📘 How Grades Work in IT Applications & Design

Middle school is a time of transition—from elementary learning structures to the expectations of high school. Grades during this time may fluctuate as students move through hands-on learning experiences, assessments, and reflections. I encourage both students and families to give themselves grace as they adjust to this process.

Please remember:

• Not all assignments are weighted equally

• Grades may change throughout a grading period

• Infinite Campus is the final and official record of all grades

Daily agendas, materials, assignments, and feedback are posted in Google Classroom on the STREAM as Daily Slides.

To monitor your student’s progress, ask them to log in and show you their work in the software tools we use during class.

📘 Academic Grade – Content Knowledge

In IT Applications & Design, students learn through hands-on building, testing, coding, and problem-solving. To ensure grades reflect individual understanding—not just task completion—we use three measures, each with a clear purpose. These three grades will be inside each of the 6 units within this semester.

✔ 15% — Career Connection = WORLD CONNECTIONS

• Individual work half way through the unit

• Delivered via google form inside google classroom

• Allows students to discover career opportunities that relate to the unit they are working on

• RUBRIC:

4 – Complete answers with thoughtful explanations using OOH information

3 – Complete answers but explanations are brief

2 – Some answers missing or very short

1 – Incomplete

✔ 45% — Posttest → checks what you know = KNOWLEDGE

• Measures each student’s understanding of key concepts explored during the expedition

• Tests are clear, balanced, and aligned to learning targets

• This is an individual assessment

• RUBRIC:

   4 =  90 - 100

3.5 =  88 - 89

  3 =  70 - 87

2.5 =  66 - 69

  2 =  45 - 65

  1 =  44 and below (only here can you retake the posttest)

✔ 40% — Reflection → shows what you've learned = UNDERSTANDING

• Each student completes a short paragraph at the end of an expedition via a google form

  • what worked best,

  • why it worked,

  • and one improvement they would make next time

• This reflection shows individual understanding, even though much of the expedition work is collaborative

• RUBRIC

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📘 Grading Scale:

Here is some clarification on our district's grading scale. Our scale uses a 1-4 system to measure student proficiency, which can be a bit different from traditional letter grades. Here’s a breakdown of what each number means:

•  4 – Exceeding the Standard. → This means a student has gone above and beyond the expectations for their grade level.

•  3 – Meeting Proficiency to the grade level standard. → This is the target we aim for.

•  2 – Approaching Proficiency. → The student is not yet at the grade level standard.

•  1 – Needs Support →. The student requires significant support to meet the standard. Growth is needed.

A score of 3 always means solid understanding, regardless of the assignment.

📘 Work Habits Grade (Reported Separately in Infinite Campus)

The work habits grade reflects habits and behaviors demonstrated as a learner - aligned to the Colorado Essential Skills.  specifically, we encourage students to demonstrate P.E.A.K. behaviors (prepared, engaged, accountable, and kind).

How Work Habits Are Monitored

Students daily self-reflect on their work habits during a unit/rotation.  Work habits grades are based on overall patterns observed throughout each rotation, not on a single day. This approach helps students build responsibility, time management, and self-awareness. Grades will be posted at the end of each unit in Infinite Campus.

RUBRIC Link