Writing a Memoir Assignment

Using the previous units writing exercises and prompts (i.e. the web assignment), write
about an event (a personal experience) and its consequences that had an impact on you
or someone you know. Use your writers notebook to pick a scene to write about. Try to
think about consequence not necessarily as a negative, but an instance that made you
pause or have to make sense of an experience. Be as specific as you can in describing the
event and its consequences or impact and use sensory and descriptive language we have
been practicing in class. Try to write so that a reader will see what you saw and feel what
you felt. Your paper should be at least 15 sentences (2-3 paragraphs).

Ideas/content

Includesaclearcentral
ideawithrelevantfacts,
supportingdetailsand
explanations
Establishes
welldevelopedcharacters,
situation/plot,POV,setting
andconflict
Usesmultiplesensory
details

Includesacentralidea
withrelevantfacts,
supportingdetailsand/or
explanations
Establishescharacters,
situation/plot,POV,
settingandconflict
Usessensorydetails

Includesacentral
ideawithlimited
facts,supporting
detailsand/or
explanations
Attemptsto
establish
characters,
situation/plot,POV,
settingandconflict

Lacksacentral
idea,butmay
containmarginally
relatedfacts,details
and/orexplanations
Lacksdevelopment
ofcharacters,
situation/plot,POV,
settingandconflict

Organization

Organizingstructureis
veryclearandincludes
paragraphsandeffective
transitionalwords/phrases
Hasa
thoroughlydeveloped
sequenceofeventsortime
orderthatstronglyengages
thereaderandmovestoa
powerfulconclusion

Organizingstructure
thatincludesparagraphs
andadequate
transitional
words/phrases
Hasasequenceof
eventsortimeorderthat
stronglyengagesthe
readerandmovestoa
conclusion

organizing
structureisweak
withaninconsistent
focus
Hasaminimum
sequenceofevents
ortimeorderthat
failstoengagethe
readerand/or
conclude

Organizationhas
noclearstructure,
focusorparagraphs
Hasweak
sequencesthatfail
toengagereaderor
conclude

Word
Choice/description

Usesextensiveprecise
andcreativeverbs,
adverbs,nounsand
adjectivesthatpainta
visualimage

Usespreciseand
creativeverbs,adverbs,
nouns,andadjectives
thatbegintopainta
visualimage

Useslimitedword
choiceand
descriptive
language

Usesdull,highly
repetitiveword
choicewithlittleor
nodescriptive
language

Conventions

Spelling,capitalization,
punctuation,paragraphing,
andgrammarareeffective
andmakethepapereasy
toreadandunderstand
Containsfewifanyerrors
inconventions

Spelling,capitalization,
punctuation,
paragraphingand
grammararemostly
correct
Errorsdontmake
writingdifficulttoread
anddontinterferewith
meaning

Spelling,
capitalization,
punctuation,
paragraphingand
grammarcreate
problemsthatslow
thereaderorcause
confusion
Containsfrequent
conventionerrors
thatarenoticeable

Spelling,
capitalization,
punctuation,
paragraphingand
grammarerrorsare
sonumerousthat
theymakethe
writingdifficultto
follow

Total__/__