TRAIT

INCREMENTS OF SKILL LEVEL

IDEAS

 (Grade 1) ideas represented through words, sentences, and images that connect to a topic

 (Grade 2) ideas developed through the use of relevant details that connect to a topic

 (Grade 3) ideas supported by related details

(Grade 4) clearly developed ideas by using effective supporting details and explanations

 (Grade 5) clearly developed ideas by using effective supporting details, explanations and comparisons

 (Grade 6) clearly developed ideas by using effective supporting details, explanations, comparisons and insights

 (Grade 7) clearly developed ideas by using effective supporting details, explanations, analysis, and insights

SENTENCE FLUENCY

(Grade 1) developing sentence fluency by using simple sentences that relate to each other

 (Grade 2) sentence fluency using some variety in sentence length and pattern

 (Grade 3) sentence fluency using a variety of sentence lengths and patterns

 (Grade 4) sentence fluency through a variety of sentence lengths and patterns, with some emerging fluidity

 (Grades 5-6) sentence fluency through sentence variety and lengths, with increasing rhythm and flow

 (Grade 7) sentence fluency through sentence variety and patterns with increasingly natural rhythm and flow

WORD CHOICE

 (Grade 1)  developing word choice by attempting to use descriptive words and interesting details

 (Grade 2) developing word choice by using some varied and descriptive language

 (Grade 3)  experimentation with word choice by using new and different words

 (Grade 4)  experimentation with word choice by using new, different, more precise and powerful words

 (Grade 5)  effective word choice by using a greater number of new, powerful, and more precise words

 (Grade 6)  effective word choice through the use of an increasing number of new, varied, and powerful words

 (Grade 7) effective word choice through the use of precise nouns, and powerful verbs and modifiers

VOICE

(Grades 1-2) developing voice by showing some evidence of individuality

 (Grade 3)  an emerging voice demonstrating a developing writing style

 (Grade 4)  an authentic voice demonstrating a developing writing style

 (Grade 5) an emerging and honest voice

 (Grade 6) an honest voice

 (Grade 7) an honest and engaging voice

ORGANIZATION

(Grade 1)  an organization that follows a form or text presented or modeled by the teacher, such as a list, card, or letter

(Grade 2) a logical organization

(Grade 3)  an organization that is meaningful and logical

(Grades 4-7)  an organization that is meaningful, logical, and effective, and showcases a central idea or theme

TRAIT

INCREMENTS OF SKILL LEVEL

IDEAS

(Grade 1)  ideas represented through words, sentences, and images that connect to a topic

(Grade 2)  ideas beginning to be developed through the use of relevant details

(Grade 3)  ideas that are adequately developed through relevant details and explanations

(Grade 4)  clearly developed ideas by using clear, focused, useful, and interesting details and explanations

(Grade 5)  clearly developed ideas by using interesting supporting details and explanations

(Grades 6-7) clearly developed ideas by using focused and useful supporting details, analysis, and explanations

SENTENCE FLUENCY

(Grade 1)  developing sentence fluency by using simple sentences, patterns, labels, and captions

(Grade 2)  sentence fluency using some variety of sentence length and an emerging variety in pattern

(Grade 3)  sentence fluency through a variety of correctly constructed sentences

(Grade 4)  sentence fluency through a variety of sentence lengths and patterns, with some emerging fluidity

(Grades 5-6)  sentence fluency through clear, well-constructed sentences that demonstrate a variety of sentence lengths and patterns, with an increasingly fluid style

(Grade 7) sentence fluency through strong, well-constructed sentences that demonstrate a variety of lengths and patterns, with an increasingly fluid style

WORD CHOICE

(Grade 1)  developing word choice by beginning to use content-specific vocabulary and some detail

(Grade 2) developing word choice by using some content-specific vocabulary and details

(Grades 3-4)  word choice by using some new and precise words including content-specific vocabulary

(Grade 5)  effective word choice through the use of new words, words selected for specificity, and powerful adverbs and verbs

(Grade 6)  effective word choice through the use of new vocabulary, words selected for their specificity, and powerful adverbs and verbs

(Grade 7) effective word choice by using content words, precise nouns, and powerful verbs and modifiers

VOICE

(Grades 1-2) developing voice by showing how they think and feel about a topic

(Grade 3) a voice that demonstrates interest in and knowledge of the topic

(Grade 4)  a voice demonstrating an appreciation of, interest in, and knowledge of the topic

(Grades 5-7) a voice demonstrating an appreciation and interest in the topic

ORGANIZATION

(Grade 1) an organization that follows a form modeled by the teacher, such as a list, web, chart, cluster, or other graphic organizer

(Grade 2)  an organization that includes a beginning that signals a topic and ideas that are generally logically sequenced

(Grade 3)  an organization that includes an introduction, and logically connected and sequenced details

(Grade 4) an organization that includes an introduction that states the purpose, with easy to follow and logically sequenced details, and an ending that makes sense

(Grade 5)  an organization that includes a purposeful introduction, followed by a well-developed and logical sequence of details, with a conclusion that summarizes the details

(Grade 6) an organization with an inviting lead that clearly indicates the purpose, and flows smoothly with logically sequenced paragraphs or sections to a satisfying conclusion that summarizes the details

(Grade 7) an organization that includes an inviting lead that clearly indicates the purpose, followed by a well-developed and clear sequence of paragraphs or sections that lead to a strong conclusion

TRAIT

INCREMENTS OF SKILL LEVEL

IDEAS

(Grade 1)  ideas represented through sentences and images that generally connect to a topic

(Grade 2) ideas developed through the use of details that enhance the topic or mood

(Grade 3)  ideas developed through interesting sensory detail

(Grades 4-5)  well-developed ideas through the use of supporting details, especially interesting sensory detail

(Grade 6) well developed ideas through the use of interesting sensory detail

(Grade 7) strategically developed ideas by using interesting sensory detail

SENTENCE FLUENCY

(Grade 1)  developing sentence fluency by using simple sentences, dialogue, phrases, and poetic language

(Grade 2)  sentence fluency using sentence variety, dialogue, phrases, and poetic language

(Grade 3)  sentence fluency developed through experimenting with some smooth patterns, and phrasing that is beginning to sound natural

(Grade 4)  sentence fluency through a variety of sentence lengths and patterns, with some emerging fluidity

(Grades 5-7)  sentence fluency through a variety of sentence lengths and patterns, with increasing fluidity

WORD CHOICE

(Grade 1) developing word choice by attempting to use new and descriptive words

(Grade 2)  developing word choice by using some varied descriptive and sensory language

(Grade 3) experimentation with word choice by using new, unusual words and varied descriptive and sensory language

(Grade 4)  effective word choice by experimenting with new, more powerful and varied words, especially descriptive words

(Grades 5-6) effective word choice by using engaging figurative and sensory language

(Grade 7) effective word choice by using purposeful figurative and sensory language with some sophistication and risk-taking

VOICE

(Grades 1-2)  developing voice by showing some evidence of individuality

(Grade 3)  an emerging voice demonstrating a developing writing style

(Grade 4)  a voice demonstrating some sense of individuality

(Grade 5) a voice demonstrating an emerging sense of individuality

(Grade 6) an authentic voice

(Grade 7) an engaging and authentic voice

ORGANIZATION

(Grade 1)  an organization that generally follows a form presented or modeled by the teacher; stories include a beginning, middle, and end

(Grade 2)  an organization that includes a well-developed beginning and logically ordered, imaginative ideas or details

(Grade 3)  an organization that develops logically from an engaging opening through to a satisfying ending

(Grade 4) an organization that develops smoothly, with a logical sequence, beginning with an engaging opening through to a satisfying ending

(Grade 5) an organization that includes an engaging opening, followed by a sequence of effectively described ideas that leads to a satisfying conclusion

(Grade 6) an organization includes an enticing opening, followed by a sequence of effective detail which elaborates events, ideas, and images, that lead to an imaginative or interesting conclusion

(Grade 7) an organization that includes an enticing opening, followed by a purposeful sequence of well-developed ideas that lead to an imaginative or interesting conclusion

TRAIT

INCREMENTS OF SKILL LEVEL

IDEAS

(Grade 4) ideas developed through clear, focused, and useful details

(Grade 4) connections made to personal feelings, experiences, opinions, and information

(Grade 5)  development of ideas by making connections to personal feelings, experiences, opinions, and information

(Grade 6)  development of ideas using clear, focused and useful details, and by making connections to personal feelings, experiences, opinions, and information

(Grade 7) development of ideas by making connections to personal feelings, experiences, opinions, and information

VOICE

(Grades 4-6)  an expressive voice

(Grade 7)  an expressive and individualistic voice

ORGAN- IZATION

(Grades 4-7)  an organization in which key ideas are evident

Identify the task

(Grades 1-7)  setting a purpose

(Grades 1-7)  identifying an audience

(Grade 4)  selecting a genre and form from samples provided

(Grades 5-7)  identifying a genre and form

Acknowledge Criteria…

(Grades 1-3) participating in developing class-generated criteria

(Grade 4) developing class-generated criteria based on analysis of the form of writing or representing

(Grades 5-7) analyzing examples of successful writing and representing in different forms and genres to identify key features

(Grade 5) developing class-generated criteria based on analysis of the form of writing or representing

(Grades 6-7)developing class-generated criteria

(Grade 7) identifying key criteria

Explore Ideas…

(Grade 1) generating, selecting, and organizing ideas from home and/or school experiences

(Grades 2-5) generating, selecting, developing, and organizing ideas from personal interest, prompts, models of good literature, and/or graphics

(Grade 6) generating, developing, and organizing ideas from personal interest, prompts, texts, and/or research

(Grade 7) generating, selecting, developing, and organizing ideas from personal interest, prompts, texts, and/or research

Refer

to Criteria

(Grades 2-7)  referring to class-generated criteria

Use resources

(Grades 2-3)  referring to word banks

(Grades 3-7)  consulting reference materials

(Grade 3)  using information from multiple sources

(Grade 4)  combining multiple sources of information

(Grades 5-7)  accessing multiple sources of information

Consider models

(Grades 2-3)  examining models of literature/visuals

(Grade 4)  examining models of literature

(Grades 5-7)  analyzing models of literature

Consider & Apply Feedback

(Grades 4-7)  considering and applying feedback from conferences to revise ideas, organization, voice, word choice, and sentence fluency

Revise & Edit

(Grades 2-3)  revising and editing

(Grades 4-7)  ongoing revision and editing

Referring  to Criteria

(Grades 2-7)  checking their work against established criteria

Revising…

(Grade 2) revising to enhance a writing trait (e.g., ideas, sentence fluency, word choice, voice, organization)

(Grades 3-7) revising to enhance writing traits (e.g., ideas, sentence fluency, word choice, voice, organization)

Editing…

(Grades 2-3) editing for conventions (e.g., capitals, punctuation, spelling)

(Grades 4-7) editing for conventions (e.g., grammar and usage, capitalization, punctuation, spelling)

Listening for Fluency

(Grades 4-7) reading aloud and listening for fluency

Use a variety of forms

(Grade 2)  presenting new understandings in a variety of forms (e.g., comic strip, poem, skit, graphic organizer)

Develop

Explanations

(Grades 3-7)  developing explanations

Express

Viewpoints

(Grade 3)  expressing an alternative viewpoint

(Grade 4) expressing alternative viewpoints

(Grade 5) expressing alternative opinions or perspectives

Explore  New Ideas

(Grade 3)  demonstrating new understandings

(Grade 4)  creating new understandings

(Grade 5) exploring new ideas (e.g., expressing an unfamiliar viewpoint)

(Grade 6) exploring new ideas (e.g., examining alternative viewpoints, transposing writing from one form to another)

(Grade 7) exploring new ideas (e.g., making generalizations, speculating about alternative viewpoints)

(Grades 6-7) analyzing the relationships in ideas and information

Refer to Criteria

(Grades 2-6)  referring to class-generated criteria

(Grade 7) relating their work to criteria

Set Goals

(Grades 2)  setting a goal for improvement/ making a simple plan to work on their goal

(Grades 3-7)  setting goals and create a plan for improvement

Take Steps…

(Grades 3-7) taking steps toward achieving goals 

Sentence

Structure

(Grade 1) complete simple sentences

(Grade 2) complete simple sentences, and begin to use compound sentences

(Grade 3) various sentence types (e.g., declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamatory)

(Grades 3-4) complete simple and compound sentences

(Grade 5) complete simple and compound sentences and begin to use complex sentences

(Grades 6-7) complete simple, compound, and complex sentences

Capitalization

(Grade 1) capital letters at the beginning of people’s names and of sentences, and capitalize the pronoun “I”

(Grade 2) capital letters at the beginning of proper nouns and sentences

(Grade 3) capitalization in titles of books and stories

(Grade 4) capitalization to designate organizations and to indicate beginning of quotations

(Grade 5) capitalization in titles, headings, and subheadings

Citations

(Grade 7) information taken from secondary sources with source citation

Punctuation

End punctuation

(Grade 1) a period to mark the end of a sentence

(Grade 2) periods, questions marks, or exclamation marks at the end of sentences

(Grade 3) punctuation at the end of sentences

Commas

(Grade 2) commas to separate items in a series

(Grade 3) commas in a series, dates, addresses, and locations

(Grade 4) commas after introductory words in sentences and when citing addresses

Apostrophes

(Grade 3) apostrophes to form common contractions and to show possession

(Grades 4-5) appropriate uses of apostrophes

Dialogue

(Grade 4)  beginning to use quotations marks and commas in dialogue

(Grade 5)  indicating passages of dialogue with quotation marks and paragraphs

(Grade 6) effective  use quotation marks

Overall

(Grade 6) effective use of punctuation

(Grade 7) correct and effective use of punctuation

Vocabulary

(Grade 1)  using words from their oral language vocabulary as well as less familiar words from class-displayed lists

(Grade 2) using  words from their oral language vocabulary, personal words list, and class lists

(Grade 3) using new words from their oral language and reading experiences

Spelling

Grade 1

• using knowledge of consonant and short vowel sounds to spell phonically regular one-syllable words
• using “s” to form plural of familiar words
• spelling phonically irregular high-frequency words from memory
• attempting to spell unknown words through phonic knowledge and skills and visual memory

Grade 2

• spelling words of more than one syllable, high-frequency irregular words, and regular plurals by applying phonic knowledge and skills and visual memory
• attempting to spell unfamiliar words by applying phonic knowledge and skills and visual memory
• conventional Canadian spelling of common words

Grade 3

• spelling phonically regular, three-syllable words, by applying phonic knowledge and skills and visual memory
• spelling unfamiliar words by applying generalizations to assist
• conventional Canadian spelling of familiar words
• using strategies for correctly spelling frequently misspelled words

Grade 4

• spelling multi-syllable words by applying phonic knowledge and skills and visual memory
• spelling unfamiliar words by applying strategies (e.g., phonic knowledge, use of common spelling patterns, dictionaries, words walls, thesaurus)
• conventional Canadian spelling for familiar words and frequently used words

Grade 5

• spelling unfamiliar words by applying strategies (e.g., phonic knowledge, use of common spelling patterns, dictionaries, words walls, thesaurus)
• conventional Canadian spelling for familiar words and frequently used words

Grade 6

• spelling unfamiliar words by applying strategies (e.g. phonic knowledge, use of common spelling patterns, dictionaries, thesaurus)
• conventional Canadian spelling for familiar words and frequently used words

Grade 7

• spelling unfamiliar words by applying strategies (e.g., phonic knowledge, use of common spelling patterns, dictionaries, thesaurus)

• conventional Canadian spelling for familiar words and frequently used words

Penmanship

Grade 1

• legible printing from left to right of all uppercase and lowercase letters
• appropriate spacing between letters and between words

Grade 2

• letters printed legibly, consistent in shape and size
• appropriate spacing between letters and words

Grade 3

• legible print, beginning to show proper alignment, shape, and slant of cursive writing
• spacing words and sentences consistently on a line and page

Grade 4

• legible writing that demonstrates awareness of alignment, shape, and slant

• spacing words and sentences consistently on a line and page

Grade 5

• legible writing with alignment, shape, and slant

Grades 6-7

• legible writing appropriate to context and purpose

Paragraphing

(Grade 2)  some paragraph divisions

(Grade 3)  paragraphs, with some accuracy

(Grade 4)  paragraphs to show the beginning of new ideas

(Grades 5-6) effective paragraphing

(Grade 5) passages of dialogue indicated with quotation marks and paragraphs

Grammar

(Grade 2) generally correct noun-pronoun and subject-verb agreement

(Grade 3) correct subject-verb agreement/noun and pronoun agreement

(Grade 4) correct noun-pronoun agreement

(Grade 7) correct subject-verb and pronoun agreement in sentences with compound subjects

(Grades 2-3)  past and present tenses

(Grades 4-6)  past, present, and future tenses

(Grade 6) subordinate (i.e., dependent) clauses

(Grade 7) subordinate and independent clauses

(Grade 6)  comparative and superlative forms of adjectives