2nd grade

Running head: 2ND GRADE RUBRIC

Teacher-Led Rubric for 2nd Grade Animal Research Report Danica Rosales National University MAT 670 September 18, 2012

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Abstract This paper provides a teacher-created goals-oriented feedback rubric for a 2nd grade unit on Animals. It is followed by explanations of the rubrics categories and the grading standards used. Lastly, there is a summary how this rubric is useful to the instructor and the learner.

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Teacher-Led Rubric for 2nd Grade Animal Research Report

Animal Research Report

Keep Trying
*Missing topics. *Writes less than three sentences per topic. *Does not provide facts.

Almost There
*Covers almost all topics. *Writes two or three sentences per topic. *Sometimes uses sources to provide facts. (3-4 points) *Writing is mostly organized. *Uses adjectives sometimes. *Handwriting is mostly neat and spaces are sometimes used. (3-4 points) *Mostly uses punctuation marks correctly at the end of sentences. *Most proper nouns are capitalized. *Most grade-level words are spelled correctly. (3-4 points) *Mostly worked with teammate. *Stayed on task mostly. (2 points) *Most pictures showed animal in its correct habitat. *Mostly used 3 colors. *Photos mostly cut and glued on neatly. *Shows effort.

Way to Go!
*Covers all topics. *Writes three sentences per topic. *Always uses sources to provide facts. (5 points) *Writing is well organized. *Uses adjectives often. *Handwriting is neat and spaces are placed appropriately.

Comments

Information

Organization and Focus

(0-2 points) *Writing has little organization. *Uses no adjectives. *Handwriting is sloppy and there arent spaces in between words or sentences. (0-2 points) *Punctuation marks are not used correctly at the end of sentences. *Does not capitalize proper nouns. *Many grade-level words are misspelled. (0-2 points)

Spelling and Conventions

(5 points) *Uses punctuation marks correctly at the end of sentences. *Capitals are used for proper nouns. *Spells grade-level words correctly. (5 points) *Worked cooperatively with teammate. *Stayed on task. (3 points) *Portrays animal in detail in correct habitat. *Used at least 3 colors. *All photos cut and glued neatly. *Shows much effort. (3 points) *Spoke clearly. *Spoke fluently. *Spoke with confidence. *Made eye contact. (5 points)

Teamwork

*Did not help teammate. *Needed many reminders to stay on task. (0-1 points) *Does not show animal in its correct habitat. *Did not use 3 colors. *Photos not cut and glued on neatly. *Does not show effort.

Artwork

Presentation

(0-1 points) *Unable to be heard. *Read too slowly. *Appeared uncomfortable. *Stared at paper.

(2 points) *Sometimes spoke clearly. *Mostly read fluently. *Showed some confidence. *Sometimes made eye contact. (3-4 points)

(0-2 points)

Score:

/26 points

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Explanation of Categories The categories selected for this rubric represent the following standards selected from the California English Language Arts Content Standards (grade 2): Writing Strategies 1.0 (Information, Focus), Written and Oral English Language Conventions 1.0 (Spelling and Conventions), Listening and Speaking Strategies 1.0 (Presentation), and Speaking Applications 2.0 (Presentation). Both Artwork and Teamwork were included in order to emphasize to students their importance as a component of successful projects. By including separate categories in which to look at, teachers are able to offer grades more precisely. Marzano states that the more specific feedback is, the better and that teachers must provide feedback on specific types of knowledge and skill (p. 99). Each category offers three levels of attainment: Keep Trying, Almost There, and Way to Go! These three category names were chosen for their positive nature and because they help young students summarize their performance in fewer words. It is possible that they may be overwhelmed by all of the information provided in the rubric. There is also a comment area beside each category in which the teacher can choose to further elaborate on the students performance. Written comments by teachers can be more explicit and refer directly to something evident in the assignment. Marzano suggests that the best feedback appears to involve an explanation as to what is accurate and what is inaccurate in terms of student responses (p. 96). Explanation of Grading Standards

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This Animal Research rubric breaks the six categories into three levels of achievement. Movement along the achievement levels goes left to right. The categories are not weighed equally, as two of the categories (Artwork and Teamwork) have a lower number of points possible. For this reason, with this assignment, the bulk of the work is done individually and in written format, thereby lessening the value of the artistic element and cooperation with teammates. Implementing a point system that matches level of skill attainment shows performance beyond just a letter grade and in relation to the goals and objectives set in place for the assignment. Marzano provides that this criterion-referenced feedback is important because it gives students an idea of where they stand in relative to a specific target of knowledge or skill (p. 98). Researchers also show that using feedback through criterion-referenced modes, like rubrics, has a more powerful effect on student learning than norm-referenced feedback (Marzano, 2001, p. 98-99).

Discussion: Supporting Learners and the Teacher Rubrics are supportive of students in that if they are provided in advance of the assignment, students can use the rubric as a guide in order to meet the expectations. As stated in an article on TeacherVision, rubrics can become a working guide for students and teachers, usually handed out before the assignment begins in order to get students to think about the criteria on which their work will be judged. Also, Developing a grid and making it available as a tool for students' use will provide the scaffolding necessary to improve the quality of their work and increase their knowledge.

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Another way in which rubrics assist the learner is that teachers are more likely to return feedback in a timely manner. Marzano (2001) explains that, feedback immediately after a test has the largest effect size (.72). The more delay that occurs in giving feedback, the less improvement there is in achievement. The following was shared in Reynolds-Keefers interviews with students on rubrics: students felt grading occurred in a more timely manner and that comments were helpful; they knew what was lacking in their assignments and specifically why they received the grade they did. One student stated I get my grades quicker with rubrics. Teachers can get through papers faster, which is good for me. Then I know what to do and not do next time. Another stated I can see what I did well, and what I need to work on. It makes it easier to do better next time. Rubrics can also aide teachers. In general, they are helping teachers create more thoughtful lessons, better assessments, and hopefully helping improve the quality of instruction. Reynolds-Keefer (2010) shares that, Rubrics have been demonstrated to result in wellstructured and well-defined assignments, and also serve to incorporate a transparent formative assessment into the cycle of learning. The information taken from a rubric can easily be used to compile student scores for report cards in a more standards-friendly format. Often, teachers can become frustrated with the amount of low quality work their students turn in. By providing a good rubric that outlines the skills involved in the assignment can help a teacher to encourage higher quality work from their students. Rose (Scholastic) points out that, Rubrics communicate detailed explanations of what constitutes excellence throughout a project and provide a clear teaching directive. Rubrics help teachers clarify exactly what students need to achieve in content and performance standards.

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Overall, a well-thought out rubric that relates the skills necessary within the assignment and is give in a timely manner can be an powerful assessment tool and form of feedback to instructors and students.

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References Marzano, R.J., Pickering, D.J., & Pollock, J.E. (2001). Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies For Increasing Student Achievement. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Reynolds-Keefer, L (2010). Rubric-referenced assessment in teacher preparation: An opportunity to learn by using. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, Vol. 15, No 8 Page 7. Retrieved from University of Michigan-Dearborn. Rose, M. Make Room for Rubrics. Retrieved from Scholastic: http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/assessment/roomforubrics.htm TeacherVision: The Advantages of Rubrics. Retrieved from:
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/teaching-methods-andmanagement/rubrics/4522.html#ixzz26tmsguRQ