Character Diaries and Letters Rubric—Middle and High School

Created Feb. 7, 2024 by Clarity Innovations

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Content
My diary or letter accurately includes numerous specific references to people, places, and events in the book or story from my character’s point of view.	My diary or letter includes specific references to people, places, and events in the book or story.	My diary or letter includes some specific references to people, places, and events in the story, but my references may be inaccurate.	My diary or letter includes very few specific references to people, places, and events in the story.
Inferences
I use information from the book to make inferences and draw conclusions that I use to imagine realistic, possible situations and thoughts.	I use facts in the book to help me imagine what might have happened.	I try to imagine what might have happened, but some of my ideas do not make sense.	I do not imagine what might have happened, or my ideas do not make sense.
Writing: Authenticity
My writing reflects the style of the historical period of the novel or story and the character’s personality.	My writing is appropriate for the period of the book and the character’s personality.	I try to write in an appropriate way for the period of the book and the personality of the character, but my attempts do not always work.	My writing does not reflect the period of the book or the character’s personality.
Writing: Language
I use strong, specific verbs and nouns to create detailed images in the readers’ minds. I use appropriate figurative language (such as imagery, onomatopoeia, or alliteration) to enhance the meaning of the diary or letter.	I use interesting words to keep readers interested in the diary or letter. I use figurative language appropriately.	I try to use interesting words to keep readers interested in the diary or letter. I try to use figurative language.	The language in my diary or letter is predictable and ordinary.
Creativity
I include unusual features that effectively portray in surprising ways the book’s atmosphere and the character’s personality.	I include some unusual features that make the writing more interesting and unique.	I try to include some features to make the writing more interesting and unique, but the features are sometimes more distracting than effective.	I do not include any features to make the writing more interesting and unique OR The features I add are distracting.
Format
My writing has the characteristics of the format I chose (for example, the date, a Dear Diary, greeting, and a closing).	My writing has most of the characteristics of the format I chose.	My writing has a few characteristics of the format I chose.	My writing does not have any features of the format.
Conventions
I follow the conventions of writing, except to portray accurately the literature’s environment or the character’s personality.	I follow the conventions of writing, and my attempts usually work when I try to manipulate conventions to accurately portray the literature’s environment or the character’s personality.	I try to follow the conventions of writing, but my writing includes some errors that distract from the meaning.	My writing includes many errors, which makes my writing hard to understand.