South Orange-Maplewood School District - 4th Grade Persuasive Writing Rubric
Student Name __________________________
Exceeding
Expectations
Date ______________
Meeting
Expectations
Approaching
Expectations
Below
Expectations
Content/Ideas
-Position statement is clear
and on topic
-Position is supported with
substantial, relevant
evidence and details
-Reader concerns and
counterarguments clearly
anticipated and addressed
-Position is stated and on
topic
-Position is supported with a
reasonable amount of
relevant evidence and details
-Reader concerns and
counterarguments are
addressed
-Position is implied or stated
and on topic
-Position is supported with a
minimal amount of evidence
or details
-Reader concerns and
counterarguments are
mentioned but not
adequately addressed
-Position is implied or stated
and on topic
-Little or no supportive
evidence or details
-Reader concerns and
counterarguments are not
mentioned or addressed
Organization
-Organization is clear with
use of transitional sentences
or expressions
-Has an effective
organizational pattern that
strongly engages the reader
and moves to a powerful
conclusion
-Organization is clear with
use of transitional words or
expressions
-Has an organizational
pattern that engages the
reader and has a conclusion
-Organization is hampered
by weak transitions
-Has a weak attempt to an
organizational pattern that
may lack an engaging
beginning or conclusion
-Organization is lacking and
interferes with meaning
-Has no real organizational
pattern
-Writing shows a strong
persuasive tone and has
clear sense of audience
-Writing shows a persuasive
tone and a sense of audience
-Writing shows weak or
missing persuasive tone with
minimal sense of audience
-Writing shows no persuasive
tone and no sense of
audience
-Words/phrase convey
precise meaning appropriate
to purpose, audience and
genre
-Various figurative language
devices are used to show,
not tell
-Words/phrases convey
meaning appropriate to
purpose, audience and genre
-Descriptions are used to
show, not tell
-Words/phrases are vague or
repetitive
-Descriptions are sometimes
used to show, not tell
-Limited use of
vocabulary/phrasing
-Descriptions are simplistic
or absent
Voice
Word Choice
This work was completed in class during the writing workshop process. The scoring on this rubric is based on the student’s work with teacher assistance. This
piece of writing reflects peer and teacher conferencing.
Parents, please read over your child’s work and return within three school days.
2010-2011
South Orange-Maplewood School District - 4th Grade Persuasive Writing Rubric
Student Name __________________________
Exceeding
Expectations
Date ______________
Meeting
Expectations
Approaching
Expectations
Below
Expectations
Sentence Fluency
-Purposeful and innovative
sentence structures are used
to enhance intended
meaning/effect
-Transitional expressions
skillfully connect ideas within
and between sentences and
paragraphs
-Uses purposeful and varied
sentence structures to
convey intended meaning
-Transitional expressions
effectively connect ideas
within and between
sentences and paragraphs
-Sentence structures convey
meaning but are
mechanical/repetitive
-Limited/repetitive use of
transitional expressions
-Sentences are incomplete,
rambling and/or awkward
-Lacks transitional
expressions
Conventions
-Spelling, capitalization,
punctuation, paragraphing
and grammar are effective
and make the paper easy to
read and understand
-Spelling, capitalization,
punctuation, paragraphing,
and grammar are mostly
correct
-Errors do not make writing
difficult to read or
understand
-Spelling, capitalization,
punctuation, paragraphing,
and grammar create
problems that slow the
reader or cause confusion
-Spelling, capitalization,
punctuation, paragraphing,
and grammar errors are
numerous and make writing
difficult to follow
This work was completed in class during the writing workshop process. The scoring on this rubric is based on the student’s work with teacher assistance. This
piece of writing reflects peer and teacher conferencing.
Parents, please read over your child’s work and return within three school days.
2010-2011