Resources

Guides and materials for grading writing well

Reading paths if you want a sequence, and the rubrics, templates and planners themselves if you already know what you are after.

Where do you want to start?

Four paths through the same material. Each one is a sequence, not a category — you can read it in order and stop when you have what you need.

No sequence

Browse everything

Searchable and filterable by curriculum, for when you already know what you need.Browse everything
→

Rubrics, templates and planners

Everything is visible by default. The filters narrow a catalogue you can already see.

CurriculumGradeResourceActions
US curriculumGrades 6–8Grades 6–8 Argumentative Writing RubricMiddle-school argumentative writing — claim, organization, evidence, reasoning, response to another view, language. TA39 example for teacher review and adaptation; based on Smarter Balanced.Use in TA39Download
US curriculumGrades 9–10Grades 9–10 Argumentative Writing RubricHigh-school argumentative writing — claim, organization, evidence, reasoning, response to other views, style, language. TA39 example for review and adaptation; based on Smarter Balanced.Use in TA39Download
US curriculumGrades 11–12Grades 11–12 Argumentative Writing RubricLate-secondary argumentative writing — claim, structure, evidence depth, reasoning, counterclaim handling, voice, language control. TA39 example for review and adaptation; based on Smarter Balanced.Use in TA39Download
US curriculumGrades 6–8Grades 6–8 Explanatory Writing RubricMiddle-school explanatory and informational writing — focus, organization, development with evidence, style, language. TA39 example for teacher review and adaptation; based on Smarter Balanced.Use in TA39Download
US curriculumGrades 9–10Grades 9–10 Explanatory Writing RubricHigh-school explanatory writing — focus, structure, development, style, language. TA39 example for teacher review and adaptation; based on Smarter Balanced.Use in TA39Download
US curriculumGrades 11–12Grades 11–12 Explanatory Writing RubricLate-secondary explanatory writing — focus, structure, evidence depth, style, language precision. TA39 example for review and adaptation; based on Smarter Balanced.Use in TA39Download
US curriculumGrades 6–8Grades 6–8 Narrative Writing RubricMiddle-school narrative writing — orientation, narrative techniques, development, organization, style, language. TA39 example for teacher review and adaptation; based on Smarter Balanced.Use in TA39Download
US curriculumGrades 6–8Grades 6–8 Research / Source Synthesis RubricMiddle-school source-based research — focus, source selection, integration, synthesis, organization, language. TA39 example for teacher review and adaptation; based on Smarter Balanced source-use patterns.Use in TA39Download
US curriculumGrades 9–10Grades 9–10 Research / Source Synthesis RubricHigh-school source-based research — focus, source quality, integration, synthesis depth, organization, style. TA39 example for review and adaptation; based on Smarter Balanced source-use patterns.Use in TA39Download
US curriculumGrades 11–12Grades 11–12 Research / Source Synthesis RubricLate-secondary source-based research — focus, source quality, integration, synthesis sophistication, organization, voice. TA39 example for review and adaptation; based on Smarter Balanced source-use patterns.Use in TA39Download
US curriculumGrades 6–8Grades 6–8 Literary / Text Analysis RubricMiddle-school text-based literary analysis — focus, textual evidence, interpretation, organization, language. TA39 example for teacher review and adaptation; based on Smarter Balanced evidence patterns.Use in TA39Download
US curriculumGrades 9–12Grades 9–12 Literary / Text Analysis RubricUpper-secondary text-based literary analysis — focus, textual evidence depth, interpretation, organization, style. TA39 example for review and adaptation; based on Smarter Balanced evidence patterns.Use in TA39Download
US curriculumGrade 9Grade 9 History Document-Based Question Essay RubricEarly-high-school history DBQ — thesis, document use, outside evidence, contextualization, argument structure. TA39 example for teacher review and adaptation; references Common Core WHST.9-10.Use in TA39Download

When a whole department needs to grade the same way

Everything above is self-serve. TA39 also runs a facilitated professional development program across one term, built around your own rubrics rather than a generic workshop.

Phase 1

Rubrics, before anyone grades

Pre-semester · 2–3 hoursYour own rubrics reviewed and tightened, so the feedback drafted against them has something to aim at.

Phase 2

One assignment, graded together

During term · 2–2.5 hoursA live assignment worked through as a team, so a department arrives at the same judgment on the same draft.

Phase 3

What the revisions showed

End of term · 2–4 hoursThe patterns across a term of drafts, and what they change about what gets taught next.
See the PD program

Usually run by one assessment lead per department. Around 8 hours of their time across the term.

Reading is not the point. Running one assignment is.

Bring a rubric and a set of drafts you already have. The first path takes you from there to returned feedback.

Get in touchBack to how it works

What shipped recently, and what changed: announcements.