Teachers easily can create rubrics using numerous software applications, such as word processors, spreadsheets, Web editors, or other commercial products. Free online resources also are available that walk teachers through the process of creating a variety of rubrics and performance checklists.
1. Creating and Formatting a Problem-Solving Math Rubric
Problem: To encourage students in your sixth-grade math class to use higher-order thinking skills, you are beginning a unit on problem solving. Students will be given problems and have to write out how they solve the problem and their reasoning for selecting the approach they use. You design a rubric to guide your students through this process. The rubric is shown in Figure 8-39. Open your word processing, spreadsheet, or Web editing software and create the rubric as described in the following steps. (Hint: Use any appropriate clip art image and font to personalize the rubric. Use Help to understand the steps better.)
Instructions: Perform the following tasks.
Type the heading text shown in Figure 8-39.
Format the first heading line, Mrs. Georgiev’s, in 20-point Times or Times New Roman bold font. Personalize the rubric by inserting your name instead of Mrs. Georgiev’s.
Format the second heading line, 6th Grade Math Class, in 20-point Times or Times New Roman bold font.
Format the third heading line, Math Problem-Solving Rubric, in 18-point Times or Times New Roman font.
Insert appropriate clip art images.
Insert a table with six rows and five columns, and then enter the table text as shown in Figure 8-39.
Center the row headings and format them in 11-point Times or Times New Roman bold font.
Format the remaining table text in 11-point Times or Times New Roman font.
Personalize the school name and insert the current date. Format the school name and date in 11-point Times or Times New Roman, blue bold font. Insert your e-mail address instead of Mrs. Georgiev’s. Format the e-mail address in 11-point Times or Times New Roman, blue bold font.
Save the rubric to the location file of your choice using an appropriate filename. Print the rubric and then follow your instructor’s directions for handing in the assignment.2. Creating and Formatting a Multimedia Research Rubric
Problem: You want to introduce your high school students to a systematic approach to research. The students will access, evaluate, and use information from a variety of sources on an assigned topic. Then they will write a research paper and create a digital media presentation to present their findings to the class. At the beginning of the unit, you hand out the rubric shown in Figure 8-40. (Hint: Use any appropriate clip art images and fonts to personalize the page. Use Help to understand the steps better.)
Instructions: Refer to Figure 8-40. Type the rubric as shown in Figure 8-40, then format the rubric as directed in the text that follows. Format the first and second heading lines in 16-point Lucinda Sans Unicode bold font. Insert your name in place of Mr. Hernandez. Format the third heading line in 14-point Lucinda Sans Unicode bold font. Insert clip art or graphic images. Format the Student Name, Topic, and Date headings in 10-point Lucinda Sans Unicode bold font. Format the section headings in 10-point Lucinda Sans Unicode bold underlined font. Format the table text in 10-point Lucinda Sans Unicode font. Format the text in the last row with bold.
After you have typed and formatted the rubric, save the rubric to the location of your choice using an appropriate filename. Print the rubric and then follow your instructor’s directions for handing in the assignment.
3. Creating and Formatting a Subject-Specific Rubric
Problem: You want to create a rubric to evaluate student learning of a concept you are presenting. The rubric also will serve as a guide for students as they create their end-of-unit project that demonstrates their learning.
Instructions: Create a rubric similar to the rubrics illustrated in Figures 8-39 and 8-40 on the previous pages. Use an appropriate layout; font types, styles, and sizes; and clip art images. Include your name and the subject area you teach. After you have created the rubric, save the rubric to the location of your choice using an appropriate filename. Print the rubric and then follow your instructor’s directions for handing in the assignment.
Integration in the Classroom
1.
At the beginning of the school year, you want to establish classroom rules and criteria for positive behavior in your second-grade special education classroom. You decide to create a behavior rubric together with your students that will be used and sent home weekly to parents. You ask the students for their ideas about positive classroom behavior, and together, you and your students create a rubric on which you all agree. Create a sample behavior rubric for your students. Include your name, school name, and the current date on the rubric.
2.
The students in your Earth Science class have been studying the environment and environmental hazards such as acid rain and oil spills. As a final project for the unit, students will work in groups and conduct a research activity. They will present their findings in either a PowerPoint presentation or a video. To encourage the students to take responsibility for their learning, you first assign each group to the task of developing a rubric that outlines the assessment criteria for their final project. You will assist the students as necessary; however, you believe they will have more ownership in their learning and be more motivated if they establish the majority of the criteria themselves. Create a sample rubric for your students to use as a guide. Include your name, subject area, project topic, and current date on the rubric.
3.
To help your students understand rubrics, locate at least three different Web page evaluation rubrics. From your research, create a rubric to use as an example for your students. Include your name and class at the top of the rubric. Include your e-mail address and the current date at the bottom of the rubric. Then, ask your students to research Web page evaluation rubrics on the Internet. The students will work in groups to locate and print a minimum of five different Web page evaluation rubrics. They then will compare and contrast the different rubrics and determine what is important when creating a Web page. As a class, you will brainstorm, create a rubric, and then use this rubric to create Web pages. Include a column for self-evaluation. Share your rubric with the class and compare it with the class-generated one.
