INFORMATION Name: __________________________________________________________________________________________ Date: _____________________ Rubric for Information Writing—Sixth Grade Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 (1 POINT) 1.5 PTS (2 POINTS) 2.5 PTS (3 POINTS) 3.5 PTS (4 POINTS) SCORE STRUCTURE Overall The writer taught readers Mid- The writer used different Mid- The writer conveyed ideas Mid- The writer brought together different things about a level kinds of information to level and information about a level ideas and information about subject. He put facts, details, teach about the subject. subject in a well-structured a subject in a text that quotes, and ideas into each Sometimes she included text. Sometimes she develops a subtopic and/or part of his writing. little essays, stories, or how- incorporated arguments, an idea. He incorporated a to sections in her writing. explanations, stories, or variety of text structures as INFORMATION procedural passages. needed, including argument, explanation, narrative, and procedural passages. Lead The writer hooked her Mid- The writer wrote an Mid- The writer wrote an Mid- The writer interested the readers by explaining why level introduction in which level introduction in which she level reader in the topic by the subject mattered, telling he helped readers interested readers, perhaps explaining its significance a surprising fact, or giving a get interested in and with a quote or significant or providing a compelling Rubrics Teaching big picture. She let readers understand the subject. fact. She let readers know fact, statistic, or anecdote. know that she would teach He let readers know the the subtopics that she He made it clear what parts them different things about subtopics that he would would develop later and of this topic his text would a subject. later develop, as well as the how her text would unfold. tackle, and how the ideas sequence. and information in the text would unfold. Transitions The writer used words in Mid- When the writer wrote Mid- The writer used transitions Mid- The writer used transitions each section that helped level about results, she used level to help readers understand level to link concepts with related readers understand how words and phrases like how different bits of information. The transitions one piece of information consequently, as a result, information and different help the reader follow from connected with others. If and because of this. When parts of his writing part to part and make it 6 he wrote the section in she compared information, fit together. He used clear when information sequence, he used words she used words and phrases transitions to help connect is an example of a bigger and phrases such as before, such as in contrast, by ideas, information, and idea, follows from an earlier later, next, then, and after. comparison, and especially. examples, and to imply point, introduces a new If he organized the section In narrative parts, she relationships such as when idea, or suggests a contrast. in kinds or parts, he used used phrases that go with material exemplifies, adds The writer used such words such as another, also, stories such as a little later to, is similar to, explains, is transitions as specifically, and for example. and three hours later. In a result of, or contrasts. He for instance, related to, just the sections that stated used transitions such as for as, turning to, on the other an opinion, she used instance, such as, similarly, hand, and however. words such as but the therefore, as a result, in most important reason, for contrast to, and on the example, and consequently. other hand. May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2014 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project from Units of Study in Argument, Information, and Narrative Writing (firsthand: Portsmouth, NH). May be photocopiedPart for II: classroom The Assessment use. © 2014 by Lucy Tools—Information Calkins and Colleagues from the Writing Teachers College Reading and Writing Project. Writing Pathways: Performance Assessments and Learning Progressions, Grades K–8 (Heinemann: Portsmouth, NH). 157 G6_8_TEACH_PATHWAYS_PIIb_INFORMATION_6170.indd 157 8/11/14 8:42 PM INFORMATION: TEACHING RUBRIC—SIXTH GRADE (continued) Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 (1 POINT) 1.5 PTS (2 POINTS) 2.5 PTS (3 POINTS) 3.5 PTS (4 POINTS) SCORE STRUCTURE (cont.) Ending The writer wrote an ending Mid- The writer wrote a Mid- The writer wrote a Mid- In his conclusion, the in which she reminded level conclusion in which he level conclusion in which she level writer reinforced and readers of her subject and restated the main points restated the important ideas built on the main point(s) may either have suggested and may have offered a and offered a final insight or in a way that made the a follow-up action or left final thought or question for implication for the reader to entire piece a cohesive readers with a final insight. readers to consider. consider. whole. The conclusion She added her thoughts, may have restated the feelings, and questions main points, responded to about the subject at the them, or highlighted their end. significance. Organization The writer grouped Mid- The writer organized her Mid- The writer chose a focused Mid- The writer focused her information into sections level writing into a sequence of level subject. level writing on a subtopic or a and used paragraphs and separate sections. She may The writer used subheadings particular point or two. sometimes chapters to have used headings and and/or clear introductory The writer organized her separate those sections. subheadings to highlight transitions to separate piece into parts and used Teaching Rubrics Teaching Each section had the separate sections. sections. structures (claims and information that was mostly The writer wrote each The writer made deliberate supports, problem/solution, about the same thing. He section according to an choices about how to order sequence, etc.) to organize may have used headings organizational plan shaped sections and about the those parts (and perhaps and subheadings. partly by the genre of the sequence of information the whole). section. and ideas within sections. The writer used He chose structures such introductions, topic INFORMATION as compare and contrast, sentences, transitions, categories, or claim and formatting, and graphics, support to organize where appropriate, to information and ideas. clarify the structure of the Some sections are written piece and to highlight main 6 as argument, explanation, points. stories, or procedural passages. TOTAL: May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2014 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project from Units of Study in Argument, Information, and Narrative Writing (firsthand: Portsmouth, NH). May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2014 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project. Writing Pathways: Performance Assessments and Learning Progressions, Grades K–8 (Heinemann: Portsmouth, NH). 158 Writing Pathways: Performance Assessments and Learning Progressions, 6–8 G6_8_TEACH_PATHWAYS_PIIb_INFORMATION_6170.indd 158 8/11/14 8:42 PM INFORMATION: TEACHING RUBRIC—SIXTH GRADE (continued) Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 (1 POINT) 1.5 PTS (2 POINTS) 2.5 PTS (3 POINTS) 3.5 PTS (4 POINTS) SCORE DEVELOPMENT Elaboration* The writer taught her Mid- The writer explained Mid- The writer included varied Mid- The writer included varied readers different things level different aspects of a level kinds of information such as level kinds of information such as about the subject. She subject. She included a facts, quotations, examples, facts, quotations, examples, chose those subtopics variety of information such and definitions. and definitions. She because they were as examples, details, dates, The writer used trusted analyzed or explained the important and interesting. and quotes. sources and information information, showing how The writer included different The writer used trusted from authorities on the the information fits with kinds of facts and details sources and gave credit topic and gave the sources her key points or subtopics, such as numbers, names, when appropriate. She credit. including graphics where and examples. made sure to research any appropriate. The writer worked to INFORMATION The writer got her details that would add to make his information The writer consistently information from talking to her writing. understandable and incorporated and cited people, reading books, and The writer worked to interesting. To do this, he sources. from her own knowledge make her information referred to earlier parts The writer worked to make and observations. understandable to readers. of his text, summarized her topic compelling as The writer made choices To do this, she referred to background information, well as understandable. She earlier parts of her text or raised questions, or brought out why it mattered about organization, perhaps using compare/contrast, summarized background considered possible and why the audience Rubrics Teaching cause/effect, or pro/con. She information. The writer let implications. should care about it. may have used diagrams, readers know when she was charts, headings, bold discussing facts and when words, and definition boxes she was offering her own to help teach her readers. thinking. *Elaboration and Craft are double-weighted categories: Whatever score a student would get in these categories is worth double the amount of points. For example, if a student exceeds expectations in Elaboration, then that student would receive 8 points instead of 4 points. If a student meets standards in Elaboration, then that student would receive 6 points instead of 3 points. 6 May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2014 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project from Units of Study in Argument, Information, and Narrative Writing (firsthand: Portsmouth, NH). May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2014 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project.