Eyeliner, Lipstick and Blush
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Eyeliner, Lipstick and Blush

School: High Tech High Media Arts

City/State: San Diego, CA

Grade(s): 11

Format(s): Short Essay

Subject(s): English Language Arts

Type(s): Narrative

Writing Assignment Description

This writing piece is the second draft of a short personal narrative with peer/teacher feedback.

How This Writing Can Be Useful

  • Strong, clear voice with personality (e.g. “Damn, I love being a girl.”)
  • Crisp sentences – no affectation or adornment – that move confidently to tell the story
  • Careful attention to the small details of her life
  • Surprising combination of emotional worlds – juxtaposing traditional girl rituals of clothing, hair and makeup with the tough urban reality of being ready for a fist fight
  • Honest portrayal of feelings that can serve as a provocation for class discussion – especially for teenage girls
  • Elegant pivot in the last sentence from her personal story to the broader issue of teenage girl rivalry (“It’s how the game is played; the game of being a girl”).

Common Core State Standards

Standard Long Term Learning Target
W.11-12.3
  • I can write narrative texts about real or imagined experiences using well-chosen details and effective event sequences.
W.11-12.4
  • I can produce clear and coherent writing appropriate to task, purpose and audience.
W.11-12.5
  • I can use the writing process to focus on what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.
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