First Semester Course Grade

On the top of the yellow holistic rubric, fill out all the lines: advisor, grade level, term, course, and teacher.

Step #1: Mastery of Knowledge

Circle the two scores you received for your final semester final exam: both the government score and the Dante score. (Use a pencil and pen to help differeniate the two scores.)

Step #2: Application of Knowledge

Give yourself an overall score based on the quality of the following assignments:

Step #3: Metacognition

Circle the bullet from the first series that best describes your approach to the learning process this year. Think particularly about your growth as a reader, writer, and thinker in both literature and government.
Review the work you did in your writing journal and Dante Thesis Log. Circle the bullet from the second series that best describes the effort and thoughtfulness you have invested in your reflection.

Step #4: Leadership Skills

The focus in this class has been on collaboration and critical thinking. Write these two skills onto the lines.
Based on your scores in the leadership skills category, give yourself a score for each skill.

Step #5: College Work Habits

First bullet series: Engagement and participation

Circle the bullet in the first series that best describes your participation and engagement in this class over the quarter.
If you have 3 or more tardies, or if 2 or more absences are due to tardies or cuts, lower your participation score by one whole point.
If you have 5 or more tardies, or if 3 or more absences are due to tardies or cuts, lower your participation score by two whole points.

Second bullet series: Homework and classwork diligence

If less than 2 (i.e. 1 or 0) of your assignments are late, missing, or incomplete, you earned a 4 for the second bullet.
If only 2 or 3 assignments are late, missing, or incomplete, you earned a 3 for the second bullet.
If 4 or 5 assignments are late, missing, or incomplete, you earned a 2 for the second bullet.
If more than 5 assignments are late, missing, or incomplete, you earned a 1 for the second bullet.
If any bold writing assignment is still missing, you earned a 1 for the second bullet.

Step #6: Your Overall Grade

Looking at the pattern of circled bullets holistically, sum up your performance in Humanities this past quarter with one of the following letter grades: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, or NC.
Give yourself two grades: one for English and one for Government. (Make an extra line under “Current Grade.”) Your Government grade is weighted on the Xlandia White Paper and the Government half of the final exam; your English grade is based largely on your Heart of Darkness essay and the Dante half of your final exam. You may find that your performance is equal in both classes.
If one or more of your writing assignments are missing, give yourself an NC. However, in parentheses, add the passing grade you think will earn after those assignments are submitted.

Step #7: Reflect and Defend

On the back of the rubric, write a short letter that responds to the following prompts:

Explain/defend the semester grade you gave yourself?
What are you most proud of about your performance this past semester? Please mention specific assignments or aspects of the course. If you weighted certain assignments in calculating a holistic grade, explain that here.
Did you give yourself a different grade for English and Government? If so, how do you explain the difference?
What has helped you improve your reading, writing, and/or thinking this past semester? Be specific.
What will you do the same or differently next semester?

Posted by Justin Wells : 01/27/2009