iRubric: Touching Spirit Bear Essay Rubric

*The writer defines the topic immediately and shows their undrstanding of the novel

*Shows insight, engagement, purpose, and knowledge of the material.

*Relevant and telling.

*The topic is enlightening, purposeful, and makes a point.

*The writer attempts to define the topic but does not show good understanding relating it to the novel

*Can kind of see where the writer is headed.

*Has a little difficulty going from general observations to specifics.

*Ideas are reasonably clear.

*Support is attempted.

*The writer has not begun to define the topic in a meaningful , personal way.

*Information is very limited or unclear.

*Disconnected, random thoughts.

*Has a hard time sifting out what is important or critical.

*Reader shows strong interaction with text.

*The tone and voice are expressive, individualistic, expressive, and engaging.

*Honest, appealing, from the heart.

*Strong commitment to the theme.

*Earnest and pleasing.

*Seems sincere but not fully engaged or involved.

*Writer hides a little.

*General language.

*It is hard to sense the writer behind the words.

*Monotone

*Indifferent, uninvolved, or distanced.

*Functional level

*Easy flow and rhythm when read aloud.

*Meaning is clear.

*Vary in length and structure.

*Good grasp of standard writing conventions.

*Grammar and usage are correct.

*Punctuation is accurate.

*Spelling is generally correct.

*Some variation in sentence length and structure.

*The reader sometimes has to hunt for clues.

*Some parts are invitive, others are a little stiff, or choppy.

*Reasonable control over limited range of standard writing conventions.

*Problems with grammar and usage are not serious.

*Generally correct conventions.

*Sentences are choppy, incomplete, rambling.

*Phrasing does not sound natural.

*Many sentences begin the same way.

*Errors in spelling, punctuation, usage, and grammar.

*Text is difficult to read.

*Extensive editing.