PLACE DESCRIPTION
11th Grade Composition
Assignment: In about 300 words, create a dominant atmospheric impression of one specific place.
---Requirements
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The title should include your place and atmospheric word in some form (At Home in Nana’s
Kitchen). Do not use the atmospheric word or its synonyms in the description.
First or third person perspective is fine.
Use a consistent tense; I suggest present tense.
Place descriptions are described spatially. Use Place Transitions to make description unified and
coherent ( above alongside, beneath, beyond, farther along, in back, in front, nearby, on top of, to
the left, to the right, under, upon…)
Feel free to describe or include the people in the place, but emphasize, above all, the PLACE
Grading Criteria
--Focus and Content
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Use imagery (sensory details) and vivid diction to recreate your place and its atmosphere. Be
CONCRETE and SPECIFIC
Show don’t tell. The room smelled foul==The room reeked of the dingy, unwashed socks and sweatstained jerseys that were abandoned and forgotten in the rusty lockers.
---Strong, active verbs
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You may use only TWO being verbs, and no more (am is are was were be been). Use action verbs:
The paint was dingy= The dingy paint peeled from the wall.
--Precise and creative word choice that reflects atmosphere
---Figurative language
Use three of types of figurative language (simile, personification, onomatopoeia, hyperbole, metaphor).
Remember that your figurative language should be original (not a cliché or common saying) and help create
your atmospheric impression.
Level 1: Try to use figurative language thematically, extending what you have rather than devising
new comparisons.
--Mechanics
We will address specific mechanical issues that arise in descriptive pieces (fragments, tense switching,
adjective punctuation)
Name:____________________________ Place Description
Criteria:
A
B
C
D
-Concrete imagery and
specific multisensory
details.
Use of multiple specific
details and multisensory
imagery.
A single dominant
atmospheric impression
is strongly conveyed and
the place is vivid and
clear
Clear picture of
place and its
atmospheric
impression are
conveyed through
sufficient detail
and imagery
Atmospheric
impression is not
fully clear or place
is not fully
described. Ideas
are general and
not fully
elaborated
Description
focuses on
multiple places or
conflicting
atmospheric
impressions.
-Sufficient length
35-32
31-28
Style
Impressive word choice
that is especially, vivid
and precise; figurative
language (3) is creative
and appropriate and
enhances the quality of
your description.
Many vivid and
precise words and
use of creative and
appropriate
figurative
language.
27-25
Some well chosen
words and pieces
of figurative
language used,
with room for
improvement in
originality or
vividness.
24-21
Word choice is
bland or
contradicts
atmospheric
impression;
figurative language
is missing or does
not convey the
atmosphere.
17-15
Unclear writing
with many
distracting errors
Focus and Content
-One place, one clear
atmospheric
impression
-Word choice
(especially strong
verbs)
-Figurative language
25-23
Mechanics
-punctuating adjectives
-consistent tense
-no fragments
-other basics
22-20
Generally clear
writing with only
one or two errors
in mechanics:
Clear writing with no
errors in mechanics
19-18
Awkward
sentences or three
or four errors:
7
10
Final Draft Total:________/ 70
9-8
6-0
Writing Process Grade:________/ 30
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Brainstorm 1 (list of places, 2 sentences each)
Brainstorm 2 (atmospheric impression chart)
Brainstorm 3 (final brainstorm for chosen place)
Draft
Peer review
_________________________
Reflection (below)
Explain how your description has changed since its original draft. What specifically did you work on or improve?
Which skills or techniques from this assignment do you want to keep in mind for future use: