Score for Sample Student Response #1: Rubric Score 0

Annotation, Using the Rubric: This response is completely incorrect.

Score for Sample Student Response #2: Rubric Score 0

Annotation, Using the Rubric: This response is irrelevant to the question.

Score for Sample Student Response #3: Rubric Score 1

Annotation, Using the Rubric: This response demonstrates a minimal understanding of the text. The student uses minimal information to explain how Alex’s memories affect his decision, “ …he did not want to let them down…doesn’t want to forget his team.”

Score for Sample Student Response #4: Rubric Score 1

Annotation, Using the Rubric: This response demonstrates a minimal understanding of the text. The student uses minimal information to explain that Alex’s memories affected his decision because he “liked to have fun with” his old baseball team and “wanted to be with his friends.”

Instructional Annotation: (While the Annotation, Using the Rubric describes the scorer’s explanation for the rubric score, the Instructional Annotation describes how the response might be improved.)
The reader answers with a partial summary of the story and concludes with a statement "This is how Alex's memories affected his decision." The response does show an interaction with the text. To improve this response, the reader should supply more specific text details. For example, the reader could tell specifically what fun the team members enjoyed and extend those ideas that it would be difficult to play against members on his former team with whom he had shared experiences and for whom he had a genuine affection.

Score for Sample Student Response #5: Rubric Score 2

Annotation, Using the Rubric: This response demonstrates a general understanding of the text. The student uses text-relevant information to explain how Alex’s memories affected his decision, “…it would feel bad to beat his friends after being on that team so long…thought about how him and his team liked to joke around.”

Score for Sample Student Response #6: Rubric Score 2

Annotation, Using the Rubric: This response demonstrates a general understanding of the text. The student uses text-relevant information to explain several memories that affected Alex’s decision, “…when he looked at the picture and remembered all of these things he had fun…how the coach encouraged them…always proud of them even though they came in dead last.”

Instructional Annotation: (While the Annotation, Using the Rubric describes the scorer’s explanation for the rubric score, the Instructional Annotation describes how the response might be improved.)
The reader answers that his memories of the fun he and other team members had and the encouragement and support of their coach affected his decision. To improve this response, the reader could be more specific with text support. For example, a specific memory from the coach who treated them all to ice cream even though they were in last place in their league might be included. Following the text support, the reader might extend reasoning by stating that the coach and other team members had done so much for him so his decision is based on what he can now do for them by staying on the team.

Score for Sample Student Response #7: Rubric Score 3

Annotation, Using the Rubric: This response demonstrates an understanding of the complexities of the text. The student explains how Alex’s memories affected his decision, “He decided that his friendships and memories were more important than having one friend on a winning team,” and effectively uses text-relevant information to extend understanding, “When he remembered that Jerry might be a better shortstop now, and Frank might have gotten contacts, he realized that what he was giving up wasn’t worth what he was getting in return.”

Instructional Annotation: (While the Annotation, Using the Rubric describes the scorer’s explanation for the rubric score, the Instructional Annotation describes how the response might be improved.)
The reader responds with a series of happy memories about Alex's teammates and extends that reasoning with "he realized that what he was giving up isn't worth what he was getting in return." To improve what is already a very good response, the reader might be more specific about details about his fellow players. For example, the reader might give details about Jerry's problems at shortstop or Frank's specific problem with his glasses that contact lenses might improve. The additional details make the text citations clearer and the connections between the text details and the extension firmer.

Score for Sample Student Response #8: Rubric Score 3

Annotation, Using the Rubric: This response demonstrates an understanding of the complexities of the text. The student explains that Alex’s memories remind him of all the fun he had with the Tigers and effectively uses text-relevant information to extend understanding, “Alex believes that fun is the most important part of the game, not winning, and fun is what his team has a lot of.”

Score 3

The response demonstrates an understanding of the complexities of the text.

• Addresses the demands of the question
• Effectively uses text-relevant¹ information to clarify or extend understanding

Score 2

The response demonstrates a general understanding of the text.

• Partially addresses the demands of the question
• Uses text-relevant¹ information to show understanding

Score 1

The response demonstrates a minimal understanding of the text.

• Minimally addresses the demands of the question
• Uses minimal information to show some understanding of the text in relation to the question

Score 0

The response is completely incorrect, irrelevant to the question, or missing.²

Note 1:

Text-relevant: This information may or may not be an exact copy (quote) of the text but is clearly related to the text and often shows an analysis and/or interpretation of important ideas. Students may incorporate information to show connections to relevant prior experience as appropriate.

Note 2:

An exact copy (quote) or paraphrase of the question that provides no new relevant information will receive a score of "0".

Rubric Document Date: June 2003