Rubric for Unit Assessment Plan Template

Use the table below to identify the grade level, content area, and topic of a unit you are
planning.

Category Description
Grade Level 9-12
Content Area Journalism
Unit Topic/Subject Yearbook Photo Albums

Standards addressed: Digital Media Design & Production

o Problem Solving 0.3.1: Analyze elements of a problem to determine solutions.
o Technical Skills 1.2.2: Capture, edit, and/or manipulate photos/or video for digital
media applications.
o Technical Skills 1.2.7: Demonstrate the proper use of terminology.
o Technical Skills 1.2.12: Utilize composition principles when designing visual elements
in projects

Now identify four or five unit objectives using student learning terms.

Unit Objectives

Students will be able to take photos that demonstrate journalistic value and knowledge of
composition rules.
Students will be able to apply AP style rules for writing captions & headlining photos.

Students will be to analyze and evaluate their photos taken in manual mode to determine
what settings may need adjustments for future assignments.
Students will be able evaluate photos and apply their editing skills (cropping, color
adjustment, resolution) to prepare them for online publication.
The summative unit assessment will be scored using a rubric.
o Students will be responsible for covering events throughout the year as photo
assignments in yearbook production. Students will use the information they learned
from the previous year to cover the event and take photographs with journalistic value
while following basic composition rules. Additionally, they will evaluate their photos
and determine the best 10-12 to display online as a photo slideshow with extended
captions to help tell the story of that event.
The unit assessment plan will be evaluated according to the design project rubric.
Objective Excellent Very good Acceptable Below average
Students will --Students have -- Students have -- Students have -- Students only
be able to take at least 10-12 at least 8-10 6-8 photos that have 4-6 photos
photos that photos that help photos that help help to tell the and they do not
demonstrate to tell the story to tell the story story of the include the
journalistic of the event of the event event including entire event and
value and including the including the the beginning, represent the
knowledge of beginning, beginning, middle and end. whole story.
composition middle and end. middle and end. -- Few photos Lacks
rules. --Photos -- Some photos illustrate --Photos do not
illustrate illustrate different demonstrate a
different different composition rules variety of
composition rules composition rules (leading lines, composition
(leading lines, (leading lines, repetition, bird’s rules and lacks
repetition, bird’s repetition, bird’s eye or worm’s variety of
eye or worm’s eye or worm’s eye view, subjects
eye view, eye view, framing, rules of selected in the
framing, rules of framing, rules of thirds) but may frame.
thirds) and show thirds) and show not have a
a variety of a variety of variety of people
people selected people selected selected in the
in the frame. in the frame. frame.
Students will --Students --Students --Students -- Students
be able to include two include two include two include two
apply AP style sentence sentence sentence sentence
rules for captions using captions using captions for some captions for very
writing correct present/ correct present/ of the photos few of the
captions & past tense for at past tense for at included, but photos included
headlining least half of the less than half of contain errors in and contain
photos. photos included. the photos present/past errors in
--Students apply included. tense. present/past
accurate --Students may --Students may tense.
commonly used have 1-2 errors have 2-4 errors --Students have
AP style rules to while trying to while trying to more 4 errors
caption and apply accurate apply accurate while trying to
headlines commonly used commonly used apply accurate
(capitalization, AP style rules to AP style rules to commonly used
abbreviations, caption and caption and AP style rules to
titles, dates) headlines headlines caption and
error-free. (capitalization, (capitalization, headlines
abbreviations, abbreviations, (capitalization,
titles, dates). titles, dates). abbreviations,
titles, dates).
Students will --Students can --Students can --Students cannot --Students
be able fully explain explain why/ fully explain cannot explain
evaluate why/which which photos why/which why/which
photos and photos should be should be edited, photos should be photos should be
apply their edited (cropping, but are unable to edited and are edited and
editing skills colors edit all of them only able to cannot edit or
(cropping, adjustment, etc.) for online prepare some prepare photos
color and are able to publication photos for online for online
adjustment, prepare photos except for publication publication
resolution) to for online adjustment of including including
prepare them publication resolution. adjustment of adjustment of
for online including resolution. resolution.
publication. adjustment of
resolution.
Students will --Students can --Students can --Students cannot --Students do
be to analyze clearly describe somewhat describe the not describe the
and evaluate what changes in describe changes changes needed changes needed
their photos their manual in their manual in their manual in their manual
taken in mode setting mode setting mode setting to mode setting to
manual mode need to be need to be take a quality take a quality
to determine adjusted for adjusted for photo. photo.
what settings better photo better photo --Students can --Students are
may need quality. quality. take photo unable to take
adjustments --Student can --Student can examples to photo examples
for future take photo take photo demonstrate to show their
assignments. examples to examples to their knowledge, knowledge of
support their support their but lacks ability the different
responses. responses. to articulate the settings.
process.

Identify the Formative Assessments to be included in this unit.  

Lesson Objective
Understand: Students will be able to identify the
use of composition rules in sample photos.
Evaluate: Students will demonstrate their
understanding of the composition rules by taking
their own photos and explain the rule to their
peers.
Understand: Students will be able to identify and
correct common AP style errors.
Understand: Students will be able to apply the
correct format and use the correct tenses for
extended caption writing.
Understand: Students will be able to understand
how the DSLR manual setting can impact a
photograph.
Apply & Evaluate: Students will be able
demonstrate how to properly use the shutter
speed setting to freeze motion and evaluate their
ability.
Formative Assessment
Composition Rules Quiz (Appendix A)
One-on-one feedback given after
students present and explain their
photos/rules to the class. (Appendix B)
AP Style Quiz (Appendix C)
Caption Writing Graphic Organizer
(Appendix D)
Quick Reference: ISO, Shutter Speed,
Aperture Graphic Organizer (Appendix
E)
Water Freeze Assignment and Self-
Assessment & Reflection (Appendix F)
Evaluate: Students will be able to determine the
photo editing corrections needed to allow for
publication.
Oral questioning to engage students to
have the opportunity to justify their
reasoning for editing photos a certain
way. Comprehension Questions
(Appendix G)

Appendix A

Composition Rules Quiz

1. Describe the difference between curved lines and leading lines.

2. When a photo is taken using worm’s eye view, the photo will appear
_______________.

3. Name a specific time when a worm’s eye view would be appropriate due to the
desired effect.

4. A photograph that has a single element repeated multiple times is an example

of:

a. Framing c. Rule of thirds

b. Center of interest d. Curved lines

5. A photograph that is split into nine equal parts and the main object of the
photo rests on the intersection points.

a. Bird’s eye view c. Rule of thirds

b. Repetition d. Framing

6. How will the photo appear when utilizing a bird’s eye view?

a. Larger c. Smaller

b. Distorted d. Wider

Match the photo to the composition rule.

7. Bird’s Eye View: __________
8. Rule of Thirds: __________
9. Center of Interest: __________
10. Worm’s Eye View: __________
11. Repetition: __________
12. Framing: __________
13. Leading Lines: __________
14. Curved Lines: __________
A E

B
F



Appendix B

One-on-one feedback will be given to students after they present, identify and explain their photos to the
class or teacher. Feedback will be given to confirm that they fully understand the concept or will ask
questions to help students understand why their particular photo may not work.

Appendix C

AP Style Quiz
Answer the following questions regarding AP Style.
1. When referring to a person in an article, it should be:
a) Journalism teacher Mrs. Robin Montano
b) Journalism Teacher Robin Montano
c) Journalism teacher Mrs. Montano
d) Journalism teacher Robin Montano

2. When writing a person age:

a) use the figure
b) write it out
c) it doesn’t matter

3. When writing a state that does NOT have a specific city:

a) abbreviate the state with two letters
b) abbreviate using the AP style
c) spell out

4. There are eight girls on the swim team and sixteen on the diving team.

5. Nine students including Mrs. Vicky Watkins will participate in the pep assembly.

6. The required reading was more than 35 pages.

7. Senior Taylor Antonowich won homecoming queen, but Senior Kaylee Anderson was not upset.

8. Senior pictures are due October 15.

9. Residents in Kan. have been abnormally upbeat about the increased taxes.

10.Graduates from Dec. 1997 celebrated together at the football game.

11.You can introduce your parents to your favorite Math Teacher Mrs. Rickard at conferences.

12.Thanks a million for sending the file.

13. All of the new students moved to Newton from the State of California.
Appendix D

Students will complete the graphic organizer for various sample photos. They will complete this graphic
organizer and receive feedback and comments regarding their caption writing.

Caption Writing Graphic Organizer

Event Name: __________________________________________________________________

Event Date: _______________________ Event Location: ____________________________

Additional Details about the event:

1st Sentence 2nd Sentence 3rd Sentence

1st Sentence 2nd Sentence 3rd Sentence

1st Sentence 2nd Sentence 3rd Sentence

Appendix E
Quick Reference: ISO, Aperture & Shutter Speed
Highlight the correct answer to complete the table below.
ISO
Grain Grain
More/Less More/Less
100 200 400 800 1600 3200

Sensitivity to light Sensitivity to light

High/Low High/Low
Use during: am/pm Use during: am/pm
Describe how the ISO impacts your photos?
ISO refers to the camera’s sensitivity to light and controls how much the camera naturally adjusts for a lack of light in
situations. Low ISO is less sensitive and should be used in bright light or daylight situations while darker scenes and indoor
pictures will need a higher ISO. This helps for auditoriums or places were flash are unaccepted, but the higher the ISO the
grainer the photo will become. It is best to use the lowest ISO possible that still allows for enough light for the shot.

Highlight the correct answer to complete the table below.

SHUTTER SPEED
Motion Motion
Blurs / Stops Blurs / Stops
15 30 60 125 250 500 1000 2000

LIGHTER / DARKER Use when LIGHTER / DARKER

LONGER / SHORTER Exposure LONGER / SHORTER
Describe what happens to the camera when you need to change the shutter speed. Give specific examples
when you would want to change it. Be specific in your examples.
Shutter speed refers to how fast the shutter opens and closes; it controls the length of time that light is available to the
camera as it takes the picture. Pictures taken with a slower shutter speed will allow more light and create a brighter image,
but may blur the any motion. A tripod will help to keep the camera steady when using a slow shutter speed. If you want to
freeze motion a faster shutter speed (sports, traffic, etc.) is necessary.

Highlight the correct answer to complete the table below. Draw the lens size to match each F-stop.
APERTURE/F-Stop
Depth of Field Depth of Field
Least / Most Least / Most

1 1.8 2.8 4 5.6 8 11 16

LIGHTER / DARKER Image LIGHTER / DARKER

Describe when you would want to change the aperture. Be specific in your examples.
Adjusting the aperture controls the depth of field or how much of the picture is in focus, so it would be adjusted based on the
desired photo. A higher f-stop (8) will make the entire photo in focus with a wide depth of field, but a lower f-stop (2.8) will only
make a part of the photo is focus giving a shallower depth of field. This is often adjusted with portraits or frames with busy
backgrounds.

What is the relationship between shutter speed and aperture? A change in either shutter or aperture causes the other
to change. If you change one up, the other goes down and vice versa.

Appendix F

After completing the water freeze assignment, students will evaluate their photo and explain how they
changed the settings to capture the water as a still frame. They will also identify areas that still could use
practice. They will predict how to improve the quality by specifically stating which settings need adjusted
and how to do it.

Appendix G

Oral questioning will serve as the feedback as I have one-on-one conferences with students about their
photos. Questions will allow them to assess their photos and justify and explain what they need to do to
improve and prepare their photos for publication. Additionally, they will explain and demonstrate how they
utilize the tools in Photoshop in order to complete the tasks.