LEVEL 1 - WRITING PROJECT 2
1st Quarter Fall 2015-16
A Cultural Event
Write a four paragraph essay (150-200 words) describing a cultural event.
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Teacher: ___________________________________
1
Level 1 Writing
1st Quarter Fall 2015-16
Describe a Cultural Event
Write a four paragraph essay describing a cultural event that you went to or saw in the
past (for example a wedding, a festival, National Day celebrations).
Date
completed
Step
What you will do in this project
1
Write down some facts and ideas. You can use the internet to find out
information about your hometown and the iPad app Popplet to
brainstorm your ideas.
2
Organize these facts and ideas by making notes (not sentences) in the
outline (page 3).
3
Write your first draft.
4
Edit your first draft carefully.
(Use the check-list on page 7.)
5
Write your final draft.
6
Hand in your project.
 or X
DO NOT COPY – THIS COULD RESULT IN A ZERO GRADE!
PLEASE REMEMBER:
Write an essay of 150 to 200 words. Include: introduction, two body paragraphs, conclusion.
Each main body paragraph should have an introductory sentence (topic sentence) and a
concluding sentence.
See unit 3 in your iBook for information on writing essays.
Use the check-list on p.7 of this booklet to edit your work.
At the bottom of your essay, write how many words you have written.
All your writing (notes and drafts) must be done in class because this project is graded.
It is 10% of your total L1 English grade.
Describe a Cultural Event
2
Level 1 Writing
1st Quarter Fall 2015-16
Write a four paragraph essay describing a cultural event that you went to or saw in the past (for
example a wedding, a festival, National Day celebrations).
Your description could include:
Introduction:
 Topic sentence
 A brief statement of what the essay is about (the main points of body 1
and 2).
Body 1:
 Topic sentence
 What the event was and why it took place
 When and where the event took place
 Who you saw the event with and what happened
 Concluding sentence
Body 2
 Topic sentence
 What you did during the event
 What you saw (chronological order of events)
 How other people reacted / responded to the event, the result(s)
of the event
 Concluding sentence
Conclusion
 Summarize the key points of the essay
 Opinions or feelings you had
Remember
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Use past tense verbs
Use time order words and expressions
BRAINSTORM
You can use an app such as SimpleMind or be traditional and use pencil and paper
iPads
Use your iPad correctly. Do not use it to copy form the Internet or to take snap shots and
copy from another student.
Outline:
Level 1 Writing
Write short notes about what you3 will write in each paragraph.
1st Quarter Fall 2015-16
Do not write complete sentences.
Introduction
( general description-what
this essay is about)
Body 1
(What was the event?
Why did it take place?
Who was with you?
What happened?)
Body 2
(What did you do?
What did you see?
What did other people
do?)
Body 3
Optional
Conclusion
(key points from Body +
your feelings/opinion)
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Chronological order:
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Write your first draft here. Double-space! Use pencil.
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Level 1 Writing
1st Quarter Fall 2015-16
Use adjectives and past tense verbs in your sentences.
Use time order words and expressions to describe what happened.
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Level
1 Writing
1st Quarter Fall 2015-16
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Level 1 Writing
1st Quarter Fall 2015-16
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ERROR CODES USED BY TEACHERS
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Level 1 Writing
1st Quarter Fall 2015-16
(x) mistake/error (Check tense, agreement, part of speech, capitalization,
punctuation, etc.)
(ww) wrong word(s) (Try different vocabulary.)
(CD) cohesive device (link word - Look at your writing vocabulary to
choose a different word.)
(SVO) sentence structure (Check your subject, verb, object or
complement.)
() add/insert (You are missing something, maybe a cohesive device, an
article or other word.)
(sp) spelling (Check the dictionary.)
(p) punctuation (You need a full stop, comma, apostrophe, question
mark, or something else.)
(r-o) run-on sentence (Find a way to divide this into more than one
sentence.)
(wo) word order (You need to rearrange your words. Check the SVO.)
(?) unclear (Please explain your idea in a different way.)
(¶) paragraphing (You have not divided your paragraphs correctly.)
ESSAY CHECKLIST
8
Level 1 Writing
1st Quarter Fall 2015-16
Yes
I don’t
understand
Formatting
Does your essay have at least four paragraphs?
Did you double space?
Is each word separate?
Ideas and information
Do you have a Topic Sentence for each paragraph?
Do you have a Concluding Sentence for each
paragraph?
Do you have more than four supporting sentences?
You need to have between 150-200 words
Did you use time order words and expressions (e.g.
Then, after that, later etc.)
Sentences, grammar & punctuation
Did you use the Past Simple?
Is there a subject and a verb in each sentence?
Do all your verbs match your subjects?
Did you use some of these connecting words: and /
but / or / so / because
Did you use adjectives?
Did you use prepositions correctly?
Did you check the dictionary for spelling?
Do all your sentences begin with a capital?
Do all your sentences end with a full stop?
Do all names of places and people have capitals?
Write your final draft here. Single space! Use pencil.
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Level 1 Writing
1 Quarter Fall 2015-16
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Level
1 Writing
1st Quarter Fall 2015-16
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Level
1
Writing
1
Quarter
Fall
2015-16
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WORD COUNT:
12
Level 1 Writing
1st Quarter Fall 2015-16
Writing Project 2 Scoring Rubric – Q4 2015
Vocabulary
Organization & Coherence
Task Fulfillment
&
Content
5
Exceptional Pass
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Grammar
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Thoroughly addresses prompt
All main points well
substantiated beyond the normal
expectations of a L1 student
Content is very clear and precise
Organization is smooth and
logical
At least 4 paragraphs
Strong introduction and
conclusion
Excellent paragraph introductory
and concluding sentence
Effective cohesive devices
Varied and correct pronoun
referencing
Vocabulary range is varied
and accurate throughout
Almost all words are error-free in
meaning, word form and spelling
Past tense verbs spelt accurately
Student shows a degree of
risking taking with the language
Grammar and usage are
exceptional: fluent and precise
Varied and complex sentence
structure
Punctuation and capitalization
are accurate
Highly effective and accurate
use of the past tense
4
High Pass
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Strongly addresses prompt
main points are developed and
details are relevant
Content is clear
3
Pass
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Organization is logical
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Satisfactorily addresses
prompt
Some support of main points
Content contains some
digressions/irrelevant points
2
Fail
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Organization is present
At least 4 paragraphs
Introduction and conclusion are
effective and relevant
Good paragraph introductory and
concluding sentence
Mostly effective cohesive devices
Mostly correct pronoun
referencing
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Vocabulary range is mostly
effective and accurate
Vocabulary is nearly always
correct in meaning, word form
and spelling
Past tense verbs spelt mostly
correctly
Some higher order vocabulary
introduced successfully
Grammar is good
Some variety of sentence
structure
Punctuation and capitalization
almost completely correct
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Effective and mainly accurate
use of the past tense
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Vocabulary range is adequate
for the task
Some errors in word choice/form
and spelling
Some past tense verbs spelt
incorrectly
Some inaccuracies
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Mostly accurate use of the past
tense. Errors do not impede
communication.
Partially addresses prompt
main points undeveloped or
weakly supported
Content is repetitive/unclear
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Organization is attempted
At least 3 paragraphs
Introduction/conclusion are not
very effective
Weak paragraph
introductory/concluding sentence
Some inappropriate cohesive
devices
Some incorrect pronoun
referencing
Some errors; basic sentence
structure mainly correct
Simple sentences are correct
A few errors in punctuation and
capitalization
1 – 0.5
Low Fail
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Paragraphing mistakes
Introduction/conclusion absent or
irrelevant
Missing/irrelevant paragraph
introductory/concluding sentence
Few cohesive devices and some
inappropriately used
Pronoun referencing largely
inaccurate
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Vocabulary range is inadequate
for task/repetitive
Several errors in word
choice/form and spelling
Most past tense verbs spelt
incorrectly
Errors impede meaning
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Grammar is frequently
incorrect; meaning is impeded
Sentence structure is weak
Several errors in punctuation and
capitalization
Use of the past tense often
contains mistakes that cause
strain for the reader
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Does not address prompt
Content obscure, minimal thought
And/or report/essay is
significantly below word count
Writing is extremely
disorganized or incoherent
No paragraphing
No introductory/concluding
sentences
No cohesive devices
No pronoun referencing
Vocabulary is extremely
restricted/incorrect
Mostly erroneous
Very few/no past tense verbs
spelt correctly
Errors seriously impede meaning
Errors in grammar such that it
seriously impedes meaning
No control over sentence
structure
No punctuation/capitalization
Use of the past tense mostly
erroneous.
Word Count Penalties
Writing Project: Point Deduction for Process
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Organization/Outline not present =
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First draft not present
=
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Final draft not present
=
Half marks allowed
1 point from final score
3 points from final score
3 points from final score
140-149 (-1 on TF)
120 – 139 (-2 on TF)
0 - 119 (-3 on TF)