B.E.S.T Standard Writing Rubric

Multiple Choice

How many domains are on the writing rubric?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

The Answer is...

​3

Purpose/ Structure, Development, and Language

Multiple Choice

What is the highest score you can get on your writing?

• 11

• 12

• 6

• 9

The Answer is...

​12

Four is the highest score you can get for each of the three domains. Remember your goal is to score at least a 8.

Multiple Choice

In what domain is the focus on making sure you have effective elaboration which includes original student writing combined with paraphrasing, text evidence, examples, and definitions from multiple sources.

• Purpose/ Structure

• Development

• Language

Grades 4–6 B.E.S.T. Writing Expository Rubric

2
Office of Assessment

Florida Department of Education

Grades 4-6 Expository Rubric

Responses are scored holistically by domain and earn scores by demonstrating most of the descriptors in

a given score point.*

Score Point

Purpose/Structure

Development

Language

4

Above
grade-level
accomplishment
demonstrated.

•Central idea is focused on the task
and consistently maintained
throughout.

•Organizational structure strengthens
the response and allows for
advancement of the central idea.
•Varied transitional strategies connect
ideas within and among paragraphs,
enhancing the progression of the
response.
•Effective introduction and conclusion
enhance the essay.

•Skillful development demonstrates
thorough understanding of the topic.

•Effective elaboration may include
original student writing combined with
(but may not be limited to) paraphrasing,
text evidence, examples, definitions,
narrative, and/or rhetorical**
techniques as appropriate to support the
central idea.
•Smoothly integrated, relevant evidence
from multiple sources lends credibility to
the essay.
•Evidence is appropriately cited.

•Integration of academic vocabulary
strengthens and furthers ideas.

•Skillful use of varied sentence structure
contributes to fluidity of ideas.
•Use of standard English grammar,
punctuation, capitalization, and spelling
demonstrates consistent command of
the communication of ideas.
•Tone and/or voice strengthens the
overall response.

3

Within the
range of
grade-level
performance.

•Central idea is focused on the task
and generally maintained
throughout.

•Organizational structure is logical
and allows for advancement of the
central idea.
•Varied transitional strategies connect
ideas within and among paragraphs.
•Sufficientintroduction and
conclusion contribute to a sense of
completeness.

•Logical development demonstrates
understanding of the topic.

•Adequate elaboration may include (but
may not be limited to) a combination of
original student writing with
paraphrasing, text evidence, examples,
definitions, narrative, and/or
rhetorical** techniques as appropriate
to support the central idea.
•Relevant, integrated evidence from
multiple sources lends credibility to the
exposition.
•Evidence is appropriately cited.

•Integration of academic vocabulary
demonstrates clear expression of ideas.

•Sentence structure is varied and
demonstrates grade-appropriate
language facility.
•Use of grammar, punctuation,
capitalization, and spelling
demonstrates grade-appropriate
command of standard English
conventions.
•Tone and/or voice is appropriate for the
overall response.

Multiple Choice

What is the name of the domains on the B.E.S.T Standards Writing Rubric?

• Purpose/Structure and Language

• Purpose/Structure, Development, and Language

• Purpose, Development, and Language

• Purpose/Structure and Development

Grades 4–6 B.E.S.T. Writing Expository Rubric

2
Office of Assessment

Florida Department of Education

Grades 4-6 Expository Rubric

Responses are scored holistically by domain and earn scores by demonstrating most of the descriptors in

a given score point.*

Score Point

Purpose/Structure

Development

Language

4

Above
grade-level
accomplishment
demonstrated.

•Central idea is focused on the task
and consistently maintained
throughout.

•Organizational structure strengthens
the response and allows for
advancement of the central idea.
•Varied transitional strategies connect
ideas within and among paragraphs,
enhancing the progression of the
response.
•Effective introduction and conclusion
enhance the essay.

•Skillful development demonstrates
thorough understanding of the topic.

•Effective elaboration may include
original student writing combined with
(but may not be limited to) paraphrasing,
text evidence, examples, definitions,
narrative, and/or rhetorical**
techniques as appropriate to support the
central idea.
•Smoothly integrated, relevant evidence
from multiple sources lends credibility to
the essay.
•Evidence is appropriately cited.

•Integration of academic vocabulary
strengthens and furthers ideas.

•Skillful use of varied sentence structure
contributes to fluidity of ideas.
•Use of standard English grammar,
punctuation, capitalization, and spelling
demonstrates consistent command of
the communication of ideas.
•Tone and/or voice strengthens the
overall response.

3

Within the
range of
grade-level
performance.

•Central idea is focused on the task
and generally maintained
throughout.

•Organizational structure is logical
and allows for advancement of the
central idea.
•Varied transitional strategies connect
ideas within and among paragraphs.
•Sufficientintroduction and
conclusion contribute to a sense of
completeness.

•Logical development demonstrates
understanding of the topic.

•Adequate elaboration may include (but
may not be limited to) a combination of
original student writing with
paraphrasing, text evidence, examples,
definitions, narrative, and/or
rhetorical** techniques as appropriate
to support the central idea.
•Relevant, integrated evidence from
multiple sources lends credibility to the
exposition.
•Evidence is appropriately cited.

•Integration of academic vocabulary
demonstrates clear expression of ideas.

•Sentence structure is varied and
demonstrates grade-appropriate
language facility.
•Use of grammar, punctuation,
capitalization, and spelling
demonstrates grade-appropriate
command of standard English
conventions.
•Tone and/or voice is appropriate for the
overall response.

Multiple Choice

Which domain focuses on the use of varied transition words with an effective introduction and conclusion.

• Purpose/ Structure

• Development

• Language

Grades 4–6 B.E.S.T. Writing Expository Rubric

2
Office of Assessment

Florida Department of Education

Grades 4-6 Expository Rubric

Responses are scored holistically by domain and earn scores by demonstrating most of the descriptors in

a given score point.*

Score Point

Purpose/Structure

Development

Language

4

Above
grade-level
accomplishment
demonstrated.

•Central idea is focused on the task
and consistently maintained
throughout.

•Organizational structure strengthens
the response and allows for
advancement of the central idea.
•Varied transitional strategies connect
ideas within and among paragraphs,
enhancing the progression of the
response.
•Effective introduction and conclusion
enhance the essay.

•Skillful development demonstrates
thorough understanding of the topic.

•Effective elaboration may include
original student writing combined with
(but may not be limited to) paraphrasing,
text evidence, examples, definitions,
narrative, and/or rhetorical**
techniques as appropriate to support the
central idea.
•Smoothly integrated, relevant evidence
from multiple sources lends credibility to
the essay.
•Evidence is appropriately cited.

•Integration of academic vocabulary
strengthens and furthers ideas.

•Skillful use of varied sentence structure
contributes to fluidity of ideas.
•Use of standard English grammar,
punctuation, capitalization, and spelling
demonstrates consistent command of
the communication of ideas.
•Tone and/or voice strengthens the
overall response.

3

Within the
range of
grade-level
performance.

•Central idea is focused on the task
and generally maintained
throughout.

•Organizational structure is logical
and allows for advancement of the
central idea.
•Varied transitional strategies connect
ideas within and among paragraphs.
•Sufficientintroduction and
conclusion contribute to a sense of
completeness.

•Logical development demonstrates
understanding of the topic.

•Adequate elaboration may include (but
may not be limited to) a combination of
original student writing with
paraphrasing, text evidence, examples,
definitions, narrative, and/or
rhetorical** techniques as appropriate
to support the central idea.
•Relevant, integrated evidence from
multiple sources lends credibility to the
exposition.
•Evidence is appropriately cited.

•Integration of academic vocabulary
demonstrates clear expression of ideas.

•Sentence structure is varied and
demonstrates grade-appropriate
language facility.
•Use of grammar, punctuation,
capitalization, and spelling
demonstrates grade-appropriate
command of standard English
conventions.
•Tone and/or voice is appropriate for the
overall response.

Multiple Choice

Which domain focuses on the use of standard English grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.

• Purpose/ Structure

• Development

• Language

Grades 4–6 B.E.S.T. Writing Expository Rubric

2
Office of Assessment

Florida Department of Education

Grades 4-6 Expository Rubric

Responses are scored holistically by domain and earn scores by demonstrating most of the descriptors in

a given score point.*

Score Point

Purpose/Structure

Development

Language

4

Above
grade-level
accomplishment
demonstrated.

•Central idea is focused on the task
and consistently maintained
throughout.

•Organizational structure strengthens
the response and allows for
advancement of the central idea.
•Varied transitional strategies connect
ideas within and among paragraphs,
enhancing the progression of the
response.
•Effective introduction and conclusion
enhance the essay.

•Skillful development demonstrates
thorough understanding of the topic.

•Effective elaboration may include
original student writing combined with
(but may not be limited to) paraphrasing,
text evidence, examples, definitions,
narrative, and/or rhetorical**
techniques as appropriate to support the
central idea.
•Smoothly integrated, relevant evidence
from multiple sources lends credibility to
the essay.
•Evidence is appropriately cited.

•Integration of academic vocabulary
strengthens and furthers ideas.

•Skillful use of varied sentence structure
contributes to fluidity of ideas.
•Use of standard English grammar,
punctuation, capitalization, and spelling
demonstrates consistent command of
the communication of ideas.
•Tone and/or voice strengthens the
overall response.

3

Within the
range of
grade-level
performance.

•Central idea is focused on the task
and generally maintained
throughout.

•Organizational structure is logical
and allows for advancement of the
central idea.
•Varied transitional strategies connect
ideas within and among paragraphs.
•Sufficientintroduction and
conclusion contribute to a sense of
completeness.

•Logical development demonstrates
understanding of the topic.

•Adequate elaboration may include (but
may not be limited to) a combination of
original student writing with
paraphrasing, text evidence, examples,
definitions, narrative, and/or
rhetorical** techniques as appropriate
to support the central idea.
•Relevant, integrated evidence from
multiple sources lends credibility to the
exposition.
•Evidence is appropriately cited.

•Integration of academic vocabulary
demonstrates clear expression of ideas.

•Sentence structure is varied and
demonstrates grade-appropriate
language facility.
•Use of grammar, punctuation,
capitalization, and spelling
demonstrates grade-appropriate
command of standard English
conventions.
•Tone and/or voice is appropriate for the
overall response.

Multiple Choice

How much paragraphs should be in an essay?

• At least 3

• At least 4

• At least 5

• At least 6

Multiple Choice

How many sentences should be in your body paragraphs?

• 6-10

• 4-5

• 10-12

• 5-8

Multiple Choice

What domain focuses on the organizational structure of an essay?

• Purpose/Structure

• Development

• Language

Fill in the Blank

When you C.U.B the prompt this means you circle the ________

Fill in the Blank

When you C.U.B the prompt the U stands for Underline the __.

Fill in the Blank

When you C.U.B the prompt the B means you box the ________

Multiple Choice

HTBT Stands for Hook, Topic, Background, and Thesis.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

We use the term HTBT when writing a conclusion.

• True

• False

The Answer is...

​False

We use HTBT when writing an introduction.

Hook is a fact, quote, or statistics.

Topic is what the essay is about.

Background is what you know about the topic.

Thesis is what your body paragraphs will be about.