Rubrics Can Kill Creativity

Teaching to the Multiple Intelligences is difficult enough.
Today's educational system is so guided by rubrics for every assignment that we are taking away the opportunitiy for students to explore their talents, use their imaginations and utilize their strengths. Students are no longer asked to think, they are simply told to follow the directions, complete what is in the rubric and you will get your 'A'.

One of my favorite projects for Biology is a cells processes project where students are asked to create anything that proves their knowledge of cells, cells structure and function or cell processes.  I provide as little guidance as possible except for the outlawing of a term paper as the product. I want students use their talents and think outside the box.

Of course I deal with the questions of How much? How long? How many? What do I want? What is the answer? What do I need to do for an A? etc...etc...

This type of assignment tends to make students nervous due to the lack of guidelines and parameters, but once they allow themselves to process the possibilities, some amazing things happen. 

I have recieved songs about the organelles of cells, beautiful painting of cell mitosis, games about protein synthesis, I have heard poems about meiosis and puppet shows about osmosis, diffusion and filtration.

Overcoming the fear of meeting expectations and possibly being wrong, allows students to let their talents really shine.

I provide the students with the following basic description of the assignment and allow them to figure it out.

Cell Processes Project

Use your talents to demonstrate your understanding of one of the following topics:

    1.  Cell Structures and Functions

   2.   Comparison of Plant and Animal Cells

   3.    Photosynthesis

   4.    DNA and RNA

   4.    Protein Synthesis

   5.    Mitosis

   6.     Cellular Respiration

           

You may create anything that clearly demonstrates your knowledge of the subject matter.  You may accomplish this by:

creating a work of art,

composing a song,

writing a skit or play,

creating a model,

making visual aid posters,

developing a game,

or anything that you can do to creatively demonstrate your comprehension of the topic material, vocabulary and processes. 

You must have clear instructions, as you will not be presenting these projects.  You may work independently or you may work with a partner.  This partner must be from the same period biology class. 

Be creative.

Do not just copy work from your text or notes.  Repeating the information given or making some applications (e.g. cell models, reports) usually ensures an average grade. 

One of my favorite outcomes of this project  was
The Mitosis Blues, written and performed by a pair of students more than 10 years ago. In their honor, I still use my best Elvis Presley when I sing it to my Biology classes. 

 Mitosis Blues

Interphase, o oh yeah

Prophase, o oh yeah

Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase and all of those daughter cells, o oh yeah

That’s the way mitosis reproduces all our new cells, o oh yeah

In interphase the cell grows and organelles duplicate.

The cell continues functioning, holding metabolic rate.

The chromosomes replicate and centrioles migrate, o oh yeah.

In prophase the nuclear membrane disappears.

The centrioles reach the poles of the biosphere.

The spindle fibers shoot out and grab those centromeres, o oh yeah.

Interphase, o oh yeah

Prophase, o oh yeah

Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase and all of those daughter cells, o oh yeah

That’s the way mitosis reproduces all our new cells, o oh yeah

[Spoken]

You see the cells of the human body have forty-six chromosomes.

Made up of coils of Dan called chromatin and held together by centromeres.

Mitosis guarantees that when the cells divide that each new cell

will have the exact same genetic information as the parent cells.

Interphase, o oh yeah

Prophase, o oh yeah

Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase and all of those daughter cells, o oh yeah

That’s the way mitosis reproduces all our new cells, o oh yeah

I metaphase the fibers push and pull those chromosomes.

Trying to create an equator of autosomes.

Cause, when the centromeres snap we’ll get double chromosomes, o oh yeah.

In  anaphase the membrane begins to make two spheres.

The centrioles duplicate and start to reappear.

The chromosomes are pulled in to separate hemispheres, o oh yeah.

Interphase, o oh yeah

Prophase, o oh yeah

Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase and all of those daughter cells, o oh yeah

That’s the way mitosis reproduces all our new cells, o oh yeah

[Spoken]

Daughter cells are the outcome of these steps of mitosis.

These daughter cells must return to interphase to regain the size and organelle number that will guarantee the continuance of those specific cells.

These specialized somatic cells will continue to reproduce within your body.

Interphase, o oh yeah

Prophase, o oh yeah

Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase and all of those daughter cells, o oh yeah

That’s the way mitosis reproduces all our new cells, o oh yeah

Sing this a couple of times to a class and you'd be surprised how many of them remember the phases of the cell cycle, without a hitch.

The point is to utilize rubrics that are clear enough to provide direction, without eliminating the opportunity for students explore the learning process by utilizing their imaginations and creativity.  Anyone can follow a recipie, but the food seems to always taste better when love is one of the ingredients. Don't allow rubrics to take the passio out of the learning process.