Geography in the News Rubric
Paper 50 Points
A) Article
summary
20 % Description
of chosen article
B)
Explanation of
Choice &
Relevance
20 % Why did
you choose this
article for today's
class topic?
C) Geographic
Analysis
40 % How do
geographic
terms and
concepts help us
understand the
article?
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
Little to no description
of the article is
provided. Student does
not use a current news
article, or chooses
inappropriate
supporting sources.
Does not follow
guidelines.
0-5
Post follows the
description of the
newspaper article
without summarizing
material. The story is
related, but may or
may not be current.
Post provides a good
summary, maybe missing
some key details. The
story is from the last six
months and is from an
appropriate news source.
Supporting sources are
included.
8-9
Post successfully
summarizes a news
article, noting all
important/significant
details. Is from the last six
months and is from an
appropriate news source.
Relevant supporting
sources included.
Post does not explain
why the news article is
relevant to the theme
that the student chose.
Post gives limited
attention to
relevance of news
article; little
explanation is
provided. Some of
the content may be
incorrect. May or
may not describe
why they chose it.
1-5
Post may use
geographic terms
throughout summary
of article. A separate,
explicit analysis of
how geography helps
explain the article is
not included, or if it
is, clear examples
are not provided.
May use terms from
class that are
important, but does
not include a
minimum of three
geography specific
terms.
12-15
0
Post does not describe
any geographic
concepts or terms, or if
does, does not apply
relevant ones. May or
may not describe how
geography helps us
understand the article.
0-11
6-7
Post explains why the
topic is relevant to the
topic studied with some
detail; explains why they
chose the article.
Demonstrates an
understanding of the
connection to the
reading, though may be
slightly inaccurate.
6-8
Post includes a separate
section explaining how
geography helps us
understand the article,
with at least six terms,
three of which are
geography-specific terms
or concepts. Most of the
terms and their
connections to the class
are explained correctly
and in depth.
10
Post clearly explains
relevance and why article
was chosen, student is
able to accurately relate
the article content to class.
9-10
Post includes a separate
section explaining how
geography helps us
understand the article,
with six connections to
terms or concepts. At least
three are specific to
geography. The terms
and their connection to the
reading are explained
correctly and in depth.
16-17
18-20
Aimee Kelly
1
Geography in the News Rubric
Nuts, Bolts &
Whistles
20 %
Student does not
reference or cite
materials; extensive
spelling and
grammatical issues (10
or more); ideas not
clearly organized. 0-4
sources included.
0-4
Student references
material but makes
mistakes; some
spelling and
grammatical errors
appear (5 -9); ideas
fairly well organized.
5-8 sources included.
5-6
Student references
material appropriately;
limited spelling and
grammar errors (2 -4);
ideas well organized.
Pictures included. 5-8
sources included.
It is apparent student has
proofread post; references
material correctly, only 1
or fewer spelling or
grammar errors, very well
organized. 5-8 sources
included.
7-8
9-10
Total:
Additional comments:
Aimee Kelly
2
Geography in the News Rubric
25 Points
Poster
A) Article
summary
30 %
C) Geographic
Analysis
30 %
Mechanics
10%
Fair
Good
Excellent
Details on the poster
have little or nothing to
do with main topic.
Details on the poster
relate to the topic but
are too general or
incomplete. The
audience needs more
information to
understand.
3-4
All graphics relate to
the topic.
Details on the poster
include important
information but the
audience may need
more information to
understand fully.
Details on the poster
capture the important
information about the topic
and increase the
audience’s understanding.
5-6
All graphics are related
to the topic and most
make it easier to
understand.
2
Poster includes six
terms, three of which are
geography-specific.
May have some
inaccuracies.
7
All graphics are related to
the topic and make it
easier to understand.
0-2
Graphics do not relate
to the topic.
B)
Graphics
10 %
Organization
10 %
Poor
0
Poster does not
describe any
geographic concepts or
terms, or if does, does
not apply relevant
ones. May or may not
describe how
geography helps us
understand the article.
0-3
The information
appears to be
disorganized.
1.5
Poster includes a
variety of terms, but
none are geographyspecific.
4-5
Information is
organized, but titles
and subheadings are
missing or do not help
the reader
understand.
6-7
Information is organized
with titles and
subheadings.
8
Information is very
organized with clear titles
and subheadings.
0
1.5
2
2.5
Many grammatical,
spelling, or punctuation
errors.
0
A few grammatical,
spelling, or
punctuation errors.
1.5
Almost no grammatical,
spelling or punctuation
errors.
2
No grammatical, spelling
or punctuation errors.
Aimee Kelly
2.5
Poster includes six terms,
three of which are
geography-specific. Well
explained and accurate.
2.5
3
Geography in the News Rubric
Sources
10%
Some sources are not
accurately
documented.
1
All sources
(information and
graphics) are
documented, but
information is
incomplete or many
are not in the desired
format.
1.5
All sources (information
and graphics) are
accurately documented,
but there are a few
errors in the format.
All sources (information
and graphics) are
accurately documented.
2
2.5
Adapted from a readthinkwrite.org rubric.
Comments:
Aimee Kelly
4