Resources · Mastery
Mastery rubrics.
One rubric per unit, plus the three demonstration rubrics. Every rubric uses the same three levels — Not yet, Approaching, Mastered — so the bar is identical for every student.
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How the rubrics work
The grading philosophy behind every rubric — decisions not points, a vocabulary published in advance, three tokens that absorb a bad day, and how unit mastery becomes a letter grade.
Unit rubrics
A mastery rubric for each of the eight units. Each one names exactly what a student must be able to do — not how many points they earned — to reach Mastered.
Unit 01
Cells, Tissues & the Body Plan
The cell as the basic unit, the four primary tissues, levels of organization, and the anatomical body plan.
Unit 02
Skeletal & Muscular Systems
Bones, joints, and the three muscle types; how muscles pull on the skeleton to move the body.
Unit 03
The Cardiovascular System
The heart, blood vessels, and blood; tracing circulation and reading pulse and pressure.
Unit 04
The Respiratory System
The airways and lungs, gas exchange, and the mechanics of breathing.
Unit 05
The Nervous System & Senses
Neurons and the nerve signal, the brain and spinal cord, and how the senses report the world.
Unit 06
The Digestive & Urinary Systems
Breaking down food and absorbing nutrients; filtering the blood and balancing fluids.
Unit 07
The Endocrine & Reproductive Systems
Hormones and the glands that release them; the structures and cycles of reproduction.
Unit 08
The Immune & Integumentary Systems
The layers and functions of the skin, wound healing, and innate versus adaptive immunity.
Demonstration rubrics
The three live demonstrations a student defends in person. These are the AI-proof assessments — you can't paste your way through any of them.
Demonstration
Anatomy identification defense
Locating and identifying structures on a model or specimen, and defending each structure→function link.
Demonstration
Timed physiology case
Tracing a pathway or diagnosing a failing system under time, and justifying each step.
Demonstration
Lab-notebook defense
Standing behind your recorded methods, data, and reasoning out loud.