Overview

In this performance assessment, students will read and analyze a short story. Then they will create their own narrative using the short story as a model. Specifically, students will be asked to use descriptive language, and write a story that has a clear beginning, middle, and end. It can be in paragraph format, movie script format, comic strip format, or other appropriate format for a narrative.

Students can create the final presentation in any appropriate way, including, but not limited to, PowerPoint or Google Slides (or another slideshow tool), Microsoft Word or Google Docs. It needs to be in a format that can be shared digitally.

This assessment might best be used after students have been taught the elements of narratives: theme, character, conflict, setting, and plot. In addition, students should understand the techniques that authors use. Specifically, this assessment focuses on using descriptive language. They should have some experience using a thesaurus as well.

Download Teacher Booklet Download Student Booklet

Details

Big Ideas & Competencies

Big Ideas Competencies

C. Writing

Students can effectively communicate purpose to an intended audience through written language, using a variety of media.

C3

Students can write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.

F. Style and Language

Students can apply conventions of grammar and use academic and domain-specific vocabulary.

F3

Students will write using a command of conventions.

NOTE ABOUT ASSESSMENT RUBRICS

Below are analytic teacher rubrics. The column on the left shows the dimension that is being measured in the student’s performance. The levels across the top row indicate the performance level in the dimensions. Occasionally all dimensions and performance levels are exemplified by multiple students in a single recording.

Teacher Rubric

Dimensions Not Yet Meeting Expectations Meeting Expectations Exceeding Expectations

Focus/Organization
  • Creates a situation or sequence of events that lacks a clear story focus or has a shifting story focus.
  • Includes a series of disconnected or loosely linked events that do not clearly flow together. and/or it is unclear who is telling the story or which characters are involved in the situation.
  • Uses limited or basic transitional words, phrases, or clauses to sequence events and/or to connect experiences and events.
  • Provides a conclusion that partially or does not follow from the situation or sequence of events or does not provide a discernible conclusion.
No exemplars at this time.
  • Stablishes a real or imagined situation and sequence of events creating story focus.
  • Establishes a progression of clearly linked events that unfolds naturally and introduces the characters and/or narrator.
  • Uses a variety of transitional words, phrases, and clauses to sequence events and to connect experiences and events.
  • Provides a conclusion that follows from the narrated experience, observation, or events.
No exemplars at this time.
  • Establishes a vivid real or imagined situation and sequence of events creating a distinctive story focus.
  • Establishing a smooth progression of events that unfolds naturally and introduces dynamic character(s) and/or believable narrator.
  • Uses a variety of sophisticated transitional words, phrases, and clauses to sequence events, signal shifts in time and place, and to connect experiences and events.
  • Provides a meaningful and satisfying conclusion that clearly follows from the narrated situation or events
No exemplars at this time.

Development/Comprehension
  • Uses basic narrative techniques (description, dialogue) and choppy pacing to show character responses to situations or other characters.
  • Uses basic vocabulary and sensory details to describe the experiences and/or events, setting, and/or characters.
  • Uses simplistic figurative language, word relationships, and/or word nuances to develop the plot.
No exemplars at this time.
  • Uses narrative techniques such as description and realistic dialogue to show characters’ responses to situations and to other characters and uses a steady pace to move the story forward.
  • Uses precise descriptions and sensory language to describe the experiences, events, setting, and characters.
  • Uses figurative language, word relationships, and word nuances to develop the experiences and events.
No exemplars at this time.
  • Uses sophisticated narrative techniques, such as description and realistic dialogue, showing internal thoughts to move the story forward.
  • Uses precise description and vivid descriptions and sensory language to make characters, setting, and action come to life.
  • Uses sophisticated figurative language, word relationships (analogies, synonyms, homonyms), and word nuances (shades of meaning), to develop experiences and events.
No exemplars at this time.

Style and Conventions
  • Uses inconsistent grammar and conventions which detract from the quality of the narrative.
No exemplars at this time.
  • Demonstrates grade-level appropriate conventions; errors are minor and do not interfere with meaning and readability.
No exemplars at this time.
  • Demonstrates creativity and flexibility when using conventions (i.e., grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling).
No exemplars at this time.

Leave Feedback for this Assessment

What did you like? Did you need to revise anything? How could we make this assessment better? Our Assessments are written by teachers for you, so your feedback is important to us!

Comments about items may be moderated and/or reposted to aid item improvement and teacher learning. By leaving a comment, you agree that we can use your comment without attributing it to you.

You must be logged in to leave feedback.

Don't have an account? Register Here

Log in