Distinguished - Provides an accurate and comprehensive discussion of the importance of early learning experiences to the developing brain of infants and toddlers.

Proficient - Provides a discussion of the importance of early learning experiences to the developing brain of infants and toddlers. The discussion is slightly underdeveloped or inaccurate.

Basic - Provides a limited discussion of the importance of early learning experiences to the developing brain of infants and toddlers. The discussion is underdeveloped and/or inaccurate.

Below Expectations - Attempts to provide a discussion of the importance of early learning experiences to the developing brain of infants and toddlers; however, the discussion is significantly underdeveloped and inaccurate.

Non-Performance - The discussion of the importance of early learning experiences to the developing brain of infants and toddlers is either nonexistent or lacks significant components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Provides an accurate and comprehensive description of at least three specific examples from the video of adults supporting cognitive development.

Proficient - Provides a description of at least three specific examples from the video of adults supporting cognitive development. The description is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Provides a limited description of two specific examples from the video of adults supporting cognitive development. The description is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to provide a description of one specific example from the video of adults supporting cognitive development; however, the description is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The description of specific examples from the video of adults supporting cognitive development is either nonexistent or lacks the elements described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively summarizes two specific teaching ideas or strategies from the video for each of the discussed learning centers (i.e., literacy, manipulative or sensory, science, math, and blocks). The ideas or strategies are fully supported by research.

Proficient - Summarizes two specific teaching ideas or strategies from the video for each of the discussed learning centers (i.e., literacy, manipulative or sensory, science, math, and blocks). The ideas or strategies are supported by research, but are slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Partially summarizes one specific teaching idea or strategy from the video for each of the discussed learning centers (i.e., literacy, manipulative or sensory, science, math, and blocks). The idea or strategy is minimally supported by research and underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to summarize one specific teaching idea or strategy from the video for each of the discussed learning centers (i.e., literacy, manipulative or sensory, science, math, and blocks); however, the idea or strategy is not supported by research and significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The summary of one to two specific teaching ideas or strategies from the video for each of the discussed learning centers (i.e., literacy, manipulative or sensory, science, math, and blocks) is either nonexistent or lacks components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Creates new knowledge derived from a novel or unique idea, question, format, or product.

Proficient - Constructs an original idea, question, format, or product.

Basic - Attempts to construct an original or unique idea, question, format, or product.

Below Expectations - Reinvents available ideas.

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/presentation is equivalent to the required number of correctly formatted pages/slides. 

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

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

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

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.