Grade 1 Third Prompt

Expository Informational Writing

English Language/Arts Content Standard: 1.0 Writing Strategies 1.1 Select a focus when writing. 1.2 Use descriptive words when writing. 1.3 Print legibly and space letters, words, and sentences correctly. 2.0 Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics) 2.2 Write brief expository description of a real object, person, place, or event, using sensory

details. Writing Situation Scientists do investigations and write down what they learn. As a scientist, we use our senses to learn more in our observations. Just like scientists, we have a lot of information we can share with others. Think about some of the investigations we have done this year. What would people find interesting about some of our investigations this year? (Allow an opportunity for discussion.) Directions for Writing Now you are the scientist writing information about what you have learned in your investigation. Think about what you observed and the interesting details that will help someone else learn new information. Don’t forget to use your senses as you describe the observation. Writing and Convention Standards

For this task, students will write a letter that will: a. describe an experience. b. use details to write about an experience. c. use legible print. d. use complete sentences. e. use correct punctuation and capitalization. f. use correct spelling of simple sight words. g. contain proper spacing for letters, words, and sentences.

Resources: Reading/Language Arts Framework for California Public School, pp. 62-63 Write One: Handbook, pp. 44-45, 52-53 Write One Program Guide: The Forms of Writing, pp. 16-18 Reading-Writing Connection, pp. 3, 6 Write One: Lesson Plans and Assessments, pp. 22-25

Grade 1

Third Prompt Rubric

Expository Informational Writing

4 § Fully addresses the prompt.

§ Is clearly organized. § Clearly maintains a consistent focus. § Has complete, coherent sentences that use a variety of patterns. § Has effectiveness and variety of word choice. § Has descriptive language that includes a variety of well-chosen, sensory

details. § Has grade- level appropriate spelling, capitalization and punctuation;

contains few, if any, errors that do not interfere with understanding the writing.

§ Has legible handwriting with appropriate spacing.

3 § Responds to the prompt. § Is organized. § Maintains a consistent focus. § Has mainly complete sentences. § Has some expressive language; contains some sensory images. § Has some variety of word choice. § Has mainly grade- level appropriate spelling, grammar, capitalization, and

punctuation; contains some errors that do not interfere with understanding the writing.

§ Has legible handwriting with appropriate spacing and most letters formed correctly.

2 § Attempts to respond to the prompt. (May stray from the topic.) § May lack organization. § May lack a consistent focus. § May have incomplete or incoherent sentences. § Attempts words using initial and final consonant sounds and/or inventive

spellings. § May contain few sensory details. § May contain environmental print. § May contain many errors in spelling, grammar, capitalization, and/or

punctuation that may interfere with understanding the writing.

§ Has handwriting that is difficult to read. (May need student interpretation.)

1 § May not respond to the prompt. (May be off topic.) § Lacks organization. § Has no focus. § May have random marks, letters, numbers, shapes, or pictures. § Contains substantial environmental print. § Has little evidence of letter-sound connection. § May contain frequent and numerous errors in spelling, grammar,

capitalization, and punctuation that interfere with the understanding of the writing.

§ Handwriting may be illegible.

BP § Blank Paper

Grade 1 Third Prompt – Student Page

Expository Informational Writing

Writing Situation Scientists do investigations and write down what they learn. As a scientist, we use our senses to learn more in our observations. Just like scientists, we have a lot of information we can share with others. Think about some of the investigations we have done this year. What would people find interesting about some of our investigations this year? (Allow an opportunity for discussion.) Directions for Writing Now you are the scientist writing information about what you have learned in your investigation. Think about what you observed and the interesting details that will help someone else learn new information. Don’t forget to use your senses as you describe the observation. Writing and Convention Standards

For this task, you will write a letter that will: a. describe an experience. b. use details to write about an experience. c. use legible print. d. use complete sentences. e. use correct punctuation and capitalization. f. use correct spelling of simple sight words. g. contain proper spacing for letters, words, and sentences.

District Writing Sample Scoring Rationale Third Prompt, First Grade

Expository Informational Writing

Rubric Score Point: 4 high Characteristics that make the paper a low 1:

a. Focuses on the prompt.

b. Descriptive language/variety of well-chosen, sensory details.

c. Inconsistent use of past tense wording. Additional instructional steps for the writer’s growth would include:

a. Using Writer’s Workshop to fine tune.

b. Teaching the student past tense.

Teacher Notes:

District Writing Sample Scoring Rationale Third Prompt, First Grade

Expository Informational Writing

Rubric Score Point: 4 anchor Characteristics that make the paper an anchor 4:

a. Focuses on the prompt.

b. Descriptive language.

c. Variety of sentence patterns.

d. Incorrect use of words in the possessive form. Additional instructional steps for the writer’s growth would include:

a. Using D.O.L. to practice daily.

b. Providing opportunities for journal writing.

c. Experiencing shared writing to model new concepts.

Teacher Notes:

District Writing Sample Scoring Rationale Third Prompt, First Grade

Expository Informational Writing

Rubric Score Point: 4 low Characteristics that make the paper a low 4:

a. Focuses on the prompt.

b. Variety of sentence patterns.

c. Interesting details that engage the reader.

d. Further develop descriptive language.

Additional instructional steps for the writer’s growth would include:

a. Using Writer’s Workshop to further develop descriptive language and variety of sensory details.

b. Providing opportunities to practice the use of descriptive language and sensory

details, i.e., journal writing.

Teacher Notes:

District Writing Sample Scoring Rationale Third Prompt, First Grade

Expository Informational Writing

Rubric Score Point: 3 high Characteristics that make the paper a low 1:

a. Responds to prompt.

b. Contains some sensory images.

c. Has more than one sentence pattern.

d. Random capitalization/punctuation. e. Attempts to use contractions.

Additional instructional steps for the writer’s growth would include:

a. Using Writer’s Workshop to further develop the use of sensory images.

b. Using D.O.L. to practice capitalization/punctuation.

c. Modeling the addition of details to writing.

Teacher Notes:

District Writing Sample Scoring Rationale Third Prompt, First Grade

Expository Informational Writing

Rubric Score Point: 3 anchor Characteristics that make the paper a low 1:

a. Responds to prompt.

b. Contains some elements of a friendly letter.

c. Has more than one sentence pattern.

d. Contains some sensory images. Additional instructional steps for the writer’s growth would include:

a. Modeling use of diagram to incorporate sensory details into writing.

b. Using D.O.L. to develop correct usage of high frequency words.

Teacher Notes:

District Writing Sample Scoring Rationale Third Prompt, First Grade

Expository Informational Writing

Rubric Score Point: 3 low Characteristics that make the paper a low 1:

a. Attempts to respond to the prompt.

b. Legible writing with appropriate spacing .

c. Contains some elements of a friendly letter.

d. Contains few sensory details.

Additional instructional steps for the writer’s growth would include:

a. Modeling with shared writing how to add sensory details.

b. Modeling elements of a friendly letter through daily news or during writer’s workshop.

Teacher Notes:

District Writing Sample Scoring Rationale Third Prompt, First Grade

Expository Informational Writing

Rubric Score Point: 2 high Characteristics that make the paper a high 2:

a. Responds to prompt.

b. Contains sensory details.

c. Invented spelling. Additional instructional steps to support this writer:

a. Modeling of letter format through shared writing.

b. Using Writer’s Workshop to support grade level appropriate spelling.

Teacher Notes:

District Writing Sample Scoring Rationale Third Prompt, First Grade

Expository Informational Writing

Rubric Score Point: 2 anchor Characteristics that make the paper an anchor 2:

a. Responds to prompt.

b. Contains sensory details.

c. Uses pattern sentences.

d. No evidence of punctuation.

Additional instructional steps for the writer’s growth would include:

a. Modeling letter format using shared writing.

b. Using D.O.L. to practice capitalization/punctuation.

Teacher Notes:

District Writing Sample Scoring Rationale Third Prompt, First Grade

Expository Informational Writing

Rubric Score Point: 2 low Characteristics that make the paper a low 2:

a. Responds to prompt.

b. Environmental print.

c. Attempts words using initial and final consonant sounds.

d. Contains random capitalization and punctuation.

Additional instructional steps to support this writer:

a. Modeling the use of initial and final consonant sounds.

b. Using D.O.L. to reinforce capitalization and punctuation rules.

c. Playing phonics games.

Teacher Notes:

District Writing Sample Scoring Rationale Third Prompt, First Grade

Expository Informational Writing

Rubric Score Point: 1 high Characteristics that make the paper a high 1:

a. Responds to topic.

b. Contains environmental print.

c. Evidence of letter-sound connection. d. No spacing between words.

Additional instructional steps for the writer’s growth would include:

a. Modeling the use of spaces between words.

b. Providing phonics games to support letter/sound recognition.

c. Using D.O.L. to practice spelling of high frequency words.

Teacher Notes:

District Writing Sample Scoring Rationale Third Prompt, First Grade

Expository Informational Writing

Rubric Score Point: 1 anchor Characteristics that make the paper an anchor 1:

a. Contains environmental print.

b. Little evidence of letter-sound connection. Additional instructional steps for the writer’s growth would include:

a. Modeling listening for sounds.

b. Providing phonics games to support letter/sound connection.

c. Providing phonics activities such as “making words”.

d. Providing phonemic awareness activities.

Teacher Notes:

District Writing Sample Scoring Rationale Third Prompt, First Grade

Expository Informational Writing

Rubric Score Point: 1 low Characteristics that make the paper a low 1:

a. Can’t determine if on topic.

b. Random marks and letters.

c. Has no evidence of letter-sound connection.

d. Writing is mainly illegible. Additional instructional steps for the writer’s growth would include:

a. Modeling the use of correct letter formation.

b. Providing phonemic awareness activities.

c. Teaching phonics games, providing phonics activities such as “making words” to support letter/sound connection.

Teacher Notes: