Egypt: Then
and Now
The Use of
Rubrics
Social Studies
Session 2 of 8
Focusing Questions
How can we help our students know what is expected for a
class assignment?
What tools can we provide to help scaffold students’ learning
so they can complete assignments?
What tools can we provide to help students self (peer)
assess?
What assessment tools can we provide to help teachers
assess student understanding?
Instruction
Framing The Session
In this session we will:
> Review the idea of rubrics.
> Learn how to use RubiStar to find and/or
create rubrics.
> Learn what makes a good rubric.
Rubrics can…
Help break down the assignment for the teachers and the
students.
Help clarify the contents AND performance of student work.
Help students understand what the teacher expects.
Help students organize their work.
Teaching
Use these slides to explain and demonstrate what we want
participants to do. You may choose to insert websites videos
or text files here.
Effective Rubrics Are…
•Clearly written and understood by teachers students and
their families.
•Introduced to the students BEFORE they start the assigned
assignment and/or project.
•Customized for specific assignments and/or projects.
•Written with students and have exemplars (examples) to
help students understand what “good” looks like.
A Rubric on Rubrics
Checklists vs. Rubrics
Checklists can:
> Help list what should be
included on a specific
assignment.
> Help students check to
make sure they have
included all the parts of
the assignment (selfassessment).
> Be used to help students
pace the assignment.
Rubrics can:
> Build from the checklist.
> Help list the contents of a
specific assignment and
describe the performance
of each item.
> Help students know a
range of expectations so
they have a vision of
what “good” looks like.
> Provide a tool for
teachers (and students)
to assess their work.
An Example of a Birthday Cake Checklist
Contents
Yes
Yes, it has size….
but will it be big
No
enough?
Size
Taste
Decorations
(Text, Spelling, etc.)
Presentation
Does a “yes” give us enough
information to evaluate a cake?
Yes, it will have
flavor- but will
everyone like it?
Yes, there will be
decorations, but will they
be spelled correctly?
Yes, the cake will
be presented- but
how?
A Birthday Cake Rubric
Contents
Size
Taste
Decorations
(Text, Spelling, etc.)
I
Not enough for
everyone
Everyone takes a taste,
and leave the cake on
the plate.
Happy Birthday is
written, but spelled
incorrectly
II
III
IV
Now we know if a cake
Small
amountsand/or
for
"Regular"
pieces theMore than enough for
meets
exceeds
everyone
for everyone
all; there is enough
standard (III
or IV)
for take-home
an finishes
idea if Everyone
the finishes and
Some finish…we
their have
Everyone
cake while
others meets
his or her
asks our
for seconds.
“taste”
orpiece.
exceeds
leave it unfinished.
standard (III of IV)…
"Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday
“Happy Birthday
...we
have
a
better
idea
what
Brian" is written
Brian" is written
Brian" ison
written with
extra decorations
clearly and correctly
withaextra
makes
well-decorated
cake
(including
flowers)
and
decorations
(III and IV)…
additional words that
(including flowers) make the cake very
personal.
Presentation
Present the cake and sing,
"Happy Birthday" by
myself and everyone else
laughs.
… and now we know what a
“successful”
presentation
Presentlooks
the cake and like.
I sing,
Present the
cake and I
Present
the cake and I
"Happy Birthday" and
sing, "Happy Birthday"
sing, "Happy Birthday"

everyone joins in - Guests
and a few others join in.
and everyone joins in.
adding personal comments
and special salutations.
Effective Rubrics Combine
Content with Performance
Performance
( The range of completeness)
Contents
(What is
included)
… and this tells us what
“good” looks like.
This articulates the different
levels of understanding.
This is like the checklist.
This lists the different
parts that need to be
included in the student
work and what the
teacher is looking for.
Notice that this rubric
Level 4 is on the left
Notice that the
Contents is called
“category” here.
Notice that CONTENT is also
included in this rubric- This
is not always included in ELA
Rubrics- yet it is critical in
Social Studies.
Notice the language used to
describe each level
A Rubric on Rubrics
Content/Performance
I
II
III
IV
Partially understood by the teacher. Specific
language is used that describes student work
Understood by the teacher and a few select
students- was not shared with families.
Specific language is used that describes
student work.
Understood by everyone (teachers,
students and family members.) Specific
language is used that describes student
work. Written by teacher and/or taken
from another source.
Written by students and the teacher. Easily
understood by everyone (teachers, students and
family members.) Specific language is used that
describes student work.
Format & Visibility of the
Rubric
The rubric is organized in a way that is difficult to
follow. The teacher needs to explain the
descriptions and the levels regularly to the
students. It is not clearly labeled nor posted in the
classroom.
The rubric is a challenge to follow. It is
organized around some descriptions that are
not necessarily sequenced. Format is not
clear. Print is hard to follow and hard to
read.
Easy to follow. Shows different
descriptive levels that are clear and readily
available. A single copy of the rubric is
available to the students.
Easy to follow. Shows different descriptive levels
that are clear and readily available. A chart/poster
of the rubric should be clearly visible in the
classroom. Students have their own copies.
When/How the Rubric is
Presented
The teacher uses the rubric after the students have
completed the assignment. The students never see
the rubric.
The teacher and the students use the rubric
after the work has been completed. The
students use the rubric for self-evaluation.
The teacher presents the rubric before
and/or during the assignment. There is
little discussion about the rubric.
The teacher presents the rubric before the
assignment. There is a lot of discussion around
the rubrics throughout the assignment. Students
use rubrics for peer-coaching/peer-evaluation.
Both teacher and student use the rubric for
evaluation.
Use of Student Work to
Exemplify Descriptions
No student work or examples of student work are
used to illustrate these levels.
A single piece of student work is used. It is
not leveled nor annotated to illustrate
strengths and areas for growth.
A few samples of student work are used to
illustrate a Level IV. The works are
leveled and annotated to illustrate
strengths and areas for growth.
Samples of student work, current and/or past work
is used to exemplify each level. These samples
are posted in the classroom. The works are leveled
and annotated to illustrate strengths and areas for
growth.
Process of Developing the
Rubric.
Teacher uses a ready-made rubric not applicable
to the developmental needs of the students, does
not align with the assignment or student project.
Teacher develops rubric by herself without
input from the students.
Rubric is developed with students and
does not change.
Students understand and have ownership of the
rubric’s format. Rubrics are revised/adapted as
needed. Different models used for different
assignments.
Use of Descriptive Language
Guided Practice
RubiStar
•There is a Web site that helps teachers
design their own rubrics.
•It’s called RubiStar.
•Let’s go there now and sign up for a free
account.
Getting Started with RubiStar
Work Time
Work Time
•Search RubiStar for previously constructed
PowerPoint rubrics.
•Create a new rubric (or modify an existing rubric)
in RubiStar to assess the sample Egypt travel
brochure PowerPoint.
Share
Share
This is a follow up to what participants learned. In this area
you will provide a short explanation of what participants
learned and indicate that it is now time to share the work of
participants who did the work explained in the teaching i.e.
Today we learned how to…now we will look at how a few of
you…
Share
So? What did you discover?
How might you use this Web site for the Egypt Project?
How else might you use this Web site?
What did you learn about rubrics in this
session?
Answers
For more information
Office of Instructional Technology
oittc@schools.nyc.gov
www.nyc.gov/schools