Standard+7

**Teachers are able to plan different kinds of lessons.** The teacher organizes and plans systematic instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, pupils, the community, and curriculum goals.
 * Standard 7**

Evidence 1:

Rationale 1: Use of the discussion board to enhance a lesson is a way I've used to get students to create meaningful contributions to the learning in the classroom. When they are required to write a response to a question and submit that in a public forum, there are a few benefits: they can't hide behind the tall kid who sits in front of them, and they have a chance to revise their writing before “blurting” it out. This rubric assesses student knowledge as evidenced in an online discussion forum setting. It demands that students make connections to each other and any research, ask “thick” questions, and come up with new ideas, along with using proper conventions.

**KSD**

 **7.K.3 The teacher knows when and how to adjust plans based on student responses and other contingencies.**

This discussion post rubric is flexible in that different grading criteria can be weighted more or less heavily for each post, based on the focus of that day's lesson. If the teacher notices that the topic of the day relates very dearly to students' lives, he or she can highlight that row of the rubric and ensure that students work to make a strong connection. Mini-lessons can also be taught, if necessary, to model what good connections look like.

 **7.S.3 The teacher creates lessons and activities that operate at multiple levels to meet the development and individual needs of diverse learners and help each progress.**

This rubric can also be used as a start-to-finish continuum. At the beginning of a unit or novel, student's works can be assessed on the rubric and that becomes the baseline. The teacher can look at the rubrics for each class and find weak areas that need bolstering. At the end of the unit or novel, students are assessed again and the two scores are compared. Students should be active members of this assessment process and should know which criteria on the rubric are most important to the teacher and the rationale behind grading that area.

 **7.D.3 The teacher values planning as a collegial activity.**

This rubric was created with an English teacher as we planned two separate yet similar unit plans based on high interest books for struggling readers. I also shared this rubric with my cohort within Marian via the discussion boards and elicited feedback from them.