CATEGORY

4 Advanced

3 Proficient

2 Basic

1 Below Basic

Ideas/Research Questions

Researchers independently identify at least 3 reasonable, topic-related, creative questions to answer when doing the research.

Researchers independently identify at least 2 reasonable, topic-related, creative questions to answer when doing the research.

Researchers identify, with some adult help, at least 2 reasonable, topic-related, creative questions to pursue when doing the research.

Researchers identify, with considerable adult help, at least 2 reasonable, topic-related questions to pursue when doing the research.

Delegation of Responsibility

Each student in the group can clearly explain what information is needed by the group, what information s/he is responsible for locating, and when the information is needed.

Each student in the group can clearly explain what information s/he is responsible for locating.

Each student in the group can, with minimal prompting from peers, clearly explain what information s/he is responsible for locating.

One or more students in the group cannot clearly explain what information they are responsible for locating.

Plan for Organizing Information

Students have developed a clear plan for organizing the information as it is gathered and in the final research product. All students can independently explain the planned organization of the research findings.

Students have developed a clear plan for organizing the information in the final research product. All students can independently explain this plan.

Students have developed a clear plan for organizing the information as it is gathered. All students can independently explain most of this plan.

Students have no clear plan for organizing the information AND/OR students in the group cannot explain their organizational plan.

Quality of Sources

Researchers independently locate at least 2 reliable, interesting information sources for EACH of their ideas or questions.

Researchers independently locate at least 2 reliable information sources for EACH of their ideas or questions.

Researchers, with some adult help, locate at least 2 reliable information sources for EACH of their ideas or questions.

Researchers, with extensive adult help, locate at least 2 reliable information sources for EACH of their ideas or questions.

Quality of Artifiact

Artifact is visually interesting and shows evidence of exceptional effort.

Artifact is somewhat visually interesting and shows evidence of resonable effort.

Artifact is not very interesting and/or shows evidence of some effort.

Artifact is unattractive, sloppy and/or hastily put together with little effort.