To grade or not to grade?
You’ve been using doodle notes in your classroom and you see how well they work to help students understand your content. So……do you grade the doodle notes? We’ve been getting questions from teachers using our NGSS Doodle Notes for LIFE / EARTH / PHYSICAL science on this topic so this post gives some suggestions! Here are the four ways I use grades along with doodle notes in middle school science. (These apply to all subject areas!)
Option 1-
Completion credit is a great way to provide feedback to students simply for participation. When I doodle note with my students, I often give a “Good Work Grade.” This means that if a student can answer these questions, they earn full credit! (We use total points so this is usually a 5pt score to help track student completion and progress.)
- Did you do ALL the parts?
- Did you follow along?
- Can you learn from and study from your notes?
Option 2-
Assessment Credit is a grade associated with using the doodle notes as an assessment for a topic that kids have already learned. This involves students completing the doodle notes independently (using the digital links provided for support) and then turning them in for your review. (Sample rubric included below that works for both option 2 and 3)
Option 3-
Classwork or homework credit is a tool I use when I leave doodle notes for sub plans OR when I have kids complete the doodle notes independently at home or in class. This rubric is given to kids in advance so they know what I will be looking for when I assess their completed work. I use this rubric when grading the NGSS Vocabulary Doodle Notes (available Life, Earth and Physical Science)
Option 4-
NO grades! Yup…I think many of my middle school colleagues are obsessed with grading everything their students do. Seriously, what if kids just do great work for the benefits of learning and doing great work? I know….I know – enter teacher eye roll here- but hear me out. I will tell you that after years of using doodle notes, kids are only as excited about notes as YOU are excited about notes. If I make a big deal, compliment students work and show my enthusiasm for doodle noting my kids will do pretty amazing work WITHOUT a grade! Here are some non-grading ideas that get kids pumped about their work:
- Doodle together with a doc camera. Take breaks every 10 minutes and play some upbeat music while kids add their OWN flare to their notes. #brainbasedlearning (Amazon link to support my work- My fav doc camera to use with doodle notes!!)
- Take photos of awesome work and post them on your learning management system. I post an update on Schoology and kids get so excited if their notes are featured!
- Display Doodle Notes in your classroom. Even the big kids like the see their work on the walls!
- Allow students to ONLY USE DOODLE NOTES on their upcoming test! This is a huge incentive to do good work!
Until next time you can catch me on instagram @captivatescience!
Kate
