How to create graded discussions for a whole unit in Canvas
Short answer: in Canvas, go to Discussions → Add Discussion, write the prompt, tick Graded, and set the points and due date. Or open Course++ in your course and type: “Create three graded discussions for Unit 3, 12 points each, due Wednesdays at 11:59 pm.”
The problem
Three discussions, and every one needs the same form filled out again.
Each graded discussion needs a title, a prompt, points, a due date and often a rubric. Do that for a whole unit and you are retyping the same settings over and over.
one form per discussiona rubric to attach each time
The fix
Describe the unit. Course++ builds the discussions.
It shows you a plan first, and you approve it before anything is built. Each discussion gets a written prompt, points and a due date, and is left unpublished so you can read it over.
1 sentenceprompts written for you
Prompts you can copy
Open your Canvas course, open Course++ beside it, and paste one of these. Change the names and numbers to match your course.
Create three graded discussions for Unit 3 on the Constitution, 12 points each, due Wednesdays Sep 9, 16 and 23 at 11:59 pm. Write a clear prompt for each, and tell students to post once and reply to two classmates.
To build the whole set at once.Create a rubric for the Unit 3 discussions with Quality of Post, Evidence, and Replies at 4 points each, and attach it to all three.
After the discussions exist, so each one is graded the same way.Add the Unit 3 discussions to the Unit 3 module and leave them unpublished.
Keeps them tidy until you are ready.I attached last year’s Unit 3 discussion questions as a PDF. Use them to create the three Unit 3 graded discussions, 12 points each, due Wednesdays Sep 9, 16 and 23 at 11:59 pm.
When last year’s questions worked. Save a Word file as a PDF first.List my graded discussions with their points and due dates, and tell me which ones have no due date.
A quick check before you publish. It only reads; nothing changes.
How to create a graded discussion in Canvas by hand
- In Course Navigation, click Discussions.
- Click Add Discussion.
- Enter a title in the Topic Title field and write the prompt in the editor.
- Tick the Graded checkbox. More options appear, including points and an Assignment Settings section.
- Enter the points and a due date. Use Available from and Until if you want to control when it opens and closes.
- Click Save to keep it as a draft, or Save and Publish to open it to students.
- Repeat for each discussion in the unit.
Good to know
- Course++ can’t see student replies. It builds the discussions and rubric, but it can’t read or grade what students write. That part is yours in SpeedGrader.
- Say what counts as a post. The prompt is the place to ask for one post and two replies. Canvas only tracks a reply count if your school has turned on graded checkpoints.
- Add a rubric. Grading goes faster with one. See how to add a rubric.
Questions teachers ask
How do I make a discussion graded in Canvas?
When you create or edit the discussion, tick Graded. Then enter the points and a due date and save it.
Can I add a rubric to a graded discussion in Canvas?
Yes. A graded discussion can have a rubric. Course++ can create the rubric and attach it to every discussion in your unit.
Will Course++ publish the discussions it creates?
No. New discussions are created unpublished, so you can read them over and publish when you are ready.
Can Course++ read or grade my students’ replies?
No. It never reads student replies or grades. It builds and edits the discussions, and you do the grading in Canvas.
250 FREE credits to try it. No credit card.
Canvas steps checked against Instructure’s own Canvas guides in October 2026. Canvas changes its screens from time to time, and schools turn features on and off, so a button may be named a little differently in yours.