Overview

In this performance assessment, students will explore multi-media informational pieces about westward expansion in America. They will take notes and analyze how the pioneers changed the landscape and culture of the American West with the development of the transcontinental railroad. Students will explore the topic of prejudice and discrimination towards Chinese immigrant workers, examine the effects on the Native populations, and explain how this influenced and/or changed America.  

Specifically, students will be asked to develop an informal informational presentation including pictures, quotes, and descriptions based on the literature and media provided that describe how Westward expansion influenced the pioneers, Chinese workers, and Native populations; and how it changed the culture of the American West.  

Students can create their final presentation in any appropriate way, including, but not limited to, PowerPoint or Google Slides (or another presentation tool), Microsoft Word or Google Docs, poster or trifold using colored pens/pencils/ markers. Final student work should be saved as an Acrobat PDF for uploading to the virtual scoring software. 

This assessment should take place after students have a strong understanding of culture and the history of westward expansion. 

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Details

Big Ideas & Competencies

Big Ideas Competencies

C. Writing

Students can effectively communicate purpose to an intended audience through written language, using a variety of media.

C2

Students can write informational texts using facts, definitions, details, quotations, and examples to examine a topic.

F. Style and Language

Students can apply conventions of grammar and use academic and domain-specific vocabulary.

F2

Students will use visuals when appropriate.

NOTE ABOUT ASSESSMENT RUBRICS

Below are analytic teacher rubrics. 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 Rubric

Dimensions Not Yet Meeting Expectations Meeting Expectations Exceeding Expectations

Focus and Organization
  • Provides a basic or unclear introduction to the topic or no introduction is provided.
  • Uses an unclear or ineffective body structure to organize and group details about the topic.
  • Abruptly ends the writing without a sense of closure or ends with an unrelated concluding statement.
No exemplars at this time.
  • Introduces the topic, ideas, and concepts.
  • Uses text features to organize and group related information using strategies such as paragraphs, quotations, and captions.
  • Provides a concluding statement or section that follows from the information and explanation.
No exemplars at this time.
  • Clearly introduces the topic, ideas, and concepts by providing detailed information in paragraph form.
  • Uses a variety of text features (e.g., quotations, paragraphs, captions) to organize and group related information into paragraphs and sections.
  • Provides a concluding statement or section that clearly follows from and supports the information and explanation.
No exemplars at this time.

Development/Comprehension
  • Includes partially related or unrelated information and/or visuals or does not include details and visuals about the topic.
  • An unclear or no explanation of the information is provided demonstrating a weak understanding of the topic, ideas, and concepts.
No exemplars at this time.
  • Develops the topic with appropriate information, including relevant facts, details, quotations, and/or examples.
  • Provides an explanation of the information to demonstrate an understanding of the topic, ideas, concepts, and important.
No exemplars at this time.
  • Develops the topic with relevant information, including facts, details, and illustrations, quotations, examples, and visuals/multimedia to emphasize important points about the topic.
  • Provides a clear and insightful explanation of the information to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the topic, ideas, and concepts.
No exemplars at this time.

Style and Conventions
  • Uses generic vocabulary to identify and explain the topic and/or supporting information.
  • Uses inconsistent grammar and conventions which detract from the quality of the essay.
  • Uses ineffective sentence structures creating an informal style and tone.
No exemplars at this time.
  • Uses precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to identify and explain the topic.
  • Uses grade-appropriate conventions; errors are minor and do not interfere with meaning and readability.
  • Use correct and varied sentence structures that establish and maintain a formal style and tone.
No exemplars at this time.
  • Uses precise language and domain-specific (tier 3 – such as culture) vocabulary to identify and explain the topic, ideas, and concepts, and supporting information.
  • Uses advanced grammar and convention; errors are minor and do not impact the meaning and quality of the assessment.
  • Uses advanced and varied sentence structures to establish a formal style and tone.
No exemplars at this time.

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