Scoring Stories for Scoring Stories for the Six Traitsthe Six Traits

Word ChoiceWord Choice

How many words obviously came from a How many words obviously came from a thesaurus? If they have ten or more, give them thesaurus? If they have ten or more, give them a 4, unless they also use slang.a 4, unless they also use slang.

3 = they’ve obviously used a thesaurus, but 3 = they’ve obviously used a thesaurus, but they also have a few slang words too.they also have a few slang words too.

2 = they use “said”, “it” and “and” an awful lot! 2 = they use “said”, “it” and “and” an awful lot! Even if they did use a thesaurus, their Even if they did use a thesaurus, their repetition and use of slang outweigh their big repetition and use of slang outweigh their big words.words.

1 = they use repetition, baby words, and slang; 1 = they use repetition, baby words, and slang; they haven’t been using a thesaurus.they haven’t been using a thesaurus.

OrganizationOrganization

4 = they have a correctly capitalized title, they have 4 = they have a correctly capitalized title, they have many paragraph breaks, and they never wrote in the many paragraph breaks, and they never wrote in the margin. Their story has a clear beginning, which leads margin. Their story has a clear beginning, which leads to an exciting middle. The ending matches all that has to an exciting middle. The ending matches all that has been written. Their story is also double-spaced.been written. Their story is also double-spaced.

3 = they have some paragraph breaks, but they really 3 = they have some paragraph breaks, but they really need more; they also have a title, margins, and a need more; they also have a title, margins, and a beginning, middle, and clear end to their story.beginning, middle, and clear end to their story.

2 = they have one or two paragraph breaks, and it 2 = they have one or two paragraph breaks, and it seems like something is missing from the body of the seems like something is missing from the body of the story.story.

1 = they don’t use paragraph breaks at all.1 = they don’t use paragraph breaks at all.

Ideas and ContentIdeas and Content

4 = this is a completely original topic with 4 = this is a completely original topic with perfect description.perfect description.

3 = this is an original topic, but some of the 3 = this is an original topic, but some of the description is lacking. (For example, the reader description is lacking. (For example, the reader may only vaguely know what characters and may only vaguely know what characters and settings look like, smell like, sound like.)settings look like, smell like, sound like.)

2 = this isn’t a very original topic (other kids 2 = this isn’t a very original topic (other kids have topics just like this one)have topics just like this one)

1 = this isn’t a story, it’s an essay or a letter or 1 = this isn’t a story, it’s an essay or a letter or something like that.something like that.

ConventionsConventions

4 = I couldn’t find any mistakes.4 = I couldn’t find any mistakes. 3 = I could only find one or two mistakes.3 = I could only find one or two mistakes. 2 = I could find three to five mistakes.2 = I could find three to five mistakes. 1 = I could find more than five mistakes.1 = I could find more than five mistakes.

Sentence FluencySentence Fluency

4 = I didn’t hold up any fingers.4 = I didn’t hold up any fingers. 3 = I held up one or two fingers.3 = I held up one or two fingers. 2 = I held up three to five fingers.2 = I held up three to five fingers. 1 = I held up six or more fingers (or it’s 1 = I held up six or more fingers (or it’s

written using something other than ink written using something other than ink pen or pencil).pen or pencil).

VoiceVoice

4 = this story made me laugh, cry, jump for joy, 4 = this story made me laugh, cry, jump for joy, or have another physically obvious and or have another physically obvious and unpreventable reaction!!!unpreventable reaction!!!

3 = I enjoyed the story A LOT, but it didn’t 3 = I enjoyed the story A LOT, but it didn’t provoke any really noticeable reactions from provoke any really noticeable reactions from me.me.

2 = Yeah, that’s a story. It was fine.2 = Yeah, that’s a story. It was fine. 1 = Did I just read a story? I forgot what I just 1 = Did I just read a story? I forgot what I just

read, because it was so boring.read, because it was so boring.