Smarter Balanced Narrative Performance Task Writing Rubric (Grades 3-8)

4 points

The organization of the narrative, real or imagined, is fully sustained and the focus is clear and maintained throughout: an effective plot helps to create a sense of unity and completeness; effectively establishes a setting, narrator/characters, and/or point of view*; consistent use of a variety of transitional strategies to clarify the relationships between and among ideas; strong connection between and among ideas; natural, logical sequence of events from beginning to end; effective opening and closure for audience and purpose.

3 points

The organization of the narrative, real or imagined, is adequately sustained, and the focus is adequate and generally maintained: an evident plot helps to create a sense of unity and completeness, though there may be minor flaws and some ideas may be loosely connected; adequately establishes a setting, narrator/characters, and/or point of view*; adequate use of a variety of transitional strategies to clarify the relationships between and among ideas; adequate sequence of events from beginning to end; adequate opening and closure for audience and purpose.

2 points

The organization of the narrative, real or imagined, is somewhat sustained and may have an uneven focus: there may be an inconsistent plot, and/or flaws may be evident; unevenly or minimally establishes a setting, narrator/characters, and/or point of view*; uneven use of appropriate transitional strategies and/or little variety; weak or uneven sequence of events; opening and closure, if present, are weak.

1 point

The organization of the narrative, real or imagined, may be maintained but may provide little or no focus: there is little or no discernible plot or there may just be a series of events; may be brief or there is little to no attempt to establish a setting, narrator/characters, and/or point of view*; few or no appropriate transitional strategies may be evident and may cause confusion; little or no organization of an event sequence; frequent extraneous ideas and/or a major drift may be evident; opening and/or closure may be missing or unsatisfactory.

4 points

The narrative, real or imagined, provides thorough, effective elaboration using relevant details, dialogue, and/or description: experiences, characters, setting and/or events are clearly developed; connections to source materials may enhance the narrative; effective use of a variety of narrative techniques that advance the story or illustrate the experience; effective use of sensory, concrete, and figurative language that clearly advances the purpose; effective, appropriate style enhances the narration.

3 points

The narrative, real or imagined, provides adequate elaboration using details, dialogue, and/or description: experiences, characters, setting, and/or events are adequately developed; connections to source materials may contribute to the narrative; adequate use of a variety of narrative techniques that generally advance the story or illustrate the experience; adequate use of sensory, concrete, and figurative language that generally advances the purpose; generally appropriate style is evident.

2 points

The narrative, real or imagined, provides uneven, cursory elaboration using partial and uneven details, dialogue, and/or description: experiences, characters, setting, and/or events are unevenly developed; connections to source materials may be ineffective, awkward, or vague but do not interfere with the narrative; narrative techniques are uneven and inconsistent; partial or weak use of sensory, concrete, and figurative language that may not advance the purpose; inconsistent or weak attempt to create appropriate style.

1 point

The narrative, real or imagined, provides minimal elaboration using few or no details, dialogue, and/or description: experiences, characters, setting, and/or events may be vague, lack clarity, or confusing; connections to source materials, if evident, may detract from the narrative; use of narrative techniques may be minimal, absent, incorrect, or irrelevant; may have little or no use of sensory, concrete, or figurative language; language does not advance and may interfere with the purpose; little or no evidence of appropriate style.

2 points

The response demonstrates an adequate command of conventions: adequate use of correct sentence formation, punctuation, capitalization, grammar usage, and spelling.

1 point

The response demonstrates a partial command of conventions: limited use of correct sentence formation, punctuation, capitalization, grammar usage, and spelling.

0 points

The response demonstrates little or no command of conventions: infrequent use of correct sentence formation, punctuation, capitalization, grammar usage, and spelling.