V.E416

Simple Machine Design

Students will analyze, describe, and make connections between visual art and design and other disciplines throughout history, cultures, and everyday life.

Leonardo da Vinci was one of the most intriguing men in history—an ordinary person who did extraordinary things. He was an accomplished artist, designer, engineer, philosopher, and scientist at the same time. Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions can be looked at, analyzed, and discussed, asking whether they work, how they work, and why they work. This assessment will reinforce the connections between art and the academic curriculum.

This item has been voluntarily field-tested by Michigan teachers with a non-representative sample of students.

Teacher Booklet

Download PDF Download Word Doc

Student Booklet

Download PDF Download Word Doc

This is an analytic rubric. The column on the left shows the dimension that is being measured in the student’s performance. The levels across the top row indicate the performance level in the dimensions. Occasionally all dimensions and performance levels are exemplified by multiple students in a single recording.

Teacher Scoring Rubric

  • Dimension

  • Creativity

    The successful use of problem solving to invent a new machine for the identified problem; interesting adaptations of material, style, and content to reveal something new.

  • Reflection

    Reflection responses are stated in a clear and concise manner.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4

  • Invented machine offers unoriginal or standard solutions that show no evidence of identifying and solving a problem. There is no simple machine incorporated into the drawing.

    View Exemplar

  • Invented machine offers unoriginal or standard solutions that show little evidence of identifying and solving a problem. There is no simple machine incorporated into the drawing.

    View Exemplar

  • Invented machine offers a somewhat unique solution that is fairly imaginative and shows some evidence of identifying and solving a problem. There is a simple machine incorporated into the drawing.

    View Exemplar

  • Invented machine offers new and interesting solutions that are imaginative and show profound evidence of identifying and solving a problem. There is a simple machine incorporated into the drawing.

    View Exemplar

  • Student answers only one question in a clear and concise manner. The other questions are either unanswered or unclear. There is no real connection between the student’s answer and the question.

    View Exemplar

  • Student answers at least two questions in a clear and concise manner. The other questions are either unanswered or unclear. There is no real connection between the student’s answers and the questions.

    View Exemplar

  • Student answers at least three questions in a clear and concise manner. The other question is either unanswered or unclear. There is no real connection between the student’s answers and the questions.

    View Exemplar

  • Student answers all four questions in a clear and concise manner. There is a direct connection between the student’s answers and the questions.

    View Exemplar
Having trouble viewing videos?

Leave Feedback for this Assessment


What did you like? Did you need to revise anything? How could we make this assessment better?
Our Assessments are written by teachers for you, so your feedback is important to us!

Comments about items may be moderated and/or reposted in the blogs to aid item improvement and teacher learning. By leaving a comment, you agree that we can use your comment without attributing it to you.

Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date with all of our assessments.

Sign Up Now!