Dear Principal:
 I think we should invite Shaquille O’neal for the upcoming celebrity week. He has been my favorite basketball player since he came into the N.B.A. in 1992. I think it would be fitting for Shaq to come to our school while he is enjoying his best season. I’m not saying this because he is simply a good basketball player. He is also a charitable person and a great role model. Shaq hosts festivities like Shaq-a-Claus and Shaqs-Giving for the poor people of the Los Angeles area. On Shaqs-Giving he donates money to buy food and serves a feast for the less fortunate on Thanksgiving Day. On Shaq-a-Claus, he shows his generosity by buying presents for the poor and holds a Christmas party for them. The presents, mind you, aren’t trinkets. He’ll give out stuff like N64’s, Nerf guns, etc. Through all his fame, Shaq never forgets where he came from. He is constantly repaying his parents for raising him well, buying them things like new cars, and a great new house.
 I wouldn’t be the only one eager to see Shaq show up at this Jr. High. Besides being a great person, Shaquille O’neal is having a heck of a season. Averaging 28.2 points, 14.3 rebounds, 3.32 blocks a game, and even improving his free throw shooting, Shaq is the leading candidate for the Most Valuable Player Award. Personally, I don’t think there’s any argument about who would be a more fitting a choice for celebrity week than Shaquille O’neal.
 You might think all that I am saying is just talk, a bunch of words his agent sent out to make him look good, but Shaq is truly the Most Valuable Player, or Most Valuable Person for that matter. When elected to the 50 best players ever in the N.B.A., Shaq modestly refused the honor, saying he thought others deserved it that weren’t elected, like Bob Macadoo or David Thompson. Earlier this season, around Christmas, I myself was watching a Laker’s game on T.V. During one of the station identifications, Shaq appeared wearing a Santa hat and a warm smile. He wished everyone who was watching a Merry Christmas, and added if they weren’t expecting any presents, he himself would reverse that. I hope I have made it clear that Shaq is definitely the best choice for Fruitvale Jr. High’s First Annual Celebrity Week!
 

• clearly addresses all parts of the writing task.
• demonstrates a clear understanding of purpose and audience.
• maintains a consistent point of view, focus, and organizational structure, including the effective use of transitions.
• includes a clearly presented central idea with relevant facts, details, and/or explanations.
• includes a variety of sentence types.
• contains few, if any, errors, in the conventions of the English language (grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling). These errors do not interfere with the reader's understanding of the writing.
• authoritively defends a position with precise and relevant evidence and convincingly addresses the reader's concerns, biases, and expectations.

Dear Principal:
     I think we should invite Shaquille O’neal for the upcoming celebrity week. He has been my favorite basketball player since he came into the N.B.A. in 1992. I think it would be fitting for Shaq to come to our school while he is enjoying his best season. I’m not saying this because he is simply a good basketball player. He is also a charitable person and a great role model. He shows his generosity by buying presents for the poor and holds a Christmas party for them. He’ll give out stuff like N64’s, Nerf guns, etc. Through all his fame, Shaq never forgets where he came from. He is constantly repaying his parents for raising him well, buying them things like new cars, and a great new house.
     I wouldn’t be the only one eager to see Shaq show up at this Jr. High. Besides being a great person, Shaquille O’neal is a great basketball player. Averaging 28.2 points, 14.3 rebounds, 3.32 blocks a game, and even improving his free throw shooting, Shaq should be MVP. Personally, I don’t think there’s any argument about who would be a better choice for celebrity week than Shaquille O’neal.
     You might think all that I am saying is just talk, a bunch of words his agent sent out to make him look good, but Shaq is truly the Most Valuable Player, or Most Valuable Person for that matter. 
     I hope I have made it clear that Shaq is definitely the best choice for Fruitvale Jr. High’s First Annual Celebrity Week!
 

• addresses all parts of the writing task.
• demonstrates a general understanding of purpose and audience.
• maintains a mostly consistent point of view, focus, and organizational structure, include the effective use of some transitions.
• presents a central idea with mostly relevant facts, details, and/or explanations.
• includes a variety of sentence types.
• contains some errors in the conventions of the English language (grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling). These errors do not interfere with the reader's understanding of the writing.
• generally defends a position with relevant evidence and addresses the reader's concerns, baises, and expectations.

Dear Principal:
     The celebrity I am going to chose is Shaquille O’neil. The reason is because he has been my favorite basketball player since he came into the N.B.A. I’m not saying this just because he is a good basketball player. He is also generouse by buying presents for the poor and holds a Christmas party for them. He’ll give out stuff like N64’s, Nerf guns, etc. You should get Shaq because even though he is famouse, he generous. Shaquille O’neal is a great basketball player. Averaging 28.2 points, 14.3 rebounds, 3.32 blocks a game. Shaq should be the MVP of the Nba. Personally, I don’t think there’s any argument about who is better for celebrity week than Shaq.
     If you think all that I am saying is just a bunch of stuff they talk about on tv to make him look good, that’s wrong.  Shaq is the best choice. I hope I have made it clear that Shaq is defiantly the best choice for Celebrity Week!
 

• addresses only parts of the writing task.
• demonstrates little understanding of purpose and audience.
• maintains an inconsistent point of view, focus, and/or organizational structure, which may include ineffective or awkward transitions that do not unify important ideas.
• suggests a central idea with limited facts, details, and/or explanations.
• includes little variety in sentence types.
• contains several errors in the conventions of the English language (grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling). These errors may interfere with the reader's understanding of the writing.
• defends a position with little, if any, evidence and may address the reader's concerns, biases, and expectations.

Dear sir:
     The celeberty I am going to chose is Shaq Oneal. Shaq Oneal is a great basketball player, and a lot of us think hes the best in the nba. All the kids who play basketball would be hapy and even the kids that dont. Shaq is the best choice. If not Shaq then, maybe Koby bryan. But Shaq buys stuff for poor people and koby has some problems and mite not be able to be there.
     Thanks alot for your time.
 

• addresses only one part of the writing task.
• demonstrates no understanding of purpose and audience.
• lacks a point of view, focus, organizational structure, and transitions that unify important ideas.
• lacks a central idea but may contain marginally related facts, details, and/or explanations.
• includes no sentence variety.
• contains serious errors in the conventions of the English language (grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling). These errors interfere with the reader's understanding of the writing.
• fails to defend a position with any evidence and fails to address the reader's concerns, biases, and expectations.