This document outlines guiding principles for grading in a physics class: 1. A student's grade should be determined solely by their understanding of physics concepts, not other factors. 2. Homework is for practice and should not affect grades. 3. Students can learn concepts at any time as long as they eventually learn them. 4. Assessments should provide guidance on how to improve understanding. 5. Assessments need to incentivize students to do the work required to improve their understanding.

1. Guiding Principles of Grading in this class
• Your grade should be determined by how well you
understand physics, and nothing else.
• Homework is practice, it should not affect your
grade.
• It doesn’t matter when you learn it, so long as
you learn it.
• Assessments must guide you on how to improve.
• Assessments need to provide incentive for you to
do the work required to improve.
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2. Student A
Understanding of Physics
Student B
End of Semester
Time
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3. Ideas are categorized in 3 ways in this class
A (Core)
These skills are fundamental to this physics class and future
study of science. In order to pass, you must achieve proficiency
in all of them.
B (Intermediate)
These concepts represent more advanced skills that indicate
a deeper understanding of physics. In order to achieve a grade
of A, you must achieve proficiency in all of them.
C (Advanced)
These concepts represent the most advanced skills and ideas
in this physics course. Achieving proficiency of these ideas is
an indicator of significant achievement.
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4. Many ways to measure understanding
•Written questions on assessments
•Answering a directed question in class
•Blog about it
•Talk about it with me 1-on-1
•And many more—rap it, write a play, what else?
Lots of chances to demonstrate improved understanding
(see reassessments)
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5. How I classify your understanding
4 (Advanced): I know you’ve mastered it 3 (Proficient): I know you understand it
• I understand the content/skills completely and can explain • I understand the important things about the content/
them in detail. skills.
• I can explain/teach the skills to another student. • I have confidence on how to do the skills on my own most of
• I have high confidence on how to do the skills. the time, but I need to continue practicing some parts that
• I can have a conversation about the skills. still give me problems.
• I can independently demonstrate extensions of my • I need my handouts and notes once in a while.
knowledge. • I am proficient at describing terms and independently
• I can create analogies and/or find connections bet ween connecting them with concepts.
different areas within the sciences or bet ween science and • I understand not just the “what,” but can correctly explain
other areas of study. the “how” and “why” of scientific processes.
• My responses demonstrate in-depth understanding of • My responses demonstrate in-depth understanding of
main ideas and of related details main ideas.
2 (Developing) I think you may understand it 1 (Beginning): I know you don’t understand it
• I need lots of help from my teacher (one-on-one).
• I have a general understanding of the content/skills, but • I have low confidence on how to do the skills and need more
I’m also confused about some important parts. instruction.
• I need some help from my teacher (one-on-one or small • I need my handouts and science notebook at all times.
group) to do the skills correctly. • I do not understand the concept/skills.
• I do not feel confident enough to do the skills on my own. • I cannot correctly identify concepts and/or define
• I need my handouts and notebook most of the time. vocabulary.
• I can correctly identify concepts and/or define vocabulary; • I cannot make connections among ideas or extend the
however I cannot not make connections among ideas and/ information.
or independently extend my own learning. • My responses lack detail necessary to demonstrate basic
• My responses demonstrate basic understanding of some understanding.
main ideas, but significant information is missing.
Most recent assessment score = your current understanding
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6. Prepare for this question at the end of each quarter:
Based on the scores you’ve earned on
each of the learning standards so far,
tell me what you think your overall grade
in this class should be. Do you agree with
this assessment of your understanding?
Explain, with EVIDENCE.
Numeric Letter Description
Grade
<70 F I have not achieved proficiency (3) on all of the core (A-
Level) concepts
70 C- I have achieved proficiency (3) on all of the core (A-Level)
concepts
75 C In addition to previous levels, I am developing
understanding (2) of all of the (B-Level) standards
80 B- In addition to previous levels, I have achieved proficiency
(3) in at least half of the B level standards.
85 B In addition to previous levels, I am developing
understanding (2) of the remaining half of the B-Level
standards.
90 A- In addition to previous levels, I have achieved proficiency
(3) in all of the B-Level standards
95 A In addition to previous levels, I have achieved proficiency
(3) in many of the C-Level standards.
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7. • “Homework is practice, it should not affect your grade.”
What? No Homework?
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8. Feedback ≠ Grading
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