Rubrics (with Rubistar)
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This workshop will show you how to use the online service to create a rubric (using some templates) and then to store that rubric as an Excel spreadsheet file. In order to make sure that your rubric will print properly, we will also explore a few simple features of Excel.

Here is how.
1. Go to 4teachers.org (Este sitio esta disponible en español tambien.) Make sure not to go to rubistar.com.
2. At the right hand side of the opening page you will see a variety of tools for teachers. Click on the Rubistar icon.
3. On the Rubistar page, you have the option of picking a subject (or type of skills) or of selecting to Create a Rubric. Both options will take you to the same page.You will see the following categories: Oral Projects, Multimedia, Math, Research and Writing, Products, Reading, Art, Work Skills, Science and Music. There are also options for registering with the site, but you do not need to register.
4. Choose from the subcategories the type of content or skill that you are trying to assess.  
5.

You will next have a screen where you will actually fill out the rubric. It has many places for you to fill information. A few are highlighted here:

  • Warning: you have 40 minutes to complete the rubric. (plenty)
  • Rubric Information: optional - you can put what you want later in Excel
  • Rubric Project Name: optional
  • Zip Code - 78501 for McAllen: an American school should help contribute to the domestic user count.
  • Demonstration Rubric: Leave this selected as "Yes, my rubric is temporary."
 A teacher needs to register to host rubrics online at 4teachers.org for more than one week.
6.

Creating and Editing Your Rubric

  • You can edit the Rating Scale (4,3,2,1) by entering in your values for each Column Heading.
  • Use the pull-down menu in the first row to select the category you want to appear first in your rubric. Then, choose the pull-down menu in the second row to select the second category.
  • You don't have to use all the categories. If you do not use some categories, there should be blank rows at the bottom of your rubric that read "- Please Choose -" in the pull-down menu.
  • If you wish to have your own customized Rubric Rows, simply leave the drop-down menu to read "- Please Choose -" and enter in a new rubric row name into the text field. Next, supply the content in each of the text area boxes for that particular rubric row.
  • You can edit the rubric by making changes (add text, change text, delete text) in the text area boxes in any row. Note that if you change one box, you will probably want to make similar changes in the other boxes in that same row.
  
7. When you are done customizing your rubric, click on the "Submit" button at the bottom of the form.
8. Next, click on the "Print or Download" button. (Although you will be able to make your rubric available online at 4teachers.org, you will be asked to register or log-in. There is no fee for this.)
9.

Next, you will have three options:

  1. print rubric (not recommended)
  2. create offline browser document (to put on your school website, but additional knowledge is necessary)
  3. download Excel spreadsheet (BEST option, choose this one.)
  
10. You will then see an Excel file on your Desktop called "MyRubric.xls." Keep this file for future use.
 

At this point, there are a few things that you will need to do in Excel just to ensure that your rubric will print properly.

  
11. Open the rubric and edit any part of it that you want.  
12. Select all the cells from the top left down to the bottom right of the rubric area. File menu>>Print Area>>Set Print Area This defines what will print when you try to print the rubric.
13. File menu>>Page Setup... Select the radio button for "Fit to 1 page by 1 page" and the radio button for landscape orientation.  
14. You can now print this rubric any time you want, and it will fit nicely on one page.  
     

© 2005 American School Foundation of Monterrey, A.C.
Last Updated February 11, 2005