Common Core

Writing
Rubrics
A FREEBIE to
accompany my
Common Core
Writing Bundles
(Grades 1-4)

Created by:
Jamie Rector
2nd Grade Stuff
 This is a complimentary
FREE DOWNLOAD to accompany
my Common Core Writing Bundles
#1 and #2 that you can find in my
TPT store at the links below:
http://www.bit.ly/ccwritingbundle1
and
http://www.bit.ly/ccwritingbundle2

© 2013 Jamie Rector

 Opinion Writing Rubric
1st Grade

1 2 3 4
Ask Yourself:
★ ★★ ★★★ ★★★★

Did you Well, I Yes, I

No, I didn’t Yes, I
introduce the somewhat introduced my
introduce my introduced my
topic you are introduced my topic in a very
topic at all. topic.
writing about? topic. creative way!

Yes, I clearly
Well, I
Did you clearly No, I didn’t stated my
somewhat Yes, I stated
state your state my opinion in a
stated my my opinion.
opinion? opinion at all. very creative
opinion.
way!

Well, I Yes, I supplied

No, I didn’t
Did you supply somewhat Yes, I supplied MANY reasons
supply a
a reason to supplied a a reason to to support my
reason to
support your reason to support my opinion in a
support my
opinion? support my opinion. very creative
opinion.
opinion. way!

Well, I Yes, I provided

No, I didn’t
Did you provide somewhat Yes, I provided a sense of
provide a
a sense of provided a a sense of closure in a
sense of
closure? sense of closure. very creative
closure at all.
closure. way!
© 2013 Jamie Rector
 Opinion Writing Rubric
2nd Grade

1 2 3 4
Ask Yourself:
★ ★★ ★★★ ★★★★

Did you Well, I Yes, I

No, I didn’t Yes, I
introduce the somewhat introduced my
introduce my introduced my
topic you are introduced my topic in a very
topic at all. topic.
writing about? topic. creative way!

Yes, I clearly
Well, I
Did you clearly No, I didn’t stated my
somewhat Yes, I stated
state your state my opinion in a
stated my my opinion.
opinion? opinion at all. very creative
opinion.
way!

Yes, I supplied
No, I didn’t Yes, I supplied
Did you supply Well, I supplied MANY reasons
supply any MORE THAN
reasons to ONE reason to to support my
reasons to ONE reason to
support your support my opinion in a
support my support my
opinion? opinion. very creative
opinion. opinion.
way!

Well, I Yes, I provided

No, I didn’t
Did you provide somewhat Yes, I provided a concluding
provide a
a concluding provided a a concluding statement or
concluding
statement or concluding statement or section in a
statement or
section? statement or section. very creative
section at all.
section. way!
© 2013 Jamie Rector
 Opinion Writing Rubric
3rd Grade
1 2 3 4
Ask Yourself:
★ ★★ ★★★ ★★★★

Yes, I introduced my
Did you introduce the No, I didn’t introduce Well, I somewhat Yes, I introduced my
topic in a very
topic? my topic at all. introduced my topic. topic.
creative way!

Yes, I clearly stated

Did you clearly state No, I didn’t state my Well, I somewhat Yes, I stated my
my opinion in a very
your opinion? opinion at all. stated my opinion. opinion.
creative way!

Yes, I created an
Did you create an Well, I somewhat Yes, I created an
No, I didn’t create an organizational
organizational created an organizational
organizational structure that lists
structure that lists organizational structure that lists
structure at all. reasons in a very
reasons? structure. reasons.
creative way!

Yes, I supplied MANY

Did you supply No, I didn’t supply Well, I supplied ONE Yes, I supplied MORE
reasons to support
reasons to support any reasons to reason to support THAN ONE reason to
my opinion in a very
your opinion? support my opinion. my opinion. support my opinion.
creative way!

Yes, I used MANY

Did you use linking
linking words and
words and phrases to No, I did not use Well, I used SOME Yes, I used SEVERAL
phrases to connect
connect opinion and linking words and linking words and linking words and
opinions and reasons
reasons (because, phrases to connect phrases to connect phrases to connect
in a very creative
therefore, since, for opinions and reasons. opinions and reasons. opinions and reasons.
way!
example)?

Yes, I provided a
Did you provide a No, I didn’t provide a Well, I somewhat Yes, I provided a
concluding statement
concluding statement concluding statement provided a concluding concluding statement
or section in a very
or section? or section at all. statement or section. or section.
creative way!
© 2013 Jamie Rector
 Opinion Writing Rubric
4th Grade

1 2 3 4
Ask Yourself:
★ ★★ ★★★ ★★★★
Yes, I introduced my
Did you introduce the No, I didn’t introduce Well, I somewhat Yes, I introduced my
topic in a very
topic? my topic at all. introduced my topic. topic.
creative way!

Yes, I clearly stated

Did you clearly state No, I didn’t state my Well, I somewhat Yes, I stated my
my opinion in a very
your opinion? opinion at all. stated my opinion. opinion.
creative way!

Well, I somewhat Yes, I created an

Did you create an Yes, I created an
created an organizational
organizational organizational
No, I didn’t create an organizational structure where
structure where structure where
organizational structure where ideas are grouped to
ideas are grouped to ideas are grouped to
structure at all. ideas are grouped to support your
support your support your
support your purpose in a very
purpose? purpose.
purpose. creative way!

Yes, I supplied MANY

Did you supply No, I didn’t supply Well, I supplied ONE Yes, I supplied MORE
reasons to support
reasons to support any reasons to reason to support THAN ONE reason to
my opinion in a very
your opinion? support my opinion. my opinion. support my opinion.
creative way!

Did you use words Yes, I used MANY

and phrases to link No, I did not use Well, I used SOME Yes, I used SEVERAL words and phrases to
opinion and reasons words and phrases to words and phrases to words and phrases to link opinions and
(for instance, in link opinions and link opinions and link opinions and reasons in a very
order to, in reasons. reasons. reasons. creative way!
addition)?
Yes, I provided a
Did you provide a Well, I somewhat Yes, I provided a
concluding statement
concluding statement No, I didn’t provide a provided a concluding concluding statement
or section related to
or section related to concluding statement statement or section or section related to
the opinion presented
the opinion or section at all. related to the opinion the opinion
in a very creative
presented? presented. presented.
way!
© 2013 Jamie Rector
 Informative/Explanatory
Writing Rubric - 1st Grade
1 2 3 4
Ask Yourself: ★ ★★ ★★★ ★★★★

Did you name Well, I Yes, I named

No, I didn’t
the topic you somewhat Yes, I named the topic in a
name the topic
are writing named the the topic. very creative
at all.
about? topic. way!

Yes, I supplied
Did you supply No, I didn’t Well, I supplied
Yes, I supplied MANY facts
some facts supply any some facts
facts about about my topic
about the facts about about the
my topic. in a very
topic? the topic. topic.
creative way!

Well, I Yes, I provided

No, I didn’t
Did you provide somewhat Yes, I provided a sense of
provide a
a sense of provided a a sense of closure in a
sense of
closure? sense of closure. very creative
closure at all.
closure. way!

© 2013 Jamie Rector

 Informative/Explanatory
Writing Rubric – 2nd Grade
1 2 3 4
Ask Yourself: ★ ★★ ★★★ ★★★★

Did you Well, I Yes, I

No, I didn’t Yes, I
introduce the somewhat introduced the
introduce the introduced the
topic you are introduced the topic in a very
topic at all. topic.
writing about? topic. creative way!

Yes, I used
Yes, I used MANY facts
Did you use No, I didn’t Well, I used a
SEVERAL and definitions
facts and use facts and FEW facts and
facts and to develop
definitions to definitions to definitions to
definitions to points in a
develop points? develop points. develop points.
develop points. very creative
way!

Well, I Yes, I provided

No, I didn’t
Did you provide somewhat Yes, I provided a concluding
provide a
a concluding provided a a concluding statement or
concluding
statement or concluding statement or section in a
statement or
section? statement or section. very creative
section at all.
section. way!
© 2013 Jamie Rector
 Informative/Explanatory
Writing Rubric – 3rd Grade
1 2 3 4
Ask Yourself:
★ ★★ ★★★ ★★★★

Yes, I introduced my
Did you introduce the No, I didn’t introduce Well, I somewhat Yes, I introduced my
topic in a very
topic? my topic at all. introduced my topic. topic.
creative way!

Yes, I clearly
Did you group related No, I didn’t group Well, I grouped Yes, I grouped grouped related
information related information SOME related related information information together
together? together. information together. together. in a very creative
way!
Yes, I included Yes, I included MANY
Did you include
Well, I included a SEVERAL illustrations when
illustrations when No, I didn’t include
FEW illustrations to illustrations when useful to aide
useful to aiding illustrations at all.
aide comprehension. useful to aide comprehension in a
comprehension?
comprehension very creative way!

Yes, I developed the

Did you develop the Well, I developed the Yes, I developed the
No, I didn’t develop topic with MANY
topic with facts, topic with a FEW topic with SEVERAL
the topic with facts, facts, definitions, and
definitions, and facts, definitions, and facts, definitions, and
definitions, or details. details in a very
details? details. details.
creative way!

Yes, I used MANY

Did you use linking
No, I did not use Well, I used SOME Yes, I used SEVERAL linking words and
words and phrases to
linking words and linking words and linking words and phrases to connect
connect ideas (also,
phrases to connect phrases to connect phrases to connect ideas in a very
another, and, more,
ideas. ideas . ideas. creative way!
but)?

Yes, I provided a
Did you provide a No, I didn’t provide a Well, I somewhat Yes, I provided a
concluding statement
concluding statement concluding statement provided a concluding concluding statement
or section in a very
or section? or section at all. statement or section. or section.
creative way!

© 2013 Jamie Rector

 Informative/Explanatory
Writing Rubric – 4th Grade
Ask Yourself:
Did you introduce the No, I didn’t introduce my
topic clearly?
1 2 3 4
★ ★★ ★★★ ★★★★
Yes, I introduced my
Well, I somewhat Yes, I introduced my
topic clearly in a very
topic at all. introduced my topic. topic clearly.
creative way!

Yes, I clearly grouped

Did you group related Well, I grouped SOME
No, I didn’t group Yes, I group related related information
information in related information
related information in information together in together in paragraphs
paragraphs and together in paragraphs
paragraphs and sections. paragraphs and sections. and sections in a very
sections? and sections.
creative way!
Yes, I included
Did you include Yes, I included
Well, I included SOME formatting, illustrations,
formatting (headings), No, I didn’t include formatting, illustrations,
formatting, illustrations, and multimedia when
illustrations, and formatting, illustrations, and multimedia when
and multimedia to aide useful to aide
multimedia when useful and multimedia at all. useful to aide
comprehension. comprehension in a very
to aiding comprehension? comprehension
creative way!
Yes, I developed the Yes, I developed the
Did you develop the topic No, I didn’t develop the Well, I developed the
topic with SEVERAL topic with MANY facts,
with facts, definitions, topic with facts, topic with a FEW facts,
facts, definitions, definitions, concrete
concrete details, definitions, concrete definitions, concrete
concrete details, details, quotations, and
quotations, and other details, quotations, and details, quotations, and
quotations, and other other information and
information and other information and other information and
information and examples in a very
examples? examples. examples.
examples. creative way!

Did you link ideas within Yes, I linked ideas within

Yes, I linked ideas within
categories of No, I did not link ideas Well, I linked ideas within categories of
categories of
information using words within categories of categories of information using MANY
information using
and phrases (another, information using words information using SOME words and phrases in a
SEVERAL words and
for example, also, and phrases. words and phrases. very creative way!
phrases .
because)?

Did you use precise Yes, I used precise

No, I did not use precise Well, I used SOME Yes, I used precise
language and domain- language and domain-
language and domain- language and domain- language and domain-
specific vocabulary to specific vocabulary in a
specific vocabulary. specific vocabulary. specific vocabulary.
inform or explain? very creative way!

Yes, I provided a
Did you provide a No, I didn’t provide a Well, I somewhat Yes, I provided a
concluding statement or
concluding statement or concluding statement or provided a concluding concluding statement or
section in a very
section? section at all. statement or section. section.
creative way!
© 2013 Jamie Rector
Narrative Writing Rubric
1st Grade

1 2 3 4
Ask Yourself:
★ ★★ ★★★ ★★★★
Yes, I recounted
Did you recount Yes, I recounted
Well, I two or more
two or more No, I didn’t two or more
somewhat appropriately
appropriately recount two or appropriately
recounted two sequenced
sequenced more events. sequenced
or more events. events in a very
events? events.
creative way!
Yes, I included
No, I didn’t Well, I included Yes, I included MANY details
Did you include
include details SOME details SEVERAL details regarding what
details regarding
regarding what regarding what regarding what happened in a
what happened?
happened. happened. happened. very creative
way!

Yes, I used
Yes, I used
Did you use No, I didn’t use Well, I used a MANY temporal
SEVERAL
temporal words temporal words FEW temporal words to signal
temporal words
to signal event to signal event words to signal event order in a
to signal event
order? order. event order. very creative
order.
way!

Well, I Yes, I provided a

Did you provide No, I didn’t
somewhat Yes, I provided a sense of closure
a sense of provide a sense
provided a sense sense of closure. in a very
closure? of closure at all.
of closure. creative way!

© 2013 Jamie Rector

Narrative Writing Rubric
2nd Grade

1 2 3 4
Ask Yourself:
★ ★★ ★★★ ★★★★
Did you recount Well, I Yes, I recounted
a well- somewhat Yes, I recounted an event or
No, I didn’t
elaborated event recounted an an event or short sequence
recount an event
or short event or short short sequence of events in a
at all.
sequence of sequence of of events. very creative
events? events. way!
Yes, I included Yes, I included
Did you include No, I didn’t Well, I included
SEVERAL details details to
details to include details to SOME details to
to describe describe actions,
describe actions, describe actions, describe actions,
actions, thoughts, and
thoughts, and thoughts, and thoughts, and
thoughts, and feelings in a very
feelings? feelings at all. feelings.
feelings. creative way!

Yes, I used
Yes, I used
Did you use No, I didn’t use Well, I used a MANY temporal
SEVERAL
temporal words temporal words FEW temporal words to signal
temporal words
to signal event to signal event words to signal event order in a
to signal event
order? order. event order. very creative
order.
way!

Well, I Yes, I provided a

Did you provide No, I didn’t
somewhat Yes, I provided a sense of closure
a sense of provide a sense
provided a sense sense of closure. in a very
closure? of closure at all.
of closure. creative way!

© 2013 Jamie Rector

Narrative Writing Rubric
3rd Grade
1 2 3 4
Ask Yourself:
★ ★★ ★★★ ★★★★

Well, I somewhat Yes, I established a

Did you establish a Yes, I established a
No, I didn’t establish established a situation and
situation (real or situation and
a situation or situation and introduced a
imagined) and introduced a
introduce a narrator introduced a narrator and/or
introduce a narrator narrator and/or
and/or characters. narrator and/or characters in a very
and/or characters? characters.
characters. creative way!

Well, I somewhat Yes, I organized an

Did you organize an No, I did not organize Yes, I organized an
organized an event event sequence that
event sequence that an event sequence event sequence that
sequence that unfolds naturally in a
unfolds naturally? that unfolds naturally. unfolds naturally.
unfolds. very creative way!

Yes, I included LOTS

Yes, I included of dialogue and
Did you use dialogue
dialogue and descriptions of
and descriptions of No, I did not use Well, I included SOME
descriptions of actions, thoughts, and
actions, thoughts, and dialogue and dialogue and
actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop
feelings to develop descriptions of descriptions of
feelings to develop experiences and
experiences and actions, thoughts, and actions, thoughts, and
experiences and events or to show
events or to show feelings. feelings.
events or to show character response
character response?
character response. in a very creative
way!

Yes, I used MANY

No, I didn’t use Well, I used a FEW
Did you use temporal Yes, I used temporal temporal words and
temporal words and temporal words and
words and phrases to words and phrases to phrases to signal
phrases to signal phrases to signal
signal event order? signal event order. event order in a very
event order. event order.
creative way!

No, I didn’t provide a Well, I somewhat Yes, I provided a

Did you provide a Yes, I provided a
sense of closure at provided a sense of sense of closure in a
sense of closure? sense of closure.
all. closure. very creative way!
© 2013 Jamie Rector
Narrative Writing Rubric
4th Grade
1 2 3 4
Ask Yourself:
★ ★★ ★★★ ★★★★

Did you establish a Well, I somewhat Yes, I established a

No, I didn’t establish a Yes, I established a
situation (real or established a situation situation and introduced
situation or introduce a situation and introduced
imagined) and introduce and introduced a a narrator and/or
narrator and/or a narrator and/or
a narrator and/or narrator and/or characters in a very
characters. characters.
characters? characters. creative way!

Yes, I organized an event

Did you organize an No, I did not organize an Well, I somewhat Yes, I organized an event
sequence that unfolds
event sequence that event sequence that organized an event sequence that unfolds
naturally in a very
unfolds naturally? unfolds naturally. sequence that unfolds. naturally.
creative way!

Yes, I included LOTS of

Did you use dialogue and No, I did not use dialogue Well, I included SOME Yes, I included dialogue
dialogue and description
description to develop and description to dialogue and description and description to
to develop experiences
experiences and events develop experiences and to develop experiences develop experiences and
and events or to show
or to show character events or to show the and events or to show events or to show the
the character response
response? character response. the character response. character response.
in a very creative way!

Yes, I used MANY

Did you use a variety of No, I didn’t use any Well, I used a FEW Yes, I used transitional
transitional words and
transitional words and transitional words or transitional words and words and phrases to
phrases to manage the
phrases to manage the phrases to manage the phrases to manage the manage the sequence of
sequence of events in a
sequence of events? sequence of events. sequence of events. events.
very creative way!

No, I did not use Well, I used SOME Yes, I used concrete
Did you use concrete Yes, I used concrete
concrete words and concrete words and words and phrases and
words and phrases and words and phrases and
phrases and sensory phrases and sensory sensory details to convey
sensory details to convey sensory details to convey
details to convey details to convey experiences and events
experiences and events experiences and events
experiences and events experiences and events precisely in a very
precisely? precisely.
precisely. precisely. creative way!

Well, I SOMEWHAT Yes, I provided a

Did you provide a No, I didn’t provide a Yes, I provided a
provided a conclusion conclusion that follows
conclusion that follows conclusion that follows conclusion that follows
that follows from the from the narrated
from the narrated from the narrated from the narrated
narrated experiences or experiences or events in
experiences or events? experiences or events. experiences or events.
events. a very creative way!
© 2013 Jamie Rector
I Used Fonts and Graphics by:
Credits:
Fonts © KG Fonts
http://www.kimberlygeswein.com
Graphics © Krista Wallden
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Krista-Wallden
Graphics © Sonya DeHart Designs
http://www.sonyadehartdesign.com/
The Common Core Standards were developed and written
by the NGA. © Copyright 2010. National Governors
Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief
State School Officers. All rights reserved.
http://www.corestandards.org

This is a complimentary FREE DOWNLOAD to accompany my

Common Core Writing Bundles #1 and #2 that you can find
in my TPT store at the links below:
http://www.bit.ly/ccwritingbundle1
and
http://www.bit.ly/ccwritingbundle2

Follow Me:
My Blog
http://2ndgradestuff.blogspot.com
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http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Jamie-Rector
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