Homework rubric: grades K–2, 3–5 and 6–8
This homework rubric scores the habits homework is meant to build: finishing the work, showing honest effort and thinking, returning it on the day agreed, and using feedback to fix mistakes. It never scores what a family has at home: no printer, no supplies, no adult help needed for full marks. Grades 3–5 and 6–8 use four levels with points; K–2 uses three levels with no points. Print it, or open it in the rubric maker to change any cell.
Homework rubric, grades K–2
3 levels, 3 criteria, no points (a switch in the maker adds them).
| Criteria | Wow! | Yes | Not yet |
|---|---|---|---|
| I finish | I finish all of it. | I finish most of it. | I finish a little of it. |
| I try | I try every part and show my thinking. | I try most parts. | I skip a lot of parts. |
| I bring it back | I bring it back on the day we agreed. | I bring it back a little late. | I do not bring it back yet. |
- I can finish my homework.
- I can try my best on every part.
- I can bring my homework back on the day we agreed.
Homework rubric, grades 3–5
4 levels, 4 criteria, 20 points in all.
| Criteria | Exceeds4 points | Meets3 points | Approaching2 points | Beginning1 point | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Completioncounts ×2 | Every part attempted, with work shown where it is asked for. | Every part attempted. | Some parts left blank. | Most parts left blank. | / 8 |
| Effort and thinking | Thinking shown on every part, with notes on anything confusing to ask about. | Thinking shown on most parts. | Answers only, with little thinking shown. | Little effort shown. | / 4 |
| On time | Returned on the agreed day, or the student made a plan with the teacher ahead of time. | Returned within a day of the agreed day. | Returned late without a plan. | Not returned. | / 4 |
| Corrections | Every marked mistake corrected, with a note on what was learned. | Most marked mistakes corrected. | Few corrections. | No corrections. | / 4 |
- I can complete every part of my homework.
- I can show my thinking and honest effort.
- I can return my homework on the day agreed, or make a plan with my teacher.
- I can use feedback to fix my mistakes.
Homework rubric, grades 6–8
4 levels, 5 criteria, 24 points in all.
| Criteria | Exceeds4 points | Meets3 points | Approaching2 points | Beginning1 point | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Completioncounts ×2 | Every part complete, including any written responses, with work shown throughout. | Every part complete with work shown. | Some parts incomplete or skipped. | Mostly incomplete. | / 8 |
| Quality of effort | Careful work, mistakes checked, and specific questions written where understanding broke down. | Careful work with questions noted. | Rushed in places, with no questions noted. | Little effort evident. | / 4 |
| Responsibility | Turned in on the agreed day, or the student arranged a new plan before it was due. | Turned in on the agreed day. | Turned in late with no plan made ahead. | Not turned in. | / 4 |
| Use of feedback | Corrects every marked item and explains each error in a sentence. | Corrects every marked item. | Corrects some items. | No corrections. | / 4 |
| Honesty | Work is the student's own, and any help or tool used is named. | Work is the student's own. | Parts appear copied without credit. | Work is copied. | / 4 |
- I can complete every part of an assignment.
- I can show careful, honest work and flag what I do not understand.
- I can manage deadlines and talk to my teacher before a problem.
- I can use feedback to correct and understand my mistakes.
- I can do my own work and say when I had help.
When to use it
- A weekly homework grade that looks at habits rather than right answers.
- A homework folder or reading log checked on the same day each week.
- As a talking point with a student who is falling behind, to find the habit to work on.
What to say to students
- Try every question. A wrong answer with your thinking shown is better than a blank.
- Do your own work. If you got help, write who helped and with what.
- If something at home makes homework hard this week, tell me privately. We will make a plan.
- When I mark a mistake, fix it. That is where the learning happens.
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The criteria are generic and written for this site, with no standards codes, so they fit any curriculum. Open one in the maker to change a word, add a row or switch to a single-point rubric; what you change stays in your browser.