Kindergarten OpinionWriting Rubric

Ready To Begin / Exploring / Expanding / Extending
Ideas / *Draws and narrates, but topic is not connected
*No opinion stated
*Random thoughts
*No understanding of letter/sound relationships
*No attempt to label drawings / *Draws, narrates, and/or writes at least 1 sentence about the topic
*Some words or ideas may be confusing or off topic
*Understands some letter/sound relationships
*Begins to label drawings using phonetic skills / *Draws, narrates, and/or writes a paper that states an opinion
*Establishes a topic within title and/or names the book
*Expresses preferences to topic and/or book
*Uses sources such as print and internet to gather information about the topic
*Provides a sense of closure / *Draws, narrates, and/or writes a paper that states an opinion
*Establishes a topic within title and/or names the book
*Expresses preferences to topic and/or book
*Uses sources as a print and internet to gather information about the topic
*Uses some descriptive words
*Provides a sense of closure
Organization / * No clear beginning or ending
*Hard to follow
*Sequence is incomprehensible to the writer and others / * Ineffective beginning or ending
* Some sequencing
*Some attempt at organization
*Sequence may distract from overall meaning / * Effective beginning, middle, and ending
*Smooth flow
*Some transition / * Inviting beginning, middle, and ending
* Logical organization
*Uses connecting words such as because, to, connect opinion to reasons
Voice / *No concern for audience
*Flat or inappropriate
*No connection to literary work / * Occasionally aware of audience
*Voice is mechanical and/or repetitive
*Tries to engage the reader
*Little connection to literary work / *Pleasing, yet “safe”
*Connection to reader is somewhat interesting
*Some connection to literary work / * Engaging
*Takes risks
*Writer’s voice adds interest to message
* Blends personal knowledge with images and ideas from literary work
Word Choice / *Vocabulary is limited
*Some words but mostly pictures
*Words do not convey meaning
*Tends to copy print from room / *Generally correct words
*Language is functional
*Attempts some interesting words / *Some active verbs and precise nouns
* Experiments with language
* Attempts to borrow words from literary work / *May borrow words from literary work
* Engaging and/or figurative words
* Wording is accurate and specific
*Words create meaningful pictures for reader
Sentence Fluency / *Mostly words
*Orally reading not possible
* Repetitive words / *Includes words and sentences
*Oral reading difficult
*Attempts and different kinds of sentences / *Includes complete yet simple sentences
*Begins to have flow and rhythm to sentences
*Able to orally read / *Includes interesting sentences
*Creative use of sentence length and structure
*Sentences enhance meaning
Conventions / *No conventions evident / *Some correct spellings (or inventive spelling)
*Some correct punctuation
*Some correct capitalization
*Convention errors distracting and obscure meaning / *Mostly correct spellings (or inventive spelling)
*Mostly correct punctuation
*Mostly correct capitalization
*Errors are present but not distracting / *Words spelled correctly (or correct inventive spelling)
*Includes a variety of punctuation
*Capitalization is used correctly
*Few errors evident
*Uses punctuation to convey meaning
Presentation / *Random use of words or letters
*No spacing
*Overall appearance is lacking / *Some spacing is evident
*Overall appearance is distracting / *Words and sentences are spaced
*Overall appearance is acceptable / *Consistent and uniform spacing for words and sentences
*Overall appearance is pleasing

Troup County Schools 2013

Kindergarten

Opinion Writing Rubric