Name____________________________________________________________________

Date_____________________________

Text(s)____________________________________________________________________________________ Author(s)____________________________ Literary Essays to Grow Ideas As you are finishing your first Fourth Grade Book Club book, you will be creating a literary essay that will help you clarifiy your ideas and go deeper into the characters and themes of your text. Your essays have two due dates, and will be worked on both in class and at home. Be sure to hand in all graphic organizers, rubrics, and drafts with your final essay. Essays can be typed or neatly hand written. The first essay is due February 21st . Your second essay is due March 14th. For the first essay, you will be writing a four paragraph literary essay. Your first essay should be about the book club book that you read for your Fourth Grade Book Club. The goal of this essay is to go deeper with your thinking about the text, support your ideas with examples from the text, and organize your thinking into a thoughtful essay. You should use the supporting materials provided in order to gather evidence from the text and begin to organize your ideas. You will then draft a good essay that expresses your ideas about a character and theme from your book. The first essay is due February 21st . For the second essay, you will be writing another four paragraph literary essay. Your second essay should be about the book club book that you are reading in our class (Freak the Mighty, The Egypt Game, or Maniac Magee). The goal of this essay is to go deeper with your thinking about the text, brainstorm your own thesis, support your thesis with examples from the text, and organize your thinking into a thoughtful essay. You may use supporting graphic organizers, or draft your essay in the manner of your choosing. This essay can be about any idea that you have about the text. Common topics are character change, themes or events that connect across multiple books, or the deeper symbolic meaning of objects or events. You will then draft a good essay that expresses your ideas about your book. Your second essay is due March 14th.

Rubric for first essay

Ideas 5 Points ______/5 Organization 4 points _____/4 Accuracy 4 points _____/4 Presentation 4 points _____/4 Effort and time management 4 points _____/4 Mechanics and word choice 4 points _____/4 Maximizes time in class and at home to spread out work across the assigned time. Uses time well, asks questions in a timely manner, and works steadily during class time Sometimes uses time well, asks questions in a timely manner, and works steadily during class time Rarely uses time well, asks questions in a timely manner, and works steadily during class time Writing does not use grade appropriate language, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Work is presented creatively, beautifully, and appealingly. Work is interesting and appealing to the viewer. Work is somewhat interesting and appealing to the viewer. Work is not interesting or appealing to the viewer. Exceeds Expectations Ideas are creative, insightful, interesting, and thought provoking. Addresses character, theme, and other big ideas in the book. Writing is more than four good paragraphs, and is organized in a way that maximizes the experience of the reader. Information presented is accurate, insightful, and reflects the plot of the novel. Meets Expectations Ideas are thoughtful and appropriate to the task. Addresses character and theme. Writing is at least four paragraphs that include an introductory paragraph, detailed body paragraphs, and concluding statement. Information presented is accurate, and reflects the plot of the novel. Approaching Expectations Ideas are somewhat thoughtful and appropriate to the task. Somewhat addresses character and theme. Writing is one paragraph that includes an introduction, details, or conclusion. Below Expectations Ideas are neither thoughtful nor appropriate to the task Does not address character and theme. Writing is disorganized. Writing lacks an introduction, details, and conclusion. Information and research are inaccurate and/or poorly done.

Information somewhat reflects the plot of the novel.

Writing surpasses grade appropriate language, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Writing uses grade appropriate language, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Writing approaches grade appropriate language, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Total ________/25 = ________________%

Rubric for second essay

Ideas 10 Points ______/10 Organization 5 points _____/5 Accuracy and Bibliography 5 points _____/5 Presentation 5 points _____/5 Effort and time management 5 points _____/5 Mechanics and word choice 5 points _____/5 Maximizes time in class and at home to spread out work across the assigned time. Uses time well, asks questions in a timely manner, and works steadily during class time Sometimes uses time well, asks questions in a timely manner, and works steadily during class time Rarely uses time well, asks questions in a timely manner, and works steadily during class time Writing does not use grade appropriate language, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Exceeds Expectations Ideas are creative, insightful, interesting, and thought provoking Meets Expectations Ideas are thoughtful and appropriate to the task. Approaching Expectations Ideas are somewhat thoughtful and appropriate to the task. Below Expectations Ideas are neither thoughtful nor appropriate to the task.

Writing is more than four good paragraphs, and is organized in a way that maximizes the experience of the reader. Information presented is accurate, insightful, and reflects the plot of the novel.

Writing is at least three paragraphs that include an introduction, detailed body paragraphs, and conclusion Information presented is accurate, and reflects the plot of the novel.

Writing is at least two paragraphs that include an introduction, details, or conclusion.

Writing is disorganized. Writing lacks an introduction, details, and conclusion. Information is inaccurate and/or poorly done.

Information somewhat reflects the plot of the novel.

Work is presented creatively, beautifully, and appealingly.

Work is interesting and appealing to the viewer.

Work is somewhat interesting and appealing to the viewer.

Work is not interesting or appealing to the viewer.

Writing surpasses grade appropriate language, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Writing uses grade appropriate language, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Writing approaches grade appropriate language, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Total ________/35 = ________________%