| Scoring Scale and Points | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Criteria/Topics | Needs Improvement | Approaching Expectations | Meeting Expectations | Exceeding Expectations |
| Focus | The writer’s establishment of the situation is weak and the narrator and/or characters appear without introduction. |
The writer somewhat established the situation (e.g., going to the park), but the narrator and/or characters need more introduction. The writer may not have followed the prompt. |
The writer established the situation. (e.g.,going to the park to play baseball) The narrator and/or characters were adequately introduced. |
The writer clearly established the situation (e.g.,going to the park to play baseball and it begins to rain) and narrator and/or characters are fully introduced. The writer gave clues about what will later become a problem for the main character. |
| Organization | The writer’s sequence of events is difficult to follow and the ending was lost or not included . |
The writer included characters and events. The events were not logically sequenced and/or the events seemed to occur separately. The writer provided an ending that lacked clarity and/or was confusing . |
The writer included a beginning and adequately introduced the narrator and/or characters, setting, and established a situation. The writer included a sequence of events that unfolded adequately. The writer provided an adequate sense of closure for the reader that connected to the main idea or theme of the story. |
The writer included a clear beginning that fully introduced the narrator and/or characters, setting, and established a clear situation. The writer included a sequence of events that unfolded naturally. The writer included a clear sense of closure that connected to the beginning or middle of the story. The main character said, did, or realized something at the end of the story that connected back to the theme of the story. |
| Development | The writer included few or no details, dialogue, or description. |
The writer included only a few uses of dialogue and descriptive details; pacing was unclear or weak . |
The writer included adequate use of dialogue, description, and pacing. |
The writer included techniques, such as dialogue, vivid description, and pacing to develop experiences and events and show the responses of characters to situations. |
| Language and Vocabulary | The writer did not include vivid (sensory details) and precise language. The writer did not include enough transition words and phrases to make event order clear. |
The writer included few vivid (sensory details) sensory details and/or few transition words and/or phrases to signal event order. |
The writer used some vivid (sensory details) and precise language to convey events and experiences. The writer used some transition words and phrases to signal event order. |
The writer used a variety of vivid (sensory details) and precise language to convey events and experiences. The writer used a variety of transition words and phrases to signal event order. |
| Conventions: Mechanics, Grammar, and Spelling | The writer had little command of conventions. The writing was difficult to follow because of frequent errors. |
The writer’s command of conventions was uneven . The writing contained several errors. |
The writer’s command of conventions was sufficiently demonstrated. The writer made a few errors, but the writing was completely understandable. |
The writer’s command of conventions was strongly demonstrated. |
Mechanics –
● The writer used capitalization.
● The writer used correct ending punctuation, including punctuation for effect.
● The writer used commas to separate introductory elements from the rest of the sentence.
● The writer used quotation marks for quotations from the text.
● The writer used underlining, quotation marks, or italics to indicate titles of work.
Grammar –
● The writer used a variety of simple, compound, and complex sentences; recognizing and correcting
inappropriate fragments and run-ons.
● The writer considered reader/listener interest, and style.
Spelling –
● The writer used what he/she knew about word families and spelling rules to help him/her spell and edit.
● The writer used resources (i.e., dictionaries) to help him/her when needed.