Checklist for 5^th Grade Six Traits Rubric

Ideas

‡ My topic is not too big that I talk about too many things or too small that I don’t have enough to say about my topic.

‡ I stay focused on the main topic or prompt.

‡ My details make the main idea clear and interesting.

‡ I know this topic well.

‡ I’ve added new or little-known information about my topic.

‡ I wrote enough to cover the topic well. Standard_____

Organization

‡ My beginning hooks the reader.

‡ My beginning tells what the main idea or topic is.

‡ My information is placed in the best, logical order.

‡ I stick to my main topic.

‡ My paper is easy to follow.

‡ Transitions connect my ideas.

‡ My ending summarizes my topic.

‡ My ending leaves the reader with something to think about.

‡ My paragraphs are indented in the correct places. Standard_____

Sentence Fluency

‡ I combine shorter sentences for fluency.

‡ My sentence lengths vary.

‡ I begin my sentences differently.

‡ When read aloud, my sentences flow together smoothly.

‡ If I used dialogue, it sounds like real people speaking. Standard_____

Word Choice

‡ I use strong verbs.

‡ I avoid boring, over-used words, such as: like, pretty, good, nice, fun, thing, stuff

‡ I show, not tell by “painting pictures” in my reader’s mind. My words help the reader see, hear, feel, taste, and smell things.

‡ The words I use make sense.

‡ There are not a lot of repetitive words in my paper. Standard_____

Voice

‡ My voice matches the topic, purpose, and audience of my paper.

‡ I like this topic and it shows!

‡ I share my experiences; my readers feel they are sharing the moment with me.

‡ I write with my own strong voice! Standard_____

Conventions

‡ I use correct capitalization for sentences and proper nouns.

‡ Spelling is accurate and correct.

‡ Punctuation is in the right place and used correctly.

‡ Minor punctuation and grammatical errors do not cause interruption to the reader.

Standard_____