Draft Rubric for Writing a Narrative Account

Distinguished
(from the ELA Standards)

Proficient

Developing

Needs Improvement / Beginning

Engaging the reader

Engages the reader with an interesting introduction that makes the reader connect with the story and the character.

Adequately engages the reader.

Makes an attempt to engage the reader but is not successful.

Does not try to engage the reader or establish the context of the story.

Establishment of the plot and characters

Establishes a situation, plot, persona, point of view, setting, conflict, and resolution; Develops complex characters.

Provides an adequately developed plot, but not quite good enough to rate it as distinguished. Characters are adequately developed.

Barely develops the plot and characters are superficial.

The plot is difficult to follow or understand and requires further development. Characters show little to no development.

Organization

Creates an organizational structure that balances and unifies all narrative aspects of the story.

Shows a clear attempt at organization that comes close to unifying the story; digressions are rare.

Lacks focus and a controlling idea; however, digressions and/or abrupt shifts in the response may interfere with meaning.

There is little or no organization present; frequent digressions and/or abrupt shifts in the response interfere with meaning.

Style and Fluency

The ideas are clearly and effectively developed; writing is fluent and polished with effective transitions.

Most ideas are clearly expressed; writing is generally fluent, with some use of transitions.

Some ideas may not be clearly expressed; fluency and transitions may be lacking.

Many ideas are difficult to understand; fluency and transitions are lacking.

Grammar, Spelling and Proofreading

Demonstrates mastery of the rules of the English Language including punctuation, spelling, and grammar.

Makes good attempt to revise with only a few errors in punctuation, spelling, grammar.

Efforts to revise are made but with many errors in punctuation, spelling, grammar remaining.

Shows little to no evidence of proofreading, with many punctuation, spelling, grammatical,errors.

	Distinguished (from the ELA Standards)	Proficient	Developing	Needs Improvement / Beginning
Engaging the reader	Engages the reader with an interesting introduction that makes the reader connect with the story and the character.	Adequately engages the reader.	Makes an attempt to engage the reader but is not successful.	Does not try to engage the reader or establish the context of the story.
Establishment of the plot and characters	Establishes a situation, plot, persona, point of view, setting, conflict, and resolution; Develops complex characters.	Provides an adequately developed plot, but not quite good enough to rate it as distinguished. Characters are adequately developed.	Barely develops the plot and characters are superficial.	The plot is difficult to follow or understand and requires further development. Characters show little to no development.
Organization	Creates an organizational structure that balances and unifies all narrative aspects of the story.	Shows a clear attempt at organization that comes close to unifying the story; digressions are rare.	Lacks focus and a controlling idea; however, digressions and/or abrupt shifts in the response may interfere with meaning.	There is little or no organization present; frequent digressions and/or abrupt shifts in the response interfere with meaning.
Style and Fluency	The ideas are clearly and effectively developed; writing is fluent and polished with effective transitions.	Most ideas are clearly expressed; writing is generally fluent, with some use of transitions.	Some ideas may not be clearly expressed; fluency and transitions may be lacking.	Many ideas are difficult to understand; fluency and transitions are lacking.
Grammar, Spelling and Proofreading	Demonstrates mastery of the rules of the English Language including punctuation, spelling, and grammar.	Makes good attempt to revise with only a few errors in punctuation, spelling, grammar.	Efforts to revise are made but with many errors in punctuation, spelling, grammar remaining.	Shows little to no evidence of proofreading, with many punctuation, spelling, grammatical,errors.