Graded Assignment Your Voice Project This document provides an overview of the tasks and time line for completing this assignment.Assignment Instructions In this unit, you will learn about some of the different American experiences of individuals, families, and groups or communities in the second half of the twentieth century. As you work through the lessons in this unit, you will examine your own American experience. You will complete a writing assignment that expresses or explains what being an American means to you and how America and its core values have influenced your life. You may write about your individual American experience, the experience of your family, or the experience of the group from which you derive your cultural heritage and identity. You may choose to write a poem, a short story, an article, or a memoir.Process You should always use a process for your writing that includes planning and drafting. To complete this assignment, you will do the following: Review the assignment instructions and grading criteria thoroughly. The writing assignment you complete in this unit will be graded against a rubric that assesses the product in five categories. These categories address the purpose; ideas and content; structure and organization; language, word choice and style; and sentences and mechanics of your project. Read the rubric on the last page of this document. Keep the criteria listed on the rubric in mind as you complete the writing assignment. Define what being an American means to you and how its core values have influenced your life. Decide on a subject for your writing that reflects your beliefs about being an American. You may wish to focus on yourself, your family, or the group from which you derive your cultural heritage and identity. Identify the best format for your writing. Develop a plan for gathering information and organizing your opinions in the most effective way possible. Gather research and conduct interviews as necessary. Create an outline for your writing. Begin drafting your project, using your outline as a guide. Review and revise your first draft. You should try to have another person read your work and give you feedback as part of your revision process. Write the final draft of your project. Follow these requirements and recommendations when completing your draft: Open a new Microsoft Word document. Type your name and the date at the top of your document. To help your teacher know from whom the project came, save the file as: ENG303/ENG304_S2_11_Unit Project Assignment_Name_FirstInitial_LastName.docx Example: ENG303/ENG304_ S2_11_Your_Voice_M_Smith.docx Type your project in the document you create.Time Line You will complete this project over the course of this unit. Task Start Complete Print and review assignment instructions. (Lesson 1) Day 161 Day 161 Decide on a subject. (Lesson 2) Day 162 Day 162 Decide on a format and purpose for your assignment. (Lesson 3) Day 163 Day 163 Gather research and condu ...

1. Graded Assignment
Your Voice Project
This document provides an overview of the tasks and time line
for completing this assignment.Assignment Instructions
In this unit, you will learn about some of the different American
experiences of individuals, families, and groups or communities
in the second half of the twentieth century.
As you work through the lessons in this unit, you will examine
your own American experience. You will complete a writing
assignment that expresses or explains what being an American
means to you and how America and its core values have
influenced your life. You may write about your individual
American experience, the experience of your family, or the
experience of the group from which you derive your cultural
heritage and identity. You may choose to write a poem, a short
story, an article, or a memoir.Process
You should always use a process for your writing that includes
planning and drafting. To complete this assignment, you will do
the following:
Review the assignment instructions and grading criteria
thoroughly. The writing assignment you complete in this unit
will be graded against a rubric that assesses the product in five
categories. These categories address the purpose; ideas and
content; structure and organization; language, word choice and
style; and sentences and mechanics of your project.
Read the rubric on the last page of this document. Keep the
criteria listed on the rubric in mind as you complete the writing
assignment.
Define what being an American means to you and how its core
values have influenced your life.
Decide on a subject for your writing that reflects your beliefs
about being an American. You may wish to focus on yourself,
your family, or the group from which you derive your cultural

2. heritage and identity.
Identify the best format for your writing.
Develop a plan for gathering information and organizing your
opinions in the most effective way possible.
Gather research and conduct interviews as necessary.
Create an outline for your writing.
Begin drafting your project, using your outline as a guide.
Review and revise your first draft. You should try to have
another person read your work and give you feedback as part of
your revision process.
Write the final draft of your project. Follow these requirements
and recommendations when completing your draft:
Open a new Microsoft Word document. Type your name and the
date at the top of your document. To help your teacher know
from whom the project came, save the file as:
ENG303/ENG304_S2_11_Unit Project
Assignment_Name_FirstInitial_LastName.docx
Example: ENG303/ENG304_
S2_11_Your_Voice_M_Smith.docx
Type your project in the document you create.Time Line
You will complete this project over the course of this unit.
Task
Start
Complete
Print and review assignment instructions. (Lesson 1)
Day 161
Day 161
Decide on a subject. (Lesson 2)
Day 162
Day 162
Decide on a format and purpose for your assignment.
(Lesson 3)
Day 163
Day 163
Gather research and conduct interviews as necessary.

3. (Lesson 4)
Day 164
Day 166
Create an outline for your assignment. (Lesson 7)
Day 167
Day 167
Write a first draft of your assignment. (Lesson 8)
Day 168
Day 168
Complete writing and begin revisions. (Lesson 10)
Day 170
Day 170
Submit your final draft for a grade. (Lesson 12)
Day 172
Day 172Grading/Point Values
Assignment Point Value: 200Required Final Draft Length
Poem: at least 15 lines
Short Story: 2–4 pages (700–1,300 words)
Article: 2–4 pages (700–1,300 words)
Memoir: 2–4 pages (700–1,300 words)
Writing Assignment Grading Rubric
Your essay will be evaluated based on the rubric below.
English | Graded Assignment | Your Voice Project
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Criterion
5
4
3
2
1
Purpose

4. The written assignment completely fulfills its purpose of
communicating the student’s expression or explanation of the
American experience and America’s core values.
The written assignment partially fulfills its purpose of
communicating the student’s expression or explanation of the
American experience and America’s core values. It may lack
focus on a telling experience, or it may not focus one of the
three possible topics.
The purpose of this written assignment is not entirely clear.The
writing provides some explanation of the student’s American
experience but does not communicate specific ideas about the
impact of this experience or its connection to America’s core
values.
The written assignment does not fulfill its purpose because it
does not express or explain the student’s understanding of the
American experience. It may address more than one of the three
subject options or fail to take into consideration the student’s
understanding America’s core values.
The written assignment does not use one of the four format
options presented and does not include information or opinions
about the student’s American experience.
Ideas and Content
The written assignment contains insightful explanations and
examples of the student’s American experience and the
importance in the student’s life of America’s core values. The
student has effectively used one of the four format options to
present the information.
The written assignment contains explanations and examples of
the student’s American experience, but some points remain
unsupported, or the student does not connect his or her
experience to America’s core values. The student has used one
of the four format options to present the information fairly
effectively.
The written assignment explains a little about the student’s
American experience, but the connections between this
experience, America’s core values, and the student’s life are

5. unclear and undeveloped. The assignment may not use one of
the four format options effectively.
The written assignment does not offer a clear explanation or
expression of the student’s American experience or does not
connect the student’s experience to his or her understanding of
America’s core values. The assignment does not make correct
use of one of the four format options.
The written assignment includes no reflection on or expression
of the student’s American experience or the influence of
America’s core values on the student’s life and does not
conform to one of the four format options.
Structure and Organization
The writing assignment follows a clear and logical structure
appropriate to the format the student has chosen. Articles reveal
an underlying outline and clear thesis statement; short stories
and memoirs use chronological organization; and poems have a
structure that leads readers to the poem’s theme.
The writing assignment follows a somewhat logical structure
appropriate to the format the student has chosen. Articles
include a thesis statement followed by supporting main ideas;
short stories and memoirs use mostly chronological
organization; and poems have a structure that helps readers
understand the poem’s theme.
The writing assignment follows a structure appropriate to the
format the student has chosen but may lack clarifying
transitions or may present some information in a disorganized
manner. Articles include a thesis statement that is somewhat
supported by main ideas; short stories and memoirs use
chronological organization but may have events out of order;
and poems lack a clear structure that helps readers understand
the poem’s theme.
The writing assignment does not use a structure appropriate to
the format the student has chosen. The student may have
blended the structure of an article and memoir, for example, or
have attempted to write a literary essay instead of an article,
short story, memoir, or poem. Articles lack a clear thesis

6. statement and supporting main ideas; short stories and memoirs
do not use chronological organization; and poems lack structure
and fail to communicate a theme.
The student has not chosen one of the four format options in
which to present his or her information. The written assignment
cannot be categorized as an article, short story, memoir, or
poem.
Language, Word Choice, and Style
The writer uses effective, compelling language to express key
ideas. He or she considers purpose, audience, and tone in
language and word choice. Articles are written in a formal tone
and include factual detail; short stories and memoirs incorporate
elements of fiction writing such as character development and
language that builds and then resolves the conflict; poems use
poetic devices such as figurative language and imagery.
The writer uses effective language to express key ideas. He or
she usually considers purpose, audience, and tone in language
and word choice. Articles are written in a somewhat formal
tone; short stories and memoirs incorporate some elements of
fiction writing; poems use some poetic devices.
The writer's language is occasionally compelling. The writer
attempts to consider purpose, audience, and tone, but sometimes
loses sight of one of these aspects and includes inappropriate
language or wording. Articles may be written in an
inappropriately informal tone and lack factual detail; short
stories and memoirs may incorporate elements of essays or
other nonfiction writing rather than elements of fiction writing;
poems may lack poetic devices such as figurative language.
The written assignment lacks compelling language. The writer
does not consider purpose, audience, or tone and uses
inappropriate language or wording. Diction and tone are not
appropriate to the chosen format; fiction options lack elements
of fiction writing such as language that builds and resolves the
conflict.
The written assignment’s language is often incoherent. The
writer does not consider purpose, audience, or tone. The student

7. misunderstands what kind of diction and tone are appropriate to
the format option he or she has chosen.
Sentences and Mechanics
Each sentence expresses a complete thought. In articles, there
are extremely few errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics;
those that exist do not impede understanding. In memoirs, short
stories, and poems, fragments are used effectively; dialogue is
correctly punctuated and formatted.
Most sentences contain complete thoughts. In articles, there are
few errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics; those that exist
usually do not impede understanding. In memoirs, short stories,
and poems, fragments are used effectively; dialogue is usually
correctly punctuated and formatted in most instances.
Sentences do not all contain complete thoughts. There are
several unintentional and ineffective fragments and run-ons.
Dialogue may not be punctuated and formatted correctly. Errors
in grammar, usage, and mechanics sometimes interfere with the
reader's ability to understand.
Many sentences are incomplete, and it is difficult to follow
dialogue because of incorrect punctuation and formatting.
Fragments are unintentional and ineffective. Errors in grammar,
usage, and mechanics make the written assignment difficult to
understand.
Most sentences contain errors in structure. Dialogue, if used, is
incorrectly punctuated and formatted. Multiple errors in
grammar, usage, and mechanics make the written assignment
difficult to understand.