🎯

curriculum-assess-design

🎯Skill

from pauljbernard/content

What it does

Designs comprehensive assessment blueprints by mapping learning objectives to appropriate assessment types and creating detailed, aligned rubrics.

curriculum-assess-design

Installation

Install skill:

npx skills add https://github.com/pauljbernard/content --skill curriculum-assess-design

Last UpdatedNov 9, 2025

View on GitHub Back to Skills

Skill Details

SKILL.md

Design assessment blueprints mapping learning objectives to valid assessment types and create detailed rubrics with performance criteria. Use when planning assessments, creating rubrics, or ensuring constructive alignment. Activates on "create assessment blueprint", "design rubric", "assessment alignment", or "backwards design assessment".

Overview

# Assessment Blueprint & Rubric Design

Design valid assessments aligned to learning objectives and create rubrics with clear performance criteria following backwards design principles.

When to Use

Automatically activate when the user:

Needs to design assessments for learning objectives
Asks "create assessment blueprint"
Wants rubrics for assignments or projects
Requests "align assessments to objectives"
Says "how should I assess [learning objective]"
Needs formative or summative assessment planning

Required Inputs

Learning Objectives: From /curriculum.design or user-provided
Educational Level: K-5, 6-8, 9-12, undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate
Assessment Purpose: Formative, summative, diagnostic, or authentic
Constraints (optional): Time limits, format requirements, accessibility needs

Workflow

1. Load Learning Objectives

Read curriculum design artifact to get:

All learning objectives with IDs (e.g., LO-1.1, LO-1.2)
Bloom's taxonomy levels for each
Standards alignments
Performance expectations

2. Map Objectives to Assessment Types

For each objective, determine appropriate assessment method based on Bloom's level:

Remember/Understand:

Multiple choice
Matching
Short answer
Fill-in-the-blank
Labeling diagrams

Apply:

Problem sets
Demonstrations
Simulations
Lab activities
Case applications

Analyze:

Compare/contrast essays
Diagramming relationships
Categorization tasks
Error analysis
Data interpretation

Evaluate:

Critiques
Judgments with justification
Recommendation reports
Peer review
Editorial analysis

Create:

Projects
Designs
Research papers
Portfolios
Original artifacts

3. Create Assessment Blueprint

Document the complete assessment strategy:

```markdown

# Assessment Blueprint: [TOPIC]

Educational Level: [Level]

Based on: [Link to curriculum design]

Blueprint Date: [Date]

Assessment Philosophy

Approach: [Formative-heavy, summative-focused, mastery-based, etc.]

Balance:

Formative Assessment: [Percentage]%
Summative Assessment: [Percentage]%
Authentic/Performance: [Percentage]%

Alignment Principle: Every learning objective has at least one directly aligned assessment item

Assessment Map

Unit 1 Assessments

|--------------|-----------|---------------|-----------------|------|--------|

Unit 1 Total Weight: 50%

Unit 2 Assessments

[Same structure]

Final/Cumulative Assessments

|------------|-------------------|------|------|--------|

Assessment Schedule

|------|------------|------|------------|---------------|

| 2 | Unit 1 Assessment | Mixed | LO-1.1-1.4 | Yes |

| 3 | Formative Check #2 | Exit ticket | LO-2.1 | No |

| 4 | Unit 2 Assessment | Performance | LO-2.1-2.3 | Yes |

[Continue for all weeks]

Rubrics Required

Unit 1 Case Analysis Essay Rubric (for LO-1.4)
Unit 2 Performance Task Rubric (for LO-2.3)
Final Project Rubric (for all objectives)

[Each rubric detailed below]

---

Rubric 1: [Assessment Name]

Assessment Type: [Essay, project, performance task, etc.]

Objectives Assessed: [LO-X.X, LO-Y.Y]

Total Points: [Point value]

Rubric Type: [Analytic or Holistic]

Analytic Rubric

|-----------|---------------|----------------|----------------|---------------|--------|

Total: /16 points

Performance Level Conversion

Exemplary (A): 14-16 points (87.5-100%)
Proficient (B): 12-13 points (75-87%)
Developing (C): 10-11 points (62.5-75%)
Beginning (D/F): < 10 points (< 62.5%)

Criterion Descriptions

Criterion 1: [Name] - [What this criterion assesses and why it's important]

Exemplary (4):

[Specific indicator 1]
[Specific indicator 2]
[Specific indicator 3]

Proficient (3):

[Specific indicator 1]
[Specific indicator 2]
[Minor gap compared to exemplary]

Developing (2):

[Specific indicator 1]
[Noticeable gaps]

Beginning (1):

[Minimal evidence]
[Significant gaps]

[Repeat for each criterion]

---

Assessment Validity & Alignment

Constructive Alignment Check

✅ Objectives → Assessments: Every objective has aligned assessment

✅ Bloom's Match: Assessment types match cognitive levels

✅ Content Validity: Assessments measure intended learning

✅ Authenticity: Real-world application where appropriate

Alignment Matrix

| | LO-1.1 | LO-1.2 | LO-1.3 | LO-2.1 | LO-2.2 |

|--|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|

| Quiz #1 | ✓ | ✓ | | | |

| Unit 1 Exam | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | |

| Lab Report | | | ✓ | ✓ | |

| Final Project | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |

Accessibility & UDL Considerations

Universal Design for Assessment

Multiple Means of Expression:

[Option 1]: [Description]
[Option 2]: [Description]
[Option 3]: [Description]

Accommodations Available:

Extended time
Read-aloud
Scribe
Simplified language
Visual supports
Alternative formats

Bias Review

Potential Barriers Identified:

[Barrier 1]: [Mitigation strategy]
[Barrier 2]: [Mitigation strategy]

Assessment Item Specifications

Item Type 1: Multiple Choice

Objective: [LO-X.X]

Quantity: [Number of items]

Bloom's Level: [Level]

Stem Format: [Question style]

Options: [Number of distractors]

Time per Item: [Estimated minutes]

Sample Item:

[Example question demonstrating format and difficulty]

Item Type 2: [Type]

[Same structure for each assessment type]

Grading Workflow

Formative Assessments: Quick feedback, no formal grade or completion only
Summative Assessments: Apply rubrics, provide criterion-level feedback
Authentic Tasks: Use analytic rubrics, conference with students
Final Grades: Weighted average per assessment schedule

Next Steps

Use /curriculum.develop-items to create actual assessment items based on this blueprint
Use /curriculum.develop-content to create lesson plans aligned to assessments
Use /curriculum.review-pedagogy to verify alignment after development

---

Artifact Metadata:

Artifact Type: Assessment Blueprint
Topic: [Topic]
Level: [Level]
Total Assessments: [Count]
Rubrics Created: [Count]
Alignment Verified: [Yes/No]
Next Phase: Item Development or Content Development

```

4. Rubric Quality Standards

Ensure each rubric includes:

✅ Clear Criteria: Specific, important aspects of performance

✅ Distinct Levels: 3-5 performance levels (4 is standard)

✅ Descriptive Language: Observable indicators, not vague terms

✅ Positive Framing: Describe what IS present, not just what's missing

✅ Student-Friendly: Language students can understand and use for self-assessment

✅ Actionable Feedback: Students know how to improve

5. Assessment Type Selection Guide

Use this logic to recommend assessment types:

```python

if blooms_level in ["Remember", "Understand"]:

if level in ["K-5", "6-8"]:

recommend "Selected response (MC, matching) + some short answer"

else:

recommend "Mixed format with emphasis on application"

elif blooms_level == "Apply":

if level in ["K-5"]:

recommend "Demonstrations, hands-on tasks, simple problems"

else:

recommend "Problem sets, case applications, simulations"

elif blooms_level == "Analyze":

recommend "Essays, diagrams, comparative analysis, data interpretation"

elif blooms_level == "Evaluate":

recommend "Critiques, justified judgments, recommendation reports"

elif blooms_level == "Create":

recommend "Projects, designs, research papers, portfolios, original artifacts"

```

6. Output Format

Human-Readable (default):

Formatted markdown with tables
Write to: curriculum-artifacts/[topic]-assessment-blueprint.md

JSON Format (use --format json):

```json

{

"artifact_type": "assessment_blueprint",

"topic": "string",

"level": "string",

"assessments": [

{

"name": "string",

"type": "formative|summative|authentic",

"objectives": ["LO-1.1", "LO-1.2"],

"blooms_levels": ["Remember", "Apply"],

"weight": 15,

"rubric": {

"type": "analytic|holistic",

"criteria": [

{

"name": "string",

"exemplary": "descriptor",

"proficient": "descriptor",

"developing": "descriptor",

"beginning": "descriptor",

"points": 4

}

]

}

]

}

```

7. CLI Interface

```bash

# With curriculum design artifact

/curriculum.assess-design --design "photosynthesis-grade5-design.md"

# Specify assessment focus

/curriculum.assess-design --design "quadratics-hs-design.md" --emphasis "authentic"

# Create single rubric

/curriculum.assess-design --rubric-only --objective "LO-3.4" --type "essay"

# JSON output

/curriculum.assess-design --design "neural-networks-design.md" --format json

# Help

/curriculum.assess-design --help

```

Educational Level Adaptations

K-5

Simple rubrics (3 levels: Great, Good, Needs Work)
Heavy formative emphasis (frequent quick checks)
Hands-on performance tasks
Visual rubrics with icons/colors

6-8

Standard rubrics (4 levels)
Balance formative/summative
Mix of formats
Student-involved rubric creation

9-12

Detailed analytic rubrics
Authentic performance tasks
Self and peer assessment
Standards-aligned scoring

Undergraduate/Graduate

Professional-quality rubrics
Emphasis on authentic assessment
Research and creation tasks
Discipline-specific criteria

Composition with Other Skills

Input from:

/curriculum.design - Learning objectives drive assessment design

Output to:

/curriculum.develop-items - Blueprint specifies items to create
/curriculum.develop-content - Assessments inform instruction
/curriculum.review-pedagogy - Alignment verification
/curriculum.grade-assist - Rubrics used for grading

Error Handling

No learning objectives: Cannot create blueprint without objectives
Missing Bloom's levels: Infer from objective wording
Invalid assessment type: Suggest appropriate type for cognitive level
Rubric criteria unclear: Use best practices for common task types

Exit Codes

0: Success - Assessment blueprint and rubrics created
1: Invalid educational level
2: Cannot load learning objectives
3: Assessment type not appropriate for Bloom's level
4: Insufficient information to create rubrics

More from this repository10

🎯

learning-language-level-calibration🎯Skill

Calibrates educational content difficulty by mapping vocabulary, sentence complexity, and cultural nuances to language proficiency levels.

🎯

learning-engagement🎯Skill

learning-engagement skill from pauljbernard/content

🎯

standards-compliance-training🎯Skill

standards-compliance-training skill from pauljbernard/content

🎯

learning-onboarding🎯Skill

learning-onboarding skill from pauljbernard/content

🎯

learning-faq-generator🎯Skill

Generates comprehensive FAQs from learner questions, support tickets, and forums to create self-service knowledge bases for educational platforms.

🎯

standards-gap-analysis🎯Skill

Identifies and analyzes gaps in curriculum standards, prioritizing critical areas and recommending targeted content to ensure comprehensive educational coverage.

🎯

standards-crosswalk-mapper🎯Skill

Maps and compares educational standards frameworks across states, subjects, and versions, revealing equivalencies and relationships between different systems.

🎯

learning-coaching-framework🎯Skill

Designs personalized learning coaching programs with structured goal-setting, accountability tracking, and adaptive development strategies for enhanced personal growth.

🎯

curriculum-grade-assist🎯Skill

Grades student work by systematically applying rubrics, generating detailed criterion-level feedback, and ensuring consistent, constructive scoring across submissions.

🎯

learning-leadership-development🎯Skill

learning-leadership-development skill from pauljbernard/content