Realistic Fiction
Evaluation Rubric
Student _________________________________________________________________ Grade ______
Teacher _________________________________________________ Date _______________________
Directions: Use the rubric to evaluate your students’ completed realistic
fiction stories. To receive an exemplary score (4), a student’s work should
reflect the criteria described below.
Score
Traits
Planning and Implementation
­­___4
___3
___2
___1
The writer’s ideas are clear, well organized, and well developed.
The realistic fiction story . . .
• has a beginning, middle, and end.
• has all story elements—setting, characters, a problem with events, and a solution.
• has 3–5 big events.
• begins with a strong lead that grabs readers’ attention, such as something unexpected,
a quote, dialogue, or a question.
• has a believable ending that sums up the problem and solution in the story.
• uses descriptive words that add detail to people, places, and events.
Evidence of Genre Characteristics
­­___4
___3
___2
___1
The realistic fiction story . . .
• is told from a first or third person point of view (voice).
• takes place in an authentic setting.
• includes a beginning that sets the tone for the story.
• has characters based on people you might meet in real life.
• has at least one character who deals with a conflict within himself/herself, with others,
or with nature.
• shows how the conflict causes the main character to change in some way.
Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics
___4
___3
___2
___1
The writing has . . .
• no run-on sentences.
• no sentence fragments.
• correct subject/verb agreement.
• correct regular past tense verbs and to be verbs.
• correct punctuation.
• correct capitalization (beginning of sentences, proper nouns).
• correct spelling.
• indented paragraphs.
Key:
Comments:
1-Beginning
2-Developing
3-Accomplished
4-Exemplary
©2012 Benchmark Education Company, LLC • Benchmark Writer’s Workshop • Grade 2 • Realistic Fiction
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