Grade 10 Career Studies - Unit 1 Assignment 2
Visual Essay
What is a Visual Essay?
It is an essay using only images. As an essay, it contains an introduction / hypothesis, supporting
arguments and a conclusion. Work that emphasizes multiple perspectives is a method to gain insight into
what you really care about, makes you tick and makes you feel internally important.
The Assignment
You are required to produce a visual image or collection of images to convey a message that describes /
illustrates what drives you and what goals you seek. The question: “What do you hope to have
accomplished in 15 years?” This is not asking, “Where will you be in 15 years?” I have seen that too
many times, and I can describe your answer. In 15 years, you have a big car (…most likely SUV…), a big
house with a white picket fence, a loving partner (…almost always, opposite sex and always stunninglyHollywood-perfect beautiful…), a baby, a degree from university, lots of money, a job (…most often,
undefined but very well paying…), a dog, a bevy of wonderful trips and extremely exciting / risky hobbies.
Instead, I am asking you to consider the 15 years as follows.
? What will you have done to give yourself a sense of pride and self-worth?
? What will you have done to make yourself truly happy?
? What will you have done that feels like an accomplishment?
? What will make you satisfied and complete?
? With what you have done in the first 15 years, where do you hope to go in the next 15 years?
Technical Requirements
? Imagery can be drawn from a variety of sources (e.g., photographs, illustrations and drawings,
magazines, scanning, digital still or video, clip art, public domain images on the Web)
? Images can be manipulated (e.g., cropping, resizing, adjusting contrast, brightness, and colour, touch
up, distortion, special effects, etc.) to help convey your message.
? Text or sound should be secondary to the visual.
? The images should be arranged to highlight your major ideas.
? Multiple images should be linked together in an appropriate way.
? A story or essay must be told (i.e., understood by the “reader”). Recall, an essay has a hypothesis,
supporting arguments and a conclusion
Multiple Perspectives
People view the world in a variety of ways. Your essay should have several points of view to make it
significant to a variety of people. What makes your essay good depends on the perspective.
Points of View
? Aesthetic - Does it evoke the emotions? Does it appeal to a sense of beauty?
? Spiritual - Does it evoke a sense of awe, wonder, reverence, or transcendence?
? Utilitarian - Is it useful or does it focus on the utility of the subject?
? Scientific - Does it describe or explain things or ideas? Does it lead to better understanding?
? Recreational - Is it amusing? Is it fun? Is it entertaining?
? Critical - Does it invite people to think about the accuracy, validity, and appropriateness of the
message?
Due Date
The visual essay should be completed by ________________ using two in-class periods.
Rubric – Grade 10 Careers – Visual Essay Unit 1 Assignment 2
Name:
Criteria
Level 0
Knowledge and
Understanding
No
information
provided
Thinking /
Inquiry
No
information
provided
Level 1
No
information
provided
Level 3
Level 4
No essay with theme
and supporting
arguments presented
Essay with some limited
theme and supporting
arguments presented
Essay with some limited
theme and supporting
arguments presented
Essay with some limited theme
and supporting arguments
presented
Limited understanding
of project conveyed
Some understanding of
project conveyed
Good understanding of
project conveyed
Highly effective understanding of
project conveyed, and ideas easily
understood
Limited degree of
originality in thought
and ideas
Some originality in thought
and ideas
Good degree of
originality in thought and
ideas
High degree of originality in
thought and ideas
Images did not
demonstrate theme or
link to theme
Communication
Level 2
Images suggested some
theme or links to theme
Use of images were
not effective
Use of images were
somewhat effective
Information not
effectively presented
Collage somewhat
informative
No story told or readily
identified
A story was told but it was
limited in its representation
Images illustrated a
theme or links to theme
Image use was effective
Information presented
was very informative
Good number of images
provided
A theme or links to a theme very
effectively shown via images, and
a strong reflection of outcome was
presented
Use of images were highly
effective and engaging, and
conveyed a strong and apparent
message
Highly informative and complete
presentation (e.g., supporting
arguments)
Image(s) demonstrated the point
Application
No
information
provided
Study of
accomplishments not
explored
Limited skill application
Study of accomplishments
somewhat explored
Skills applied somewhat
Study of
accomplishments
explored
Study of accomplishments
effectively explored and led to
additional reflection
Most skills applied
Applied all skills