Language Arts Requirements and Grading:

Writing Standards: 1.0 (Writing Strategies) and 2.0 (Writing

Applications)
You have a great beginning in your introductory paragraph
You have included background information (characteristics of your biome) in
4 your introductory paragraph
Your thesis statement includes the three most important adaptations of your
animal and is an occasion position or however statement
Your three body paragraphs discuss the three adaptations with excellent
supporting details
Each paragraph clearly supports the main idea as well as your thesis
statement
Your conclusion paragraph is clear, tied to your thesis statement and
introductory paragraph, and seems to “finish” your essay
You consistently use advanced transitions for each paragraph that help each
paragraph flow smoothly from one to the next
You have no dead words in your essay
You paid special attention to your grammar, punctuation, usage and
spelling and have no errors (including POV)
You have included a thorough, clear works cited page, using the correct
format
Your essay is neatly typed using an appropriate font for this project, with
correct margins, spacing & heading
You clearly used the writing process to improve your drafts
You submitted all work, stapled in the correct order
Your introductory paragraph includes background information
3 You have an appropriate thesis statement that includes the three adaptations
of your animal
Each paragraph supports the main idea as well as your thesis statement
Your conclusion paragraph is tied to your thesis statement and introductory
paragraph
You use simple transitions for each paragraph that help the flow of ideas
You may have a few dead words in your writing, but it is generally sixth grade
language
Your grammar, punctuation, usage and spelling are generally correct
(including POV)
You have included a works cited page, using generally correct format
Your paragraph is typed & includes correct margins, spacing & heading
You used the writing process to try to improve your drafts
You submitted most, if not all, of the work, stapled in the correct order
Your introductory paragraph does not have any background information
You have a simple thesis statement and it may not include all three
2 adaptations
Your main ideas in your paragraphs do not support your thesis statement
and/or your details do not support your main ideas
 Your conclusion paragraph is unclear or not tied to your thesis
You used simple transitions in your paragraph a few times
You have many dead words in your writing
You have several errors with grammar, punctuation, usage or spelling
(including POV)
You have included a works cited, but formatting is incorrect
Your paragraph is typed but may have an inappropriate font, incorrect
margins, spacing or heading
You did not use the writing process well to make improvements to your drafts
You are missing parts of the work or you stapled parts in the wrong order

You have an incorrect thesis statement or no background information in your

introductory paragraph
1 Your main ideas in your paragraphs do not support your thesis statement
and/or your details do not support your main ideas
Your conclusion paragraph is missing, limited to just a sentence, unclear or
not tied to your thesis
You did not use transitions in your paragraph
You have many dead words and/or below grade level vocabulary
You have frequent errors with grammar, punctuation, usage or spelling
(including POV)
You have not included a works cited
Your paragraph is hand-written, messy or typed with an inappropriate font,
incorrect margins, spacing or heading
You did not use the writing process in order to make improvements to your
drafts
You are missing most or all of the work
You stapled parts in the wrong order