Curriculum Leaders/NRRC Summer Writing Institute
Rubric Template 2012-13
Grade: 6
Subject: Writing
 Narrative
 Informative
 Argument
Writing Prompt
You are a consumer who has been asked to evaluate a particular invention by the company that manufactures it. Select your favorite invention. It could be the cell phone, the
television, a video game, a book, or any other. In a well-developed composition, explain how the invention works and why it is significant in your life.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Standards
6.W.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
a.
Introduce a topic; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts,
tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
c.
Use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
e.
Establish and maintain a formal style.
f.
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the information or explanation presented
6.W.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
6.L.1.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
a.
Ensure that pronouns are in the proper case (subjective, objective, possessive).
b. Use intensive pronouns (e.g., myself, ourselves).
c.
Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun number and person.
d. Recognize and correct vague pronouns (i.e., ones with unclear or ambiguous antecedents).
e.
Recognize variations from standard English in their own and others' writing and speaking, and identify and use strategies to improve expression in conventional language.
6.L.2.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
a.
Use punctuation (commas, parentheses, dashes) to set off nonrestrictive/parenthetical elements.
b. Spell correctly.
6.L3
Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
a. Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.*
Maintain consistency in style and tone.*
6.L.4
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 6 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
a.
Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
b.
Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., audience, auditory, audible).
c.
Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech.
Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).
6.L.5
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
a.
Interpret figures of speech (e.g., personification) in context.
b. Use the relationship between particular words (e.g., cause/effect, part/whole, item/category) to better understand each of the words.
c.
Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., stingy, scrimping, economical, unwasteful, thrifty).
6.L.6
Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
Suggested Administration (for example- accommodations, timeframes, etc):
2 /45 minute session
First session- Planning and Drafting - Second Session Revising and Editing
4
Exceeding

Strongly examines a topic and

conveys ideas, concepts, and
information through selection and
analysis of relevant content
Ideas

Thoroughly develops topic with

original, surprising, and relevant
facts, definitions, concrete details,
quotations, or other information and

examples

Consistently stays on topic throughout
the piece

Carefully organizes all ideas, concepts 
and information using strategies such
as definition, classification,
Organization
comparison/contrast and cause/effect
with appropriate formatting

Uses sophisticated transitions to

clarify the relationship among ideas
and concepts

Provides an interesting concluding

statement or section that follows from
the information or explanation
presented

Includes evidence of writer’s

Voice
personality and begs to be read aloud

Writer thoughtfully creates a personal 
connection with the reader

Voice is consistently appropriate for

the purpose, audience, topic and/or
genre

Consistently uses precise language

and domain-specific vocabulary to
Word Choice
inform about or explain topic

Words are carefully considered for

audience and purpose

Avoids overused words and includes a 
variety of words to convey meaning

Establishes and maintains a
sophisticated , formal style throughout
the piece

Includes all complete sentences


Creatively uses a variety of sentence
types (simple, compound, and

Sentence Fluency
complex)

Includes many varied sentence

beginnings and lengths purposefully
for effect

Has no errors in grade level

Conventions
appropriate grammar

Has no errors in grade level

(See Language
appropriate punctuation and
Standard pg.1)
capitalization

Has no errors in grade level

conventional spelling, spelling
patterns and generalizations and few
errors on above grade level words
Topic Development: _____/20 _________________
Exceeds (17-20), Meets (14-16), Developing (8-13), Beginning (5-7),
Trait
Name:________________________________________________
3
Meeting
Generally examines a topic and
conveys ideas, concepts, and
information through selection and
analysis of relevant content
Develops topic with relevant facts,
definitions, details, quotations, or
other information and examples
Mostly stays on topic



Organizes most ideas, concepts and
information using strategies such as
definition, classification,
comparison/contrast and cause/effect
with appropriate formatting
Uses appropriate transitions to clarify
the relationship among ideas and
concepts
Provides a concluding statement or
section that follows from the
information or explanation presented

Includes evidence of writer’s
personality
Reader feels a connection with the
writer
Voice is mostly appropriate for the
purpose, audience, topic and/or genre

Uses precise language and domainspecific vocabulary to inform about or
explain topic
Words are appropriate for audience
and purpose
Avoids overused words

Includes a few incomplete sentences
relative to the length of the piece
Includes a variety of sentence types
(simple, compound, and complex)
Includes many varied sentence
beginnings and lengths

Has few errors in grade level
appropriate grammar
Has few errors in grade level
appropriate punctuation and
capitalization
Has no errors in grade level
conventional spelling and spelling
patterns and generalizations











2
Developing
Beginning to examine a topic and convey
ideas, concepts, and information through
selection and analysis of relevant content
Beginning to develop topic with some
relevant facts and details, quotations, or
other information and examples
May be off topic at times



1
Beginning
Does not examine a topic or convey ideas,
concepts, and information through selection and
analysis of relevant content
Scarcely develops topic with limited/irrelevant
facts, details, quotations, or other information
and examples
Is off topic throughout the piece.
Some ideas, concepts and information are
organized using strategies such as
definition, classification,
comparison/contrast and cause/effect with
appropriate formatting
Includes some appropriate transitions to
clarify the relationship among ideas and
concepts
Provides a concluding statement or section
that is weak and may not follow from the
information or explanation presented

Beginning to show evidence of writer’s
personality
Reader begins to feel a connection with
the writer
Voice is somewhat appropriate for the
purpose, audience, topic and/or genre



No evidence of writer’s personality
Reader feels no connection with the writer
Voice is not appropriate for the purpose,
audience, topic and/or genre
Beginning to use some precise language
and/or domain-specific vocabulary to
inform about or explain topic
Some words may not be appropriate for
intended audience and purpose
Includes some overused words

Lacks precise language and/or domain-specific
vocabulary
Words are not appropriate for intended audience
and purpose
Includes many overused words
Includes some incomplete sentences
relative to the length of the piece
Includes some variety of sentence types
(simple, compound, and complex)
Includes some varied sentence beginnings
and lengths

Has some errors in grade level appropriate
grammar
Has some errors in grade level appropriate
punctuation and capitalization
Has few errors in grade level conventional
spelling and spelling patterns and
generalizations

Conventions: _____/4 __________________
Exceeds (4), Meets (3), Developing (2), Beginning (1)
Date:_______________________________________








Ideas, concepts and information are not logically
organized
Does not include appropriate transitions to
clarify the relationship among ideas and
concepts
No concluding statement or section is evident
Includes many incomplete sentences relative to
the length of the piece
Includes a limited variety of sentence types
(simple, compound, and complex)
Includes few or no varied sentence beginnings
and lengths
Has multiple errors in grade level appropriate
grammar
Has multiple errors in grade level appropriate
punctuation and capitalization
Has some errors in grade level conventional
spelling and spelling patterns and
generalizations
Total Score Combined: ______/24__________________
Exceeds (20-24), Meets (16-19), Developing (9-15), Beginning (6-8)