Observation (100 Points)
Purpose: To draw from a variety of observations that will allow you to focus on possibility through observation. Your essay will rely heavily on selective description and perspective.
Instructions:
- Select a “place,” and describe it in detail. This could be where you grew up, a place you feel most connected to, somewhere that has had an impact on your life in some way – even digital places like facebook or a particular website.
- Your description could include landscape, cultural aspects, family connection, important relationships, and the sense of community.
- Drawing on what you’ve learned in the observation activities and the reading, write about how this place has influenced you.
- Think about your audience. It would be helpful to imagine that you are trying to make this place familiar to your classmates. Help them see it through your eyes.
Requirements
- 4-5 pages
- MLA Format
- Works Cited (if you reference the readings or other sources)
Optional Formats: Most of you will write traditional essays, but if you’d like to do something a little different, there are a few optional formats:
- Place-based Brochure: Design a brochure to describe your “place.” This must be one page, front and back with images and design elements. In addition, you’ll need to write a 2 page paper on the experience of writing and creating the brochure.
- Place-based Website: Design a website to highlight your “place.” It should include at least 3 links and at least 1,000 words of content. In addition, you’ll need to write a 2 page paper on the experience of writing and creating a website.
- Other: If you have an idea for a multi-media approach to this assignment, see me and we’ll try to work something out.
Grade Breakdown
- MLA Format, correct citations and works cited entry (10)
- Organization and description (30)
- Content – this paper needs to be more than just a summary of the place you choose; use material and examples to support your ideas (50)
- Neatness/grammar – you will not be graded on every comma, but if the meaning of your sentence is lost in grammatical error, it will count against you (10)
LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW IF YOU USED THIS PROMPT IN YOUR CLASS. HOW DID IT GO? WOULD YOU DO IT AGAIN? DID YOU MAKE ANY MODIFICATIONS?