Good morning!
I’ll admit it – I watched far too much The Price Is Right as a kid.
But the good thing is this – all those 80s gameshow classics have translated into some pretty cool lesson plans and alternative grading method ideas.
Here’s something I’ve come to know about our students: they love to play games and their learning thrives when we introduce the element of competition into our lessons.
And this is where Bob Barker’s Blank Check game comes into play …
The first thing you need to do is find four essays ranging in scores from 70 to 100.
Apart from the 70 paper, which I write, I anonymously take a student paper that would score an 80, 90, and 100.
I write the 70 paper, clearly, so as not to destroy anyone’s confidence.
In a writing workshop forum, the entire class deconstructs each essay to determine what sets them apart from each other.
· What does a 100 thesis statement look like in comparison to a 90 or 80?
· How does a 70 paper approach embedding quotes versus a 90 paper?
· What does a stellar 1st premise look like versus a mediocre one?
· What are the better writers doing as far as textual support and analysis go?
· How does a 100 paper achieve rhythm, voice, flow?
Unpacking each criteria on the rubric, we proceed through all four papers thoroughly.
But the big thing, during the workshop, your students are determining where they stand as a writer.
So, you might say … “Ok class, you’ve now seen four introductory paragraphs ranging from 70-100. Of the four samples, which one does your introduction most align with and why? Leave some feedback in your margins.”
In this workshop, the student is responding to their own writing based on the four samples.
Instead of us owning the spaces in the margin, they call the shots.
But I take things one step further.
Each kid is given a blank check (I make these on Canva and print for the students).
On the check, the student needs to write down the grade they think they deserve and WHY.
But going one step further, the student needs to state “WHY” they think they deserve that grade while also assigning themselves 3 learning targets either for revision or the next subsequent essay.
What I do from here is look over the student’s margin notes, grade justification, and learning targets – and then I write them a quick reflection note whereby I honor their critique and add to it.
You’d be amazed at how brutally honest your students are when you give them the opportunity to self-grade. Very seldom do I have a student make a joke of the exercise.
I did this writing workshop at the end of the year with 54 AP Language students (two sections).
In 80 minutes, I had 54 papers loaded with meaningful and insightful feedback … graded … with learning targets assigned.
The Price Is Right!
On July 31st at 11 a.m. EST we will be hosting an Alternative Grading Methods Two-Hour Intensive whereby we will look at forty alternatives to traditional grading.
There is a whole better way of doing things that not only save a ton of time, but greatly increase learning so that our students actually grow and mature as writers.
If you’d like more information, please reach out or visit my webpage at http://teachinghow2write.com/alternative-grading-methods-intensive/
Happy teaching and happy writing!
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