Using Rubrics Can Give Students Great Feedback

How much information does the usual number/letter grading system tell a student about his or her performance on a quiz, project, test, etc? Does it explain the specific areas of strength, or the areas that need improvement? Educators know the importance that providing feedback can have on an individual's performance. But sometimes it's difficult to discern what grade to give.  Rubrics are a helpful tool for a grading system that will provide learners with valuable guidance and feedback for any assignment.

Rubrics Have A Lot to Offer

Rubrics offer much more feedback to a pupil than simply receiving a letter grade or marks indicating the number of problems that he/she got right or wrong. They can actually provide pupils with the list of criteria on which they will be graded. For example, on a research project, teachers could list on a rubric the fact that grading will include grammar, details, neatness, and presentation as well as on the actual content. When they are provided with the rubric prior to starting a project, pupils will generally turn in a project that adheres more closely to the assignment, than when they are not given a rubric. A written rubric also helps parents to understand why their child is receiving his/her grades. 

A Sample Rubric

Here is an example of one way to construct a rubric. Here, with each criteria, the teacher lists the qualifications and/or specifications for each level of performance. 

 

CATEGORY	3	2	1
Elaboration (Details)	There are enough details to support your project.	There needs to be more support for your project.	There is little support for your project.

 

With this example, a score of one through three can be achieved based on the level of performance on the task, with three being the highest level. Once each learner receives his grade, receiving a score of two on providing details, he will immediately understand that he needed to supply more support and elaboration on the project. Most likely, the next project he submits will have more supporting details!

Rubrics for Independent Projects 

Rubrics are great for independent projects. Pupils who have mastered a specific skill, may be given a project that provides rigor, as well as addressing his or her personal interests. If he has a rubric for this project, he will need very little guidance or input from the teacher. This is a very common way to challenge gifted or high-ability students. Often, when pre-assessed, gifted learners have already mastered the skills that the teacher is prepared to teach. Providing these students with the option to conduct an individual project, and giving them a rubric as a guideline, helps the teacher meet their needs, while still being able to address the needs of those individuals who need direct instruction.

Lesson Plans with Rubrics:

Bubble Gum Rubric Scoring: Here is a lesson that was created to teach young scholars how the North Carolina state writing assessment is scored. Teachers could use this resource in second grade and above to introduce rubrics to those who are not familiar with them. It is hands-on, and very engaging. This should help them to gain a better understanding about of why rubrics are important, and how they are used for grading purposes.

Narrative Literature Response Letters: Pupils write endings to a story that has already been written. They also write a formal letter to the author offering an alternative ending to the story. Thi lesson includes a rubric on the criteria for a formal letter. It also includes extension activities, and differentiation ideas for individuals who are performing above and below grade level.

My State Notebook: Scholars are assigned a state and must conduct research on that state.This resource has five rubrics, including sample rubrics.  It also suggests providing pupils with the rubrics prior to starting the research project. This way, they are able to see examples of how rubrics are scored by being given three examples that range from exemplary to developing.

Write Your Own Rap: The class is divided to work in groups of three to five people in order to create original rap songs. At the beginning of the lesson, pupils actively participate in creating the criteria for the rubric. The lesson reinforces poetry and cooperative learning. It does not include a rubric because the idea is that the students will decide on the specifics.