Carver Middle High School 21st Century Learning Skills 4. Students will write with clarity, purpose, and an understanding of audience. Exceeds Expectation Purpose Purpose (Intent) Thesis (Main Idea) Focus o Shows an in-depth understanding o Shows understanding of the of the assignment assignment o Establishes a clear, insightful, and o Establishes a clear and insightful original/thought-provoking thesis thesis o Maintains exceptional focus o Maintains consistent focus Content o Development Topics (Categories Of Evidence) o Evidence Analysis o Background (Ensuring A General Reader’s Understanding) Organization Structure & Intro/Conclusion Transitions Style Voice Word Choice Sentence Fluency Meets Expectation Selects key topics that support o Selects topics that support thesis thesis clearly and effectively adequately Develops topics fully with detailed o Develops topics with detailed reasons, facts, examples reasons, facts, examples Offers in-depth, skillful analysis o Offers analysis consistent with critical thinking Approaches Expectation Does not Meet Expectation o Shows partial understanding of the o Is unclear, inconsistent, or does not assignment match the assignment o Attempts a thesis, but it is unclear or o Has no thesis too basic and may not emerge until o Does not maintain focus late in paper o Loses focus occasionally o Selects a limited number of topics or o Is missing key topics; may have ones that are not the most effective topics that do not support thesis o Attempts to develop topics but lacks o Does not develop topics with relevant details reasons, facts, examples o Offers only some analysis or has o Makes no attempt to go beyond the lapses in critical thinking obvious Provides illuminating background information/definitions Provides audience with necessary background information/definitions Provides a limited amount of background information/ definitions o Structures content to enhance meaning from engaging intro to profound conclusion o Connects ideas smoothly and eloquently o Structures content logically from a clear introduction to a satisfying conclusion o Connects ideas logically o Provides some structure including a o Does not provide enough logical partially developed introduction/ structure for meaning; introduction/ conclusion conclusion lacking key elements o Connects ideas inconsistently/ o Does not connect ideas unclearly/ awkwardly o Has compelling voice recognizing o Shows some recognition of audience o Does not consider audience, but audience and enhancing message and uses appropriate tone conveys information acceptably o Uses rich, precise language o Uses accurate, concise language o Uses general, sometimes inaccurate o Varies sentence beginnings, o Sometimes varies sentence language; may be too wordy structure, and length to enhance beginnings, structure, and length o Rarely varies sentence patterns meaning and sound Conventions Spelling & Grammar o Produces essentially error-free work Formatting o Follows all requirements; format enhances meaning o Produces work with a few minor errors, but not enough to interfere with meaning o Uses appropriate format Does not provide necessary background info/definitions o Does not consider audience; may use inappropriate tone or one that interferes with message o Uses general, sometimes repetitious, or inaccurate language o Does not vary sentence patterns o Makes some errors that interfere with o Makes numerous errors that meaning interfere with meaning o Uses mostly appropriate format o Does not use appropriate format