Build the project rubric
The project rubric describes the evidence that matters across the complete project. Build criteria around observable qualities students can use while working—not personality, compliance, or hidden judgment.
Add or select a criterion
Section titled “Add or select a criterion”Open Rubric. Select a criterion card to edit it, or choose Add criterion and start blank. Give each criterion a concise name and a description that explains the evidence it evaluates.
Write four observable levels
Section titled “Write four observable levels”Every criterion has four levels: Beginning, Developing, Proficient, and Advanced. Describe what changes in the work from one level to the next. Use language a student could recognize in their own evidence.
Avoid turning the levels into vague amounts such as “some” and “excellent.” Name the increasing accuracy, relevance, reasoning, independence, or usefulness that distinguishes the performance.
Balance the weights
Section titled “Balance the weights”New criteria share weight automatically while the rubric is in automatic balance. When you edit weights directly, Rectangle preserves your choices and shows the total.
The rubric must total 100% before the project is ready to publish. If the total is under or over, adjust the criteria rather than hiding the imbalance in one oversized category.
Apply the rubric across the project
Section titled “Apply the rubric across the project”Rubric criteria are project-wide. Milestone deliverables provide the evidence students make; the rubric gives you consistent language for judging that evidence across stages.