Writing Rubric for 9-10 Info/Explan

Score of 4 – Above Grade Level		Score of 3 – On Grade Level	Score of 2 – Approaching Grade Level
The writing – ·       skillfully introduces the topic (11-12W2a) ·       organizes complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole (11-12W2a) ·       uses appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts (11-12W2b) ·       skillfully provides a concluding statement or a section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (11-12W2f) ·       skillfully produces clear and coherent writing appropriate to task, purpose, and audience (11-12W4)		The writing – ·       introduces the topic (9-10W2a) ·       organizes complex ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions (9-10W2a) ·       uses appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts (9-10W2c) ·       provides a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (9-10W2f) ·       produces clear and coherent writing appropriate to task, purpose, and audience (9-10W4)	The writing – ·       attempts to introduce the topic ·       attempts to organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions ·       attempts to use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts ·       attempts to provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented ·       attempts to produce clear and coherent writing appropriate to task, purpose, and audience	Organization/Purpose 2 x ____=____
The writing – ·       develops the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic (11-12W2b) ·       skillfully includes formatting, graphics, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension (11-12W2a) ·       skillfully uses relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources (11-12W8) ·       integrates information into the text to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and the overreliance on any one source (11-12W8) ·       follows standard format for citation, when appropriate (11-12W8)		The writing – ·       develops the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic (9-10W2b) ·       includes formatting, graphics, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension (9-10W2a) ·       uses relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources (9-10W8) ·       integrates information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas and avoid plagiarism (9-10W8) ·       follows a standard format for citation, when appropriate (9-10W8)	The writing – ·       attempts to develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic ·       attempts to include formatting, graphics, and multimedia when useful to aid comprehension ·       attempts to use relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources ·       attempts to integrate information into the text to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism ·       attempts to follow standard format for citation with few errors, when appropriate	Evidence/Elaboration 2 x ____=____
The writing – ·       skillfully establishes and maintains a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which it is written (11-12W2e) ·       skillfully demonstrates a command of grade-level appropriate standard English grammar, usage, and conventions (11-12L1-2)* ·       has errors that do not interfere with understanding (11-12L1-2)*		The writing – ·       establishes and maintains a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which it is written (9-10W2e) ·       demonstrates a command of grade-level appropriate standard English grammar, usage, and conventions (9-10L1-2) * ·       has errors that do not interfere with understanding (9-10L1-2)*	The writing – ·       attempts to establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which it is written ·       attempts to demonstrate a command of grade-level appropriate standard English grammar, usage, and conventions ·       has errors that may interfere with understanding	Language/Conventions 1 x­­­____=____

CHHS- CHAT around New Delaware Writing Rubrics

Worksheet: using the Informative/Explanatory Writing Rubric for Grades 9-10, work with a partner to score this student essay and add comments.

Informative/Explanatory Writing Assignment, Grades 9-10:  In this assignment, students were asked to research a topic of their choice (here, wolves), and establish a focus within that topic (how/why wolves communicate).

The Secret Communication of Wolves

A long piercing howl shatters the quiet night of a northern forest. The howl grows into a chorus of yelps and barks, and the valley echoes to the chilling sound. The leader of the pack starts the noise, while other pack members, as well as other wolf packs,
join in (O’Toole 22).

Organization/Purpose: ______________________________

Evidence/Elaboration: _______________________________

Language/Conventions: ______________________________

Among wolves, communication is a very highly developed skill.  For instance, the howl of the pack leader has many different meanings.
Most of the time a lone howl is a warning for other packs. It tells them to
stay away, for there are many young to be protected and food to be guarded
(O’Toole 23). A howl can also be a way of marking their territory. Many
wolves howl when they feel another pack is too close. Some wolves howl
when they are lost or trying to find another member of the pack. Most
wolves use this howl at least once a day to locate missing pups or other pack members (Primate).

To wolves, the territory that they occupy (the territory of some packs may cover 20-120 square miles) is like a house to a human being. They feel that they must protect it at all times, and, other packs must not trespass. Neighboring packs may share up to a mile of territory, but rarely will they share more than that (Primate). All wolves know that if they run through another pack’s territory, they run the risk of being killed (Primate). In addition, wolves mark their territory by scent (mostly urine). This helps all wolves know where their territory begins.

Organization/Purpose: ______________________________

Evidence/Elaboration: _______________________________

Language/Conventions: ______________________________

Like humans, the wolf has three main avenues of communication, postural (body language); vocal (the howl or snarl); and olfactory (scent) (Wolfhaven).  The scent is the most commonly used and probably the most important.  Besides marking territory, it help show food ownership, as well as acting as a road map for themselves.  Wolves have scent glands between their toes, which leaves their scent wherever they go (Primate).

Moreover, much communication is done through body language.  Many postures have been evolved to reduce conflict an aggression among pack members.   Facial expressions are the most obvious. Generally, bared teeth with ears erect and pointed back can indicate a threat by a dominant male (Wolfhaven). In contrast, a closed mouth, slitlike eyes, and ears pulled forward (and close to their head) will most likely indicate subordinate behavior (Wolfhaven). Wolves also use their tail position to communicate emotion. Threatening wolves hold their tails high, almost perpendicular, while more submissive wolves lower themselves before dominant pack members. These lower
class members often have their tails tucked between their legs (Primate). A wolf that has been defeated in a fight can avoid being attacked by its victorious companion by taking a posture similar to that of a pup begging for food (University of Oklahoma Press 91).

Organization/Purpose: ______________________________

Evidence/Elaboration: _______________________________

Language/Conventions: ______________________________

Wolves must communicate at all times when they are hunting. They have to
work together to catch most of their food (due to the size of the food that
they hunt). The concept that wolves use is called the “Pincer Attack”
(Baily 91). When using the pincer attack, the pack splits in two groups and
surround the prey (mostly deer, sheep, and other medium-sized mammals).
One of the groups causes a diversion, while the other half ambushes the
helpless prey. Wolves can move quickly and quietly. Many of them
operate on stamina rather then on sudden bursts of speed (Baily 85). Because of the cooperation of the group, when it comes to hunting, the pack usually ends up victorious, and they have enough food for a couple of days. If they pack gets a big kill, then the leader will have the next strongest male guard the kill during the night to keep off other animals.

Organization/Purpose: ______________________________

Evidence/Elaboration: _______________________________

Language/Conventions: ______________________________

Like other animals, wolves communicate with a social ladder. They have one dominant male (usually the leader of the pack) (Primate). This wolf has many responsibilities. He has to
make sure that all the other wolves don’t get out of line, and makes
sure that there is harmony among the group. The pack leader does
this by barking at the other wolves and fighting with the other males.
Normally, the pack leader will not fight with the females of the pack
unless it is necessary (Timberwolf). With the leader comes a dominant female. Together they are known as the breeding pair. These two are in charge of the pack, raising the young, selecting denning areas and rendezvous sites, capturing food, and maintaining the pack’s territory (Primate). These two wolves are also responsible for the offspring. Not many of the other wolves mate for offspring because that is the dominant pair’s job. Every year the dominant pair will produce one litter of pups. These pups take the place of the older wolves that are too old to hunt. Because the pack is so close and they communicate all the time, many of the other female wolves help the dominant female with taking care of the young (Wolfhaven). The dominant female will assign each pup to an older female. This helps the other females learn how to be a mother, and it helps the dominant female so she can hunt and not have to worry about taking care of her young.

If only humans could communicate as well as wolves, today’s society would be wonderful. Wolves’ methods of communication are simple and usually resolve conflicts without violence. Wolves have been living together for many, many years so they must be doing something right. Maybe we can learn something from the wolves instead of trying to make them extinct.

Organization/Purpose: ______________________________

Evidence/Elaboration: _______________________________

Language/Conventions: ______________________________

Analysis:  In this assignment, students were asked to research a topic of their choice (here, wolves), and establish a focus within that topic (how/why wolves communicate). This writer provides__________________________________________________________________________________________

The writer organizes ideas, concepts, and information __________________________________________________________________________________________________

The writer uses ____________ to clarify relationships and create cohesion (“Like humans, the wolf has three main avenues of communication...”). Within each chunk of the essay, the writer uses ____________________- specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic (explaining the aspects of wolf communication), which he cites. While this subject does not call for much analysis, the writer occasionally ___________________ so that the reader grasps the complexity of the topic.

The essay has _________________________ style and ___________________ tone. The conclusion follows from and supports the _______________________________.

Cape's Specialists on the Road!

Cape Specialists on the Road!
Lori Roe and Diane Albanese, Cape's Specialists

We visited the Colonial School District to talk with their Professional Development people about their program. I met their Superintendent, Dr. Dusty Blakey last fall at a Vision 2015 Conference and started to become intrigued when I found out that Colonial's PD was offered to teachers on many platforms. Teachers in the district are able to make up snow days with webinars from the comfort of their homes and still get credit.

It was good just to talk face to face for a bit and ask complex questions that led to really relevant solutions.  We all want to increase the learning of our students and that idea was at the top of everyone's tablet.

We are grateful to Dr. Bud Read, Thomas Gavin and Tara Armstrong for the tour of their Professional Development facilities, offices and the great pathway that they have followed to provide students with the best available.

CHAT Digs In!

CAPE HENLOPEN ACTION TEAMS 

The CHAT Team gathered on Tuesday to discuss developing common assessments. Each school was given guidelines that were tied to the standards and time to make some decisions.  Patterns of practice were discussed, formative and summative assessment was defined and calendars were used to make plans with deadlines.