Writing Response: Scoring Guide

Color Key: Main Idea Organization Vocabulary Mechanics Sentence Structure Voice/Purpose

Score

3rd Grade
The writer:

4th Grade
The writer:

5th Grade
The writer:
* Uses strong supporting details to fully develop main idea * Organizes the composition in a logical, thoughtful way * Employs rich use of varied vocabularly * Demonstrates solid knowledge of appropriate capitalization, punctuation and spelling * Demonstrates strong knowledge of sentence variety and structure * Demonstrates strong awareness of audience and purpose

6th Grade
The writer:
* Uses very strong details to support development of clear main idea * Organizes the composition with clarity and logical development * Employs rich and varied vocabulary * Demonstrates solid knowledge of appropriate capitalization, punctuation and spelling * Demonstrates strong knowledge of sentence variety and structure * Demonstrates strong awareness of audience and purpose

M=
Meets grade level expectations

*Uses details to support the * Uses strong explanation main idea and details to support * Stays on topic and the writing main ideas is sequential with a clear beginning, Organizes the * middle and/or end. composition in a logical, * Uses descriptive vocabulary thoughtful way * Demonstrates solid * Uses rich and varied knowledge of appropriate vocabularly capitalization, punctuation and * Demonstrates solid spelling knowledge of appropriate * Varies sentence beginnings capitalization, punctuation and composes complete and spelling sentences * Demonstrates varied sentence patterns and consistently uses transition words

The writer:

The writer:
* Uses limited explanation and details to support main idea *Demonstrates moderate development of ideas and organization * Uses adequately varied vocabulary * Demonstrates adequate knowledge of appropriate capitalization, punctuation and spelling * Demonstrates varied sentence patterns and periodically uses transition words

The writer:
* Uses limited supporting details to develop main idea * Demonstrates evidence of sequential and logical development of composition * Uses adequately varied vocabulary * Demonstrates adequate knowledge of appropriate capitalization, punctuation and spelling * Demonstrates adequate sentence variety and structure * Demonstrates awareness of audience and purpose

The writer:
* Uses limited supporting details to develop main idea * Demonstrates limited development of ideas and organization * Uses adequately varied vocabulary * Demonstrates adequate knowledge of appropriate capitalization, punctuation and spelling * Demonstrates adequate sentence variety and structure * Demonstrates awareness of audience and purpose

P=
Progressing towards grade level expectations

*Uses some details to support the main idea * Is slightly off topic and the writing has a beginning, middle and/or end * Uses some descriptive vocabulary * Demonstrates adequate knowledge of appropriate capitalization, punctuation and spelling * Varies some sentences

The writer:

The writer:
*Uses some explanations and details related to the main idea * Lacks clear organization in the composition * Uses some varied vocabulary * Demonstrates some knowledge of appropriate capitalization, punctuation and spelling * Demonstrates limited sentence patterns and limited use of transition words

The writer:
* Uses vague supporting details and lacks clearly identified main idea * Demonstrates weak organization * Uses limited vocabulary with some variation of word choice * Demonstrates some knowledge of appropriate capitalization, punctuation and spelling * Demonstrates inadequate sentence variety and structure * Demonstrates little awareness of audience and purpose

The writer:
* Uses weak details and lacks clearly identified main idea * Demonstrates weak development and organization * Uses limited vocabularly with some variation of word choice * Demonstrates some knowledge of appropriate capitalization, punctuation and spelling * Demonstrates inadequate sentence variety and structure * Demonstrates little awareness of audience and purpose

B=
Beginning to show comprehension of grade level expectations

*Uses few details to support the main idea * Is somewhat off topic and the writing does not have a clear beginning, middle and/or end * Uses little descriptive vocabulary * Demonstrates some knowledge of appropriate capitalization, punctuation and spelling * Demonstrates awkward sentence structure

The writer:

The writer:
* Uses no explanations and details related to the main idea * Lacks any organization in the composition * Uses limited vocabularly * Demonstrates limited knowledge of appropriate capitalization, punctuation and spelling * Demonstrates basic sentence patterns and few transition words

The writer:
* Uses no details and has no main idea * Demonstrates no evidence of organization * Uses simple vocabulary * Demonstrates limited knowledge of appropriate capitalization, punctuation and spelling * Demonstrates very basic sentence variety and structure * Demonstrates no awareness of audience and little purpose

The writer:
* Uses no details and has no main detail * Demonstrates no organization * Uses simple vocabularly and limited word choice * Demonstrates limited knowledge of appropriate capitalization, punctuation and spelling * Demonstrates very basic sentence variety and structure * Demonstrates no awareness of audience and little purpose

N = Not
showing grade level understanding

* Uses no details and has no main idea * is off topic and the writing has no beginning, middle and/or end * Uses no descriptive language * Demonstrates limited knowledge of appropriate capitalization, punctuation and spelling * Demonstrates poor sentence structure