Appendix D: Mathematics Rubric Sample

The rubric below gives an overview of the Big Ideas for grade three. It connects the Drivers of Investigation to both the Big Ideas and the standards for mathematical practice (SMP). Periodically and throughout the school year, teachers can use a tool like this to assess and give feedback to students around their strengths and areas for growth. The teacher notes those indicators that the student has shown mastery, and which ones the student should focus on to further student learning. The final two columns are meant to be filled in by the teacher. 

Considerations for the final two columns to be completed by the teacher (TBT): 

Student Strength: What does the student understand in terms of this standard? What linguistic and cultural assets possessed by the students can I tap into to support all students, including those on the road to English proficiency, in their mastery of the content? 

Student Area for Growth: What should the student focus on to strengthen their understanding of this standard? 

Content Connections Big ideas Mathematical Practice Standards Indicators: The student… Student Strength Student Area for Growth
Reasoning with Data Represent Multivariate Data  SMP1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. 
SMP4: Model with mathematics 
SMP6: Attend to precision 
-Interprets appropriate meaning from graphs 
-Strategically organizes multivariable data 
-Creates graphs that clearly communicate information from data 
TBT  TBT 
Reasoning with Data  Fractions of Shape and Time  SMP4: Model with mathematics 
SMP5: Use appropriate tools strategically. 
SMP6: Attend to precision 
-Creates data visualizations that clearly capture and communicate about data collected over time   TBT  TBT 
Exploring Changing Quantities  Patterns in Four Operations  SMP3: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. 
SMP4: Model with mathematics.
SMP5: Use appropriate tools strategically.
-Computes sums and differences within 1000 
-Justifies solutions using appropriate tools or models 
-Constructs arguments with clear reasoning to support solutions 
TBT  TBT 
Exploring Changing Quantities  Number Flexibility to 100 for All Four Operations SMP3: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. 
SMP4: Model with mathematics. 
SMP5: Use appropriate tools strategically. 
-Computes products and quotients within 100  
-Justifies solutions using appropriate tools or models 
-Constructs arguments with clear reasoning to support solutions 
TBT  TBT 
Taking Wholes Apart, Putting Parts Together  Square Tiles  SMP2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. 
SMP5: Use appropriate tools strategically. 
-Measures area using square tiles as tools 
-Connects the area of individual square tiles to area of entire shape’s area using fractions. 
TBT  TBT 
Taking Wholes Apart, Putting Parts Together  Fractions of Shape and Time  SMP2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. 
SMP4: Model with mathematics 
SMP7: Look for and make use of structure 
-Collects and organizes multivariable data in relationship to time 
-Creates connections that highlight the relationship between measures of time including minutes, quarter, and half hours. 
TBT  TBT 
Taking Wholes Apart, Putting Parts Together  Fractions as Relationships  SMP2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. 
SMP7: Look for and make use of structure 
-Interprets the relationship between the numerator and denominator of fractions– especially in context 
-Recognizes and connects equivalent fractions to one another. 
TBT  TBT 
Taking Wholes Apart, Putting Parts Together  Unit Fraction Models  SMP3: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. 
SMP4: Model with mathematics 
-Uses visual models to compare unit fractions 
-Justifies arguments about unit fractions using visual models 
TBT  TBT 
Discovering Shape and Space  Analyze Quadrilaterals  SMP2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. 
SMP4: Model with mathematics 
-Compares quadrilaterals based on various features 
-Investigates how area and perimeter change when side lengths change.
-Solves real world problems involving area and perimeter of quadrilaterals through modeling. 
TBT  TBT 
Discovering Shape and Space  Fractions as Relationships  SMP2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. 
SMP4: Model with mathematics 
-Creates visual representations that model fractions 
-Justifies how a model represents a fractional quantity by relating the numerator, denominator and visual. 
TBT  TBT 
Discovering Shape and Space  Unit Fraction Models  SMP3: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. 
strong>SMP4: Model with mathematics 
-Uses visual models to compare unit fractions by attending to differences in scale 
-Justifies arguments about unit fractions using visual models 
TBT  TBT 

California Department of Education, November 2024