Distinguished - Creates a mission statement that comprehensively illustrates the basic philosophy of working with young children.

Proficient - Creates a mission statement that illustrates the basic philosophy of working with young children. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Creates a mission statement that minimally illustrates the basic philosophy of working with young children. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to create a mission statement that illustrates the basic philosophy of working with young children; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The mission statement is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Creates a comprehensive lesson plan for two of the developmental domains.

Proficient - Creates a lesson plan for two of the developmental domains. The lesson plan is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Creates a limited lesson plan for two of the developmental domains. The lesson plan is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to create a lesson plan for two of the developmental domains; however, the lesson plan template is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The lesson plan for two of the developmental domains is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Provides a comprehensive explanation of the vision for each of the learning centers in the learning environment.

Proficient - Provides an explanation of the vision for each of the learning centers in the learning environment. The explanation is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Provides a limited explanation of the vision for each of the learning centers in the learning environment. The explanation is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to provide an explanation of the vision for each of the learning centers in the learning environment; however, the explanation is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The explanation of the vision for each for the learning centers in the learning environment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Accurately identifies a developmentally appropriate age group for which the plans are developed and provides a comprehensive description of the learning centers, including a description of the types of activities and the incorporation of the developmental domains.

Proficient - Identifies a developmentally appropriate age group for which the plans are developed and provides a description of the learning centers, including a description of the types of activities and the incorporation of the developmental domains. The description is slightly underdeveloped or the identification is slightly inaccurate.

Basic - Identifies a somewhat developmentally appropriate age group for which the plans are developed and provides a limited description of the learning centers, including a description of the types of activities or the incorporation of the developmental domains. The description is underdeveloped or the identification is inaccurate.

Below Expectations - Identifies an age group for which the plans are developed and attempts to provide a description of the learning centers; however, does not include a description of the types of activities and the incorporation of the developmental domains. The age group is not developmentally appropriate. The description is significantly underdeveloped or the identification is significantly inaccurate.

Non-Performance - The identification of a developmentally appropriate age group and the description of the learning centers are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Provides a detailed explanation of how the design considerations from Figure 6.1 of the course text are incorporated.

Proficient - Provides an explanation of how the design considerations from Figure 6.1 of the course text are incorporated. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Provides a limited explanation of how the design considerations from Figure 6.1 of the course text are incorporated. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to provide an explanation of how the design considerations from Figure 6.1 of the course text are incorporated; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The explanation of how the design considerations from Figure 6.1 of the text are incorporated is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Provides a detailed description of a physical and/or instructional modification for children with special needs (i.e., special education, gifted and/or talented) and thoroughly discusses whether the classroom would have a primary caregiver and/or continuity of care. The discussion is fully supported with a rationale.

Proficient - Provides a description of a physical and/or instructional modification for children with special needs (i.e., special education, gifted and/or talented) and discusses whether the classroom would have a primary caregiver and/or continuity of care. The discussion is supported with a rationale. Minor details are missing from the description or discussion.

Basic - Provides a limited description of a physical and/or instructional modification for children with special needs (i.e., special education, gifted and/or talented) and partially discusses whether the classroom would have a primary caregiver and/or continuity of care. The discussion is somewhat supported with a rationale. Relevant details are missing from the description and/or discussion.

Below Expectations - Attempts to provide a description of a physical and/or instructional modification for children with special needs (i.e., special education, gifted and/or talented) and discuss whether the classroom would have a primary caregiver and/or continuity of care; however, the discussion is not supported with a rationale and significant details are missing from the description and discussion.

Non-Performance - The description of physical and/or instructional modifications for children with special needs and the discussion of whether the classroom would have a primary caregiver and/or continuity of care are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Provides a comprehensive discussion of how health and safety standards will be met in the learning environment. The discussion includes specific details on hand washing, cleaning, sanitizing, and safety precautions.

Proficient - Provides a discussion of how health and safety standards will be met in the learning environment. The discussion includes details on hand washing, cleaning, sanitizing, and safety precautions, but is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Provides a limited discussion of how health and safety standards will be met in the learning environment. The discussion includes minimal details on hand washing, cleaning, sanitizing, and safety precautions and is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to provide a discussion of how health and safety standards will be met in the learning environment; however, the discussion does not include details on hand washing, cleaning, sanitizing, and safety precautions and is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The discussion of how health and safety standards will be met in the learning environment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly explains how to accommodate parents in the learning environment, including a comprehensive explanation of how to create spaces that invite and welcome families, how to help families feel comfortable leaving their children in the care, and how to communicate with parents.

Proficient - Explains how to accommodate parents in the learning environment, including an explanation of how to create spaces that invite and welcome families, how to help families feel comfortable leaving their children in the care, and how to communicate with parents. The explanation is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Partially explains how to accommodate parents in the learning environment, including a limited explanation of how to create spaces that invite and welcome families, how to help families feel comfortable leaving their children in the care, and how to communicate with parents. The explanation is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain how to accommodate parents in the learning environment; however, does not including an explanation of how to create spaces that invite and welcome families, how to help families feel comfortable leaving their children in the care, and how to communicate with parents. The explanation is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The explanation of how to accommodate parents in the learning environment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Provides a detailed description of how to create a positive working relationship with other adults in the learning environment. The description demonstrates the application of course content and/or details how one will interact with various adults (e.g., administrators, colleagues, parents, community members, etc.).

Proficient - Provides a description of how to create a positive working relationship with other adults in the learning environment. The description demonstrates the application of course content and/or details how one will interact with various adults (e.g., administrators, colleagues, parents, community members, etc.). Minor details are missing.

Basic - Provides a limited description of how to create a positive working relationship with other adults in the learning environment. The description minimally demonstrates the application of course content and/or details how one will interact with various adults (e.g., administrators, colleagues, parents, community members, etc.). Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to provide a description of how to create a positive working relationship with other adults in the learning environment; however, the description does not demonstrate the application of course content and details how one will interact with various adults (e.g., administrators, colleagues, parents, community members, etc.). Significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The description of how to create a positive working relationship with other adults in the learning environment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Clearly and comprehensively explains the issue to be considered, delivering all relevant information necessary for a full understanding.

Proficient - Clearly explains the issue to be considered, delivering enough relevant information for an adequate understanding.

Basic - Briefly explains the issue to be considered, delivering minimal information for a basic understanding.

Below Expectations - Briefly explains the issue to be considered, but may not deliver additional information necessary for a basic understanding.

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions. 

Distinguished - Autonomously synthesizes or draws conclusions by combining examples, facts, or theories from multiple disciplines. 

Proficient - Autonomously correlates examples, facts, or theories from multiple disciplines.

Basic - Attempts to correlate examples, facts, or theories from multiple disciplines.

Below Expectations - Displays inconsistent examples, facts, or theories from multiple disciplines.

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Distinguished - Displays meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains no errors and is very easy to understand.

Proficient - Displays comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains only a few minor errors and is mostly easy to understand.

Basic - Displays basic comprehension of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains a few errors which may slightly distract the reader.

Below Expectations - Fails to display basic comprehension of syntax or mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains major errors which distract the reader.

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Distinguished - Accurately uses APA formatting consistently throughout the paper, title page, and reference page.

Proficient - Exhibits APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout contains a few minor errors. 

Basic - Exhibits limited knowledge of APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout does not meet all APA requirements. 

Below Expectations - Fails to exhibit basic knowledge of APA formatting. There are frequent errors, making the layout difficult to distinguish as APA.

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Distinguished - The length of the paper is equivalent to the required number of correctly formatted pages. 

Proficient - The length of the paper is nearly equivalent to the required number of correctly formatted pages. 

Basic - The length of the paper is equivalent to at least three quarters of the required number of correctly formatted pages.

Below Expectations - The length of the paper is equivalent to at least one half of the required number of correctly formatted pages.   

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Distinguished - Uses more than the required number of scholarly sources, providing compelling evidence to support ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.

Proficient - Uses the required number of scholarly sources to support ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.

Basic - Uses less than the required number of sources to support ideas. Some sources may not be scholarly. Most sources on the reference page are used within the body of the assignment. Citations may not be formatted correctly.

Below Expectations - Uses an inadequate number of sources that provide little or no support for ideas. Sources used may not be scholarly. Most sources on the reference page are not used within the body of the assignment. Citations are not formatted correctly.

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.