STORY WRITING
CATEGORY 4 3
Student devotes a lot of
time and effort to the writing
process (prewriting, drafting,
Writing Process reviewing, and editing).
Works hard to make the
story wonderful.
First paragraph has
Introduction a \"grabber\" or catchy
beginning.
The final draft of the story is
readable, clean, neat and
attractive. It is free of
Neatness erasures and crossed-out
words. It looks like the
author took great pride in it.
The entire story is related to
the assigned topic and
Focus on Assigned
allows the reader to
Topic
understand much more
about the topic.
The story is very well
organized. One idea or
Organization scene follows another in a
logical sequence with clear
transitions.
There are no spelling or
punctuation errors in the
Spelling and final draft. Character and
Punctuation place names that the author
invented are spelled
consistently throughout.
2 1
Student devotes sufficient
time and effort to the writing
process (prewriting, drafting,
reviewing, and editing).
Works and gets the job
done.
First paragraph has a
weak \"grabber\".
The final draft of the story is
readable, neat and
attractive. It may have one
or two erasures, but they are
not distracting. It looks like
the author took some pride
in it.
Most of the story is related
to the assigned topic. The
story wanders off at one
point, but the reader can still
learn something about the
topic.
The story is pretty well
organized. One idea or
scene may seem out of
place. Clear transitions are
used.
There is one spelling or
punctuation error in the final
draft.
Student devotes some
time and effort to the Student devotes little time and
writing process but was effort to the writing process.
not very thorough. Does Doesn\'t seem to care.
enough to get by.
A catchy beginning was
No attempt was made to catch the
attempted but was
confusing rather than
reader\'s attention in the first
paragraph.
catchy.
The final draft of the
story is readable and The final draft is not neat or
some of the pages are attractive. It looks like the student
attractive. It looks like just wanted to get it done and
parts of it might have didn\'t care what it looked like.
been done in a hurry.
Some of the story is
related to the assigned No attempt has been made to
topic, but a reader does relate the story to the assigned
not learn much about the topic.
topic.
The story is a little hard
Ideas and scenes seem to be
to follow. The transitions
randomly arranged.
are sometimes not clear.
There are 2-3 spelling
The final draft has more than 3
and punctuation errors in
spelling and punctuation errors.
the final draft.

All facts presented in the
Accuracy of Facts story are accurate.
Solution/Resolution The solution to the
character\'s problem is easy
to understand, and is
logical. There are no loose
ends.
The story contains many
creative details and/or
descriptions that contribute
Creativity to the reader\'s enjoyment.
The author has really used
his imagination.
Many vivid, descriptive
words are used to tell when
Setting and where the story took
place.
Several action verbs (active
voice) are used to describe
Action what is happening in the
story. The story seems
exciting!
There is an appropriate
amount of dialogue to bring
Dialogue the characters to life and it
is always clear which
character is speaking.
It is very easy for the reader
to understand the problem
Problem/Conflict the main characters face
and why it is a problem.
All of the written
requirements (# of pages, #
Requirements of graphics, type of
graphics, etc.) were met.
Almost all facts presented in
the story are accurate.
The solution to the
character\'s problem is easy
to understand, and is
somewhat logical.
The story contains a few
creative details and/or
descriptions that contribute
to the reader\'s enjoyment.
The author has used his
imagination.
Some vivid, descriptive
words are used to tell the
audience when and where
the story took place.
Several action verbs are
used to describe what is
happening in the story, but
the word choice doesn\'t
make the story as exciting
as it could be.
There is too much dialogue
in this story, but it is always
clear which character is
speaking.
It is fairly easy for the reader
to understand the problem
the main characters face
and why it is a problem.
Almost all (about 90%) the
written requirements were
met.
Most facts presented in
There are several factual errors in
the story are accurate (at
the story.
least 70%).
The solution to the
No solution is attempted or it is
character\'s problem is a
impossible to understand.
little hard to understand.
The story contains a few
creative details and/or There is little evidence of creativity
descriptions, but they in the story. The author does not
distract from the story. seem to have used much
The author has tried to imagination.
use his imagination.
The reader can figure out
when and where the The reader has trouble figuring
story took place, but the out when and where the story took
author didn\'t supply place.
much detail.
A variety of verbs
(passive voice) are used Little variety seen in the verbs that
and describe the action are used. The story seems a little
accurately but not in a boring.
very exciting way.
There is not quite
enough dialogue in this
It is not clear which character is
story, but it is always
speaking.
clear which character is
speaking.
It is fairly easy for the
reader to understand the
problem the main It is not clear what problem the
characters face but it is main characters face.
not clear why it is a
problem.
Most (about 75%) of the
written requirements
were met, but several
Many requirements were not met.
were not.
 Original illustrations are
detailed, attractive, creative
Illustrations and relate to the text on the
page.
Original illustrations are
Original illustrations
somewhat detailed, Illustrations are not present OR
attractive, and relate to the
relate to the text on the
they are not original.
page.
text on the page.