Writing Rubric: Unit 1- Personal Narrative – Grade: Kindergarten

Distinguished: Proficient: Capable: Emerging

Grade 1 Kindergarten Pre-Kindergarten (1 point)
(4 points) (3 points) (2 points)

Structure

Overall The writer wrote The writer told, The writer told a The writer drew a
about when he/she drew, and wrote a story with pictures picture with no
did something. whole story. and some “writing.” words.
Lead The writer tried to The writer had a The writer started The writer did not
make a beginning for page that showed by drawing or saying have a clear
his/her story. what happened first. something. beginning.
Transitions The writer put the The writer put The writer kept on The writer did not
pages in order. his/her pages in working. keep on working.
She/he used words order.
and​ then,
such as ​ ,​
so​ and ​ .
Ending The writer found a The writer had a The writer’s story The writer’s story
way to end the story. page that showed ended. had no ending.
what happened last
in his/her story.
Organization The writer wrote The writer’s story On the writer’s The writer did not
her/his story across had a page for the paper, there was a distinguish between
three or more pages. beginning, a page for place for drawing a place for words
the middle, and a and a place where and a place for
page for the end. pictures.
 she tried to write
words.

Development

Elaboration The writer put the The writer’s story The writer put more The writer did not
picture from his/her indicated who was and then more on the add anything else to
mind onto the page. there, what they did, page. his/her piece.
There were details and how the
in pictures and characters felt.
words.
Craft The writer used The writer drew and In the writer’s story, The writer did not
labels and words to wrote some details she told and showed write about the topic
give details. about what what happened. or what happened.
happened.
Language
Conventions

Spelling The writer used all The writer could The writer could The writer could not
he/she knew about read her/his writing. read his pictures and read any of his/her
words and chunks of The writer wrote a some of his words. words. The writer
words (at, op, it, letter for the sounds The writer tried to did not try to write
he/she heard. The make words. words.
 etc.) to help her/him writer used the word
spell. wall to help her/him
spell.
Punctuation The writer ended The writer put The writer could The writer could not
sentences with spaces between label pictures. The write their name and
punctuation. The words. The writer writer could write did not put any
writer used a capital used lowercase her/his name. punctuation or labels.
letter for names. letters unless
The writer used capitals were
commas in dates and needed. The writer
lists. wrote capital letters
to start every
sentence.