Historical Narrative Rubric and Instructions
Write a historical narrative. Write a story which takes place during a major event in history.
Bring this event to life through your character description, vivid word choice, dialogue, and plot.
The story is not true, but the event is. Use research and your knowledge of the historical event to
bring history to life through your fictional characters.
PREWRITING
Step 1 – choose an event in history
Step 2 – Gather enough information about that event to be able to have the correct dates, setting,
characters, and other details help to identify this event.
Step 3 – Organize your details in a time line.
Include the following in your time line:
Historic details: facts about who? what? when? where? why?
Sensory details: What your character may have seen, heard, smelled, tasted, or touched
Reflective details: What your character may have thought or felt
Actions: What your character may have done or experienced
Dialogue: What your character may have said or heard
WRITING
Step 3 – Start with your introduction. Briefly introduce the main character, setting, and conflict.
Step 4 – Quickly move into the main action and conflict
Step 5 – use vivid words and description to make your story come to life
Step 6 – Include dialogue to bring characters to life
Step 7 – Conclude the story by showing (not telling) the significance of the story. Why did it
matter?
Score of 4-3
IDEAS: The story and Historical even join together well.
The details throughout pull the reader into the story and
make the event come to life. Historical details are
accurate.
ORGANIZATION: Time is spent where it is needed.
The introduction quickly pulls us into the story. The
ending gives a good conclusion, showing the
significance of the story.
VOICE AND WORD CHOICE: Vivid words and
descriptions are used to clarify the mood of the story and
bring the story to life. Point of view is clear and
consistent.
SENTENCE FLUENCY: Sentences vary in length and
structure throughout. Transitional words and phrases are
used well.
CONVENTIONS: Verb tense agrees in number and is
consistent. Pronouns and antecedents agree.
Careful editing was done for spelling, punctuation
placement, and paragraph structure.
Score of 2-1
IDEAS: The story lacks detail or accuracy and struggles
to pull the reader in.
ORGANIZATION: Too much time is spent introducing
things. Not enough detail is spent in the heart of the
story. The ending leaves the reader hanging or
confused. The organization of events may also be
confusing.
VOICE AND WORD CHOICE: Only simple and nondescriptive words are used. There is no clear mood of
the story. Point of view is not clear or consistent.
SENTENCE FLUENCY: Sentences are choppy and
repetitive. Transitional words and phrases are not used
well. Sentence style is simplistic.
CONVENTIONS: Verb tense often disagrees in number
and is not consistent throughout. Pronouns and
antecedents often disagree.
Editing was not done well. Spelling and grammar are
often missed, causing the reading to be difficult and
confusing. Paragraphs are not separated correctly.