First Semester Writing Portfolio

TASK: Revisit your journal and written assignments from first semester.

Select 3-5 pieces that you feel have the greatest potential, strongest voice, and/or most creativity.

Using these pieces as a springboard, consider what statement you want to make as a writer. What issue or theme do you want to tackle? What story do you want to tell? What genre do you want to explore?

Once you have a focus, spend some time revising your original pieces to shape them under this theme.

For each piece, consider its purpose (what point are you trying to make), your use of voice (tone, mood, language, etc.), and your use of sensory details.

Make sure all of your pieces are polished and free of errors. Comb over your sentences and words to make sure everything on the page is intentional.

Peer conference and conference with Mrs. Weaver about your choices. 

Your whole portfolio needs to be between 5-10 pages typed double spaced (minimum of 1500 words).

As always, written pieces can be any style including: poems, essays, letters, raps, narratives. Creativity is encouraged.

I recommend including an introductory paragraph to introduce the themes, style, or main questions your portfolio addresses.

Turn in both a hard copy and electronic copy of your portfolio to Mrs. Weaver (kfishman@columbia.k12.mo.us) no later than, Monday, December 19^th, 2011

Scoring Rubric:

40-35 All written pieces are polished and free of errors. Writing is purposeful. Writing includes strong sensory details. Writer has established a distinct voice. Pieces are creative. The portfolio is intentionally put together thematically and/or stylistically. Writing meets all of the guidelines in terms of number of submissions and length.

35-30 Written pieces are polished and nearly free of errors. Writing is purposeful. Writing includes strong sensory details. Writer has a voice. Pieces are creative. The portfolio seems to go together. Writing meets all of the guidelines in terms of number of submissions and length.

30-20 Written pieces contain a few errors, but they are not distracting. Writing includes sensory details. Writer has a voice. Pieces are creative. The portfolio seems to be put together randomly. Writing meets most of the guidelines in terms of number of submissions and length.

20-15 Written pieces contain errors that may distract from the meaning. Writing includes few sensory details. Pieces are generic. The portfolio seems to be put together randomly. Writing does not meet the guidelines in terms of number of submissions and length.

15-10 Written pieces contain errors that distract from the meaning. Writing includes few sensory details. Pieces are generic. The portfolio is put together haphazardly. Writing does not meet the guidelines in terms of number of submissions and length.