Who I Am Portfolio Assignment

 

Writers and artists throughout history have wrestled with the concept of identity. In the works we have read this semester, the identity of the individual has been a central theme. The eternal question of “Who am I?” is vital to discovering our own identity as human beings. Your assignment is to design a creative portfolio that illustrates who you are.

 

The contents can include your writings, passages from writings by other people, your drawings, your photographs, illustrations from newspapers or magazines, song lyrics, or any other materials that will fit into the portfolio pages and help explain and reflect who you are.

 

The portfolio can have as many pages as you wish, but each section must be on a separate page (each part does not have to amount to a full page of information – some parts will and some will not; however, the more thorough each section is, the better). Use a combination of the written and the visual when describing each part of your life; be creative. Bind the material together any way you like. Each section should appear in the order in which it is presented here.

 

Assessment:                 This is a semester-long project and will be assessed in stages for daily grades (25%), and the final grade to be double-weighted as a 60% grade (counts as two 60% grades).  This project will satisfy the research requirement for this course.

 

Cover                           Create your own design. Be sure to include your name, class, period and the date the portfolio is finished. Bind the portfolio together anyway you would like. You must also include a quote, properly cited, that is a good reflection of you and/or your beliefs. Please do not put anything on the cover which will be easily broken; the portfolios will be stacked on top of one another. Also, please do not use glitter on this project.

 

Table of Contents        List the titles of each page of the portfolio and the pages on which they fall. You may wish to illustrate the titles.

 

Photo Gallery              Chronicle your growth through photographs. Include a picture of yourself at different ages (identify how old you are in each photo). Include a recent picture as well.

 

My Name                     Research the meaning of your names (first, middle and last).

                                    a) In discussing your names, consider the following:

                                    What language(s) are they from? What do they mean?

                                    Is your last name patronymic, occupational, topographic or attributive?

b) Who chose your first and middle names and why?

                                    How do you feel about them; do you take pride in them or do they embarrass you? Are they frequently misunderstood, mispronounced or misspelled by others? Are they too common or too unusual? Are there other forms of your name that you use? What nicknames have you had, how did you get them and from whom? How do you feel about them?

c) What are the other three names that you inherited from your grandparents (your mother’s maiden name and the maiden names of both of your grandmothers)?

What languages are they from and what do they mean?

(This information must amount to at least one full page, double-spaced).

 

My Heritage                 a)   What is your national or ethnic background? Be sure to include your family’s country of origin,    languages spoken by family members, and religious affiliations

b)      What traditions do you have in your family? Are they part of a cultural or religious celebration? Do they revolve around holidays? Which are your favorites and why? Are there celebrations or traditions that are unique to your family?

(This information must amount to at least one full page, double-spaced).

 

My Family                    Who makes up your family? Briefly describe the members of your immediate family and extended (if appropriate). Include why these individuals hold a special place in your life. Include photographs.  As an option here, you can create a family tree that includes as many generations of your family as possible (trace back at least as far as your great grandparents). Include illustrations or photographs.

 

 

 

 

My Family Recipe        Talk with family members about a recipe that is unique to your family.

a)       Give the actual recipe,

b)       Give the origin of the recipe or tell the story of how it came to be passed down in your family. Does the dish/recipe hold any special significance in your culture?

 

My Friends                   Describe those friends who mean the most to you. Explain their significance in your life. Be sure to include photographs.

 

What I Do                     What activities occupy your time? What do you enjoy doing the most? Describe some of the areas in which you feel you are most successful. Include images, artifacts, etc.

 

My Favorites                What are your favorites in music, television, movies, sports and other areas? What makes them your favorites? Include images, artifacts, etc.

                                   

My Travels                   Discuss and describe the places you have visited. What is your favorite place to visit? What makes this place so special? How does it differ from your hometown? Include photographs.

 

My Home                     Describe your home. What does it look like? Where is it located? How do you feel about your home? Is there anything you would change about it? What makes it a “home” rather than just a “house”? What does your particular room look like? What makes it yours? Include photographs.

Who I Am

a)      What kind of personality do you have? What are your greatest assets? What are your weaknesses? What makes you unique?

b)      List your multiple identities. Make a list of TEN different identities you have. For example:

1.       To CHS, I am a student in the Humanities Program

2.       To my family, I am the youngest of eight cousins.

3.       To my church, I am a youth volunteer.

c)      If you were to meet someone for the first time, what impression of you would they most likely get?

 

Bio-poem                     Include your Biopoem (a poem about yourself) in the portfolio.

 

My Philosophy             At this moment of your life, what is your philosophical outlook? Do you belief in fate or free will? Are your political views conservative or liberal? What role does your faith or religion play in your life?

What are your core values and beliefs? Who instilled those in you?  Consider how those beliefs might be challenged and perhaps even change as you go out into “the real world.”  What are you willing to negotiate on and what are you inflexible about? Do you see your outlook changing, as you get older? Why or why not? This information must amount to at least one full page, double-spaced).

 

My Hero                       Whom do you look up to as a role model? Who projects the values you hold sacred or inspires you to be better person?

 

Career/Education         For this section, research a career that interests you.

 

Relationships               What is it that you look for in a mate? What aren’t you willing to compromise on? What would be acceptable/tolerable?

 

The Future

a)      Describe ways in which you would like to grow or change over the next ten years. Include both long and short-term goals.

b)      How do you see your future? Imagine that it is twenty years from now. Write a letter to a real friend describing your life up to this point. What career do you imagine yourself in? What is your marital status? Where do you live? How do you envision your life in the future? (half-page minimum)

 

Bibliography                Provide a bibliography listing ANY outside sources you have used for this project including interviews, books, internet sources, song lyrics, etc.