ABC book - An Alphabet book is a book primarily designed for young children. It presents letters of the alphabet with corresponding words and/or images.

Adapted children’s book- an example is instead of, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, it might be, If You Give a Baby a Pacifier.

Biographical sketch - A short biographical sketch would be about a person’s basic information about their life. Included would be things like birth date and place, given name at birth, marriages, children, and date of death if the person is not still living. Then describe key points in the person’s life such as for what they are known, or their greatest accomplishments.

Fable/Parable - A short allegorical story making a moral point; a fable traditionally utilizes animal characters that speak and act like human beings; parables traditionally utilize human characters to teach a moral

Fairy Tale- "fanciful tale of legendary deeds and creatures, usually intended for children."

Graphic story –Comic book

Legend – An unverified story handed down from earlier times, especially one popularly believed to be historical.

Mystery - a book, film or play, especially about a crime or a murder, with a surprise ending which explains all the strange events that have happened

Original tale – student created narrative or expository (to inform, explain, describe, or define the author’s subject)

Personal Narrative- a personal account that offers details, analysis, and a personal opinion from a particular happening or event

Poem – compositions in verse

Non-fiction Social Studies - It gives information around a social studies topic (history or geography). It explains, informs, or persuades.

Non-fiction Science- It gives information around a science topic. It explains, informs, or persuades.

Non-fiction Math - It gives mathematical information. It explains, informs, or persuades.

Non-fiction Language Arts - It gives information that does not fit in the other nonfiction genres. It explains, informs, or persuades. (Ex: A How To Book)

Hamblen County Schools Writing Contest Rubric
Book Code	Gold 3	Silver 2	Bronze 1
Organization and Development of Story	Exceptional development Organized with Beginning, Middle, End	Adequately developed	Underdeveloped, lacking in organization
Creativity/ Originality	Creativity sparkles Exhibits originality	Somewhat creative and/or original	Commonly chosen theme for age of writer
Age Appropriate Grammar, Mechanics, and Spelling	Very few or no errors	Some errors	Several errors
Age Appropriate Sentence Development, Sensory Detail, and Word Choice	Excellent use of sentence variety, sensory detail and word choice	Exhibits some use of sentence variety, sensory detail, and uncommon word choice	Simple sentence structure with commonly used descriptive words.
Outer Appearance	Securely, durably bound Attractively and neatly presented cover/binding	Securely, durably bound Somewhat attractive and neatly presented	Loosely or insecurely bound Lacking in neatness and/or attractiveness
Inner Format and Appearance (Artwork is Optional)	Format is consistent with length and type of story. Artwork is well presented. Text (print) is neatly presented.	Format, artwork, and text (print) are adequately presented	Format is inconsistent with length and type of story. Text lacks neatness. Artwork is not well-presented.
Total Points

The Hamblen County Schools Writing Celebration is an exciting young authors program sponsored by the Hamblen County Department of Education. Any student in grades PreK-12 is eligible to participate by authoring a piece of individual writing or contributing to a class book.

Using holistic scoring, the books are judged for first, second, and third place on different genres at the school level. First place winners from each school are then sent to the Department of Instruction for system-wide competition. The Hamblen County Schools Writing Celebration winners will be announced on or before April 20, 2018.

GUIDELINES

1. All PreK-12 schools are encouraged to conduct writing contests and present Principal Writing Awards to the first, second, and third place winners by grade for each writing genre.

2. Acceptable genres eligible for the Hamblen County Schools Writing Celebration include: personal narrative, fairy tale, original tale, fable/parable, legend, mystery, biographical sketch, graphic story (a story written in comic book format), adapted children’s book, book of poems, ABC book, and non-fiction writing from ELA, Math, Science, or Social Studies.

3. ALL WORK MUST BE COMPLETED BY THE AUTHOR. All written pieces and illustrations

must be entirely original, designed and written by the author. Stories may be typed. Artwork is optional. Illustrations, photographs, and/or computer generated or imported visuals may be included. The use of technology must be executed by the author. In the case of very young or severely challenged children, if underwriting is necessary for the reader’s comprehension, it should be done on a separate paper that corresponds to the book submitted. Books may be handwritten or computer generated. Children using a Braille typewriter may have an adult write the Braille translation and include this with the Braille entry. ADULTS MAY NOT TYPE, WORD PROCESS, OR COMPUTER GENERATE FOR THE AUTHORS.

Please Note: “The work” of the book shall include: developing the story, handwriting the story, hand drawing illustrations, typing the story, AND any technology manipulation to create the story (this would include using clip art to illustrate the story, adding photographs to the story, creating paint illustrations to add to the story, etc).

All of the above “work” must be completed by the author and any use of technology must be executed by the author.

4. Adults MAY NOT type, word process, computer generate, revise, design, or tamper with the author’s book design, writing, or illustrations in any way. To do so constitutes fraud. Adults maintain the role of consultant to the author through such strategies as conferences or Author’s Chair. Adults may ask questions and elicit information from the author concerning the writing in progress or any part of the creation of the book. However, the author makes the final decisions regarding the manuscript, from the selection of topic to the final draft.

5. Age appropriate spellings are acceptable. Use common sense in helping the author use correct spelling. If the spelling is one commonly used at the author’s age, then it is acceptable in the final manuscript.

6. Books must include a cover, title page, dedication page, and an About the Author(s) page.

7. The student’s name and the name of the school should be neatly written on the inside cover at the front of the book.

8. Books will be judged on total impression including ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, conventions (age appropriate grammar mechanics, spelling), attractiveness, originality, and format. When choosing to use technology to create your director’s writing book, please remember a portion of the rubric that the judges will use includes creativity/originality. The judges’ decisions are final in determining the winners.

9. The books are to be durably, securely, and neatly bound. Book covers/bindings will be evaluated on overall attractiveness, quality neatness, and use of binding materials.

10. A fully completed official entry form must be taped on the inside cover of each book.

Please write neatly the child’s name as it should appear on a certificate if chosen.

11. The DEADLINE for submitting school entries to Central Office is March 20,2018. This deadline will not change because of weather. If we are out of school on the 20^th, the deadline will be the next day we return to school. Therefore, don’t wait till the last minute to complete them! Your school deadline will be earlier than this and will be communicated to you through your school principal.

The Hamblen County Schools Writing Celebration is an exciting young authors program sponsored by the Hamblen County Department of Education. Any student in grades PreK-12 is eligible to participate by authoring a piece of individual writing or contributing to a class book.

Using holistic scoring, the books are judged for first, second, and third place on different genres at the school level. Only one first place book in each grade in each genre from each school is then sent to the Department of Instruction for system-wide competition. The Hamblen County Schools Writing Celebration winners will be announced on or before April 20, 2018.

Hamblen County Schools Writing Contest

Genre Definitions

Parent Guidelines for the Hamblen County Schools Writing Celebration 2017-2018

GUIDELINES

Teacher Guidelines for Hamblen County Schools Writing Celebration 2017-2018