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Education- Rubrics
Rubrics for Assessment:
Independent Reading
(Author’s name)
(Institutional Affiliation)
Independent Reading
Independent reading is a critical area in the learning process of students throughout their different stages of education. This method of learning involves students reading on their own or in groups with the assistance of their teachers and educators (Donohue, 2008). Independent reading has been identified as one of the most crucial learning approaches that impacts the students’ reading growth and development.
This paper presents an independent reading rubric assessment for students in middle school. The paper also provides an analysis of the insights gained from the assignment and the areas that demand consideration from teachers and educators.
Independent Reading Rubric
INDEPENDENT READING
Name:…………………………. Date:…………………..
Grade:…………………………. Teacher:………………..
Criteria Rating Scale Value
1 2 3 4 Willingness Student is unwilling to engage in reading and does not engage in independent reading at all. Student is willing to read but does not take initiative. Student requires motivation. Student shows partial willingness but does not engage in reading as often. Student shows willingness to engage in reading and partakes reading activities more often. Preparation Student demonstrates inability to retrieved reading materials, as well as, plan and prepare for independent reading. Student shows ability to retrieve reading materials but is slow to engage in reading. Does not plan and prepare. well. Student displays ability to plan, prepare, as well as, retrieve reading materials frequently. Student is able to plan and prepare for independent reading and always engages in reading once all reading materials have been retrieved. Focus Student is not focused and does not engage in independent reading. Student is often disrupted. Student is frequently disrupted and does not concentrate during independent reading activities. Student frequently engages in independent reading and is not disrupted during this time. Student always engages in independent reading without any disruptions. Documentation Student does not document any of their reading in the reading list. Student has a tendency to forget documenting all readings on the reading list. Student forgets to document reading once in a while but often records readings in the reading list. Student always documents all the readings in the reading list. Subject Selection Student does not select various subjects that he/she will engage in independent reading. Students tend to read one subject during independent reading activities. Student selects at least two subjects which they will engage in independent reading. Student selects at least three subjects in which they will engage in independent reading. Student selects four or more subjects in which they engage in independent reading. Comprehension Student does not understand what they read and cannot explain readings. Student partially understands some parts of the readings and for that reason can remember some of the information in the reading. Student frequently, understands readings and can recap the information gained from the readings. Student always understands readings and can explain the readings vividly. Total Teacher Comments:
Analysis
As previously mentioned, independent reading is an essential component of the learning process in students. Accordingly, teachers and instructors need to ensure that students actively engage in independent reading activities. Educators should ensure that students are willing, focused, and well prepared to engage in independent reading (Donohue, 2008). Educators also need to ensure that their students have the ability to comprehend what they learn from reading, as well as, record what they have read accordingly. Accordingly, the most important factor in independent reading is subject selection. This is because most students tend to engage in reading subjects that they have an interest in and overlook other subjects that they have no interest (Donohue, 2008). Educators need to encourage students to engage in reading a variety of subjects so as to expound their knowledge in various subjects.
References
Donohue, L. (2008). Independent Reading Inside the Box: How to Organize, Observe, and
Assess Reading Strategies That Promote Deeper Thinking and Improve Comprehension in K-6 Classrooms. United Kingdom: Pembroke Publishers Limited.
Stevens, D. & Levi, A. (2005). Introduction to rubrics: an assessment tool to save grading time,
convey effective feedback, and promote student learning. USA: Stylus Publishing, LLC.
Smoking-related fires
Smoking-related firesIntroduction;
Smoking-related fires are a wider term used to describe those types of fires that are caused by the following aspects; cigars, pipes, cigarettes and heat from undetermined smoking materials. There is a distinct difference between fires that are ignited by smoking materials and smoking as a cause of fire, for instance, smoking related materials are classified as a behavioral cause. Fires that are ignited by smoking materials are grouped into group of fires, whereas, smoking materials are considered as the heat source. The two classes of fires are similar but different in nature. A type of fire that is deliberately caused by a smoking material is considered as an intentional source of fire; on the other hand, a fire that is caused unintentionally by someone smoking cigarettes or any other smoking materials is considered a smoking related fire. Smoking related fires is minimal but in the real sense poses a greatest life safety in all the residential settings.
Therefore, smoking-related fires are the most prevalent cause of domestic fires across the globe. This can be attributed to contributory negligence by the smokers or it can also be due to deliberate accidents that are caused by the persons who smoke. They are plenty of causative agents that can results to fire outbreak through the act of smoking, these includes; smoking under the influence of alcohol, using low quality ashtrays, smoking in the bedrooms, keeping fire friendly objects around the smoking zone, falling asleep, drug and substance abuse, among others. All these factors bring about undesired incidences of domestic fires which leads to severe damage and loss of property and lives. Therefore, all smokers should be advised accordingly on the pros and corns of the dangers associated to the smoking activity and possible channels that can be used to mitigate the act, thus this lead to a plenty of property and lives being saved.
Methods of determining causes of fires and possible application strategies;
Residential smoking fires;
This is the prevalent smoke-related fires; this usually takes place in areas of residence especially in a clustered setting. When smoking fires occurs in a residential setting then it is always fatal and results to excessive damage to property due to the nature of safety first. It contributes ta significant of deaths especially the infants and the aged, since they don’t have the capacity to rescue themselves. A research study in the USA in the ear 2002 clearly shows that $371 million worth of property damage, 1,330 injuries and 520 deaths were reported after 14,450 residential flats and apartments were destroyed by smoking related fires. This statistics explains the realm of the extent of unsafe smoking near a residential setting.
Residential fires caused by smoking contribute to significantly higher levels of damage of property and loss of lives compared to any other agent that can result to residential apartments or structures fires. smoking fires in a residential setting normally originates from the bedroom, during the night when the victims are off to bed, in normal circumstances, the victims are not involved directly to starting the fires but occurs due to their contributory negligence activities. There are plenty of factors that are related to this cause, this includes; physical handicap, old age, mentally handicapped, too young to act, drug or substance abuse. All these factors can be addressed hand in hand due to their difference and extent of the causative nature.
Methods of determining causes of fire;
There are two types smoking related fires in a residential setting, these are; confined and non-confined fires. Confined fires normally occur during the early phase of the night, between 7 and 8 pm, they are as a result of carelessness and improper set-up of rules that govern proper residential setting. On the other hand, non-confined fires occur during late hours of the night, probably from midnight onwards. This is due to contributory negligence from the victims that leads to such fires. Past statistics shows that non-confined smoking fires takes place first in the bedroom and spreads through to the other rooms. Bedrooms are always believed to be the principal source of deadly residential smoking fires due to their enclosed nature and plenty of fire friendly objects. The second place that leads in non-confined fires is the unenclosed porches and exterior balconies, family rooms, living rooms, exterior wall surfaces and lounge areas.
Fires in non-confined areas;
A non-confined room, for instance the bedroom, contains plenty of fire friendly goods e.g. blankets, duvets, sheets, clothes, pillows, beddings, and comforters. Another possible cause is the finish component and structural design, i.e. exterior sidewalls, surfaces and components of framing e.g. furniture. In addition, upholstered sofas and chairs are the leading agents of smoking fires in the living rooms. This is due to their high tenacity to ignite and spread faster.
Smoking fires tend to be minimal compared to other causes of residential fires but its effect is fatal and cannot be contained easily. Non-confined smoking fires tend to remain between the confines of the room of origin then spreads faster to the bordering rooms. The spreading normally takes place in the walls of the room by following the finishing paint or any fire friendly garment on the wall. This occurs gradually then graduates to a huge fire thus causing great damages to property and loss of lives. Therefore, in order to mitigate such scenarios, then proper precautions needs to be put in place. This will enable prevention of such scenarios in future; therefore proper mechanisms ought to be placed in place. Residential designers and planners need to plan on ways to curb future scenarios of smoking fires related residential structures.
Smoking is a health hazard that can be fatal to smokers
Smoking is a health hazard that can be fatal to smokers. When people smoke in their 50s, they are more susceptible to cardio vascular accidents compared to people in the same age group. Research has shown that people who smoke in their 50s are more likely to experience Cardio Vascular Accident (CVA) compared to people who are nonsmokers are likely to experience the same at67 years or later. According to a scientific research conducted by Sophie Hill, smokers who are in their 50s experience a risk factor of 16 % for Cardio Vascular Accident (CVA) that is considered a red zone for cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes. This risk factor is similar to what a 67 year olds people experience (Hill, 2010, pg. 7). When discussing Cardio Vascular Accident (CVA), the red zone is the danger zone where people are vulnerable to this health complication. Sometimes people miss the extent of the danger. Although the incidence of 16% may appear to be noticeably lower, the typical likelihood is still half that for other people, meaning that the danger is double for someone in that age range, which is still pretty significant. With age, the susceptibility factors tend to become more prevalent. A person has more time to modify their way of life with a five-year risk timeline than with a ten-year timeframe.