Distinguished - Thoroughly describes how the thematic unit aligns with the philosophy of curriculum and uses a developmentally appropriate approach. The description is well-supported by scholarly sources.

Proficient - Describes how the thematic unit aligns with the philosophy of curriculum and uses a developmentally appropriate approach. The description is supported by scholarly sources but slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Briefly describes how the thematic unit aligns with the philosophy of curriculum and uses a developmentally appropriate approach. The description is partially supported by scholarly sources and/or underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to describe how the thematic unit aligns with the philosophy of curriculum and uses a developmentally appropriate approach; however, the description is not supported by scholarly sources and significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The description of how the thematic unit aligns with the philosophy of curriculum and uses a developmentally appropriate approach is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly explains the plan for sharing this thematic unit with the families. The explanation is well-supported by scholarly sources.

Proficient - Explains the plan for sharing this thematic unit with the families. The explanation is supported  by scholarly sources but slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Partially explains the plan for sharing this thematic unit with the families. The explanation is not sufficiently supported by scholarly sources and/or underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain the plan for sharing this thematic unit with the families; however, the explanation is not supported by scholarly sources and significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The explanation of the plan for sharing this thematic unit with the families is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly examines the educator’s role in fostering each child’s development and joy of learning through the unit.

Proficient - Examines the educator’s role in fostering each child’s development and joy of learning through the unit. The examination is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Briefly examines the educator’s role in fostering each child’s development and joy of learning through the unit. The examination is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to examine the educator’s role in fostering each child’s development and joy of learning through the unit; however, the examination is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The examination of the educator’s role in fostering each child’s development and joy of learning through the unit is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Develops a thorough concept map by revising the current map and adding at least three ideas for social-emotional development, social studies, and literacy. 

Proficient - Develops a concept map by revising the current map and adding at least three ideas for social-emotional development, social studies, and literacy.  Minor details are missing.

Basic - Develops a limited concept map by revising the current map and adding at least three ideas for social-emotional development, social studies, and literacy.  Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to develop a concept map by revising the current map and adding at least three ideas for social-emotional development, social studies, and literacy; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The development of a concept may by revising the current map and adding at least three ideas for social-emotional development, social studies, and literacy is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly revises the Creative Arts and Fine and Gross Motor Skills  focused lessons from Week 3, fully incorporating the instructor’s feedback as well as include evidence of new learning.

Proficient - Revises the Creative Arts and Fine and Gross Motor Skills focused lessons from Week 3. The revision does not completely incorporate the instructor’s feedback as well as include evidence of new learning.

Basic - Minimally revise the Creative Arts and Fine and Gross Motor Skills focused lessons from Week 3. The revision is underdeveloped and minimally incorporates the instructor’s feedback as well as include evidence of new learning.

Below Expectations - Attempts to revise the your Creative Arts and Fine and Gross Motor Skills focused lessons from Week 3; however, the revision is significantly underdeveloped and does not incorporate the instructor’s feedback as well as include evidence of new learning.

Non-Performance - The revision of the Creative Arts and Fine and Gross Motor Skills focused lessons from Week 3is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Develops a clear and comprehensive STEM focused lesson plan , including clear and thoroughly detailed goals, objectives, standards, materials, introduction, lesson development, differentiation, assessment, and closing.

Proficient - Develops a STEM focused lesson plan, including mostly clear and detailed goals, objectives, standards, materials, introduction, lesson development, differentiation,  assessment, and closing. The lesson plan is slightly unclear or underdeveloped.

Basic - Develops a limited STEM focused lesson plan, including somewhat clear and detailed goals, objectives, standards, materials, introduction, lesson development, differentiation,  assessment, and closing. The lesson plan is unclear and/or underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to develop a STEM focused lesson plan; however, does not include clear and detailed goals, objectives, standards, materials, introduction, lesson development, differentiation, assessment, and closing, and the lesson plan is significantly unclear and underdeveloped.

Non-Performance -The STEM focused lesson plan is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Develops a clear and comprehensive  literacy and social-emotional  focused lesson plan, including clear and thoroughly detailed goals, objectives, standards, materials, introduction, lesson development, differentiation, assessment, and closing.

Proficient - Develops a literacy and social-emotional  focused lesson plan, including mostly clear and detailed goals, objectives, standards, materials, introduction, lesson development, differentiation,  assessment, and closing.  The lesson plan is slightly unclear or underdeveloped.

Basic - Develops a limited literacy and social-emotional  focused lesson plan, including somewhat clear and detailed goals, objectives, standards, materials, introduction, lesson development, differentiation,  assessment, and closing. The lesson plan is unclear and/or underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to develop aliteracy and social-emotional  focused lesson plan; however, does not include clear and detailed goals, objectives, standards, materials, introduction, lesson development, differentiation, assessment, and closing,, and the lesson plan is significantly unclear and underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The development of a literacy and social-emotional  focused lesson is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Submits final assignment to ePortfolio.

Non-Performance - Does not submit final assignment to ePortfolio.

Distinguished - Uses appropriate, pertinent, and persuasive content to discover and develop sophisticated ideas within the context of the discipline, shaping the work as a whole.

Proficient - Uses appropriate and pertinent content to discover ideas within the context of the discipline, shaping the work as a whole.

Basic - Uses appropriate and pertinent content but does not apply it toward discovering or developing ideas. Overall, content assists in shaping the written work.

Below Expectations - Uses content, though it may be unrelated or inappropriate to the topic. Content does not contribute toward the development of the written work and may distract the reader from its purpose.

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Distinguished - Demonstrates consistent use of reliable, appropriate sources and/or evidence to support ideas that are situated within the discipline and genre of the writing.

Proficient - Demonstrates mostly consistent use of reliable sources that are appropriate to the discipline and genre of the writing. Sources offer some support to the ideas in the writing. 

Basic - Demonstrates somewhat inconsistent use of sources that are mostly reliable to the discipline and genre of the writing. Sources offer little support to the ideas in the writing.

Below Expectations - Inconsistently utilizes sources and/or evidence that may be unrelated and offer little support to the ideas in the writing. 

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Distinguished - Displays meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains no errors and is very easy to understand.

Proficient - Displays comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains only a few minor errors and is mostly easy to understand.

Basic - Displays basic comprehension of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains a few errors which may slightly distract the reader.

Below Expectations - Fails to display basic comprehension of syntax or mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains major errors which distract the reader.

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Distinguished - Accurately uses APA formatting consistently throughout the paper, title page, and reference page.

Proficient - Exhibits APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout contains a few minor errors. 

Basic - Exhibits limited knowledge of APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout does not meet all APA requirements. 

Below Expectations - Fails to exhibit basic knowledge of APA formatting. There are frequent errors, making the layout difficult to distinguish as APA.

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Distinguished - The length of the paper is equivalent to the required number of correctly formatted pages. 

Proficient - The length of the paper is nearly equivalent to the required number of correctly formatted pages. 

Basic - The length of the paper is equivalent to at least three quarters of the required number of correctly formatted pages.

Below Expectations - The length of the paper is equivalent to at least one half of the required number of correctly formatted pages.   

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Distinguished - Uses more than the required number of scholarly sources, providing compelling evidence to support ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.

Proficient - Uses the required number of scholarly sources to support ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.

Basic - Uses less than the required number of sources to support ideas. Some sources may not be scholarly. Most sources on the reference page are used within the body of the assignment. Citations may not be formatted correctly.

Below Expectations - Uses an inadequate number of sources that provide little or no support for ideas. Sources used may not be scholarly. Most sources on the reference page are not used within the body of the assignment. Citations are not formatted correctly.

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.