GRADE 5 COMPOSING RUBRIC

4
Consistent control
(but not perfect) / 3
Reasonable control
(some features better controlled than others) / 2
Inconsistent control
(control of several features but not of others) / 1
Little or no control
Central idea / Focused Central Idea:
  • clear to reader; no digressions
  • clear awareness of audience
/ Present Central Idea:
  • present and focused; may have slight digression
  • awareness of audience
/ Attempts Central IdeaBut
  • Several ideas may compete
  • Focus is inconsistent
/ Lacks Central Idea
  • Little or no focus
  • No sense of audience

Elaboration / Full:
  • Details in sentences
  • Explanation, examples, reasons, and/or anecdotes within paragraphs
  • Purposeful supporting details
/ Occasional Thinness:
Purposeful supporting details found at both
  • Sentence level
  • Paragraph level
/ Little or No Elaboration:
  • Few brief details clarify an idea
  • Underdeveloped statements
  • Little more than list
  • Skeletal narrative/plot
/ Bare Statements:
  • Sparse
  • Not purposeful detail

Organization / Strong:
  • Narrative organization has no lapses
  • Other modes may have minor lapses that don’t detract
/ Reasonable:
  • Overall plan is apparent – may have minor lapses that don’t detract significantly
  • Clearly shows relationship of ideas
  • Narrative organization is generally intact
  • Other modes may lapse
/ Little ApparentOrganization: there may be:
  • A list of general statements
  • Organizational structure unclear or inconsistent
  • Unclear relationship of ideas
/ Very Little or No Organization:
  • Jumps from point to point
  • No organizational plan
  • Fails to show relationship of ideas

Unity / Consistently Coherent:
  • Strong, intentional lead
  • Closing more than restatement
  • Consistent point of view
  • Appropriate transitions connect ideas and events
/ Dominantly Coherent:
  • Few, if any, digressions
  • Few if any, point of view shifts
  • Introduction/lead and closing present but not sophisticated
  • Some transitions used to show relationship of ideas and events
/ Little Unity/Weak Lead and/or Closing
  • May have weak opening and closing; closing may be contrived, fake, or trite
  • Major digressions
  • Lack of logical elaboration of central idea
  • Weak or ineffective use of transitions to connect ideas
/ Lacking Coherence
  • Limited or no lead/opening
  • Limited or no closing
  • Unity is never created because jumps idea to idea
  • Lackstransitions to connect ideas and events

Vocabulary / Purposeful & Crafted
  • Precise words create images
  • Careful & memorable word choice
  • Avoids anemic, vague words
/ Specific:
  • Specific word choice evident
  • Descriptive language
/ Bland:
  • Imprecise
  • Ordinary/bland
  • Vague
/ Vague/Repetitive:
  • Imprecise or general
  • Overused
  • Repetitive

Information / Even and Intentionally Selected:
  • Precise information
  • Creates images
  • Uses figurative language
  • Purposefully crafted message
/ Specific:
  • Clarifies message
  • Intentionally selected
  • May have few general statements
  • Some related but not necessary information
/ General:
  • Mostly general
  • Uneven or
  • Tells everything that the writer knows
/ Lacking:
  • Not present
  • Unclear
  • Vague
  • Repetitive

Voice / Strong & Clear:
  • Enhanced by word choice
  • Enhanced by selected information
/ Easily Discernible:
May not be present all the time / Seldom Emerges: only in
  • Some specific vocabulary
  • Some specific information
/ Not Present:
Tone / Present and Appropriate: / Present Some of the Time
Flattens when information and vocabulary are not specific / Rarely emerges: / Not Present:
Rhythm / Purposefully Varied Sentences:
  • Modifiers and subordination are effectively embedded
  • Rhythmic flow of sentences
/ Smooth Rhythm:
  • Overall sentence variety and structure, though may occasionally be lacking
  • Occasional awkward sentence construction
/ Occasional Rhythm to Sentences
  • Sentence beginnings not varied
  • Sentence types not very varied
  • Little variety in sentence length
/ Lacks Sentence Variety:
  • Monotonous sentences
  • Several extremely awkward sentences