Smarter Balanced Narrative Writing Rubric: Grades 3–8

The organization of the narrative is fully sustained, and the focus is clear and kept throughout.

• An effective plot gives the story a sense of unity and completeness.
• The setting, narrator and/or characters, and point of view (from grade 7), are effectively established.
• A variety of transitions is used consistently to clarify how ideas and events relate, with strong connections between them.
• Events follow a natural, logical sequence from beginning to end.
• The opening and closure are effective for the audience and purpose.

The organization of the narrative is adequately sustained, and the focus is adequate and generally kept.

• An evident plot gives a sense of unity and completeness, though there may be minor flaws and some loosely connected ideas.
• The setting, narrator and/or characters, and point of view (from grade 7), are adequately established.
• A variety of transitions is used adequately.
• The sequence of events is adequate from beginning to end.
• The opening and closure are adequate for the audience and purpose.

The organization of the narrative is somewhat sustained and the focus may be uneven.

• The plot may be inconsistent, with evident flaws.
• The setting, narrator and/or characters, and point of view (from grade 7), are established unevenly or only minimally.
• Transitions are used unevenly and/or with little variety.
• The sequence of events is weak or uneven.
• The opening and closure, if present, are weak.

The organization of the narrative may be maintained, but it has little or no focus.

• There is little or no discernible plot, or the story is only a series of events.
• The piece may be brief, with little or no attempt to establish a setting, narrator and/or characters, or point of view (from grade 7).
• There are few or no appropriate transitions, which may leave the reader confused.
• There is little or no organized sequence of events; unrelated ideas show up often and/or the story drifts badly.
• The opening and/or closure may be missing or unsatisfying.

Thorough, effective elaboration through relevant details, dialogue and/or description.

• Experiences, characters, setting and/or events are clearly developed.
• Connections to the source materials may make the narrative stronger.
• A variety of narrative techniques is used effectively to move the story forward or show the experience.
• Sensory, concrete and figurative language is used effectively and clearly serves the purpose.
• An effective, appropriate style strengthens the storytelling.

Adequate elaboration through details, dialogue and/or description.

• Experiences, characters, setting and/or events are adequately developed.
• Connections to the source materials may add to the narrative.
• A variety of narrative techniques is used adequately and generally moves the story forward or shows the experience.
• Sensory, concrete and figurative language is used adequately and generally serves the purpose.
• The style is generally appropriate.

Uneven, cursory elaboration, with partial or uneven use of details, dialogue and/or description.

• Experiences, characters, setting and/or events are developed unevenly.
• Connections to the source materials may be ineffective, awkward or vague, but they do not get in the way of the narrative.
• Narrative techniques are used unevenly and inconsistently.
• Sensory, concrete and figurative language is partial or weak and may not serve the purpose.
• The attempt at an appropriate style is inconsistent or weak.

Minimal elaboration, with few or no details, dialogue and/or description.

• Experiences, characters, setting and/or events may be vague, unclear or confusing.
• Connections to the source materials, if any, may take away from the narrative.
• Narrative techniques are minimal, missing, used incorrectly or irrelevant.
• There is little or no sensory, concrete or figurative language, which may get in the way of the purpose.
• There is little or no sign of an appropriate style.

Adequate command of conventions.

• Sentence formation, punctuation, capitalization, grammar usage and spelling are adequately correct for the length of the response.

Partial command of conventions.

• Correct use of sentence formation, punctuation, capitalization, grammar usage and spelling is limited.

Little or no command of conventions.

• Correct use of sentence formation, punctuation, capitalization, grammar usage and spelling is infrequent.