Grades 4-5 Reading Comprehension Strategies Rubric
Strategy & Description
Making Connections
Recalling background
knowledge and experiences
which relate to the text in order
to enhance comprehension and
make predictions.
Visualizing-Organizing
Constructing a mental image to
clarify or organize information
for the purpose of extracting and
constructing meaning from text.
Monitoring Comprehension
Thinking about how and what
one is reading to determine if
one is comprehending the text,
combined with the ability to
clarify and fix any mix-ups.
Questioning
Engaging in learning dialogues
with text (authors), peers and
teachers through self-questioning
and question generation.
Inferring
Combining what is read and
what is implied with relevant
prior knowledge to create a
personal meaning from the text.
Synthesizing
Determining importance of what
was read and forming new
perspectives.
Minimal (1)
Does not make connections to
the text.
Does not use mental images to
clarify text; or images do not
relate to text.
Rarely uses text features to
clarify meaning. Reads without
pausing to think about what was
read or to self-correct.
Asks only literal questions.
Attempts to make predictions or
draw conclusions without using
the text accurately to defend the
statement.
Identifies few key elements.
Minimal evidence of integrating
thinking with new information.
Basic (2)
Attempts to relate to text by
making simple text-to-self, text-
to-text and text-to-world
connections.
Uses some mental or graphic
images to clarify text and
attempts to explain how those
images enhance comprehension.
Occasionally uses text features
to clarify meaning. Sometimes
pauses to think about what was
read or to self-correct.
Asks literal questions and
questions to clarify meaning.
Makes predictions or draws
conclusions that are consistent
with the text.
Identifies and explains some key
elements. Some evidence of
integrating thinking with new
information.
Proficient (3)
Makes text-to-self, text-to-text
and text-to-world connections to
enhance meaning and make
predictions.
Uses mental or graphic images
that enrich the text and explains
how those images enhance
comprehension.
Regularly uses text features to
clarify meaning. Often pauses to
think about what was read or to
self-correct.
Asks questions to deepen the
meaning of text and enhance
comprehension.
Makes predictions or draws
conclusions and supports the
prediction or conclusion.
Identifies and explains key
elements. Integrates thinking
with new information to form
new perspectives.
Advanced (4)
Makes multiple text-to-self, text-
to-text and text-to-world
connections to enhance meaning
and make predictions.
Uses and describes multiple mental
or graphic images that extend and
enrich the text. Clearly explains
how those images enhance
comprehension.
Consistently uses text features to
clarify meaning. Frequently pauses
to think about what was read or to
self-correct.
Asks relevant questions of self and
others to enhance meaning.
Questions the author’s purpose and
challenges the text.
Develops predictions, conclusions
and interpretations about the text
and clearly explains connections
between the text and personal
knowledge, ideas or beliefs.
Identifies and clearly explains key
elements. Articulates how thinking
is integrated with new information
to form new perspectives.
Evaluating
Judging the value of material for
a specified purpose based on
definite criteria.
Does not formulate/defend
judgments, discriminate among
various points of view to form an
opinion or discover bias in text.
Rarely formulates/defends
judgments, discriminates among
various points of view to form an
opinion or discovers bias.
Sometimes formulates/defends
judgments, discriminates among
various points of view to form an
opinion and discovers bias in
text.
Formulates/defends judgments.
Discriminates among various
points of view to form an opinion.
Discovers and examines bias in
text.