1.    The student writes clearly and effectively.

Component 1:1
Develops concept and design.

1. Demonstrates consistency in focus and constructs a logical argument.
2. Discriminates between essential, intriguing, or useful information and trivia.
3. Demonstrates elaboration through examples, details, facts, and/or reasons.
4. Uses effective organizational structure; constructs sequenced paragraphs using effective transitions.
5. Writes coherent paragraphs.
6. Writes analytically using basic and clear logic.

Component 1:2
Uses style appropriate to audience and purpose.

1. Chooses voices appropriate to different genres and audiences.
2. Chooses language that is precise, engaging, and well-suited to the topic and audience.
3. Uses accurate and precise language relevant to content area.
4. Experiments with figurative language and sound patterns.
5. Uses words appropriate to the chosen purpose.
6. Varies sentence length and structure.

Component 1:3
Applies writing conventions.

1. Uses compound and complex sentences.
2. Employs conventional grammar such as subject/verb agreement and verb tense agreement.
3. Applies capitalization and punctuation rules correctly.
4. Spells correctly except for effect in final draft.
5. Uses paragraphing, stanza division, and other textual markers such as table of contents, title and subtitle, and bullets.
6. Produces legible handwriting.

2.    The student writes in a variety of forms for different audiences and purposes.

Component 2:1
Writes for different audiences.

1. Writes for distant audiences such as pen pals, community members, and for WASL assessment.
2. Determines and writes for the needs of different audiences.

Component 2:2
Writes for different purposes.

1. To express him/herself.
2. To inform others.
3. To create.
4. To explain ideas or procedures.
5. To persuade others.
6. To entertain.
7. To debate.
8. To question.

Component 2:3
Writes in a variety of forms.

1. Writes in a variety of forms and genres (narratives, journals, poems, essays, stories, research reports).
2. Varies form, detail, and structure of writing in accordance with intended audience and purpose.

Component 2:4
Writes for career applications.

1. Identifies particular forms one might be required to use when writing in career settings (software programs or research reports).
2. Produces technical and non-technical documents using resources from career settings.
3. Identifies different forms used to cite sources when writing reports or technical documents (references, footnotes, and endnotes).

3.    The student understands and uses the steps of the writing process.

Component 3:1
Prewrites

1. Uses a variety of prewriting strategies (story mapping, listing, webbing, jotting, outlining, freewriting, brainstorming).
2. Uses available tools and technology such as word processing.
3. Gathers information from a variety of sources such as interviews, multimedia, and periodicals.

Component 3:2
Drafts

1. Elaborates on initial idea.
2. Coordinates ideas and perspectives and takes variables into account.
3. Constructs a clear narrative or argument.

Component 3:3
Revises

1. Confers with others to improve text; evaluate suggestions from others.
2. Adds and deletes information and graphics as needed to enhance text and style.
3. Revises writing for the traits:  Organization, Sentence Fluency, Word Choice, Ideas, and Voice.

Component 3:4
Edits

1. Uses applicable reference tools.
2. Corrects some errors independently.
3. Adjusts word choice and sentence structure.
4. Edits for the trait of Conventions.

Component 3:4
Publishes

1. Selects from a variety of publishing options (school newspaper, bulletin boards, multimedia formats).
2. Produces a legible, neat final product.
3. Uses different technologies to produce a finished product.

4.    The student analyzes and evaluates the effectiveness of written work.

Component 4:1
Assesses own strengths and needs for improvement.

1. Establishes and applies own criteria to improve writing.
2. Analyzes the works of effective writers to improve writing.
3. Articulates the qualities that make a piece of writing effective.
4. Evaluates writing using Six Trait Writing parameters.

Component 4:2
Seeks and offers feedback.

1. Accepts feedback and edits to revise own writing when appropriate.
2. Offers feedback with guidance on others' writing with regard to concept and design, style, and conventions.
3. Evaluates others' work according to Six Trait Writing.