Overview

In this performance assessment, students will research a global/societal topic of their choosing to compose a children’s book story. Specifically, students will create their own original children’s story, aimed at elementary students in grades 1-3, that explains the importance of the global/societal issue they researched. The children’s story is expected to contain appropriate plot structure, characters, details, and dialogue. 

Students will create their final children’s story as an actual book using either a computer or paper and colored pens/pencils/markers. 

This assessment is best used after students have studied and can identify narrative elements within short stories. Students should also know how to conduct effective research and how to generate quality research questions.  

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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.

C3

Students can write well-structured narratives using to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences (e.g., dialogue; pacing; reflection; and a variety of transition words, phrases and clauses).

E. Research and Inquiry

Students can engage in research and inquiry to investigate topics, evaluate and analyze the validity of sources, and synthesize information to communicate findings.

E2

Students can gather relevant research from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively, and assessing the credibility and accuracy of sources, to answer a self-generated question and generate new questions that allow multiple avenues of exploration.

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

Children’s Book Development 
  • Children’s book uses few or no children’s book techniques (dialogue, pacing, description) to develop events.
  • Narrator/characters are not developed. 
  • Conclusion does not adequately address the resolution.
No exemplars at this time.
  • Children’s book uses some techniques (dialogue, pacing, description) to develop events. 
  • Narrator/characters are developed.
  • Conclusion offers a resolution to the problem. 
No exemplars at this time.
  • Children’s book uses a wide variety of techniques (dialogue, pacing, description) to develop events clearly and skillfully. 
  • Narrator/characters are effectively developed and relatable. 
  • Conclusion offers a clear resolution with a valuable theme and/or lesson. 
No exemplars at this time.

Exposition 
  • Children’s book does not have a clear setting or characters. 
  • Children’s book only mentions a global/societal problem. 
No exemplars at this time.
  • Creates a children’s book that has a setting and characters. 
  • Children’s book identifies a global/societal problem. 
No exemplars at this time.
  • Creates an engaging children’s book with a hook and orients the reader with a clear setting and characters.
  • Children’s book clearly establishes a global/societal problem. 
No exemplars at this time.

Style and Language
  • Children’s book is missing language that makes clear the different elements.
  • Sentences are disjointed and the basic structure detracts from understanding the story. 
No exemplars at this time.
  • Uses precise words to convey setting, characters, and feelings.
  • Sentences are varied and clear. 
No exemplars at this time.
  • Uses descriptive words and sensory language to create vivid imagery. 
  • Writing is varied in syntax. 
No exemplars at this time.

Teacher Scoring Rubric—Student Version

Dimensions Not Yet Meeting Expectations Meeting Expectations Exceeding Expectations

Research Questions
  • My research questions are basic questions and do not lead to new understanding of my topic. 
No exemplars at this time.
  • I can generate research questions that will lead to a new understanding about my topic. 
No exemplars at this time.
  • I can generate research questions that will deepen my understanding and lead to new learning about my topic. 
No exemplars at this time.

Credibility
  • ​​​I can explain some of how I select sources.​ 
No exemplars at this time.
  • ​​​I can explain how to select sources that are credible and trustworthy. ​ 
No exemplars at this time.
  • I can explain how to select credible and trustworthy sources by identifying appropriate authors, organizations, publication dates.
No exemplars at this time.

Relevance
  • I can gather information that is somewhat answers my research questions.
No exemplars at this time.
  • I can gather information from multiple sources that answers my research questions.
No exemplars at this time.
  • I can gather relevant information from multiple sources that thoroughly answers my research questions and contributes to a new understanding of the topic.
No exemplars at this time.

Citation
  • I attempt to quote and/or paraphrase evidence and information but do not follow standard MLA citation and/or contain several errors.
No exemplars at this time.
  • I can quote and/or paraphrase evidence and information following standard MLA citation with a few mistakes.
No exemplars at this time.
  • I can properly quote and/or paraphrase evidence and information following standard MLA citation with no mistakes.
No exemplars at this time.

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