Rubric for Poetry Interpretation - Essay
5 / 4 / 3 / 2 / 1Introduction of Ideas
The writer… / Thoughtfully engages the reader through presenting the context – introducing the poem and an insightful angle through which the writer will interpret it / Engages the read through presenting the context – introducing the poem and the angle though which the writer will interpret it / Introduces the reader to the poem and the angle through which the writer will interpret it / Introduces the poem / Lacks an introduction or not mention the tile of the poem.
Organization
The writer… / Demonstrates a clear and insightful understanding of the poem - convinces the reader by seamlessly providing well-organized presentation of relevant details from the texts, other texts, and personal knowledge with clearly stated inferences and explanation; and a logical closure to the essay / Demonstrates an understanding of the poem – supports the interpretation through well-organized presentation of references of relevant details in the poem, other text, and personal knowledge with transitional words and stated inferences and explanations about the details; and a sense of closure to the essay / Demonstrates a basic understanding of the poem – supports parts of the interpretation with a somewhat organized presentation of references to details from the poem and/or through other references; may shift to more personal knowledge and generally concludes the essay. / Demonstrates some understanding of the poem – supports comments about the poem by generally referring to the poem or personal knowledge and/or experiences and may end the essay abruptly with no warning to the reader. / Demonstrates confusion about the poem and provides little or no support for main points about the poem with no explanations and may end the essay with no closing statement.
Voice/Word Choice
The writer… / Demonstrates a thorough understanding of the appropriate academic language – applies personal insight and deep knowledge of poetic language, style, form, and structures to support interpretation of the poem / Demonstrates understanding of the appropriate academic language – applies some personal insight and a deep knowledge of poetic language, style, and structures to support the interpretation of the poem / Demonstrates a basic understanding of the appropriate academic language – references poetic language, style and/or structures to support interpretation of poem. / Demonstrates some understanding of the appropriate academic language – references some poetic language, style and/or structures to support interpretation of poem. / Does not use appropriate academic language to support interpretation of poem.
Conventions and Grammar
The writing… / Demonstrates sentence fluency and is relatively free of surface errors in spelling, punctuation, sentence, and paragraphing errors. / Demonstrates sentence fluency and contains few surface errors. / Demonstrates surface errors that are somewhat distracting to the reader but does not significantly hinder the understanding of the interpretation. / Demonstrates surface errors that cause the readers some confusion about the interpretation. / Demonstrates surface errors that hinder the reader’s understanding of the interpretation.
Rubric for Poetry – Open Response
4 / 3 / 2 / 1 / 0Ideas/Organization
The writer… / Provides a thorough response to the question with an insightful, clear, complete, and accurate explanation that convinces the reader with a seamlessly well-organized presentation of relevant details from the texts with clearly stated inferences and elaboration. / Provides an effective response to the question with a clear, complete, and accurate explanation that convinces the reader with a well-organized presentation of relevant details from the texts with clearly stated inferences and elaboration. / Provides a response to the question with an explanation that makes references to general details from the poem and may include some misinterpretations. / Provides a response that is a minimal explanation with little or no general references to details in the poem and may include some misinterpretations.
Response may relate minimally to the task. / Provides a response that is incorrect, irrelevant, or contains insufficient information to demonstrate comprehension
Voice/Word Choice
The writer… / Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the appropriate academic language – applies insightful knowledge of poem’s theme, language, style, form, and/or structures to support response to the question. / Demonstrates adequate understanding of the appropriate academic language – applies knowledge of poem’s theme, language, style, and/or structures to support the response to the question. / Demonstrates a basic understanding of the appropriate academic language – makes general references to poem’s theme, language, style and/or structures to support response to the question / Demonstrates limited understanding of the appropriate academic language – makes little or no reference to poem’s theme, language, style and/or structures to support response to the question. / Does not use appropriate academic language to support response to the question.
Sentence Fluency/Conventions
The writing… / Demonstrates sentence fluency and is relatively free of surface errors in spelling, punctuation, sentence, and paragraphing errors. / Demonstrates sentence fluency and contains few surface errors. / Demonstrates surface errors that are somewhat distracting to the reader but do not significantly hinder the understanding of the interpretation. / Demonstrates surface errors that cause the readers some confusion about the interpretation. / Demonstrates surface errors that hinder the reader’s understanding of the interpretation.