UNIT DESIGN RUBRIC

This rubric contains the elements for developing a thematic, multidisciplinary, project-based unit.  It guides us to include or address multiple intelligences, multiple literacies, authentic assessments and diversity.  It helps us stay aligned to the state and national standards for each discipline, and helps to ensure that the outcomes, activities, materials and assessments are all aligned with one another.  Check off each item as it is completed.  See some samples of units designed using these guidelines. 

Attributes	Theme selected
	Concept-map or brainstorm theme
	Concepts identified
	All disciplines addressed
	Check against list of Critical Attributes for Units
	Begin to build Activities Bank
	Develop Unit Outcomes
Outcomes	Final outcomes are within upper three levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy
	Enabling Outcomes
	Discreet Outcomes
	Context and Mode -  how, where and with whom
Assessments	Authentic
	Direct reflection of desired outcomes
	Components identified
	Stimulus and Context
	Criteria developed (pre-set, agreed-upon, and public)
	Feedback provisions are made
	Self assessments
	Peer assessments
	Other assessments, including teacher
	Small group assessments
	Individual assessments
	Multiple intelligences and learning styles considered
Alignment	Materials
	Activities
	State Standards
	National Standards
Instruments	Assessment
	Grading
	Record-keeping
	Reporting to Parents
Start-Up	Every student has a copy of the Unit
	Letter to parents with copy of the Unit
	Parental involvement encouraged
	Parent Workshop
Resource File	Web Sites
	Organizations (community, state, national, international)
	Government Agencies
	Universities
	Libraries
	Publications
	Parents, friends and relatives (yours and the student’s)
	Colleagues
Materials	Children’s Literature
	Fiction
	Non-fiction
	Biography
	Poetry
	Myth, Fables and Folklore
	Films
	Videos
	Music
	Journals
	Newspapers
	Kids’ newspapers
	Diversity (see Isms below)
	Research materials
	Brochures, pamphlets, etc.
Diversity - the Isms	Ageism
	Classism
	Ableism
	Racism
	Sexism
	Heterosexism
	Anti-Semitism and Religious Oppression
	Linguicism

Web 2.0 Tools	Wiki (wetpaint or wikispaces.com)
	Blog
	Web Site (Weebly.com is excellent for teachers and students) Each student can have their own private web site!
	Wix.com
	Diigo.com (social bookmarking, highlighting web site pates)
	Twitter.com
	YouTube.com
	Vimeo.com (video sharing)
	Netvibes.com (excellent organizer)
	VoiceThread.com
	LiveBinders.com (another excellent organizer)
	Issuu.com (fantastic for publishing digital books, articles, etc.)
	Wallwisher.com
	Google Reader
	Google Earth 5.0
	Box.net (great place to store private or public docs for sharing)
	Virtual Classroom for meetings
	Justin.tv   (free!  meeting live, real time via video,  broadcasting events)
	Add the following widgets to students web pages to track visitors - very exciting to see all countries visiting and who's there now!  We recommend using all of them;  Revolver Maps is great because it shows you who is online at any given moment and where they are on the planet!
	FlagCounter (free)
	FeedJit (free version)
	Revolver Maps (free version)