Assessment

From the very beginning the students knew that our long-term goal was for each project to have its own webpage on the district site, and to be promi- nently displayed in the trophy case near the office. They kept checklists in their classroom notebooks. After completing each stage of the project, they could check it off their list, show it to me, and I would initial that it was completed. A rubric told them how many points were assigned to each aspect of the work and, because we were “covering” both science and social studies, this work would con- tribute to two grades on their report card. The following excerpts from their

final webpage presentations show what they accomplished—in their own, team-edited words and pictures.

The Paddleboat

At first we wanted to do a telegraph. We built our prototype and got started with the drawings when we had our conference with Mrs. Rubino. Mrs. Rubino asked us if we would rather make a project with more moving parts. We decided to do a different project, one that had more moving parts. Then, after looking through Mrs. Rubino’s books for ideas, we decided to make a paddleboat. We drew our plans for a paddle- boat and what happened? We couldn’t get the wood we needed! Then one of the people on our team came up with the idea of a paddle-powered raft. This time it worked out.

DESIGN TECHNOLOGY CHECKLIST

These are the main parts of your Design Project. Check them off as you complete them, marking the date completed and your initials. This sheet will be handed in with the whole project when it is finished.

Completed Date

LEGO® prototype Draft sketch Materials list Log (entry 3x/week) Final story of project Final technical drawing Wiring diagram Invention itself complete Does it work? Webpage completed

What grade do you think this project deserves? (use blue rubric sheet to find grade)

Initials

©SYNERGY LEARNING • 800-769-6199 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011

Connect • PAGE 7

Ann Rubino

Ann Rubino