essay competition rubric

Rubric Best Practices, Examples, and Templates

A rubric is a scoring tool that identifies the different criteria relevant to an assignment, assessment, or learning outcome and states the possible levels of achievement in a specific, clear, and objective way. Use rubrics to assess project-based student work including essays, group projects, creative endeavors, and oral presentations.

Rubrics can help instructors communicate expectations to students and assess student work fairly, consistently and efficiently. Rubrics can provide students with informative feedback on their strengths and weaknesses so that they can reflect on their performance and work on areas that need improvement.

How to Get Started

Best practices, moodle how-to guides.

• Workshop Recording (Spring 2024)
• Workshop Registration

Step 1: Analyze the assignment

The first step in the rubric creation process is to analyze the assignment or assessment for which you are creating a rubric. To do this, consider the following questions:

• What is the purpose of the assignment and your feedback? What do you want students to demonstrate through the completion of this assignment (i.e. what are the learning objectives measured by it)? Is it a summative assessment, or will students use the feedback to create an improved product?
• Does the assignment break down into different or smaller tasks? Are these tasks equally important as the main assignment?
• What would an “excellent” assignment look like? An “acceptable” assignment? One that still needs major work?
• How detailed do you want the feedback you give students to be? Do you want/need to give them a grade?

Step 2: Decide what kind of rubric you will use

Types of rubrics: holistic, analytic/descriptive, single-point

Holistic Rubric. A holistic rubric includes all the criteria (such as clarity, organization, mechanics, etc.) to be considered together and included in a single evaluation. With a holistic rubric, the rater or grader assigns a single score based on an overall judgment of the student’s work, using descriptions of each performance level to assign the score.

Advantages of holistic rubrics:

• Can p lace an emphasis on what learners can demonstrate rather than what they cannot
• Save grader time by minimizing the number of evaluations to be made for each student
• Can be used consistently across raters, provided they have all been trained

Disadvantages of holistic rubrics:

• Provide less specific feedback than analytic/descriptive rubrics
• Can be difficult to choose a score when a student’s work is at varying levels across the criteria
• Any weighting of c riteria cannot be indicated in the rubric

Analytic/Descriptive Rubric . An analytic or descriptive rubric often takes the form of a table with the criteria listed in the left column and with levels of performance listed across the top row. Each cell contains a description of what the specified criterion looks like at a given level of performance. Each of the criteria is scored individually.

Advantages of analytic rubrics:

• Provide detailed feedback on areas of strength or weakness
• Each criterion can be weighted to reflect its relative importance

Disadvantages of analytic rubrics:

• More time-consuming to create and use than a holistic rubric
• May not be used consistently across raters unless the cells are well defined
• May result in giving less personalized feedback

Single-Point Rubric . A single-point rubric is breaks down the components of an assignment into different criteria, but instead of describing different levels of performance, only the “proficient” level is described. Feedback space is provided for instructors to give individualized comments to help students improve and/or show where they excelled beyond the proficiency descriptors.

Advantages of single-point rubrics:

• Easier to create than an analytic/descriptive rubric
• Perhaps more likely that students will read the descriptors
• Areas of concern and excellence are open-ended
• May removes a focus on the grade/points
• May increase student creativity in project-based assignments

Disadvantage of analytic rubrics: Requires more work for instructors writing feedback

Step 3 (Optional): Look for templates and examples.

You might Google, “Rubric for persuasive essay at the college level” and see if there are any publicly available examples to start from. Ask your colleagues if they have used a rubric for a similar assignment. Some examples are also available at the end of this article. These rubrics can be a great starting point for you, but consider steps 3, 4, and 5 below to ensure that the rubric matches your assignment description, learning objectives and expectations.

Step 4: Define the assignment criteria

Make a list of the knowledge and skills are you measuring with the assignment/assessment Refer to your stated learning objectives, the assignment instructions, past examples of student work, etc. for help.

  Helpful strategies for defining grading criteria:

• Collaborate with co-instructors, teaching assistants, and other colleagues
• Brainstorm and discuss with students
• Can they be observed and measured?
• Are they important and essential?
• Are they distinct from other criteria?
• Are they phrased in precise, unambiguous language?
• Revise the criteria as needed
• Consider whether some are more important than others, and how you will weight them.

Step 5: Design the rating scale

Most ratings scales include between 3 and 5 levels. Consider the following questions when designing your rating scale:

• Given what students are able to demonstrate in this assignment/assessment, what are the possible levels of achievement?
• How many levels would you like to include (more levels means more detailed descriptions)
• Will you use numbers and/or descriptive labels for each level of performance? (for example 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and/or Exceeds expectations, Accomplished, Proficient, Developing, Beginning, etc.)
• Don’t use too many columns, and recognize that some criteria can have more columns that others . The rubric needs to be comprehensible and organized. Pick the right amount of columns so that the criteria flow logically and naturally across levels.

Step 6: Write descriptions for each level of the rating scale

Artificial Intelligence tools like Chat GPT have proven to be useful tools for creating a rubric. You will want to engineer your prompt that you provide the AI assistant to ensure you get what you want. For example, you might provide the assignment description, the criteria you feel are important, and the number of levels of performance you want in your prompt. Use the results as a starting point, and adjust the descriptions as needed.

Building a rubric from scratch

For a single-point rubric , describe what would be considered “proficient,” i.e. B-level work, and provide that description. You might also include suggestions for students outside of the actual rubric about how they might surpass proficient-level work.

For analytic and holistic rubrics , c reate statements of expected performance at each level of the rubric.

• Consider what descriptor is appropriate for each criteria, e.g., presence vs absence, complete vs incomplete, many vs none, major vs minor, consistent vs inconsistent, always vs never. If you have an indicator described in one level, it will need to be described in each level.
• You might start with the top/exemplary level. What does it look like when a student has achieved excellence for each/every criterion? Then, look at the “bottom” level. What does it look like when a student has not achieved the learning goals in any way? Then, complete the in-between levels.
• For an analytic rubric , do this for each particular criterion of the rubric so that every cell in the table is filled. These descriptions help students understand your expectations and their performance in regard to those expectations.

Well-written descriptions:

• Describe observable and measurable behavior
• Use parallel language across the scale
• Indicate the degree to which the standards are met

Step 7: Create your rubric

Create your rubric in a table or spreadsheet in Word, Google Docs, Sheets, etc., and then transfer it by typing it into Moodle. You can also use online tools to create the rubric, but you will still have to type the criteria, indicators, levels, etc., into Moodle. Rubric creators: Rubistar , iRubric

Step 8: Pilot-test your rubric

Prior to implementing your rubric on a live course, obtain feedback from:

• Teacher assistants

Try out your new rubric on a sample of student work. After you pilot-test your rubric, analyze the results to consider its effectiveness and revise accordingly.

• Limit the rubric to a single page for reading and grading ease
• Use parallel language . Use similar language and syntax/wording from column to column. Make sure that the rubric can be easily read from left to right or vice versa.
• Use student-friendly language . Make sure the language is learning-level appropriate. If you use academic language or concepts, you will need to teach those concepts.
• Share and discuss the rubric with your students . Students should understand that the rubric is there to help them learn, reflect, and self-assess. If students use a rubric, they will understand the expectations and their relevance to learning.
• Consider scalability and reusability of rubrics. Create rubric templates that you can alter as needed for multiple assignments.
• Maximize the descriptiveness of your language. Avoid words like “good” and “excellent.” For example, instead of saying, “uses excellent sources,” you might describe what makes a resource excellent so that students will know. You might also consider reducing the reliance on quantity, such as a number of allowable misspelled words. Focus instead, for example, on how distracting any spelling errors are.

Example of an analytic rubric for a final paper

Example of a holistic rubric for a final paper

Single-Point Rubric

More examples:

• Single Point Rubric Template ( variation )
• Analytic Rubric Template make a copy to edit
• A Rubric for Rubrics
• Bank of Online Discussion Rubrics in different formats
• Mathematical Presentations Descriptive Rubric
• Math Proof Assessment Rubric
• Kansas State Sample Rubrics
• Design Single Point Rubric

Technology Tools: Rubrics in Moodle

• Moodle Docs: Rubrics
• Moodle Docs: Grading Guide (use for single-point rubrics)

Tools with rubrics (other than Moodle)

• Google Assignments
• Turnitin Assignments: Rubric or Grading Form

Other resources

• DePaul University (n.d.). Rubrics .
• Gonzalez, J. (2014). Know your terms: Holistic, Analytic, and Single-Point Rubrics . Cult of Pedagogy.
• Goodrich, H. (1996). Understanding rubrics . Teaching for Authentic Student Performance, 54 (4), 14-17. Retrieved from   
• Miller, A. (2012). Tame the beast: tips for designing and using rubrics.
• Ragupathi, K., Lee, A. (2020). Beyond Fairness and Consistency in Grading: The Role of Rubrics in Higher Education. In: Sanger, C., Gleason, N. (eds) Diversity and Inclusion in Global Higher Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore.

Sample Essay Rubric for Elementary Teachers

• Grading Students for Assessment
• Lesson Plans
• Becoming A Teacher
• Assessments & Tests
• Elementary Education
• Special Education
• Homeschooling
• M.S., Education, Buffalo State College
• B.S., Education, Buffalo State College

An essay rubric is a way teachers assess students' essay writing by using specific criteria to grade assignments. Essay rubrics save teachers time because all of the criteria are listed and organized into one convenient paper. If used effectively, rubrics can help improve students' writing. Below are two types of rubrics for essays.

How to Use an Essay Rubric

• The best way to use an essay rubric is to give the rubric to the students before they begin their writing assignment. Review each criterion with the students and give them specific examples of what you want so they will know what is expected of them.
• Next, assign students to write the essay, reminding them of the criteria and your expectations for the assignment.
• Once students complete the essay have them first score their own essay using the rubric, and then switch with a partner. (This peer-editing process is a quick and reliable way to see how well the student did on their assignment. It's also good practice to learn criticism and become a more efficient writer.)
• Once peer editing is complete, have students hand in their essays. Now it is your turn to evaluate the assignment according to the criteria on the rubric. Make sure to offer students examples if they did not meet the criteria listed.

Informal Essay Rubric

Formal Essay Rubric

• Scoring Rubric for Students
• Writing Rubrics
• Rubric Template Samples for Teachers
• 5 Types of Report Card Comments for Elementary Teachers
• 200 Report Card Comments
• Sample Report Card Comments for Social Studies
• Science Report Card Comments
• Report Card Comments for English Classes at School
• Report Card Comments for Math
• 5 Steps to Building a Student Portfolio
• Holding Debates in Middle School Classes
• Grading for Proficiency in the World of 4.0 GPAs
• The Whys and How-tos for Group Writing in All Content Areas
• Writing a Lesson Plan: Guided Practice
• Writing a Lesson Plan: Closure and Context
• T.E.S.T. Season for Grades 7-12

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Personal Narrative Essay [Assignment/Rubric]

Kimberly Stelly

Overview of Basic Components

The personal narrative essay

• Tells a complete, personal, and factual story that has a purpose, an idea, or a meaning.  This story should have a beginning and an ending, and the story should reflect a personal perspective or viewpoint. Do not make this essay a tirade, diatribe, or rant. Instead, consider this essay an opportunity for self-reflection. Remember that hindsight is 20/20!
• Features clear organization . This essay should include all of the components of a story: introduction, setting, characters, and a plot (rising action, climax, falling action, and a resolution or conclusion). The more organized your writing is, the easier it is for a reader to understand what is in your head.
• Paint a picture in the reader’s mind. Use careful, descriptive diction. Consider how dialogue can add authenticity and flavor.
• Be true to your writer’s voice. Having a writer’s voice is important, but for this essay, having your writing voice is extremely important. Avoid using words that you normally wouldn’t use or writing in a way that isn’t “natural” to you. First-person voice is expected, although be careful to not overuse it. Your writing should be better than your speaking voice since you have time to go back and revise your words; however, your writing should “sound” like you. The reader should hear your voice in his/her/their head.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this assignment, students will

• create a well-organized personal narrative essay that includes all the essential components of a story, such as an introduction, setting, characters, plot (rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution), and conclusion
• apply descriptive writing techniques, including the use of vivid diction and dialogue, to paint a clear picture in the reader’s mind and maintain an authentic writer’s voice.
• evaluate the effectiveness of their drafting by seeking feedback from peers and revising for clarity, organization, tone, and audience awareness.

Step One: Choosing a Topic/Prewriting

Brainstorm. Imagine you are meeting someone for the first time. This person has asked you to share a story from your life. What story would you pick? Why this story? For your essay to have meaning, focus, and purpose, your story needs to possess all three of these components.  The story can be silly, but think about why that silly story resonates with you. Does this silly story allow the stranger a glimpse into who you are as a person?

• Pro Tip : Jot down the first five words that come to mind when you think about this assignment. Think about how this story has impacted you/your life/your perspective. Be mindful of your audience; this is not a diary entry.

Step Two: Rough Draft

Narrow down your topic choices and begin developing your thesis statement. Your thesis establishes the purpose of your essay. Answer the questions: Why and how has this story affected you? Why should the reader care?

Work on the structure of your essay. At the heart of your essay, you are sharing a story that has shaped your life in some way. Think about the best way to convey your story. How should you start? What details should you include?

Voice and tone are important for keeping your audience in mind. Using slang, informal, or inappropriate language might be offensive or off-putting to the audience. Only use this type of language when the word or phrase is appropriate.

Just write! Get your thoughts “down on paper.” Seeing your words on the computer screen is easier than in your head. A rough draft is named “rough” for a reason.

Step Three: Editing/Revising

Ask someone to read your essay aloud.* Share your essay with someone who doesn’t know anything about what you wrote. As they read, listen for the following words: it, seems, very, a lot, things, stuff. Remove or replace these words from your essay (except for within direct quotes).

*You can also read it aloud yourself!

Step Four: Peer Editing

Exchange essays with a peer . Then, answer the following peer editing questions and prompts.

• Does the essay have a title? If so, is the title interesting? Does the title need work? Suggestions?
• Read the introduction. Highlight or underline the thesis. In your own words, what do you think the writer is trying to prove in this essay? What is the purpose of this essay?
• Does the introduction make you want to read the rest of the paper? Why or why not? Explain your answer.
• What are the strengths and/or weaknesses of the introduction? Thesis?
• Read the first sentence of the first body paragraph. In your own words, based on the topic sentence, what is the first body paragraph about?
• Now, read the rest of the first body paragraph. What details or evidence does the writer provide that supports the thesis? Does the writer connect the evidence to the thesis? Explain your answer. What is your opinion of the first body paragraph? Identify the strengths and/or weaknesses.
• Now, repeat #6 for the second body paragraph.
• Repeat #6 for the third body paragraph. If there is no third, write “N/A.”
• Read the conclusion paragraph. What is your opinion of the conclusion paragraph? What are its strengths and/or weaknesses? Does the writer “wrap up” the essay? Explain your answer.
• What is the structure of the essay? How did the writer organize the essay?
• Identify the following plot elements: What is the conflict? What is the climax of the story? What is the turning point or the most significant point of the story? What is the resolution? How did the story end? What did the writer learn? How was the writer impacted?
• Comment on all of the following: quality of details, dialogue, and organization.
• Overall, what is your opinion of the essay? What grade would you give this essay? Explain your answer.

Remember , take your peer’s comments with a “grain of salt.”  However, be open to those suggestions and comments.

Step Five: Revising/Final Draft

Before turning in your final draft, take a break from your essay . Give yourself time to look at your essay with “fresh eyes.” Then, look at your essay by its parts.

• Start with the introduction. Is your thesis clear? The harder your reader has to work to figure out the purpose of your essay, the lower your grade. The goal of a well-written essay is one in which the writer has painted a clear picture. The reader should be able to hear your voice in his/her/their head.
• Next, look over your body paragraphs . Do you have a topic sentence for each body paragraph? Does the topic sentence convey what each paragraph is about? Do you provide evidence that proves your thesis? How are your body paragraphs organized? Do you have transitions? Are you jumping from one point to another? Do you connect each piece of evidence to your thesis through commentary sentences? Is your evidence vivid in detail? Can the reader visualize through your words what you are writing about? Do you have a conclusion sentence at the end of each body paragraph that “wraps up” the body paragraph and transitions to the next?
• Now, read over your conclusion paragraph . Does your conclusion paragraph “wrap up” your whole essay? Did you restate and rewrite your thesis, topic sentences, and main points? Do you have a “lesson learned” statement?

Writing Suggestions: Improving Your Essay

• Write in active voice. Try to use active verbs.
• Avoid beginning a sentence with the following words: that, there, which, conjunctions.
• Use variety in your sentence structure. Avoid writing in simple sentences all of the time.
• Avoid using the same word or phrase in the same sentence or the next sentence.
• Replace the following words: it, seems, very, a lot, things, stuff.

Formatting Requirements

• 12 size font
• Times New Roman
• Double-spaced
• One-inch margins
• 2-3 typed pages

Downloadable Resources (Assignment, Rubric, Outline, Peer Editing)

Click here to download a Word Doc version of this assignment:

Personal Narrative Essay assignment

Click here to download a Word Doc version of the rubric:

Personal Narrative Essay rubric

Click here to download a Word Doc version of the outline:

Personal Narrative Essay outline

Click here to download a Word Doc version of the peer editing questions:

Personal Narrative Essay peer editing questions

Attribution:

Stelly, Kimberly. “Personal Narrative Essay [Assignment/Rubric].” Strategies, Skills and Models for Student Success in Writing and Reading Comprehension . College Station: Texas A&M University, 2024. This work is licensed with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( CC BY 4.0 ).

Personal Narrative Essay [Assignment/Rubric] Copyright © by Kimberly Stelly is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

Get Your Free 21st Century Timeline Poster ✨

15 Helpful Scoring Rubric Examples for All Grades and Subjects

In the end, they actually make grading easier.

When it comes to student assessment and evaluation, there are a lot of methods to consider. In some cases, testing is the best way to assess a student’s knowledge, and the answers are either right or wrong. But often, assessing a student’s performance is much less clear-cut. In these situations, a scoring rubric is often the way to go, especially if you’re using standards-based grading . Here’s what you need to know about this useful tool, along with lots of rubric examples to get you started.

What is a scoring rubric?

In the United States, a rubric is a guide that lays out the performance expectations for an assignment. It helps students understand what’s required of them, and guides teachers through the evaluation process. (Note that in other countries, the term “rubric” may instead refer to the set of instructions at the beginning of an exam. To avoid confusion, some people use the term “scoring rubric” instead.)

A rubric generally has three parts:

• Performance criteria: These are the various aspects on which the assignment will be evaluated. They should align with the desired learning outcomes for the assignment.
• Rating scale: This could be a number system (often 1 to 4) or words like “exceeds expectations, meets expectations, below expectations,” etc.
• Indicators: These describe the qualities needed to earn a specific rating for each of the performance criteria. The level of detail may vary depending on the assignment and the purpose of the rubric itself.

Rubrics take more time to develop up front, but they help ensure more consistent assessment, especially when the skills being assessed are more subjective. A well-developed rubric can actually save teachers a lot of time when it comes to grading. What’s more, sharing your scoring rubric with students in advance often helps improve performance . This way, students have a clear picture of what’s expected of them and what they need to do to achieve a specific grade or performance rating.

Learn more about why and how to use a rubric here.

Types of Rubric

There are three basic rubric categories, each with its own purpose.

Holistic Rubric

Source: Cambrian College

This type of rubric combines all the scoring criteria in a single scale. They’re quick to create and use, but they have drawbacks. If a student’s work spans different levels, it can be difficult to decide which score to assign. They also make it harder to provide feedback on specific aspects.

Traditional letter grades are a type of holistic rubric. So are the popular “hamburger rubric” and “ cupcake rubric ” examples. Learn more about holistic rubrics here.

Analytic Rubric

Source: University of Nebraska

Analytic rubrics are much more complex and generally take a great deal more time up front to design. They include specific details of the expected learning outcomes, and descriptions of what criteria are required to meet various performance ratings in each. Each rating is assigned a point value, and the total number of points earned determines the overall grade for the assignment.

Though they’re more time-intensive to create, analytic rubrics actually save time while grading. Teachers can simply circle or highlight any relevant phrases in each rating, and add a comment or two if needed. They also help ensure consistency in grading, and make it much easier for students to understand what’s expected of them.

Learn more about analytic rubrics here.

Developmental Rubric

Source: Deb’s Data Digest

A developmental rubric is a type of analytic rubric, but it’s used to assess progress along the way rather than determining a final score on an assignment. The details in these rubrics help students understand their achievements, as well as highlight the specific skills they still need to improve.

Developmental rubrics are essentially a subset of analytic rubrics. They leave off the point values, though, and focus instead on giving feedback using the criteria and indicators of performance.

Learn how to use developmental rubrics here.

Ready to create your own rubrics? Find general tips on designing rubrics here. Then, check out these examples across all grades and subjects to inspire you.

Elementary School Rubric Examples

These elementary school rubric examples come from real teachers who use them with their students. Adapt them to fit your needs and grade level.

Reading Fluency Rubric

You can use this one as an analytic rubric by counting up points to earn a final score, or just to provide developmental feedback. There’s a second rubric page available specifically to assess prosody (reading with expression).

Learn more: Teacher Thrive

Reading Comprehension Rubric

The nice thing about this rubric is that you can use it at any grade level, for any text. If you like this style, you can get a reading fluency rubric here too.

Learn more: Pawprints Resource Center

Written Response Rubric

Rubrics aren’t just for huge projects. They can also help kids work on very specific skills, like this one for improving written responses on assessments.

Learn more: Dianna Radcliffe: Teaching Upper Elementary and More

Interactive Notebook Rubric

If you use interactive notebooks as a learning tool , this rubric can help kids stay on track and meet your expectations.

Learn more: Classroom Nook

Project Rubric

Use this simple rubric as it is, or tweak it to include more specific indicators for the project you have in mind.

Learn more: Tales of a Title One Teacher

Behavior Rubric

Developmental rubrics are perfect for assessing behavior and helping students identify opportunities for improvement. Send these home regularly to keep parents in the loop.

Learn more: Teachers.net Gazette

Middle School Rubric Examples

In middle school, use rubrics to offer detailed feedback on projects, presentations, and more. Be sure to share them with students in advance, and encourage them to use them as they work so they’ll know if they’re meeting expectations.

Argumentative Writing Rubric

Argumentative writing is a part of language arts, social studies, science, and more. That makes this rubric especially useful.

Learn more: Dr. Caitlyn Tucker

Role-Play Rubric

Role-plays can be really useful when teaching social and critical thinking skills, but it’s hard to assess them. Try a rubric like this one to evaluate and provide useful feedback.

Learn more: A Question of Influence

Art Project Rubric

Art is one of those subjects where grading can feel very subjective. Bring some objectivity to the process with a rubric like this.

Source: Art Ed Guru

Diorama Project Rubric

You can use diorama projects in almost any subject, and they’re a great chance to encourage creativity. Simplify the grading process and help kids know how to make their projects shine with this scoring rubric.

Learn more: Historyourstory.com

Oral Presentation Rubric

Rubrics are terrific for grading presentations, since you can include a variety of skills and other criteria. Consider letting students use a rubric like this to offer peer feedback too.

Learn more: Bright Hub Education

High School Rubric Examples

In high school, it’s important to include your grading rubrics when you give assignments like presentations, research projects, or essays. Kids who go on to college will definitely encounter rubrics, so helping them become familiar with them now will help in the future.

Presentation Rubric

Analyze a student’s presentation both for content and communication skills with a rubric like this one. If needed, create a separate one for content knowledge with even more criteria and indicators.

Learn more: Michael A. Pena Jr.

Debate Rubric

Debate is a valuable learning tool that encourages critical thinking and oral communication skills. This rubric can help you assess those skills objectively.

Learn more: Education World

Project-Based Learning Rubric

Implementing project-based learning can be time-intensive, but the payoffs are worth it. Try this rubric to make student expectations clear and end-of-project assessment easier.

Learn more: Free Technology for Teachers

100-Point Essay Rubric

Need an easy way to convert a scoring rubric to a letter grade? This example for essay writing earns students a final score out of 100 points.

Learn more: Learn for Your Life

Drama Performance Rubric

If you’re unsure how to grade a student’s participation and performance in drama class, consider this example. It offers lots of objective criteria and indicators to evaluate.

Learn more: Chase March

How do you use rubrics in your classroom? Come share your thoughts and exchange ideas in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, 25 of the best alternative assessment ideas ..

You Might Also Like

What Is Project-Based Learning and How Can I Use It With My Students?

There's a difference between regular projects and true-project based learning. Continue Reading

Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256

Lansing Juneteenth Celebration

JUNETEENTH EDUCATION RESOURCES

The Juneteenth Education Sub-Committee, a division of the Lansing Juneteenth Committee, is excited to present the Annual Juneteenth Essay Competition and Scholarship Program, along with the 2024 Youth Logo Contest.

Our purpose is to provide a positive learning experience through educating local youth on the historical significance of Juneteenth, through research, developing essay writing skills, building self-confidence to acquire scholastic awards and grants to pursue higher educational opportunities. 

2024 MRS. VIVIAN RIDDLE LANSING JUNETEENTH ESSAY COMPETITION & SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Each year the Juneteenth Education Committee recognizes a local educator that has had an impact on the Lansing Community.  This year we salute the late Mrs. Vivian Riddle.

ESSAY COMPETITION & SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM RESOURCE LINKS

2024 application period: february 25 - april 13.

Essay Competition

CATEGORY II

Grades 7th & 8th

CATEGORY III

Grades 9th & 10th

CATEGORY IV

Grades 11th & 12th

Juneteenth Bellamy-Taylor

Academic Talent Scholarship

Academic Tal ent Scholarship

Essay Writing and Competition Resources:

The Juneteenth Education Committee has provide d a wealth of tips and resources for those entering the essay competition.  Students are e ncouraged to take advantage of the  Juneteenth   “Preparing the Essay” Workshops.  Listed below are some of the documents that can be downloaded.   More resources will be posted soon.

Essay Rules and Guidelines

Category I-II-III Rules and Guidelines

Category IV Rules and Guidelines

Essay Scoring Rubrics

Category I Rubric

Category II Rubric

Category III Rubric

Category IV Rubric

Essay Application Checklists

Category I Checklist

Category II Checklist

Category III Checklist

Category IV Checklist

Scholarship Tips

Scholarship Tips & Tricks

Writing Workshop Documents

Juneteenth Essay Writing Resource Guide

Writing the Essay

Preparing to W rite

Developing Body Paragraphs

Proofreading

Return to the Essay Competition Page to Review and/or Submit Application

Video Resources

J uneteenth History (Presented by the Lansing Juneteenth Education Committee):  

https://youtu.be/f90i_DQK-fE

Juneteenth History (How to do research for your essay; symbolism of Juneteenth Flag; tips on responding to essay questions):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BF6EWTPc2s&authuser=0

Juneteenth Essay Writing Tips (Responding to essay questions for each category; how to did deeper and get more understanding of what has happened since Juneteenth is now a National Holiday):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgZcC11PNFY&authuser=0

The Lansing Juneteenth Celebration is a project of Progressive Empowerment Education Resource Services - P.E.E.R.S. 501(c)(3).  The Juneteenth Essay Competition is presented in partnership with the University of Olivet.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

‘My Descent Into the True Crime Rabbit Hole’: The Week 8 Winner of Our Summer Reading Contest

Hayne Kim, 16, writes about how an essay in the Times Opinion section made her rethink her binge-watch habits.

By The Learning Network

For 15 years, our Summer Reading Contest has been inviting teenagers around the world to tell us what New York Times pieces get their attention and why. This year, for the first time, students can submit either written comments or 90-second video responses.

In the eighth week of our 10-week challenge, we received 1,095 entries, and we list the finalists below. Scroll down to read the work of our winner, Hayne Kim , and to take a look at the variety of topics that caught these students’ eyes, including the Olympics, giant pandas, “brain rot,” JD Vance, flip phones, “Ballerina Farm,” Billy Joel and toxic beauty standards.

You can read the work of all of our winners since 2017 in this column , and you can participate in the contest any or every week this summer until Aug. 16. Just check the top of this page , where we post updates, to find the right place to submit your response.

Hayne Kim, 16, from Tokyo, reacts to a Guest Essay from the Opinion section, “ My Sister Was Murdered 30 Years Ago. True Crime Repackages Our Pain as Entertainment. ” She writes:

My descent into the true crime rabbit hole was thanks to YouTuber Stephanie Soo. On far too many lazy Sunday afternoons than I would like to admit, I sat slouched in front of my laptop with my eyes fixed on the flashy fluorescent screen, an unhealthily huge bowl of Takis at hand. Video after video, I clung on to Stephanie’s every last syllable as she fed me one tragic tale after another through spoonfuls of uncanny suspense. I continued to devour Stephanie’s stories just as quickly as I licked the MSG off my sticky red fingers. Until I read this article. At the ripe age of six, Annie Nichol lost her older sister Polly at the hands of a murderer. Subsequent to Polly’s murder, Annie was continually met with floods of faceless reporters, writers, producers — strangers — all with an unquenchable thirst for details and an eager desire to dramatize. This constant bombardment of the gates that protected her private, sacred memories of her sister caused Annie immense pain and post-traumatic stress. Suddenly, the hefty plates of Stephanie Soo videos I had wolfed down churned uneasily in my stomach. I realized just how desensitized I had become. A human being’s lived-in nightmare is not meant to be hastily packaged into a sixty-something-minute monetized video. The inability of myself and countless others to immediately recognize this serves as a testament to the unsettling effects of mass media consumption.

In alphabetical order by the writer’s first name.

Anagha Nagesh on What Trump Means When He Mispronounces ‘Kamala’

Desi Miller on “ 104 Shows. $260 Million. After 10 Years, Billy Joel Closes a Chapter. ”

Gabriel Lam on “ Giant Pandas Will Head to D.C.’s National Zoo From China ”

Minghao Li on “ If You Know What ‘Brainrot’ Means, You Might Already Have It. ”

Vivian Wan on “ The Book Bag That Binds Japanese Society "

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

Speaking Up About Mental Health Essay Contest Winners Announced

Congratulations to the 18 winners and six honorable mentions for the 2024 Speaking Up About Mental Health Essay Contest.

The contest challenges high school students ages 16-18 to raise awareness of mental health. It gives students a platform to share ways to eliminate and/or reduce mental health stigma faced by young people, especially in diverse communities. More than 370 teens from 33 states submitted essays.

The National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development co-sponsored the contest. It’s part of a Health and Human Services–wide initiative to tackle the nation’s mental health crisis.

Read the award-winning essays at https://go.nih.gov/eQCZ1X5 . NIH recognizes these talented essay winners for their thoughtfulness and creativity in addressing youth mental health.

The essays are written in the students’ own words and are unedited.

The NIH Record

The NIH Record , founded in 1949, is the biweekly newsletter for employees of the National Institutes of Health.

Published 25 times each year, it comes out on payday Fridays.

Associate Editor: Dana Talesnik [email protected] (link sends e-mail)

Assistant Editor: Eric Bock [email protected] (link sends e-mail)

Staff Writer: Amber Snyder [email protected] (link sends e-mail)

• NIH Record Home
• Current Issue
• Past Issues
• Submission Deadlines
• Privacy Policy
• Disclaimers
• Accessibility
• Freedom of Information Act
• No Fear Act
• HHS Vulnerability Disclosure
• Office of Inspector General
• '' Subscribe
• '' Facebook

NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health ®

National Institutes of Health 9000 Rockville Pike

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (link is external)

ICYMI: New & Notable Articles (19 Aug 2024)

Each week, we collect the articles that we posted in the last week and put them all in one place, right here on the blog. So no worries if you missed an article we posted to Facebook , X/Twitter , Mastodon , Threads , Bluesky , Instagram and/or LinkedIn . 

Here they are, I n C ase Y ou M issed I t: 

That Stinking Hot Summer

Judith thompson, theatre journal volume 62, number 4, december 2010.

From 2010: That Stinking Hot Summer

Playwright Judith Thompson ’s monologue on summer heat, storytelling, and women in theatre

#SummerLit Friday

Read free in Theatre Journal thru 31 August 

Leaving; or, Wide Awake and Staring into Nothing (with Pet Shop Boys)

Mikko tuhkanen, postmodern culture volume 33, numbers 2 & 3, january 2023 & may 2023.

From “Go West” to “Wiedersehen,” Mikko Tuhkanen studies the “escape anthems” of the Pet Shop Boys, engaging Stefan Zweig, Leo Bersani, West Side Story and more along the way

Free in the new special issue of Postmodern Culture , “Afterlives of the Antisocial”

Pulp Fiction in the Press: 1990s Film Culture Writing and the Creation of Influence

Ryan david briggs, south central review volume 41, number 2, summer 2024.

Print press was instrumental in the canonization of Pulp Fiction among the most influential films of 90s independent cinema, but its impact remains underexamined, argues Ryan David Briggs

Read free in the Pulp Fiction Turns 30 special issue of South Central Review thru 31 Aug

The Olympiad

Ben v. olguín, callaloo volume 31, number 2, spring 2008.

It’s an #OlympicWeek #SummerLit Friday!

Today, we offer “The Olympiad,” a poem by Ben V. Olguín from the Spring 2008 issue of Callaloo

Read free at Project MUSE thru 31 August

De-exceptionalizing Sunisa Lee: Uneven Gymnastics and a Hmong American State-less Critique

Kong pheng pha and kari smalkoski, american quarterly volume 75, number 3, september 2023.

In American Quarterly , Kong Pheng Pha and Kari Smalkoski analyze the media frenzy around Hmong American gymnast Sunisa Lee's rise to stardom during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Read free through 31 Aug

"Darktown Parade": African Americans in the Berlin Olympics of 1936

David clay large, historically speaking volume 9, number 2, november/december 2007.

In “Darktown Parade,” a vintage Historically Speaking article from 2007, David Clay Large explores the the political and social controversies surrounding African-American participation in the 1936 Berlin Olympics

Read free at Project MUSE through 31 Aug  

Spiridon Loues, the Modern Foustanéla , and the Symbolic Power of Pallikariá at the 1896 Olympic Games

James p. verinis, journal of modern greek studies volume 23, number 1, may 2005.

Spiros Loues, marathon champion at the first modern Olympiad in 1896, embraced the foustanéla, a traditional style of dress that helped elevate his mythology as a multlivalent symbol of Greek identity

Read more in Journal of Modern Greek Studies , free thru 31 Aug

Going for the Bronze: Modernism vs. the Old Guard at the Olympic Art Competitions

Miles osgood, modernism/modernity volume 28, number 4, november 2021.

Did you know that from 1912 to 1948, artists could win Olympic medals?

In Modernism/modernity , Miles Osgood explores the history and artistic tensions between Modernism vs. the Old Guard in the Pentathlon of the Muses

Read free thru 31 August 

The Five Rings and the “Imagined Community”: Nationalism and the Modern Olympic Games

Toby c. rider and matthew p. llewellyn, sais review of international affairs volume 35, number 2, summer-fall 2015.

From 2015: Toby C. Rider and Matthew P. Llewellyn explore the numerous forms of nationalism associated with the Olympic Games over the history of the games

Read free in SAIS Review of International Affairs thru 31 Aug

#OlympicWeek

Machado de Assis at the Rio Olympics

Lauren groff, sewanee review volume 125, number 1, winter 2017.

From 2017: Lauren Groff reads Machado de Assis at the Rio Olympics, and meditates on the ways artists and athletes alike “publish new versions of ourselves — win or lose, succeed or fail — over and over again”

Read free in Sewanee Review thru 31 August

Journal of Indian Ocean World Studies joins Hopkins Press

Philip gooding, journal of indian ocean world studies volume 8, number 1, 2024.

We are thrilled to welcome Journal of Indian Ocean World Studies to the Hopkins Press roster as our first platinum open-access journal.

The new issue is out now, including new articles by Mathew Ruguwa and Hans Hägerdal, conversations with associate editor Philip Gooding , and more! 

Read all about it at the Newsroom blog . 

Ocean and Human Health in the Blue Era, Indian Ocean and African Perspectives

Rosabelle boswell, journal of indian ocean world studies volume 6. number 2, 2022.

One of our State of the Field Essays: Boswell draws on her research in the Blue Humanities to make a rubric for integrating locally produced, embodied, and sensorial responses to the challenges of climate change in coastal and oceanic areas  

Africa, the Indian Ocean World, and the ‘Early Modern’: Historiographical Conventions and Problems

Gwyn campbell, journal of indian ocean world studies volume 1. number 1, 2017.

From the first issue: Campbell sets out what’s at stake in Indian Ocean World Studies, including the ability to contest Eurocentric framing devices. Here, he tackles temporal paradigms, especially the so-called ‘early modern’ period.

Reimagining the Aapravasi Ghat: Khal Torabully's poetry and the indentured diaspora

Shanaaz mohammed, journal of indian ocean world studies volume 4. number 2, 2021.

Mohammed challenges current efforts to commemorate the period of indenture in Mauritius. She asks: How can literature inform cultural heritage, especially as they relate to indenture and other forms of bondage?  

Ruth Mostern on The Yellow River: A Natural and Unnatural History

Ruth mostern, journal of indian ocean world studies volume 7. number 2, 2023.

Mostern discusses her award-winning book, The Yellow River, in the JIOWS’ Conversations section. Readers learn of the methodological efforts that underpin one of the most celebrated books in environmental history from the last few years.

Children on Board: Child labor on ships in the Indian Ocean, c. 18th – 19th Centuries

Sundara vadlamudi.

Vadlamudi centres the ocean itself in an important field of Indian Ocean World Studies: the history of slavery and bondage. He shows how children experienced sea voyages as labourers on ship and in the port.

On “The Literal Sense,” a Partial Answers Special Issue in Honor of Jon Whitman

Leona toker, partial answers: journal of literature and the history of ideas volume 22, number 2, june 2024.

MLN Forum: Translators Reimagine Literary Citizenship in the Academy

Eleni theodoropoulos and bradley harmon, mln volume 138, number 5, december 2023.

How and when will translation receive recognition for its crucial role in the academic ecosystem? 

Spanning the Hopkins Press blog & 9 articles in a new special issue of MLN , it's a lively and thoughtful 10-scholar forum, open access for a year thru March 2025  

Recently Released

Olaf Dammann, Tufts University

Kate Quealy-Gainer, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Ian Gilchrist, Julio Wang, Sandeep Kumar, and Sam Subramanian

Penny A. Pasque, The Ohio State University; Thomas F. Nelson Laird, Indiana University, Bloomington

Joshua Billings, Princeton University and Irene Peirano Garrison, Harvard University

Grigore Pop-Eleches  Executive Editor : Emily W. Babson

Princeton University

Kate Hext, University of Exeter, Kristin Mahoney, Michigan State University , and Alex Murray, Q ueen’s University, Belfast

Adam Ross, The University of the South

Virginia M. Brennan, PhD, MA, Meharry Medical College

• Local Politics
• Editorials & Letters
• Northern Kentucky
• National Politics

North College Hill teen uses art to help kids quit vaping

See samantha murry-shakir's award-winning cartoon.

 Samantha Murry-Shakir's still a teenager, but she's been creating art for well over a decade.  

Back in first grade, she made a bear out of torn brown construction paper and pasted it onto a turquoise background – a project she later entered in a citywide contest.  

“I'm an artist,” said Murry-Shakir, 18, who graduated from North College Hill High School earlier this year. “I’ve been doing art for as long as I can remember.” 

This past spring, Samantha’s artistic and writing skills landed her the first-place prize in her school-wide anti-vaping contest. 

“There are risks with every puff,” she wrote in her award-winning essay. “My peers may be stuck in this cycle of flavored vapor for years.” 

Part of the issue, she said, is how easily teens can acquire vapes. North College Hill High School, for instance, is less than a five-minute walk from a vape shop.  

She channeled the discouragement she felt from seeing classmates vaping in between classes into her submission, where she expressed concern about how vapes affect teens' mental and physical health. 

“I could totally write an essay about that,” she remembered thinking. “I have some feelings.” 

Murry-Shakir used an app called MediBang as a tool to draw her cartoon. Digital art is her preferred medium, though she likes to dabble in watercolor and acrylic as well. 

In her free time, Murry-Shakir works at her local public library. “I like to read a lot. I own at least 250 books,” she said.  

Her job is shelving books, but she says the library’s a great hangout spot for kids who want to use computers, hang out with friends, or do homework after school. 

Murry-Shakir is only at the beginning of her writing and drawing career. In August, she’ll attend the University of Cincinnati to major in fine arts. After college, she’s got her sights set on a career in publishing and illustration. 

“I want to become an author,” she said. “Or at the very least, a graphic novel illustrator.” 

• Online poetry

Discover new poets through this free online collection of brilliant, moving, funny and groundbreaking poems curated by our specialist poetry librarians.

Search the poems by type or by topic, or use your own search terms.

Filter poems

Filter by poem type

Eileen Myles

Dans Le Cabinet de Toilette, 1907

Lorraine Mariner

Summer Departure #3

Virgil Suarez

from The Odyssey

A made-up / true story

Sam Winston

La Suite De L'Historie : metaphysique 90

Henri Chopin

'There is no such thing as the state', from September 1, 1939

We Vanish Into One Another As Needed (for Dara Wier)

The bee mother.

Pascale Petit

Impossible Glove

Cecilia Vicuna

The Adulterous Citizen

Tishani Doshi

Jacob Sam La-Rose

Donate to the National Poetry Library

You can support our work and programme of free events for children and adults by making a donation. Every penny you give will go towards the National Poetry Library.

For your visit

National Poetry Library Southbank Centre

The National Poetry Library is open six days a week.

Tuesday, 12 noon – 6pm Wednesday – Sunday, 12 noon – 8pm

National Poetry Library Reference Section

Getting here

The National Poetry Library is on Level 5 of our Royal Festival Hall.

Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.

The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues.  More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page .

We’re cash-free

Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.

We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.

All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access. 

All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page .

Study & library use

The library is London’s only space dedicated to poetry study. Visitors studying another subject or looking for a place to work are kindly asked to find an alternative space in the Royal Festival Hall.

• Join the library
• Find, reserve, renew
• National events
• Little Library
• Projects & exhibitions
• Write & publish

Follow NPL on social media