Links to Student Work
Student Work 1  

ELA

Performance Task

11-1  final

(Content Area)

 

(Grade Level-Task Number)

 

Standard(s):

 

Literature

 

E5a.  The student responds to non-fiction, fiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes; that is, the student:

             E5a.6 makes inferences and draws conclusions about fictional and non-fictional contexts, events, characters, settings, themes, and styles

E5a.7. interprets the effect of literary devices, such as figurative language, allusion, diction, dialogue, description, symbolism

E5a.8 identifies the stance of a writer in shaping the presentation of a subject

E5a.9 identifies ambiguities, subtleties, contradictions, ironies, and nuances.

 

 

Writing

 

E2b The student produces a response to literature that:

 

               E2b.1 engages the reader through establishing a context, creating a persona, and otherwise developing reader interest

 

        E2b.2 advances a judgment that is interpretive, analytic, evaluative, or reflective

 

        E2b.3 supports a judgment through references to the text, references to other works, authors, or non-print media, or references to personal knowledge

 

        E2b.4 demonstrates understanding of the literary work through suggesting an interpretation

 

        Eb2.5 recognizes possible ambiguities, nuances, and complexities

 

        E2b.6 provides a sense of closure to the writing.

 

Performance Task:

 

Several of the novels and short stories you read are tales about characters dealing with society.  The way they react to societal issues reveals their philosophies, moralities, and character traits.  For example, Hester Prynne in the Scarlet Letter learns to live outside of society while Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby, compromises himself to live within society.  Reading these pieces of literature causes one to think about his/her own place in society and his/her individual ways of dealing with societal issues.

 

1.  Your first task is to choose one issue that a character from fiction deals with in his or her own unique way.  Write a one-page essay, explaining the issues, both moral and philosophical, and the character’s position regarding this issue(s).  Use specific examples from the book or story to support your point of view.

 

2.  Your second task is to write a script of a dramatic scene in which two characters depict their response to a societal issue. The setting you choose, as well as the issue, must be relevant to the present.  The script must include inferences, interpretations, and judgements. You and your partner will provide feedback for each other’s script. 

 

3.  You and your partner will perform the scene for your class. Using the rubric, class members will judge your performance based on how well you capture the essence of the characters, their philosophies, moralities, and character traits.            

 

Circumstances of Performance:

 

The student work is produced under the following conditions:

   X

Alone

   X

In a group

 

 

 

 

   X

In class

   X

As homework

 

 

 

 

 

With teacher feedback

   X

With peer feedback

 

 

 

 

 

Timed

   X

Extended project

 

 

 

 

 

 

   X

Opportunity for revision

 

Criteria for Success: 

 

1.       Demonstrates an understanding of the literature and literary character.

2.       Shows an understanding of the literary character and societal issues in an American work of fiction in essay form.

3.       Writes a scene that demonstrates the fictional character and the societal issue in a modern setting.

4.       Shows your own view of the issues.

5.       Follows the conventions of English (as appropriate) in both speaking and writing.

6.       Produces two final products, an essay of approximately 250 words and a script would take approximately five minutes to perform.

 

Related Standard(s):

 

Reading

 

E1a The student reads at least 25 books or book equivalents each year.

 

Writing

 

E2f The student produces a reflective essay.

 

Convention, Grammar, and Usage of the English Language

 

E4a  The student demonstrates a basic understanding of the rules of the English language in written and oral work, and selects the structures and features of language appropriate to the purpose, audience, and context of the work.  The student demonstrates control of:

E4a.1 grammar
E4a.2  paragraph structure
E4a.3  punctuation

E4a.4  sentence construction

E4a.5  spelling

E4a.6  usage.