than five mechanical errors in the entry. || The spelling in the entry is correct. || There are five or less spelling errors in the entry. || There are more than five spelling errors in the entry. || The entry has a header that includes your name, the date, and word count. || The entry has a header that includes your name but is missing the date or word count. || The entry does not include a header. || Your final book will be graded based on the number of entries you complete. A = 21-26 letters of the alphabet B = 16-20 letters of the alphabet C = 10-15 letters of the alphabet D and F = not an option The final completed book will be graded using the following rubric for a total of 35 points:

5-4 points || 3-2 points || 1-0 points || Used 21-26 letters of the alphabet. || Used 15-20 letters of the alphabet. || Used 10-14 letters of the alphabet. || Used 21-26 letters of the alphabet. || Used 15-20 letters of the alphabet. || Used 10-14 letters of the alphabet. || The final alphabiography is completed showing a lot of thought and hard work. || The final alphabiography is completed showing some thought and hard work. || The final alphabiography was quickly thrown together. || There is a copyright page written correctly. || There is an incomplete copyright page. || There is no copyright page written. || There is a dedication page in the alphabiography with no grammatical or mechanical errors. || There is a dedication page in the alphabiography, but it contains up to five grammatical/mechanical/spelling errors. || There is a dedication page in the alphabiography, but it contains more than five grammatical/mechanical/spelling errors. || The final product is organized in alphabetical order with a table of contents. || The final product has 1-2 errors in alphabetical order. || The final product has 3-5 errors in alphabetical order and does not contain a table of contents. || The final product was done and handed in on time. || The final product was handed in a day late. || The final product was handed in more than one day late. || **Option 2: My Book of Memories:** Your book of memories must include the following 10 chapters: Chapter 1: “Who Am I?” (Who are you? Where do you live? What are your life goals? How do you expect to reach these goals?) FIVE PARAGRAPH NARRATIVE ESSAY FORMAT Chapter 2: “Before I Was, There Were...” (Your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, older cousins, siblings, and anybody who may not be a relative but has helped to pave the way for you and your family.) LETTER FORMAT Chapter 3: “Suddenly, I Became Me” (Earliest memories: people, places, events, all those cute things that you did when you were tiny, that your mother, father, grandparents, or guardians tell you about.) FIVE PARAGRAPH ESSAY FORMAT (NARRATIVE OR DESCRIPTIVE Chapter 4: “School Bells” (Your earliest years in school -- K through 3 -- learning to read, special school programs, special teachers and friends, favorite subject) NARRATIVE POEM FORMAT  Chapter 5: “I Grew Up Here” (Describe your town, neighborhood, rural community) FIVE PARAGRAPH DESCRIPTIVE ESSAY FORMAT   Chapter 6: “My First Crush” (That first crush in elementary school) FAVORITE ORIGINAL POEM FORMAT   OR   “Let’s Go the the Movies” (Favorite movies at different times in your life: childhood and now) FAVORITE ORIGINAL POEM FORMAT  Chapter 7: “I Wish I Could See ______ Again” (Tell about a childhood friend that you have no contact with any more but would like to see again.) ANY FORMAT Chapter 8: “Middle School” (Fears, emotions, and how you have changed, teachers, friends, activities, successes, heartbreaks.) FIVE PARAGRAPH NARRATIVE ESSAY FORMAT Chapter 9: “Let’s Take a Vacation” (A memorable trip you took with family or friends or a trip you would like to take) NARRATIVE POEM -- 4 stanzas Chapter 10: “High School Expectations” (What do you expect High School to be like? What are your fears? What are you looking forward to the most? Where do you expect to be in 10 years? FIVE PARAGRAPH ESSAY FORMAT Each chapter in this format will be graded using a specific rubric for that type of writing. For the five paragraph essay format, rubrics from the school year will be used with point scales modified to equal a total of 40 points per entry. Narrative poems will be graded using the following rubric:

**8** || **6** ||  **4** ||  **2** || Word Choice || Writer uses vivid words and phrases that linger or draw pictures in the readers’s mind. || Write uses vivid words and phrases, but occasionally seems overdone or used inaccurately. || Writer uses words that communicate the clearly, but lacks variety punch or flair. || Writer uses a limited vocabulary that does not communicate strongly. || Sensory Images || Vivid, detailed images and intensely felt emotion. || Clear use of sensory images to portray ideas or emotions. || Some use of image, idea, or emotion. || Difficult to visualize image or emotion. || Grammar/Spelling || All grammar and spelling is correct. || Only one or two errors. || More than two errors. || Very frequent grammar/spelling errors. || Flow/Rhythm || All sentences sound natural. Each sentence is clear and has an obvious emphasis. || Almost all sentences sound natural. || Most sentences sound natural, but several are difficult to understand. || The sentences are difficult to read and distract from the overall meaning. || Poem Structure || Good understanding of poem structure. || Average understanding of poem structure. || Fair understanding of poem structure || Poor or no understanding of poem structure. || The final book will be graded using the following rubric for a total of 35 points.

5-4 points || 3-2 points || 1-0 points || All 10 Chapters completed in required format. || 8-9 Chapter completed in required format. || Less than 8 chapters completed using the correct format. || All 10 Chapters completed in required format. || 8-9 Chapter completed in required format. || Less than 8 chapters completed using the correct format. || The final product is organized according to chapters with a table of contents. || The final product is organized according to chapters but is missing the table of contents. || The final product does not have a table of contents. || The final book of memories is completed showing a lot of thought and hard work. || The final book of memories is completed showing some thought and hard work. || The final memories was quickly thrown together. || There is a copyright page written correctly. || There is an incomplete copyright page. || There is no copyright page written. || There is a dedication page in the alphabiography with no grammatical or mechanical errors. || There is a dedication page in the alphabiography, but it contains up to five grammatical/mechanical/spelling errors. || There is a dedication page in the alphabiography, but it contains more than five grammatical/mechanical/spelling errors. || The final product was done and handed in on time. || The final product was handed in a day late. || The final product was handed in more than one day late. ||