Name________________________
Open-Mind Portrait
What goes on inside your character’s mind?
Objective: Follow a character throughout a story and demonstrate how the character changes
as the story moves to a resolution
For this project, you will create an Open-Mind Portrait that illustrates what one of the characters you are reading in
your story looks outside and the inside.
Your “outside” portrait must be large enough to take up most of the space on a piece of computer paper. You can use
a digital picture, draw or paint a self-portrait, or use magazines or supplies from around the house to make something
completely unique. Be creative and have fun!
Trace out your “outside” portrait to create the outline of your “inside” portrait. (I will demonstrate how to do this in
class.) Put pictures, words, magazine cut outs, and other small items inside that represent what your character is
thinking about most in that part of the story. Be sure to find items that are small, so that you can fit many different
things. You must have a minimum of 5 symbols for each inside page. Symbols can be quotes, pictures, words,
doodles, or anything that will represent what your character is thinking.
Staple your inside pages into your outside pages. Your work should include a title at the top that reads _____’s(name
of character) Open-Mind Portrait. Also, write on your outside pages your name and the book title.
For each of the 4 inner pages, you will include one sentence for each of the 5 symbols on each page. You will write
this in your best hand writing and glue in to the back of the appropriate page.
Each part of the project is worth a different number of points:
Outside portrait completed (10 points)
Four open-mind pages completed with 5 symbols-10 points each page (40 total)
Minimum of five sentences completed explaining the symbols-10 points each page (40 total)
Organization/ Neatness- (10 points)
Conventions (spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar)- (10 points)
Language Arts
Name_________________________
Open-Mind Portrait RUBRIC
Outside portrait
Page 1 inner portrait with symbols
Superior 10
Outside portrait
looks like
character
Takes up most of
the outer page
Accomplished 8
Outside portrait
somewhat looks
like character
AND/OR
More than half of
the outer page
Developing 6
Outside portrait
does not look
like character
AND/OR
Less than half of
the outer page
Inside portrait
displays
characters
thoughts/actions
Inside portrait
displays
characters
thoughts/actions
Five thoughts
are represented
Three to four
thoughts are
represented
Includes four out
of five
explanations for
each thought
(symbol)
(minimum of 4
sentences)
Inside portrait
displays
characters
thoughts/actions
AND/OR
Two to three
thoughts are
represented
AND/OR
Work is
somewhat
creative
Includes twothree out of five
explanations for
each thought
(symbol)
(minimum of 4
sentences)
Full sentences
are used less
than 75% of the
time
6
0
Work is creative
Work is creative
Page 1 inner portrait explanation of
symbols
Includes one
explanation for
each thought
(symbol)
(minimum of 5
sentences)
Full sentences
are used
throughout
Work Missing 0
0
0
0
Page 2 inner portrait with symbols
10
Full sentences
are mostly
throughout (75%
or more)
8
Page 2 inner portrait explanation of
symbols
Page 3 inner portrait with symbols
10
8
6
0
10
8
6
0
Page 3 inner portrait explanation of
symbols
Page 4 inner portrait with symbols
10
8
6
0
10
8
6
0
Page 4 inner portrait explanation of
symbols
Conventions (spelling, capitalization,
punctuation, and grammar)
Organization/ Neatness
10
8
6
0
0-5 mistakes
6-10 mistakes
10 or more
mistakes
0
Drawings/cutouts
and handwriting
is neat and easy
to read. Project is
well put together
Drawings/cutouts
and handwriting
is mostly neat
and easy to read.
Project is put
together with
some care
Could have spent
more time
making project
neat
0
Score______/110