Finally posting writing assignment 1 of 2

The text I have chosen to use  is “The Moustache” written by Robert Cormier.

As a reader I want my students to:

• notice the the emotion of the narrator
• question what will happen next
• infer opinions about the characters
• connect the situations in the story to their own lives
• feel the story strike a chord within
• challenge students to assess what is “wrong” and “right”

While reading as writers, I want my students to:

• notice and examine the use of irony in the story
• observe the authors use of sentences, and the structure of the text
• notice word choice
• look at sentence openers and notice something about them to use in their writing later.

Assignment:

Students will be assigned a writing assignment to practice some of the noticing they did as readers and as writers for the story “The Moustache”

• Instructions:
• In the story “The Moustache”, the narrator was faced with a dificult decision-a decision he didn’t want to have to make. In the end he chose a decision that would change his life forever. Please compose a 2-3 page well developed composition on a time you were forced to make a difficult decision that changed your own or someone elses life. In your composition, please be sure to use what you learned from the mentor text “The Moustache” including a case of irony. Please use well constructed sentences and a variety of sentences openers (at least 7 different openers). For one of your paragraphs, select a paragraph from “The Moustache” and using it as a strict mentor piece, mimic a paragraph of your own to be constructed in a parallel fashion. (Asterisk the paragraph in your writing and also the one in the mentor text so I know which ones to look at)

Rubric:

Finished product meets criteria for sentence openers:   4 (needs work)  3(average)  2(satisfactory)  1(well done)

Finished product consists of well developed, complete sentences : 4(needs work)  3(average)  2(satisfactory)  1(well done)

 Finished product is reflective of stated asssignment topic:  4(needs work)  3(average)  2(satisfactory)  1(well done)

Finished product is appropriate length: 4(needs work)  3(average)   2(satisfactory)  1(well done)

Student successfully used a paragraph as mentor text to craft a similar paragraph of their own in their composition: 4(needs work)  3 (average)  2(satisfactory)  1(well done)

This assignment fits into an overall unit that focuses on decisions, responsibility and coming of age. It is created for 9th grade students. In encouraging students to write for expression and about their own lives, students are able to find commonalities between text and real life. By applying their studies of literature to their own lives, students are better equipped to make decisions and be responsible for their choices inside and outside of the classroom.