Name: _____________ Class: _________
Ma’am Booker Short Story Rubric
Indicators
Ideas
Students can develop main ideas
and supporting details on a topic,
story, or idea in a paragraph
format.
How developed are the
characters, setting and theme of
the story?
Exemplary
100%
Writer has a clear, focused and
compelling vision - holds reader’s
attention
Striking insight; impressive
knowledge of topic
Takes reader on a journey of
understanding
Clear main idea and significant,
intriguing details
Organization
Students can choose and use
organizational structures that give
their audience the ability to
access and understand their
writing.
How effectively have your
structured your story to include
the different components of the
plot?
Word Choice
Students use accuracy and
precision in choosing words
that are specific to topic,
genre, purpose
How do the writer’s words
enhance the reading
experience?
Sentence Fluency
Students produce pieces of
text that display well crafted
sentences and a specific
mood.
Does the author vary
sentences to enhance the
reading experience?
Writer has a clear and focused
vision more often than not
Knows topic well enough to write in
broad terms
Some new info, some common
knowledge
Clear main idea well supported by
details
Developing
76%
Writer has a vision that is
overshadowed by undeveloped,
rambling text
Needs more knowledge of topic –
gaps apparent
Mostly common knowledge and best
guesses
Generalities dominate; writer has a
weak grip on main ideas
Emerging
64%
Writer lacks vision – still defining
topic or key question
Main idea never emerges, due to
writer’s lack of knowledge
Hastily assembled notes; random
thoughts
Filler dominates; main idea
wanders in and out of focus
Writer has a loose organization that
may be out of synch with ideas reader must be attentive
Writer’s organization is hard to
follow , even with effort – a faint
light in the distance
Strong lead – conclusion that
provides closure
Lead and/or conclusion need work
Lead and/or conclusion missing or
formulaic, minimally helpful
Helpful transitions often suggest
connections
Transitions sometimes missing or
formulaic
Structure helps reader track /
process ideas
Structure relies too much on formula
– or necessitates a re-reading
Writer’s voice as individual as
fingerprints
Writer demonstrates some sparks of
individuality
Writer’s voice emerges sporadically
– not too strong or distinctive
Uses voice as tool to enhance
meaning for the audience
Voice appealing and acceptable to
topic/audience
Voice often distant, not always
directed to audience
Writer has thoughtful organization
guides reader through the text like a
bright beacon
Provocative opening – enlightening
conclusion
Smooth, well-crafted transitions give
whole piece cohesion
Structure enhances reader’s
understanding
Voice
Students can create a voice as a
writer that defines the work as
their own.
How vividly has the writer’s
personality come through in the
writing?
Proficient
88%
Passionate, vibrant, electric,
compelling
Writer has an organization that
works in harmony with ideas
Pleasant, sincere, emerging,
earnest
Writer’s word choice allows readers
to read with ease and determine
meaning
Writer’s word choice easy to
understand, some eye-catching
phrases
Writer has virtually crafted every
sentence to begin differently
P Writer has crafted purposeful
sentence beginnings
Quiet, subdued, restrained,
inconsistent
Transitions often unclear or
missing
Significant re-organization needed
– reader often baffled
Writer individual voice not evident
Voice faint –OR, not right for
audience/ purpose
Distant, encyclopedic – OR
inappropriately informal
Writer’s word choice includes vague
words or wordiness waters down the
message
Writer’s word choice and
wordiness cloud message, leave
reader confused
Writer has crafted understandable
sentences that occasionally repeat
in structure
Writer has repetitive beginnings
Name: _____________ Class: _________
Learning about the strategies to read short fiction as well as about the elements and structures; using the writing process to create an original piece of
short fiction; preparing to present and talk about the new fiction and its influences.
Writing Process
Students can use the appropriate
steps of the writing process as
needed, including planning,
drafting, peer reviewing,
editing/revising, and publishing.
Reading Strategies
Students can use a range of
reading and viewing strategies for
a specific purpose and apply
metacognitive strategies as
appropriate to specific genres of
text.
Elements of Fiction
Students can describe and
explore the roles of the elements
of fiction.
The writer uses the writing process
fluidly as a tool to create an original
and thought-provoking story
The writer follows the steps of the
writing process
The writer uses some steps of the
writing process
The writer does not use the
writing process in any logical way
Uses all steps to create a published
story
Struggles somewhat with self
and/or peer editing/revising
Planning, drafting, editing and
revising haphazard at best
The reader cannot indentify or
define key reading strategies
Able to self and peer edit/revise
The reader is highly skilled with the
metacognitive strategies
The reader can identify and define
metacognitive reading strategies
The reader can define reading
strategies
Can identify and define
Can apply these strategies while
reading and identify some examples
Struggles with applying reading
strategies and giving examples
The reader can identify and define
all studied elements of short story
writing
The reader understands, on a basic
level, the elements of fiction
Use strategies fluidly with clear
examples
The reader works well with all
elements of fiction
Can use and adapt elements to
create an original short story
Uses these element to create an
understandable short story
The reader cannot identify or use
the elements of fiction
Struggles with identifying them in
works of fiction
Struggles with using them in a short
story
Writing Structures
Students can use their
understanding of specific
language forms, features, and
structures of text to shape
meaning as a reader.
Organization (Transdisciplinary)
How does time management help
me prioritize and complete tasks?
What preparation is necessary to
complete this learning task?
The writer can define the 4 basic
writing structures in writing
The writer can define the 4 writing
structures
Balances these structures in an
understandable short story
Can balance the structures in
mechanistic way in a short story
The student completes all
assignments in a timely manner
and continue learning with
extension activities or further
inquiry into the topic
The student completes all
assignments in a timely manner
The student completes all
assignments in a timely manner
with guidance and redirection
The student completes some
assignments in a timely manner
with guidance and redirection.
Prepares thoroughly and effectively
for use class time
Prioritizes responsibilities and
activities with the intention of
meeting expectations and achieving
goals
Uses class time inconsistently
dependent on prior preparation and
effective teacher redirection as
necessary
Uses class time inconsistently
requiring ongoing interventions to
identify what will be required to
complete a task or assignment
Attempts to prioritize
responsibilities and activities
Attempts to prioritize
responsibilities and activities with
guidance and redirection
The writer uses the 4 structures of
writing to create a balanced and
original short story
Prioritize responsibilities and
activities to meet expectations,
achieve goals and feel fulfilled
Oral Communication
Students will understand how to
communicate coherently and
appropriately in a range of oral
settings.
The speaker speaks confidently with
main ideas and support detail
Prepares well and uses class time
effectively
Changes tone and approaches
depending on audience
The speaker develops main ideas
and supporting details while
speaking
Expresses points of view in
impromptu
Able to express strong and clear
opinions in a diplomatic and
appropriate way
Demonstrates a personal opinion or
effective speaking in formal and
informal contexts
The writer does not understand
or use the 4 writing structures
The speaker can express main
ideas and detail
The speaker struggles with all
forms of communication
Is starting to express a point of
view in different speaking
situations
Is unable to express ideas in a
clear or concise manner
Does not consistently demonstrate
effective speaking in different
context
Cannot demonstrate personal
opinion or effective speaking in
different contexts