4th Grade Informative/Explanatory
Focus and Development
Writing effectively
establishes a controlling
topic and supports the
topic with evidence
(from the text if
appropriate) and
elaborates with
examples, illustrations,
facts, and other details.
When applicable, the
writer must integrate
the information from
the text into his/her
own words and arrange
the ideas and supporting
evidence in order to
create cohesion.
Language Usage and
Conventions
Demonstrates control of
sentence formation,
usage, and mechanics as
embodied in the gradelevel expectations of the
language standards.
Level 1
Novice
I
Lacks evidence of:
d ● A clear topic
e ● Information from experiences and/or
a
information from print and digital
s
sources
1.5
Level 2
Developing
Attempts to:
● Convey ideas about a topic
● Include information about the topic
● Recall information from experiences
and/or information from print and
digital sources
● Use documents that clarify details
or supports claims
2.5
Level 3
Effective
● Introduces a topic (23a)
● Develops the topic with facts,
definitions, concrete details,
quotations, and examples (23b)
● Recalls relevant information from
experiences and/or gathers
information from print and digital
sources, and provides a list of sources
(29)
● Use documents that clarify details or
support claims (23e)
3.5
Level 4
Highly Effective
● Strengthens topic with elaborated
facts, definitions, concrete details,
quotations, and examples
● Cites relevant information from
experiences or gathers relevant
information from print and digital
sources; takes notes and categorizes
information, and provides a list of
sources
O
r
g
a
n
i
z
a
t
i
o
n
Lacks Evidence of:
● Planning
● An introduction to the topic
● Relevant information and/or
information grouped together
● Formatting, illustrations, or
multimedia when needed
● Linking words to connect ideas within
categories of information
● A concluding statement or section
Attempts to:
● Plan
● Introduce a topic
● Group related ideas together
● Use formatting, illustrations, or
multimedia when useful
● Use linking words to connect ideas
within categories of information
● Provide a concluding statement or
section
● Reflects planning (26)
● Produces an introductory statement
or section (23a)
● Groups related information in
paragraphs and/or sections (23a)
● Includes formatting, illustrations, or
multimedia when helpful to the
reader (23a)
● Links ideas within categories of
information using words and phrases
(23c)
● Provides a concluding statement or
section (23f)
● Groups related information
cohesively to explain each part or
section of the topic
● Uses a variety of linking words and
phrases to connect ideas and
subtopics throughout the piece
● Provides a concluding statement or
section that restates important
ideas and suggests a follow-up
action or final thought
S
t
y
l
e
Lacks Evidence of:
● Simple, compound, complex and
compound-complex sentences
● Words and phrases to convey ideas
precisely
● Precise language and domainspecific vocabulary to inform or
explain the topic
Attempts to:
● Use simple, compound, complex
and compound-complex sentences
● Choose words and phrases to
convey ideas precisely
● Use precise language and domainspecific vocabulary to inform or
explain the topic
● Produces simple, compound,
complex, and compound-complex
sentences (38i)
● Chooses words and phrases to
convey ideas precisely (40a)
● Uses precise language and domainspecific vocabulary to inform or
explain the topic (23d)
● Uses a variety of simple,
compound, complex, and
compound-complex sentences
throughout piece
● Chooses words and phrases to
convey ideas precisely throughout
piece
● Uses precise language and domainspecific vocabulary to inform or
explain the topic throughout the
piece
C Lacks Evidence of:
o ● Legible cursive
n ● Command of grade-level appropriate
v
conventions of English grammar and
e
usage when writing:
n
o grammar/usage
t
o capitalization
i
o punctuation
o
o spelling
n Errors have a significant effect on
s meaning.
Attempts to:
● Write legibly in cursive
● Demonstrate a command of gradelevel appropriate conventions of
English grammar and usage when
writing:
o grammar/usage
o capitalization
o punctuation
o spelling
Errors have an effect on meaning.
● Writes legibly in cursive (38a)
● Demonstrates a command of gradelevel appropriate conventions of
English grammar and usage when
writing (38, 39):
o grammar/usage
o capitalization
o punctuation
o spelling
Errors have a minimal effect on
meaning.
Errors have no effect on meaning.