Title : 

— NUTRITION
Description : A rubric in student language used by middle school students to self-assess their
discussion skills.
Keywords : Listening, speaking, participation, opinions, active listening, reflect
Instructions : Use this rubric to self-assess your discussion skills.
Grade Level :  7
Subject: SCIENCE
TYPE OF ASSESSMENT :  DISCUSSION
RUBRIC
  4 3 2 1
Engaging in I enjoy class I enjoy class I sometimes enjoy
I sometimes enjoy
Discussions discussions because I discussions class discussions.
class discussions
learn from hearing because I am
because I can just
other people’s points of interested in Sometimes, I
listen or daydream
view. I connect what hearing and think about what
and not do any work.
other people say to my thinking about my classmates are
OR
own experiences and what my saying during a
I think discussions
opinions. I draw classmates have discussion, but at
are usually a waste
conclusions about the to say about a other times, my
of time.
topic being discussed. topic. mind wanders.
Listening with Sometimes, I
I listen to my
Intention think about my
classmates’ comments I think about the
classmates’ I usually think about
with an open mind. I validity of what
comments to something else
think carefully about my classmates
determine whether during a discussion.
how my classmates say.
the comments are
support their opinions.
correct.
Listening When I am not talking, I show that I am I usually show I often look like I am
Actively I show I am interested paying attention that I am paying not paying attention
in a discussion by to a discussion attention to a during a discussion.
taking notes and with my body discussion, but
exhibiting appropriate language. sometimes, I look
body language, such as like I am not
   4 3 2 1
making eye contact,
interested.
smiling, and nodding.
Contributing I contribute my own
I contribute my Sometimes, I
appropriate I rarely contribute
own experiences contribute my
experiences and my experiences and
and opinions experiences and
opinions when they fit opinions to a
appropriately to a opinions to a
naturally into the flow discussion.
discussion. discussion.
of a discussion.
Creating My comments are
I build on other
Synergy usually on topic, My comments are
people’s comments by
I build on other but sometimes often off the topic
questioning,
people’s they do not and meant to disrupt
summarizing,
comments. connect to what the discussion, not
paraphrase, and
the speakers enhance it.
elaborating.
before me said.
Supporting Sometimes, I give
I explain why my
Opinions good reasons for
opinions and
I support my my opinions, but
comments are worth I often express
comments with at other times, my
listening to by using opinions that have
good reasons and reasoning is not
good reasoning and no credible support.
reliable sources. sound and my
referring to reliable
sources are not
sources of information.
credible.
Collaborating I enthusiastically
contribute to
discussions. I am I speak during I hardly ever speak
careful not to talk too discussions, but during a discussion.
I sometimes speak
much. I always not too much. I OR
too little or too
encourage my encourage my I monopolize the
much during
classmates to speak by classmates to discussion by
discussions.
asking them questions speak by asking speaking way too
and noticing when they questions. much.
look like they have
something to say.
Handling I use a variety of I consider Sometimes, I I often get angry and
Disagreements strategies to respond to different respond and listen respond
a disagreement, such as viewpoints and respectfully to inappropriately to
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questioning and humor.
I listen carefully when disagreements
respond or listen
people disagree with with my
to them
my opinions to see if classmates, but at
respectfully disagreements with
they have valid points. other times, I take
when a my classmates.
I change my mind disagreements
disagreement
when other people’s personally and get
arises.
arguments are upset.
convincing.
Reflecting on I think back on what I I think back on Sometimes, I
I rarely think about
Learning learned in a discussion what I have think about what I
what I learned in a
and use the learning in learned in a learned in a
discussion.
my future studies. discussion. discussion.
Self-Assessing Sometimes, I
I assess my
Participation I think about reflect on my I hardly ever think
participation in a
how well I did in participation in a about how I could
discussion and set
a discussion and discussion and improve my
goals for how I could
set goals for think about how I participation in
be a better participant
improvement. could do better the discussions.
in the future.
next time.