Vignette Assignment: What’s In A Name?
50 point assignment
English 1CP
Mamangakis & Hajjar
September 18, 2015
A name is just a word. And yet it’s more than just that. Names have feelings, memories, meanings, and
histories associated with them. We can find meanings for our names in dictionaries, but again, our
names are more than that. Our names contain our families, our pasts, our feelings, our memories, our
dreams. When we explore our names, we are exploring ourselves and our identities.
Objective: Write a vignette exploring your name, using “My Name” by Sandra Cisneros as a model.
Requirements:
· Begin your vignette with an interesting title and hook (an opening that captures your reader’s
attention).
· Capture the factual definitions, personal associations (familial, historical, etc.), and individual traits or
meanings of your name.
· Use vivid sensory imagery. Include original similes and metaphors.
· Briefly and thoughtfully reflect about the relationship between your name and identity at the end of
your vignette.
· Polish your piece: Check your diction (word choice), spelling, and punctuation.
· Length: No more than one page, double spaced, size 12 academic font.
Check Points
Period 2 Due Dates
Period 3 Due Dates
Full draft of your vignette on the Google doc
you’ve shared with Ms. M & Ms. H.
Monday, September 21
by class time
Tuesday, September 22
by class time
Submission of your final draft to TurnItIn.com
Friday, September 25 by
8:00am
Friday, September 25 by
8:00am
If you are unsure how to start or structure your vignette, we suggest the following:
1. Title
2. Hook
3. Facts about your name
4. Definitions & meanings of your name
5. Associations you have with your name
6. Feelings about your name
7. Reflection on the relationship between your name & your identity
*Assignment adapted from Carol Booth Olson’s The Reading/Writing Connection.
“My Name” Vignette Rubric
Category
Ideas &
Content
(x 5)
Written
Expression
(x 5)
4
Distinguished
3
Proficient
2
Needs
Improvement
1
Unsatisfactory
__ Insightful facts,
feelings &
meanings of your
name. Insightful
associations with
your name.
__ Appropriate facts,
feelings & meanings
of your name.
Appropriate
associations with
your name.
__ Limited facts,
feelings & meanings
of your name.
Limited associations
with your name.
__ Lacking facts,
feelings & meanings
of your name.
Lacking
associations with
your name.
__ Thoughtful
reflection on the
relationship
between your
name & identity
__ Adequate
reflection on
relationship between
your name & identity
__ Superficial or
little reflection on
the relationship
between your name
& identity
__ No reflection on
the relationship
between your name
& identity
__ Vivid sensory
imagery
__ Clear sensory
imagery
__ Attempted
sensory imagery
__ Little to no
imagery
__ Creative and
original similes &
metaphors
__ Some creative
similes & metaphors
__ Mostly cliché or
confusing similes
and metaphors
__ Few, if any,
similes & metaphors
__ Adequate hook
__ Engaging
opening hook
__ No hook
__ Unclear hook
Organization
(x 1.5)
__ Wellorganized vignette
that flows fluidly for
the reader.
__ Mostly organized
vignette. Reader
may have a bit of
difficulty following
the flow of the piece.
__ Somewhat
organized vignette.
Reader has
difficulty following
the piece’s flow
__ Lacks any sense
of organization.
Reader cannot
follow the flow of the
piece.
Mechanics &
Grammar
(x 1)
__ Polished
spelling &
grammar.
__ Several minor
spelling & grammar
errors.
__ Many spelling &
grammar errors that
may interfere with
reader
understanding.
__ Many major
spelling & grammar
errors that seriously
interfere with reader
comprehension.