You will complete three individual projects in this course. These three individual projects count as 15% of your final grade (5% each project).
The final outcome of your project will be a written text of approximately 250 words.
Each project will involve (1) a preparation task completed at home, (2) an in-class writing activity, (3) an in-class editing activity, and (4) a final text. Your teacher will give you detailed instructions in class for each of these steps.
Dates for in-class activities and submission due dates are posted on the Canvas course calendar. Submissions will not be accepted after the due date. Please make sure you make the necessary arrangements on your own calendar to be able to write and submit all versions of your written texts on time.
If you cannot complete the in-class activities and/or submit the final version of your written text on the due dates because of a valid reason, let your teacher know as soon as possible to discuss possible alternatives.
Valid reasons to submit your project after the due date include illness, and death or serious illness in the immediate family. If you are sick, let your teacher know via email as soon as possible. You should NOT provide medical documentation as proof of short-term illness to justify a late submission.
If you are a student athlete, in the national guard, or are submitting your project after the due date because of a UW mandatory academic activity, you need to provide your teacher with proper documentation.
Your work schedule is not a valid reason to submit your project after the due date.
Personal trips or vacations are not a valid reason to submit your project after the due date.
WRITING PROCESS
STEP 1: OUTLINE (5% of the grade)
>As part of your homework, the day before writing the first draft in class, you will be asked to complete a preparation task intended to help you brainstorm and plan for your project. This task includes a table designed to be used as an outline for your text. It cannot contain full sentences. Your teacher will check it at the beginning of class to make sure it follows the instructions. If your table contains full sentences, you will not be allowed to use it during class.
STEP 2: DRAFT (20% of the grade)
On the day of the in-class writing activity, you will receive specific instructions about the content and format of each individual project. You will write the first draft of your written text in class. This first draft will be handwritten. This is a paper-and-pencil activity. You will have access to your outline, but you will NOT be allowed to consult any other printed or online resources, including your textbook.Your teacher will evaluate the content, organization, and clarity of your draft. They will not evaluate or correct your use of vocabulary, grammar, or spelling.
STEP 3: EDITING (15% of the grade)
Before submitting your text to your teacher, you will participate in an in-class editing activity. To participate in this activity, you need to bring to class a transcribed copy of your handwritten draft. You can only complete this activity if you are present in class.
STEP 4: FINAL VERSION (60% of the grade)
After class, you will use the comments and suggestions generated during the editing activity to revise your draft and produce the final version of your project.You will need to revise the content and organization, and correct all errors before submitting the final version of the written text. This final version must be typed. Accent marks and special Spanish characters need to be typed. If the project requires images, you must include them in this final version. You will submit your work in Canvas two days after the in-class editing activity.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
STEP 1: OUTLINE (5% of the grade)
| EXCELLENT (5 points) | Student has completed all sections of the form with appropriate information. Only short phrases and single words are used (no complete sentences). |
| FAIR (3 points) | Most sections of the form are completed, but not all the information is appropriate. Only short phrases and single words are being used (no complete sentences). |
| UNSATISFACTORY (0 points) | The outline is mostly incomplete and/or includes full sentences. |
STEP 2: DRAFT (20% of the grade)
| EXCELLENT (20 points) | All components of the writing prompt are addressed. Text meets the required length and format. Ideas are clear and easy to understand. |
| FAIR (12 points) | Some components of the writing prompt are missing or underdeveloped. Text is too short and/or does not follow the required format. Some ideas are difficult to understand. |
| UNSATISFACTORY (0 points) | Draft does not address several components of the writing prompt, does not meet the required length and/or format, and/or is too difficult to understand. |
STEP 3: EDITING (15% of the grade)
| EXCELLENT (15 points) | Student has completed all editing activities, including the final reflection. Peer critique (when required) is thoughtful and detailed, clearly identifies both strengths and weaknesses, and provides specific actionable suggestions for improvement. |
| FAIR (9 points) | Student has completed all editing activities, but the final reflection is too short or general. Peer critique (when required) is incomplete or too vague with few or no concrete suggestions for improvement. |
| UNSATISFACTORY (0 points) | Student has not completed all editing activities. |
STEP 4: FINAL VERSION (60% of the grade)
| Excellent (A) | Good (B) | Fair (C) | Poor (D) | Unsatisfactory (E) | |
| Content (10 points) | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 0 |
| Organization (10 points) | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 0 |
| Grammar (15 points) | 15 | 13 | 11.5 | 10 | 0 |
| Vocabulary (15 points) | 15 | 13 | 11.5 | 10 | 0 |
| Mechanics (10 points) | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 0 |
CONTENT
EXCELLENT: There is an established purpose and audience; all components of the writing prompt are thoroughly addressed; required length; very complete information; ideas supported with detail and evidence; appropriate use of images and visual materials (as requested by the prompt); relevant; on target; answers What? Why? How?
GOOD: Some ambiguity of purpose and/or audience; prompt is addressed, but not thoroughly; required length; adequate information; some development of ideas; some ideas lack supporting detail or evidence; appropriate use of images and visual materials (as requested by the prompt); leaves the reader asking a few What? Why? How?
FAIR: Purpose and/or audience unclear; almost required length; limited information; ideas present but not developed; lack of supporting detail or evidence; incomplete or somehow inappropriate use of images and visual materials (as requested by the prompt); leaves the reader asking What? Why? How? questions.
POOR: Too short; minimal information; information lacks substance; inappropriate or irrelevant information; no use or inappropriate use of images and visual materials (as requested by the prompt).
UNSATISFACTORY: Not enough information to evaluate.
ORGANIZATION
EXCELLENT: Required format (letter, essay, email, etc.); logically and effectively ordered; main points and details are connected; fluent; not choppy whatsoever; appropriate introduction and conclusion; appropriate use of connectors; images and visual support (when used) are integrated with text.
GOOD: Required format (letter, essay, email, etc.); an apparent order to the content is intended; somewhat choppy; loosely organized but main points do stand out although sequencing of ideas is not complete; weak introduction and/or conclusion; missing some connectors; images and visual support (when used) are integrated with text.
FAIR: Format acceptable; limited order to the content; lacks logical sequencing of ideas; ineffective ordering; very choppy; lack of most connectors; lacking a logical introduction or conclusion; images and visual support (when used) appear alongside text but are not necessarily well integrated.
POOR: Format not acceptable; series of separate sentences with no transitions; disconnected ideas; no apparent order to the content; no introduction and/or conclusion; images and visual support (when used) have no direct relation to text.
UNSATISFACTORY: Not enough information to evaluate.
GRAMMAR
EXCELLENT: Student demonstrates mastery of grammar presented in the chapter; many accurate examples of all grammar from lesson; very few errors in subject/verb, adjective/noun agreement; work was well edited for language.
GOOD: Several accurate examples of grammar presented in the chapter; possibly missing a few examples of grammar from the chapter; occasional errors in subject/verb or adjective/noun agreement; some editing for language evident but not complete.
FAIR: A few accurate examples of grammar presented in lesson but not all; frequent errors in subject/verb agreement; frequent errors in adjective/noun agreement; erroneous use of language often hinders understanding; work was poorly edited for language.
POOR: Very few accurate examples of grammar presented in lesson; very frequent errors in subject/verb agreement; non-Spanish sentence structure; erroneous use of language makes the work difficult to understand or mostly incomprehensible; no evidence of having edited the work for language.
UNSATISFACTORY: Not enough information to evaluate.
VOCABULARY
EXCELLENT: Student maximized opportunities for use of words presented in lesson; precise and effective word use and choice; rich and varied vocabulary.
GOOD: Several examples of words presented in lesson, but there was opportunity for more; some erroneous word usage or choice; limited variety of vocabulary.
FAIR: Used a few words presented in the lesson; erroneous word use or choice leads to confused or obscured meaning; some literal translations and invented words; some words used repetitively.
POOR: Inadequate, repetitive, incorrect use or non‐use of words studied; literal translations and/or words in English; abundance of invented words.
UNSATISFACTORY: Not enough information to evaluate.
MECHANICS
EXCELLENT: Almost no errors or no errors at all in spelling, punctuation, or capitalization.
GOOD: Few errors in spelling, punctuation, or capitalization; errors do not hinder understanding.
FAIR: Frequent errors in spelling, punctuation, or capitalization; some errors hinder understanding.
POOR: Very frequent errors in punctuation, spelling, or capitalization: errors make understanding difficult.
UNSATISFACTORY: Not enough information to evaluate; no evidence of having edited the work for punctuation, spelling or capitalization.