How to grade student pitches fairly: a simple rubric

Q: How do you grade student pitches fairly?

Grade student pitches on four explicit criteria: clarity (did they say what the thing is), evidence (did they give one real proof point), structure (did they hit beginning, middle, and end), and energy (did they engage the room). Score each 1-5. Share the rubric before they pitch.

The story

Pitch grading is hard because the loudest student often wins by default. A defensible rubric fixes this. The four criteria that work across ages are clarity, evidence, structure, and energy. Each scored 1-5, total out of 20. Share the rubric before pitches start so students can prep against it. SideHustle LIVE Labs uses Funny + Fundable scoring in the 90-minute Labs format with 4-5 students per team across four rounds (brainstorm, pitch, score, rotate). Educators across multiple universities have independently used the free online SideHustle game with their students. For the deeper teaching framework see how to teach pitching to high school students. Transparent scoring beats charisma every time.

What it means

If your current grading rewards confident kids and penalizes shy ones unfairly, the rubric fix is fast. Print the four criteria, share before the pitch round, and stick to the rubric even when the loud kid is good. Fairness compounds across the semester. For the full teaching method behind SideHustle, see the educator guide to teaching entrepreneurship through play.

Try it

• Play free at playsidehustle.com
• See us live: Sept 25 at Pershing Hall in Austin. luma.com/playsidehustle
• Email team@playsidehustle.com