Grade 4 Narrative Writing Rubric
Aligned to Next Generation Standards and Objectives
Smarter Balanced Claim 2: Students can produce effective and well- grounded writing for a range of purposes and audiences.
Focus
Content: Topic
Development and Support
Organization and Flow
4
Exemplary
3
Adequate
2
Partial
1
Minimal
The writer artfully develops real or
imagined experiences or events by
introducing a narrator and/or
characters, using vivid, descriptive
details, showing responses through
the use of realistic dialogue, using a
variety of concrete words and
phrases and sensory details to
convey the experiences and
providing a strong conclusion.
The writer develops real or imagined
experiences or events by introducing
a narrator and/or characters, using
descriptive details, showing
responses through the use of
dialogue, using concrete words and
phrases and sensory details to
convey the experiences and
providing a conclusion.
The writer creates real or imagined
experiences or events, introduces a
narrator and/or characters, shows
responses through the use of
dialogue, uses details, and provides
a conclusion.
The writer creates real or imagined
experiences or events with a narrator
or characters, uses some dialogue
and details, and provides a
conclusion.
The writer uses a strong narrator
and/or characters to develop
interesting experiences and
naturally-sequenced events and to
show responses to the various
situations. Sensory details convey
the experiences precisely. The writer
provides a conclusion that follows
from the experiences or events.
The writer uses the narrator and/or
characters to develop the
experiences and naturallysequenced events and to show
responses to the situations. The
writer provides a conclusion that
follows from the experiences or
events.
The writer uses the narrator and/or
characters to develop the
experiences. Events are sequenced
and show responses to the
situations. The writer provides a
conclusion.
The writer uses a narrator to tell the
story. Most events are sequenced
and an ending is provided.
The writer’s focus is clear and
coherent; there are no unnecessary
words or information; above grade
level words and phrases are used to
convey ideas precisely; figurative
language and punctuation are used
effectively.
The writer’s focus is clear and
coherent, no unnecessary
information is included; grade
appropriate words and phrases
convey ideas precisely; figurative
language and punctuation are used
effectively.
The writer’s focus is clear and
appropriate for the assignment;
words and phrases convey ideas
precisely; some figurative language
is used.
The writer attempts to focus on the
assignment by using appropriate
words and phrases.
West Virginia Department of Education
Grade 4 Narrative
Next Generation Standards
Conventions
Language Use
The writer demonstrates command of
the conventions of Standard English
grammar and usage by effectively
using relative pronouns (who,
whose, whom, which, that) and
relative adverbs (where, when,
why);
The writer demonstrates partial
command of the conventions of
Standard English grammar and
usage when
using relative pronouns (who,
whose, whom, which, that) and
relative adverbs (where, when,
why);
The writer demonstrates knowledge
of the conventions of Standard
English grammar and usage by
using relative pronouns (who,
whose, whom, which, that) and
relative adverbs (where, when,
why);
The writer demonstrates some
knowledge of the conventions of
Standard English grammar and
usage when
using relative pronouns (who,
whose, whom, which, that) and
relative adverbs (where, when,
why);
forming and using the
progressive verb tenses;
forming and using the
progressive verb tenses;
forming and using the
progressive verb tenses;
forming and using the
progressive verb tenses;
using modal auxiliaries (e.g.,
can, may, must) to convey
various conditions;
using modal auxiliaries (e.g.,
can, may, must) to convey
various conditions;
using modal auxiliaries (e.g.,
can, may, must) to convey
various conditions;
using modal auxiliaries (e.g.,
can, may, must) to convey
various conditions;
ordering adjectives according to
conventional patterns;
ordering adjectives according to
conventional patterns;
ordering adjectives according to
conventional patterns;
ordering adjectives according to
conventional patterns;
forming and using prepositional
phrases;
forming and using prepositional
phrases;
forming and using prepositional
phrases;
producing complete sentences
and avoiding inappropriate
fragments and run-ons;
producing complete sentences
and avoiding inappropriate
fragments and run-ons;
producing complete sentences
and avoiding inappropriate
fragments and run-ons;
correctly using frequently
confused words (e.g., to, too,
two).
correctly using frequently
confused words (e.g., to, too,
two).
correctly using frequently
confused words (e.g., to, too,
two).
The writer uses correct capitalization
and punctuation, including commas
and quotation marks to identify direct
speech and quotations from a text, a
comma before the coordinating
conjunction in compound sentences,
and spells grade-appropriate words
with insignificant errors that need little
or no editing.
The writer uses correct capitalization
and punctuation, including commas
and quotation marks to identify direct
speech and quotations from a text, a
comma before the coordinating
conjunction in compound sentences,
and spells grade-appropriate words
with few errors that need editing but
do not distract from the message.
West Virginia Department of Education
The writer uses capitalization and
punctuation, including commas and
quotation marks to identify direct
speech and quotations from a text
and a comma before a coordinating
conjunction in compound sentences,
and spells grade-appropriate words
with errors that need editing.
Grade 4 Narrative
forming and using prepositional
phrases;
producing complete sentences
and avoiding inappropriate
fragments and run-ons;
correctly using frequently
confused words (e.g., to, too,
two).
The writer uses capitalization and
punctuation, including commas and
quotation marks to identify direct
speech and quotations from a text
and a comma before a coordinating
conjunction in compound sentences
and spells grade-appropriate words
with frequent and repeated errors
that distract from the message.
Next Generation Standards