CALCULATING GRADES: There
is no set formula for how a teacher must calculate grades.
The only true requirements are that the grading system be fair
and consistent. It is also useful to use a system that
allows everyone (parents, students, and teachers) to know a
student's current course grade quickly and easily. One
easy way to do this is to assign chapter (or unit) grades.
For example, there are 24 chapters in a textbook, and the
teacher issues a test for each chapter. This amounts to 12
chapters per semester, or 6 chapters per quarter. (The
number of chapters per quarter or semester is actually
irrelevant.) For each chapter (or unit), the teacher
assigns point values to various assignments. For example:
Homework #1 - 10 points
Homework #2 - 10 points
Homework #3 - 15 points
Homework #4 - 15 points
Homework #5 - 15 points
Group Work #1 - 15 points
Group Work #2 - 15 points
Participation - 10 points
Writing Exercise - 20 points
Test - 100 points
The chapter (or unit) above totals 225 possible points. If
a student earns 200 out of these 225 points, 200 is divided by
225 for a percentage chapter/unit grade of 89%.
Some teachers may decide to create a sheet with a table listing
each assignment, its point value, the points earned by the
student, and the final percentage grade earned by the student.
These sheets are easy to create, and the only writing required
on each individual sheet is the student's name and scores.
Curving grades is as simple as changing the total number of
points possible to the total points earned by the
highest-scoring student.
Option 1: Print the student's chapter/unit grades from an Excel
spreadsheet.
Option 2: Print a generic grades form with the names and points
possible for each assignment. (a) Complete the forms for
the students. Return with chapter/unit tests.
(b) Have students complete the forms. Students can
complete the forms when they receive their graded chapter/unit
final tests.
The chapter/unit scores are averaged to calculate each quarter
grade.
While calculating all grades over a quarter can be difficult,
calculating grades by chapter/unit is relatively simple.
Students, parents, and teachers know a student's exact score.
Beginning with the very first unit/chapter, students can see
exactly where and how their grades are high or low.
Students are able to monitor their own progress. Teachers
are not constantly asked, "What's my grade in this class?"
Everybody wins!
Note: Many schools and districts now use online grading systems
which allow parents and students to log in and look up grades
from home. However, many parents are reluctant to embrace
technology. Also, many homes lack internet access.
Paper grading sheets are not yet obsolete.
Another note: Printed grade sheets are a useful tool at
parent-teacher conferences. "As you can see, Sheila
stumbled a bit during the first unit, failing to turn in several
assignments. But she did well on the test. For the
next unit, she completed all of her assignments and did even
better on the test."
Grade Sheet without Curving
Percentage Scale 1 (80-83, 84-86, 87-89):
PDF |
DOC |
DOCX
Percentage Scale 2 (80-82, 83-86, 87-89):
PDF |
DOCX
Grade Sheet with Curving
Percentage Scale 1 (80-83, 84-86, 87-89):
PDF |
DOC |
DOCX
Percentage Scale 2 (80-82, 83-86, 87-89):
PDF |
DOCX |
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CHAPTER OR UNIT GRADES: Excel spreadsheet
for grading by chapter or unit (up to ten). This simple
method of grading is useful for many subjects. The teacher
separately calculates a percentage grade (written in numerical
form, e.g., "80" for 80%) for the chapter or unit, which is
entered under that chapter's column. For the first
chapter, that number is obviously the student's current average
in the course. When the second chapter or unit is
completed, the teacher enters this second score. The
following column then instantly calculates the student's current
average. This allows the teacher to immediately know a
student's grade, perfect both at mid-term and at the end of a
quarter. This sheet allows for up to ten units or
chapters.
Excel
Spreadsheet Version 1
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Version 2 |
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GRADING BY POINT VALUES:
Excel spreadsheet for chapter/unit grading by points. This
sheet has room for up to twenty assignments. At the top of
the sheet, note the title of the assignment and the total points
possible. The last column keeps a running percentage grade
for each student (total points earned divided by total points
possible, expressed as a percentage). For example,
entering "5" points possible and "4" points earned will show a
grade of "80%". Enter one assignment or twenty; the percentage
grade will remain true.
Excel Spreadsheet Version 1 |
| GRADING AND TRACKING PARTICIPATION:
These sheets are designed to be printed and placed on a
clipboard so that teachers can monitor and track class
participation, particularly when class contributions form part
of a student's grade. These sheets can also be used to
monitor behavior, presence of required school supplies, etc.
Version:
Word |
Word 2007 |
PDF |
| WEBSITE LINK:
"Engrade"
allows you to log grades online (for free) and share grades with
parents and students. |
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