Second Semester Course Grade

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

Ignore this first category, which was not a focus for Language Arts this year.

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

Circle the bullet from the first series that best describes your approach to the learning process this semester. Think particularly about your growth as a reader and literary analyst in your work on Gatsby and the American Author Project.
Review the work you did for your American Author thesis blog. &Circle the bullet from the second series that reflects the effort and thoughtfulness you invested in that assignment.

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

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 semester.
If you have 5 or more tardies, or if 3 or more absences are due to tardies or cuts, lower your participation score by one whole point.
If you have 7 or more tardies, or if 4 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 you have a perfect record for turning in assignments on time and complete, you earned a 4 for the second bullet.
If only 2 assignments were turned in late, incomplete, or missed deadline, you earned a 3 for the second bullet.
If 3 or 4 assignments were turned in late, incomplete, or missed deadline, you earned a 2 for the second bullet.
If 5 or more assignments were late or incomplete, you earned a 1 for the second bullet.
If any major writing assignment (in bold) is still missing, you earned a 1 for the second bullet.

Looking at the pattern of circled bullets holistically, sum up your performance in American Literature this past semester with one of the following letter grades: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, or NC.
If one or more of your bolded writing assignments are missing, give yourself an NC. However, in parentheses, add the passing grade you think will earn after those assignments are submitted.

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.
What has helped you improve your reading, writing, and/or thinking this past semester? Be specific.
Are you happy with this grade? Do you feel that it matches your potential? Why or why not?
What do you plan to read this summer?
Where are you headed as a writer and thinker?

Posted by Justin Wells : 06/10/2008