ORGANIZATION Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 arrangement of reasons a beginning, a middle, an ending beginning captures reader's interest call to action check overall organization clear beginning clearly connected details direct dialogue ending asks reader to do something ending comes after most important part ending gives reader something to think about ending summarizes theme logical order main supporting points one main idea in each paragraph order of ideas/details order of importance order of location paragraph unity point-by-point precise pattern prepositions summarized dialogue thesis statement time order topic sentences transition words two-part focus statement
IDEAS Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 anecdote answer objections answer the 5 W's clear message comparisons definitions describe where and when story takes place dialogue examples explanations factual statements favorite part focus statement fuzzy thinking important/interesting details keep ending a surprise key events main events main idea main points memory details one experience qualifiers quotations reasons reflective details response to objection sensory details share opinions "show, don t tell" sources supporting details surprising details theme topic sentence unnecessary details well-chosen topic words paint a picture
VOICE Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 active balance of facts and feelings bandwagoning caring/concerned confident consistent point of view convincing dialogue entertaining enthusiastic exaggerating excited fits audience formal fuzzy thinking informal informative interested knowledgeable mood natural original passive persuasive positive serious sincere tone
WORD CHOICE Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 adjectives and adverbs action verbs active verbs alliteration appropriate colorful adjectives connotation define unfamiliar words descriptive words figures of speech helping verbs inflammatory words literary words loaded words modifiers onomatopoeia overused words participles personification polite words power words precise terms present-tense verbs qualifiers quotations repeated words rhyming words sensory words simile specialized words specific action verbs specific adjectives specific nouns synonyms technical terms tone unfair words unnecessary modifiers vivid verbs wordiness
SENTENCE FLUENCY Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 balanced sentence choppy sentences combining sentences complete sentences complex sentences compound sentences conjunctions different kinds of sentences expanded sentences fragments modeling prepositional phrases rambling sentences run-on sentences sentence combining series of words short sentences simple sentence smooth flow variety of beginnings variety of lengths variety of types wordy sentences
CONVENTIONS Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 CAPITALIZATION beginning of sentences proper adjectives proper nouns GRAMMAR comparatives and superlatives compound subjects joined by "and" compound subjects joined by "or" correct forms of verbs correct verb tenses double subjects homophones person of subject pronouns possessive pronouns pronoun agreement shifts in verb tense subject-verb agreement using the right words PUNCTUATION apostrophes in contractions apostrophes to show possession commas after introductory word groups commas after items in a series commas in compound sentences commas in dates and addresses commas to set off explanations commas to set off speaker's words commas with parenthetical expressions end punctuation punctuating appositives punctuating complex sentences punctuating dependent clauses punctuating dialogue punctuating equal adjectives punctuating titles punctuating works-cited page quotation marks around a speaker's words quotation marks around direct quotations SPELLING commonly misused words double-checking words