Assessment

Assessment task #1: Capturing a Moment

Your Task

Your task is to craft a brief but effective piece of creative writing where you describe an EXPERIENCE you have had and your REACTION to what happened. You should draw from your own life – the first time you saw something, did something or experienced something – and use this as the basis of your writing.

Your description should be between 200 and 300 words. Your focus is to produce a detailed piece of description, and you should draft, edit and proofread your work carefully so that the language and descriptions you use really capture the nature of the moment. Sensory imagery and Figurative Language should be used to bring your description to life and to help your readers to see, hear and feel the moment.

It is important to carefully select the moment you will write about.  It should be only a brief moment – often only seconds in ‘real time’ – that you can bring to life for your reader through your writing. 

Examples

Two examples of previous student response to this task are below:

‘The Rollercoaster’

‘The Jump’

Developing your writing

1. This checklist is a helpful reference as you develop your writing: Capturing a Moment – Developing writing checklist
2. Once you have edited your own work, you should consult with a peer and use their feedback to further guide your drafting and developing. Watch the story of Austin’s butterfly before using this peer-editing document: Capturing a Moment – Peer editing butterfly

Criteria

Capturing a Moment Rubric

Assessment task #2: Persuasive speaking

Format:

1. Every student researches and writes a 3 minute speech on a topic of their own choosing. Speeches must not be less than 2 minutes 30 seconds or more than 3 minutes in length. Every student presents their speech for assessment during their regular English classes.
2. The English teacher puts forward the name of the class’s best speaker to compete in the year level public speaking competitions.
3. No props or visual aids (eg. PowerPoint) are permitted.

Task sheet

Criteria:

Rubric

Your speech will be judged against the following:

1. Matter (Content): Did the speech explore a clear idea or convey a clear message? Was the speech intelligent in its exploration of the subject? Were examples, including anecdotes, specific, explained and relevant? Were clichés avoided in favour of original ideas?
2. Method (Structure): Did the speech develop the argument and line of thought logically? Did the speech have an engaging opening? Did the speech have a strong conclusion? Did the speech have an overall sense of structure?
3. Manner (Delivery): Did the speaker establish a rapport with their audience and engage them in the content? Did the speaker make sustained and effective eye contact throughout most of their speech? Was the delivery audible, fluent, articulate and varied? Were hand gestures and body language used effectively? Was the language appropriate for the topic and audience?

Tips and advice

Examples

“Try something new for 30 days”: http://www.ted.com/talks/matt_cutts_try_something_new_for_30_days.html

“Say thank you”: http://www.ted.com/talks/laura_trice_suggests_we_all_say_thank_you.html

“Don’t build your home, grow it”:http://www.ted.com/talks/mitchell_joachim_don_t_build_your_home_grow_it.html

“Teach every child to cook”: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/jamie_oliver.html

“How to live before you die”: http://www.ted.com/talks/steve_jobs_how_to_live_before_you_die.html