4th Quarter Activity 5 Assessment

Activity 1
Read and learn more about the story, after reading the story, rate it in your
own simple assessment using the rubric given below. Indicate your score on
the space provided.
JAKE
by Jim Bartlett
Jake’s eyes snap open, and he quickly turns to the side. But like his
aching heart, the spot where Max always sat on the couch remains empty.
He takes in a long, deep breath – really more of a sigh – and squeezes his
eyes closed, hoping that by slipping into the darkness of a nap, he will
temporarily mask his sorrow.
For fifteen years they were inseparable. Always side by side. The walks
on the beach with the gentle waves calling, the seagulls cawing. All those
hikes on the trail where the trees canopied over like arches, wrapping them
in a soft cool shade on a hot sunny day. Even just a ride to the grocery store
for something Martha may have forgotten, they always went together.
Though he knows that in some ways he should be thankful for just
having their time together – those moments forever etched in his heart –
and that the sickness took Max quickly rather than dragging out the pain for
weeks, maybe even months, he still feels cheated. That somehow, he is
missing years that could have been.
Unable to sleep, he looks around the all too empty room, letting his
gaze fall upon the leash, which still hangs from the peg by the door. It seems
to wait patiently, ever ready for that next big adventure. As his eyes well up,
he realizes for the first time how much his grief weighs, how hard it is to
even rise with such a heaviness inside.
It is then he hears a shuffle from behind and turns to see Martha
standing in the doorway, her shoulder resting against the frame.
“I thought you might be in here,” she says. She looks down at him for
only a moment before her stare drifts to the couch. “I miss him, too, Jake.
More than you’ll ever know.”
There’s a faraway melancholy tone to her voice, but he knows that her
heart, like his, has a hole too big to fill. His head drops and he gives off
another long sigh, which seems to prompt her to come over and kneel down
onto the carpet beside him. She slides a hand under his chin and lifts it up,
then tucks back his long, floppy ears, such that their teary eyes can meet.
“I guess you do know, don’t you, Jake.”
Flash Fiction Grading Rubric

CATEGORY Exceptional (4) Good (3) Fair (2) Poor(1)
Nature of Flash Reads like Reads like a Reads somewhat Though flash fiction is
Fiction narrative (story), narrative (story), like a story may brief, this is too brief,
contains may contain contain not developed or
characters, characters, Interesting carried through. There
tension, and some tension, and reading, though could have been more
mystery or mystery or writer tells too added to make the
surprise. Often surprise. There is much and shows story more interesting.
there is unease not a clear twist too little. The
present at the at the end, a clear story is not
end, a sweetly payoff. The story ninety-nine words
ambiguous or may contain or less
implicit end. Clear ninetynine words
payoff. The story or less.
is ninety-nine
words or less.
Plot Development An internal An internal An internal There is no internal
conflict is clearly conflict is partially conflict is present, conflict. The character
described. described. but it is unclear does not change in the
Event(s) in the Event(s) in the what the conflict story.
story fully story partially is about. The
explain(s) how the explain(s) how the character appears
internal conflict internal conflict to change
changes the changes the somewhat but not
character(s). character(s) very much
Writing Process Devotes a lot of Devotes sufficient Devotes some Devotes little time and
time and effort to time and effort to time and effort to effort to the writing
the writing the writing the writing process. Doesn't seem
process process process but was to care.
(prewriting, (prewriting, not very
drafting, drafting, thorough. Does
reviewing, and reviewing, and enough to get by.
editing). Works editing). Works
hard to make the and gets the job
story wonderful. done.
Language Used Sensory details Sensory details Sensory details There are no
are vivid and the are present and are confusing and descriptions or sensory
readers can easily help readers get a the reader does details. There is no
imagine what is general idea of not know what to identifiable mood.
being described. A what is being imagine. It is
distinct mood is described. There unclear
conveyed is an identifiable throughout most
consistently mood, but it is not of the story what
throughout the conveyed the mood is.
story. consistently
throughout the
story.
Total out of 20___________

4th Quarter Activity 5 Assessment

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Activity 1

Flash Fiction Grading Rubric

Total out of 20___________

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