If you prefer to have students draft essays for your comment that are then revised for a second round of portfolio commentary, then you'll probably want to use the assignment sheets linked below. If you prefer to have students write several journal entries or very informal drafts that they choose from to revise for the portfolio, you should consider the assignment sheets linked under Portfolio 1.
You can also create a mix-and-match variation for the first half of the semester. You might, for instance, have students draft a single attempt at the personal essay, collect and comment on it, and return it for revision and submission in the portfolio in week 9. But perhaps you want to give students more opportunities to draft summaries and choose one to revise for the portfolio. Feel free to adapt the assignments and submission schedule.
Please note that the assignment sheets linked below specify a target audience. If you prefer to have students identify their audiences, just edit the sheets as necessary.