Personal Narrative Assignment, with rubrics

1. Personal Narrative
Project
Miss P.’s Identity Unit

2. Contents
What’s this project about?
Project components
Timeline
Rubric
Things to keep in mind

3. project about?

4. For the past few weeks, we have been
talking about identity – what influences
it, how it’s formed, and what role it
plays in our lives.

5. We’ve read, heard, and seen many
expressions of identity, across time,
geography, and form.

6. This project is your opportunity to
tell your story the way that you want.
You have read, listened to, and seen many
different formats of self-expression.
What have you learned about why authors
make choices about using certain formats?
What have you learned about identity?
What have you learned about yourself?

7. components

8. This assignment has four
components:
1. Personal narrative proposal
2. Personal narrative
3. Identity Exhibition
4. Reflection paper

9. This may seem like a lot, but I will be
helping you throughout each
component. In addition, you will be
helping each other.
This project builds on the hard work
you’ve been doing all year, so have
confidence! You’ll do great!

10. 1. Personal Narrative
ProposalIn this 3-page paper, you will identify the
format in which you want to create your
personal narrative. It is an opportunity for
you to think about what you want to say
about your identity, how you want to say it,
and why – using evidence from the texts
we’ve read, of course.

11. Personal Narrative
Proposal: Structure
I. The statement you’re making about your identity (who are you?)
II. The format you chose
I. Why you chose that format, citing examples of narratives we read during
this unit and how examination of those contributed to your decision
II. How this format will help you articulate what you want to say
about your identity
III. What you will hand in for your first draft assignment (structure,
length)
IV. Any questions you have or help you might need

12. Personal Narrative
Proposal: Rubric
Excellent Good Acceptable Room to
Grow
Unacceptable
Identity
statement
-Writer provides a clear
concept of identity for this
project
-Writer provides a
concept of identity
-Writer provides a
concept of identity
that is unclear or
unfinished
-Writer provides a
concept of identity
that is unclear or
unfinished
-Writer does not offer a
suggestion or even
question regarding her
identity
Argument -Thesis is clearly
articulated and presents a
comprehensive
understanding of course
concepts
-Main points support and
demonstrate thesis
-Course content supports
and enriches argument
-Thesis is clearly
articulated
-Most main points
clearly support
thesis
-Course content
supports and
enriches argument
-Thesis is articulated
-Some main points
clearly support the
thesis
-Thesis is vague
or incomplete
-Few main points
support the thesis
-Argument does
not include
examples from
course content
-No thesis
-Incomplete argument
-Examples from
course content are not
included
Content -Uses examples from at
least 3 unit readings to
support thesis
-Proposes a narrative
format
-Identifies
questions/concerns
-Uses examples
from at least 2 unit
readings to support
theses
-Proposes narrative
format
-Identifies
questions/concerns
-Unit readings do
not connect to /
support thesis
-Proposed narrative
format
-Identifies 1
question or concern
-Unit readings are
not including
-Narrative format
unclear
-No questions or
concerns included
-No unit readings are
referenced
-Does not propose a
narrative format
-No questions or
concerns included
Quality --Writing is free of
grammatical and
punctuation errors
-Writing needs
minor grammatical /
punctuation
-Writing needs
grammatical /
punctuation
-Writing has
multiple
grammatical /
-Writing is rife with
errors, incomplete
sentences,

13. 2. Personal Narrative
You’ve spent weeks examining how people
have chosen to express their identities.
Now, it’s your turn.
In the format of your choosing, tell the story of who
you are. Consider questions such as, “Who am I?”
“What has shaped me?” “What communities do I
identify with?” “How is my identity affected by my
environment/culture/experiences?”

14. Personal Narrative :
Structure
This structure is entirely up to you. You may choose to write a
poem or an essay, perform a spoken word piece or dance, or
something else entirely. What matters is that it feels authentic to
you, and that you have provided me with a clear argument as to
why that form is the one you choose (in your Personal Narrative
Proposal).
Here are some things to consider to get you started:
• What forms that we looked at resonated with you?
• What elements of your story do you want to prioritize (e.g.
facts or emotions)? Which forms allow you to do that?

15. Personal Narrative: Rubric
Excellent Good Acceptable Room to
Grow
Unacceptable
Effort -Narrative has gone
through multiple revisions
-Narrative shows growth
from proposal
-Writer has chosen a
format that pushes his /
her capabilities
-Narrative has gone
through revisions
-Narrative shows
growth from
proposal
-Narrative is
complete
-Narrative is
incomplete and
unpolished
-
-Narrative is not
submitted
Quality -Narrative is polished
(regardless of format) –
edited, presented cleanly
and with care
-Narrative is
polished (regardless
of format)
-Narrative is mostly
polished
-Narrative has
errors and
indicates lack of
editing
-Narrative is
unpolished, full of
errors, and messily
presented
Content -Narrative shows a deep,
nuanced understanding of
identity, reflecting ideas
and concepts we have
explored throughout the
unit
-Narrative shows an
understanding of
identity, reflecting
ideas and concepts
we have explored
throughout the unit
-Narrative shows an
understanding of
identity
-Narrative does
not reflect the idea
of identity, or
ideas and
concepts we have
discussed in class
-Narrative is unrelated
to assignment

16. 3. Identity Exhibition
Now that you’ve created your personal
narrative, I want to give you an opportunity to
share it.
Our class will present and display our identity
work to classmates, family, and friends at the
end of the unit.

17. Identity Exhibition :
Structure
It’s up to you to choose how you want to
present your work; due to the personal
nature of this assignment, you may choose
to share only one element of your narrative
or reflection paper, or talk about your
process.

18. Identity Exhibition : Rubric
This assignment is graded purely on
participation.

19. 4. Reflection Paper
You can take a breath here; this reflection
paper is designed to help you – and me –
understand what you’ve learned in this unit.

20. Reflection Paper: Structure
It will be a journal entry of 3-4 pages. There
is no formal structure; instead, I want you
think about the following questions:
• Has your conception of your identity
changed?
• What will you remember about this work?
• What lessons will you take forward?

21. Reflection Paper: Rubric
This assignment is graded purely on
participation.

22. Things to keep in mind
• This project is about you. You are the experts on
your own identities, and I want to learn from your
expertise.
• This project includes choice about how you want
to do certain elements. You get to decide the
format that’s best for you.
• This may seem overwhelming, but I know you
are capable of doing it. You will have help from
me and from your classmates.