Overview

In this performance assessment, students will read through a variety of informational texts on Westward Expansion. Then, students will write an informational piece on westward expansion. Specifically, students will be asked to write an informational piece on how westward expansion changed the geographic, social, political, economic, and/or cultural landscape of the United States. 

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

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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 informative or explanatory texts to examine a topic and clearly convey ideas, connect their ideas with words, phrases, and clauses, and provide a conclusion that relates to the presented information.

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/Organization
  • Provides an unclear introduction to the topic or no introduction is provided.
  • Uses an unclear or ineffective body to organize the details about the topic.
  • Abruptly ends the writing without a sense of closure.
No exemplars at this time.
  • Introduces the topic.
  • Organizes the writing by grouping information together.
  • Provides a concluding statement or section.
No exemplars at this time.
  • Clearly introduces a topic.
  • Uses a coherent body structure to organize and group related information.
  • Provides a concluding statement or section that clearly relates to the topic and important points. 
No exemplars at this time.

Development/Comprehension
  • States a partially related or unrelated opinion, reasons, and/or facts/details, or does not state an opinion and/or supporting information.
No exemplars at this time.
  • States an opinion about the topic or text identifying reasons supported by facts and details.
No exemplars at this time.
  • States an opinion about the topic or text identifying and explaining reasons supported by facts and details. 
No exemplars at this time.

Style/Conventions
  • Uses basic temporal words or no linking words to connect the topic and facts.
  • Uses inconsistent capitalization and/or spelling patterns.
  • Uses ineffective sentence structures, and errors may interfere with meaning and/or readability. 
No exemplars at this time.
  • Uses linking words to connect ideas within categories of information.
  • Uses grade-appropriate conventions; errors are minor and do not interfere with meaning and readability.
  • Use correct and varied sentence structures. 
No exemplars at this time.
  • Uses linking words and phrases to connect ideas within categories of information.
  • Uses advanced conventions to enhance meaning and readability.
  • Uses advanced and varied sentence structures. 
No exemplars at this time.

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