A rubric is a way of grading projects and essays without bias. It is a guideline for students to follow and will inform them as to exactly what is expected in the project. Usually, a teacher will give point values to each category that will be graded. For instance, an essay on Abraham Lincoln may be graded on grammar, organization and historical facts. A high point value on historical facts means that the student has an excellent grasp on who Abraham Lincoln was and what he accomplished. A low point value in grammar shows an essay that is difficult to read, due to grammatical errors.
A checklist serves as a tool for a teacher to use on a daily basis. The teacher places skills that each student needs to master across the top with student names going down the side. As she observes students, she is able to check which skills they have mastered. A quick glance of the checklist provides her with the information she needs to alter instruction for the next lesson. For instance, during a study of George Washington, a teacher makes a checklist listing "the first president of the United States," "lived at Mt. Vernon," and "was a leader in the American Revolution." She is then able to check which students know those facts by their written work and oral discussion during class.
A test is probably the most common assessment tool. This pencil and paper method is an easy way to grade a student's knowledge of a subject. Test questions can be multiple choice, fill in the blank or open-ended. The teacher is able to grade these assessments quickly and have a tangible record of what the student has learned.
A portfolio is a collection of work the student has done during a period of time. For example, if the class is studying the American Revolution, a teacher may keep an essay about the causes of the war, a test and quizzes about different battles, any worksheets completed during the unit and any project rubrics or checklists she may have. This samples of work done across the unit can show a student's progress and reveal what the student has learned about the Revolutionary War, as well as show the skills that have been mastered.