Name: ________________________

8th Humanities - Rubric for Final Essay on The Refugee Experience

Prompt: ​Consider the refugee experience of leaving home, finding home, and starting over. Choose one aspect of the refugee experience, and in a thoughtful,
well-structured, five-paragraph essay, compare and contrast the way it is presented in ​Inside Out and Back Again ​with one of the other resources we have studied in
class, and explain what that comparison shows about the refugee experience.

Learning 4 - Mastery 3 - Approaching 2 - Developing 1 - Beginning Comments:

Target

Thesis My thesis statement clearly
statement explains how the depiction
of at least one aspect of the
refugee experience in IOBA
compares and contrasts with
its depiction in at least one
other resource.
My thesis statement
explains how the depiction
of the refugee experience in
IOBA compares and
contrasts with another
resource, but does not
identify which aspect of the
refugee experience is
focused on.
My thesis explains how My thesis does not
IOBA depicts the refugee clearly explain how
experience but does not IOBA depicts the
fully compare and refugee experience.
contrast it to another
resource we have
studied.

Intro My introductory paragraph My introductory paragraph My introductory My introductory

Paragraph includes a compelling hook,
thesis, and meaningful
context. Introduces the
arguments of my body
paragraphs, and ends with a
smooth transition into the
body paragraphs.
includes a hook, a thesis
statement, and introduces
some arguments from my
body paragraphs.
paragraph does not
include a hook, and may
be missing relevant
information from my
body paragraphs.
paragraph is
missing a thesis
statement and does
not adequately
introduce the
arguments of my
body paragraphs.

Evidence At least 3 body paragraphs.
Evidence from both sources
is highly persuasive and
directly related to
supporting my argument.
At least 3 body paragraphs.
Evidence from both sources
is mostly convincing and
mostly relates to the
argument.
At least 2 body
paragraphs. Evidence
does not directly relate to
the argument, or may not
be from both sources.
Fewer than 2 body
paragraphs.
Evidence is almost
non-existent.

Reasoning Creative/original ideas and
insights; extensive
commentary; goes beyond
the obvious or surface level
analysis
Analysis is believable and
convincing; some assertions
may lack specific examples,
but assertions still clearly
connect to the argument.
Analysis is believable
and convincing but does
not go beyond basic or
surface level analysis.
Some evidence may lack
analysis.
Illogical argument,
or analysis not
connected to the
prompt.
Analysis is simply a
summary.
Name: ________________________
8th Humanities - Rubric for Final Essay on The Refugee Experience
Conclusion My conclusion statement
paragraph clearly restates my claim
statement, summarizes my
body paragraphs, and
explains why my thesis is
important ​without​ adding
new information.
Grammar, My paper has proper
Spelling, headings, formatting, and
Punctuatio citations. I write in all
n complete sentences, with
proper capitalization,
punctuation, ​grammar, and
an academically appropriate
tone.
Style, Sophisticated vocabulary; a
Vocabular wide variety of sentence
y, Sentence structures; quotations are
Structure integrated using TIE
strategies
My conclusion clearly
restates my thesis statement
and summarizes all of my
body paragraphs. It does
not make a compelling case
for why my writing matters,
and may introduce new
information.
My paper has proper
headings, formatting, and
citations. I write in mostly
complete sentences, with
some errors in
capitalization, punctuation,
and grammar. My tone may
not always be academic.
All quotes use TIE
strategies, but sentence
structure may lack some
variety.
Some attempts to
incorporate more advanced
vocabulary.
My conclusion restates My conclusion does
my claim statement and not adequately
some of the information restate my claim
from my body and summarize my
paragraphs. argument.
My paper has errors in Incorrect
formatting, headings, formatting, run-on
and citations. My paper sentences,
has many incomplete or fragments, and
run-on sentences, and grammatical
numerous errors with mistakes seriously
punctuation, impair my reader’s
capitalization, and ability to
grammar. understand my
argument.
Not all quotes use TIE No use of TIE
strategies; some vague strategies, most
sentences, little use of sentences are vague
class or academic or unclear, and
vocabulary almost no use of
academic
vocabulary