iRubric: 4th Grade Expository Essay rubric

Thesis is not present or is not clear

Thesis is present but does include reasons that support the essential question or prompt.

Thesis is present and clearly written with some reasons that support the essential question or prompt.

Thesis is present and clear with three descriptive reasons that support the essential question or prompt.

Main idea is not present or is unclear. The details do not support the main idea.
There is no conclusion the essay just ends without summing up or restating the topic. It doesn't tie the the details together.

Main Idea is present but does not restate the prompt.
Some of the details support the main idea, but there are some that do not.
There is an attempt at a conclusion, but it doesn't restate the topic or tie the details together.

Main Idea is present and clearly written.
Each detail supports the main idea but there are no follow up sentences.
The conclusion sums up the topic, by restating it, but it does tie the details together.

The Main Idea is a clear restating of the prompt.
Each detail supports, or tells more about the topic. follow up sentences provide additional support.
The conclusions does an excellent job of summing up or restating the topic and tieing the details together.

This essay has no transitions, descriptive words, strong verbs or imagery.

The writer uses very little transitional words, descriptive words, strong verbs, and imagery.

The writer makes an attempt to use transitional words, descriptive words, imagery, and strong verbs.

The essay has many transition words, lots of descriptive wording and imagery and also uses many strong verbs.