Rubrics are excellent tools to help students understand the goals for projects and assignments.  They are invaluable in helping teachers have a more objective way to assess work. Students know more clearly what a score or grade represents when they can read the detailed descriptors on a rubric scale. Writing rubrics can prove challenging, but there are many tools, resources, and samples available to help. You may want to start with a checklist which you can create easily on the Project Based Learning Website.

At Rubistar you can build your own assessment rubric by choosing from pre-generated objectives and performance indicators. Edit them freely for your specific instructional needs. This is a great starting point for building outstanding rubrics. (Note, in Rubistar you're limited to a four point rating scale.)

At the Rubric Builder site you can build a rubric with up to nine performance indicators and nine objectives. You also have three publishing options:

•  print version
•  a web version
•  an interactive web version that allows you or your students to check boxes which are automatically scored and totaled for you.

This site provides a  collection of assessment rubrics for teachers and students. They even have a great number of student-friendly ones that have graphic designs that make it easier for students to self-assess.

Teach-Nology has ready-made rubrics as well as the option to build your own. It even includes some unique rubrics:  Clean-up/Changing Activities Rubric, Class Participation Rubric, and a Team Work Rubric. 

The Staff Room for Ontario Teachers is a huge bank of rubrics that can help you get started on a rubric for a specific project.  (Helpful Hint:  Use the Edit > Find feature in Internet Explorer to quickly find specific words that will help you locate the rubric you need.)

In this part of Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators, you will find a collection of assessment rubrics that can be helpful to you as you design your own.

IDE: Innovative Designs for Education's website has a great  rubric to assess your Rubric!

For a detailed outline of how to create a rubric, visit Chicago Public Schools' Instructional Intranet site.

Surfaquarium: Surfaquarium's Innovative Teaching Newsletter is a library of links to professional literature and rubric sites.

When first introducing your students to rubrics, you may want to start with a checklist which you can create easily on the Project Based Learning Website.