DUE TUESDAY 10/11

A Creative Look Into My Life:

The House on Mango Street Vignette Project
An oft-repeated piece of writing advice is write what you know. Sandra Cisneros took this advice to heart
when she wrote The House on Mango Street. Her novel is an example of poetic, creative nonfiction.
Although the vignettes do not follow each other chronologically, and at first glance may seem
disconnected, the reader gains an understanding and appreciation for Esperanza that might not come
from a more linear work when the book is read as a whole.
You are going to take inspiration from Cisneross book and write a collection of your own vignettes. Use
this assignment as an opportunity to share yourself creatively through writing. There is power and
inspiration in writing what you know, especially when what you know is yourself!
Requirements:
1. 5 vignettes, each at least 250 words long
2. Each vignette includes 3+ examples of literary devices (sensory detail, imagery, simile, hyperbole,
metaphor, personification, alliteration, onomatopoeia, allusion)
3. An illustration or picture to accompany each vignette
4. A table of contents with titles and page numbers listed
5. A cover with the title, your name, and period
6. Book must be bound creatively (cardboard, string/yarn, clips, project folder, etc.)
Possible Vignette Topics:
Write about something that gives you a sense of safety, happiness, and
beauty.
Describe something that you love about yourself.
Write about a person in your life who means a lot to you.
What do you think about when you think of home?
Describe a time when you realized that you were no longer a child.
Personify an object that is important to you.
Write about what inspires you.
Describe a time when you felt sad or confused.
What does your name mean to you?
Describe your home and neighborhood.
Rubric:
Category

Expert - 5

Proficient - 3

Novice - 1

Content

Product follows all requirements of project

expertly.

Product is missing one requirement of the

project, but clearly meets all other
requirements.

Product is missing multiple requirements of

the project.

Effort

Product shows a great

amount of time spent and very careful,
neat work. Also shows a large
amount of original thought and critical
thinking. Ideas are creative and inventive.

Product shows some

amount of time spent and is lacking some
neatness. Also shows some original thought
and creative thinking, although may
resemble others work.

Product shows a
minimal amount of time
spent and is lacking
neatness. Also resembles others work or
uses others ideas.

Conventions

adequate use of correct sentence

formation, punctuation, capitalization,
grammar usage, and spelling

limited use of correct sentence formation,

punctuation, capitalization, grammar usage,
and spelling

infrequent use of correct sentence

formation, punctuation, capitalization,
grammar usage, and spelling

Rubric:
Category

Expert - 5

Proficient - 3

Novice - 1

Content

Product follows all requirements of

project expertly.

Product is missing one requirement of the

project, but clearly meets all other
requirements.

Product is missing multiple

requirements of the project.

Effort

Product shows a great

amount of time spent and very
careful, neat work. Also shows a
large
amount of original thought and
critical thinking. Ideas
are creative and inventive.

Product shows some

amount of time spent and is lacking some
neatness. Also shows some original thought
and creative thinking, although may resemble
others work.

Product shows a
minimal amount of time
spent and is lacking
neatness. Also resembles others work
or uses others ideas.

Conventions

adequate use of correct sentence

formation, punctuation,
capitalization, grammar usage, and
spelling

limited use of correct sentence formation,

punctuation, capitalization, grammar usage,
and spelling

infrequent use of correct sentence

formation, punctuation, capitalization,
grammar usage, and spelling

Rubric:
Category

Expert - 5

Proficient - 3

Novice - 1

Content

Product follows all requirements of

project expertly.

Product is missing one requirement of the

project, but clearly meets all other requirements.

Product is missing multiple

requirements of the project.

Effort

Product shows a great

amount of time spent and very
careful, neat work. Also shows a
large
amount of original thought and
critical thinking. Ideas
are creative and inventive.

Product shows some

amount of time spent and is lacking some
neatness. Also shows some original thought and
creative thinking, although may resemble
others work.

Product shows a
minimal amount of time
spent and is lacking
neatness. Also resembles others work
or uses others ideas.

Conventions

adequate use of correct sentence

formation, punctuation,
capitalization, grammar usage, and
spelling

limited use of correct sentence formation,

punctuation, capitalization, grammar usage, and
spelling

infrequent use of correct sentence

formation, punctuation, capitalization,
grammar usage, and spelling

Rubric:
Category

Expert - 5

Proficient - 3

Novice - 1

Content

Product follows all requirements of

project expertly.

Product is missing one requirement of the

project, but clearly meets all other
requirements.

Product is missing multiple

requirements of the project.

Effort

Product shows a great

amount of time spent and very
careful, neat work. Also shows a
large
amount of original thought and
critical thinking. Ideas
are creative and inventive.

Product shows some

amount of time spent and is lacking some
neatness. Also shows some original thought
and creative thinking, although may
resemble others work.

Product shows a
minimal amount of time
spent and is lacking
neatness. Also resembles others work
or uses others ideas.

Conventions

adequate use of correct sentence

formation, punctuation, capitalization,
grammar usage, and spelling

limited use of correct sentence formation,

punctuation, capitalization, grammar usage,
and spelling

infrequent use of correct sentence

formation, punctuation, capitalization,
grammar usage, and spelling