Organisms in Your Biome—Grading Rubric NOTE: If a component is absent, student receives a zero for that component. Unsatisfactory Emerging Proficient Exemplary Assignment Components Describe the environment where you live in terms of its biome. (Course Objective [CO] 1) Description of the environment where you live in terms of its biome is unclear and inaccurate. Description of the environment where you live in terms of its biome is vague and does not include sufficient detail. Description of the environment where you live in terms of its biome is clear and accurate. Description of the environment where you live in terms of its biome is clear and accurate. In addition, several detailed, insightful examples are given with regard to human influence. Identify five plants and five animals within your biome, and describe how they interact with one another. (CO 1) Identification of five plants and five animal biomes and description of how they interact with one another are incomplete, inaccurate, and/or not based on sound research. Identification of five plants and five animal biomes and description of how they interact with one another are complete, but lacking sufficient detail and not based on sound research. Identification of five plants and five animal biomes and description of how they interact with one another are clear, accurate, and based on sound research. Identification of five plants and five animal biomes and description of how they interact with one another are clear, accurate, and based on sound research. In addition, several detailed, insightful examples are given with regard to the interactions. Consider the ten organisms you picked and describe what each one needs to survive (including interactions between the organisms). (CO 3) Description of each organism and its environment needed to survive (including interactions between the organisms) is incomplete, inaccurate, and/or not based on sound research. Description of each organism and its environment needed to survive (including interactions between the organisms) is complete, but somewhat unclear, and lacking sufficient detail. Description of each organism and its environment needed to survive (including interactions between the organisms) is clear, accurate, and based on sound research. Description of each organism and its environment needed to survive (including interactions between the organisms) is clear, accurate, and based on sound research. In addition, several detailed, insightful examples are given. Identify five plants and five animals that you feel would inhabit your area if the climate were to increase by an average of ten degrees Celsius, and describe the hypothetical new ecosystem along with the new interactions that would likely exist. (CO 5) Identification of five plants and five animals that would inhabit one’s area if the climate were to increase by ten degrees and a description of the hypothetical new ecosystem along with the new in.

1. Organisms in Your Biome—Grading Rubric
NOTE: If a component is absent, student receives a zero for that
component.
Unsatisfactory
Emerging
Proficient
Exemplary
Assignment Components
Describe the environment where you live in terms of its biome.
(Course Objective [CO] 1)
Description of the environment where you live in terms of its
biome is unclear and inaccurate.
Description of the environment where you live in terms of its
biome is vague and does not include sufficient detail.
Description of the environment where you live in terms of its
biome is clear and accurate.
Description of the environment where you live in terms of its
biome is clear and accurate. In addition, several detailed,
insightful examples are given with regard to human influence.
Identify five plants and five animals within your biome, and

2. describe how they interact with one another.
(CO 1)
Identification of five plants and five animal biomes and
description of how they interact with one another are
incomplete, inaccurate, and/or not based on sound research.
Identification of five plants and five animal biomes and
description of how they interact with one another are complete,
but lacking sufficient detail and not based on sound research.
Identification of five plants and five animal biomes and
description of how they interact with one another are clear,
accurate, and based on sound research.
Identification of five plants and five animal biomes and
description of how they interact with one another are clear,
accurate, and based on sound research. In addition, several
detailed, insightful examples are given with regard to the
interactions.
Consider the ten organisms you picked and describe what each
one needs to survive (including interactions between the
organisms).
(CO 3)
Description of each organism and its environment needed to
survive (including interactions between the organisms) is
incomplete, inaccurate, and/or not based on sound research.
Description of each organism and its environment needed to
survive (including interactions between the organisms) is
complete, but somewhat unclear, and lacking sufficient detail.
Description of each organism and its environment needed to

3. survive (including interactions between the organisms) is clear,
accurate, and based on sound research.
Description of each organism and its environment needed to
survive (including interactions between the organisms) is clear,
accurate, and based on sound research. In addition, several
detailed, insightful examples are given.
Identify five plants and five animals that you feel would inhabit
your area if the climate were to increase by an average of ten
degrees Celsius, and describe the hypothetical new ecosystem
along with the new interactions that would likely exist.
(CO 5)
Identification of five plants and five animals that would inhabit
one’s area if the climate were to increase by ten degrees and a
description of the hypothetical new ecosystem along with the
new interactions that would likely exist are incomplete,
inaccurate, and/or not based on sound research.
Identification of five plants and five animals that would inhabit
one’s area if the climate were to increase by ten degrees and a
description of the hypothetical new ecosystem along with the
new interactions that would likely exist are complete, but
somewhat unclear, and lacking sufficient detail.
Identification of five plants and five animals that would inhabit
one’s area if the climate were to increase by ten degrees and a
description of the hypothetical new ecosystem along with the
new interactions that would likely exist are clear, accurate, and

4. based on sound research.
Identification of five plants and five animals that would inhabit
one’s area if the climate were to increase by ten degrees and a
description of the hypothetical new ecosystem along with the
new interactions that would likely exist are clear, accurate, and
based on sound research. In addition, several detailed,
insightful examples are given with regard to the future
interactions.
Summarize how environmental management practices would
change in your city with this drastic shift in temperature and
how these new conditions would impact the culture and society.
Explain if you would still choose to live in this area and justify
your answer.
(CO 4)
Summary of how environmental management practices will
change in one’s city and how this drastic shift in temperature
will impact the culture and society and an explanation of one’s
choice to stay or leave this area are incomplete, unclear, and/or
inaccurate.
Summary of how environmental management practices will
change in one’s city and how this drastic shift in temperature
will impact the culture and society and an explanation of one’s
choice to stay or leave this area are complete, but somewhat
unclear and lacking sufficient detail.
Summary of how environmental management practices will
change in one’s city and how this drastic shift in temperature
will impact the culture and society and an explanation of one’s

5. choice to stay or leave this area are clear and accurate.
Summary of how environmental management practices will
change in one’s city and how this drastic shift in temperature
will impact the culture and society and an explanation of one’s
choice to stay or leave this area are clear and accurate. In
addition, several detailed, insightful examples are given.
Presentation Components
Organization
Introduction
Transitions
Conclusion
Introduction is limited or missing entirely.
Transitions between slides are infrequent, illogical, or missing
entirely.
Conclusion is limited or missing entirely.
Introduction is present but incomplete or underdeveloped.
Transitions between slides are sporadic.
Conclusion is recognizable, but incomplete or underdeveloped.
Introduction has an opening, provides some background
information, and states the topic.
Transitions between slides are present.
Conclusion summarizes main argument and has a clear ending.

6. Introduction catches the audience’s attention, provides
compelling and appropriate background info, and clearly states
the topic.
Thoughtful transitions between slides are appropriate and help
the flow of ideas.
Conclusion leaves the listener with a sense of closure and
provides concluding insights.
Style
Tone
Audience
Word Choice
Visual design of presentation (i.e., background, pictures, text,
etc.) is lacking or completely overpowers the presentation to the
point of interfering with comprehensibility, or design is
inappropriate for the assignment.
Design of presentation (i.e., background, pictures, text, etc.)
upstages the writing or speaking at inappropriate times, or
visual design is too understated at points, or design is
inconsistent.
Design of presentation (i.e., background, pictures, text, etc.) is
clear, appropriate for the assignment, is balanced and
compliments both the writing and speaking throughout the
presentation.
Visual design of presentation (i.e., background, pictures, text,
etc.) is clear, appropriate for the assignment, is balanced and

7. compliments both the writing and speaking throughout the
presentation. Visual design engages audience, does not distract
from information.
Usage and Mechanics
Grammar
Spelling
Sentence structure
Any written portion (including writing on the slides and in
notes) contains numerous errors in spelling, grammar, and/or
sentence structure that severely interferes with readability and
comprehension.
Any written portion (including writing on the slides and in
notes) contains errors in spelling and grammar that somewhat
interfere with comprehension.
Any written portion (including writing on the slides and in
notes) follows conventions of spelling and grammar throughout.
Errors are infrequent and do not interfere with comprehension.
The presentation is basically error free in terms of mechanics.
In any written portion (including writing on the slides and in
notes), grammar and mechanics help establish a clear idea and
aid the reader in following the writer’s logic.
APA Elements
Attribution

8. Paraphrasing
Quotations
When appropriate or assigned
No attempt at APA format in presentation.
APA format is attempted to paraphrase, quote, and cite, but
errors are significant.
APA format is used accurately to paraphrase, quote, and cite in
many spots throughout when appropriate or called for. Errors
present are somewhat minor.
APA format is used accurately to paraphrase, quote, and cite
throughout the presentation when appropriate or called for.
Only a few minor errors present.
Subtotal
Timeliness
Late work penalty:
Total Score
/ 200 pts

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Ecology and Environmental Sustainability
©2011 Argosy University Online Programs
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Ecology and Environmental Sustainability
©2011 Argosy University Online Programs