P R O J E C T D E S I G N R U B R I C

Essential Lacks Features of Effective PBL Needs Further Development Includes Features of Effective PBL
Project Design The project has one or more of the following The project includes some features of The project has the
Element problems in each area: effective PBL but has some weaknesses: following strengths:

Key Knowledge, Student learning goals are not clear and The project is focused on standards- The project is focused on teaching
Understanding specific; the project is not focused on derived knowledge and understanding, students specific and important
& Success Skills standards. but it may target too few, too many, or knowledge, understanding, and skills

The project does not explicitly target, less important goals. derived from standards and central to
assess, or scaffold the development of Success skills are targeted, but there may academic subject areas.
success skills. be too many to be adequately taught and Important success skills are explicitly
assessed. targeted to be taught and assessed, such
as critical thinking/problem solving,
collaboration, and self-management.

Challenging The project is not focused on a central The project is focused on a central The project is focused on a central
Problem or problem or question (it may be more problem or question, but the level of problem or question, at the appropriate
Question like a unit with several tasks); or the challenge might be inappropriate for the level of challenge.
problem or question is too easily solved intended students. The central problem or question is
or answered to justify a project. The driving question relates to the framed by a driving question for the
The central problem or question is not project but does not capture its central project, which is:
framed by a driving question for the problem or question (it may be more like open-ended; it will allow students to
project, or it is seriously flawed, for a theme). develop more than one reasonable
example: The driving question meets some of the answer.
it has a single or simple answer. criteria (in the Includes Features column) understandable and inspiring to
it is not engaging to students (it sounds for an effective driving question, but students.
too complex or academic like it came lacks others.
aligned with learning goals; to answer it,
from a textbook or appeals only to a students will need to gain the intended
teacher). knowledge, understanding, and skills.

Sustained The project is more like an activity or Inquiry is limited (it may be brief and
Inquiry is sustained over time and
Inquiry hands-on task, rather than an extended only occur once or twice in the project; academically rigorous (students pose
process of inquiry. information-gathering is the main task; questions, gather & interpret data,
There is no process for students to deeper questions are not asked). develop and evaluate solutions or build
generate questions to guide inquiry. Students generate questions, but while evidence for answers, and ask further
some might be addressed, they are not questions).
used to guide inquiry and do not affect
Inquiry is driven by student-generated
the path of the project. questions throughout the project.

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 Project Design Rubric / Page 2
Authenticity The project resembles traditional The project has some authentic features, The project has an authentic context,
schoolwork; it lacks a real-world but they may be limited or feel contrived. involves real-world tasks, tools, and
context, tasks and tools, does not make quality standards, makes a real impact
a real impact on the world or speak to on the world, and/or speaks to students
students personal interests. personal concerns, interests, or identities.

Student Voice Students are not given opportunities to Students are given limited opportunities Students have opportunities to express
& Choice express voice and choice affecting the to express voice and choice, generally in voice and choice on important matters
content or process of the project. less important matters (deciding how (questions asked, texts and resources
Students are expected to work too much to divide tasks within a team or which used, people to work with, products to
on their own, without adequate guidance website to use for research). be created, use of time, organization of
from the teacher and/or before they are Students work independently from the tasks).
capable. teacher to some extent, but they could do Students have opportunities to take
more on their own. significant responsibility and work as
independently from the teacher as is
appropriate, with guidance.

Reflection Students and the teacher do not engage in Students and teachers engage in some Students and teachers engage in
reflection about what and how students reflection during the project and after thoughtful, comprehensive reflection
learn or about the projects design and its culmination, but not regularly or in both during the project and after its
management. depth. culmination, about what and how
students learn and the projects design
and management.

Critique & Students get only limited or irregular Students are provided with opportunities Students are provided with regular,
Revision feedback about their products and work- to give and receive feedback about the structured opportunities to give and
in-progress, and only from teachers, not quality of products and work-in-progress, receive feedback about the quality of
peers. but they may be unstructured or only their products and work-in-progress from
Students do not know how or are not occur once. peers, teachers, and if appropriate from
required to use feedback to revise and Students look at or listen to feedback others beyond the classroom.
improve their work. about the quality of their work, but do Students use feedback about their work to
not substantially revise and improve it. revise and improve it.

Public Product Students do not make their work public Student work is made public only to Student work is made public by
by presenting it to an audience or offering classmates and the teacher. presenting or offering it to people beyond
it to people beyond the classroom. Students present products, but are not the classroom.
asked to explain how they worked and Students are asked to publicly explain the
what they learned. reasoning behind choices they made, their
inquiry process, how they worked, what
they learned, etc.

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