Set Learning Goals and Use Rubrics with your students (Marzano DQ1)

Marzano's first design question is to give students clear learning goals and rubrics.  In order for students to learn best, they need to know what they are supposed to learn (or, begin with the end in mind).  So, while many of our lesson plan requirements have called for including learning targets (or "I can statements") for years, sometimes we have missed the crucial step of effectively communicating the learning goals to the students in kid-friendly language.

The second part is about using rubrics.  Rubrics are not just a way to quickly and fairly grade student work, they are also (and more importantly) a way for students to monitor their own learning.​

All of my classroom instruction is planned and delivered with Marzano's principles in mind.  The same is also true for my educational products.  Each day in class, we begin by examining the days learning target (or goal) and rate our level of understanding of the target on a scale.  We end class by re-examining the target and re-rating ourselves using the same scale.

All of my complete units include a student learning log, and a Marzano aligned scale for each day of instruction.  If you are not looking for an entire unit, each interactive note presentation also begins and ends with a learning goal scale.  Click the links below to check them out, and don't forget to follow this blog and my store to learn more about Marzano and more great Social Studies resources!

• Complete Marzano aligned Units
• Interactive Notes
• My Store