Links to Student Work
Student Work 1      

ELA

Performance Task

8-3 final

(Content Area)

 

(Grade Level-Task Number)

 

Standard(s):

 

Reading

 

E1d - The student demonstrates familiarity with a variety of public documents (i.e., documents

that focus on civic issues or matters of public policy at the community level and beyond) and

produces written or oral work that does one or more of the following:

E1d.1  identifies the social context of the document

E1d.2  identifies the author’s purpose and stance

E1d.3  analyzes the arguments and positions advanced and the evidence offered in support of 

            them, or formulates an argument and offers evidence to support it

E1d.4  identifies or uses commonly used persuasive techniques.

 

E1c - The student reads and comprehends informational materials to develop understanding and

 expertise and produces written or oral work that:

E1c.2  relates new information to prior knowledge and experience

Edc.3  extends ideas.

 

Writing

 

E2e - The student produces a persuasive essay that:

E2e.2  develops a controlling idea that makes a clear and knowledgeable judgement;

E2e.7  supports arguments with detailed evidence, citing sources of information as appropriate.

 

Conventions, Grammar, and Usage of the English Language

 

E4a - The student demonstrates an 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.

 

Performance Task:

 

 

In recent weeks a student brought a weapon to a school near you. As a result, the School Advisory Council (or school board) in your school district has recommended that metal detectors be installed in all schools in the local area immediately. Although your school has never had a weapon incident to date, recent letters to the editor of the local post and community newspapers have reported that the students in your school are out of control. You feel strongly that the School Advisory Council is over-reacting to this isolated incident.

 

1.  Organize a group of students to examine the school policy on violence and weapons and respond to the allegation.

 

 

2.  Research informational materials that defend various positions regarding violence prevention issues.

 

3.  Discuss the research and different view points of the members in your group.

 

4. Write a letter to the editor of the post and local newspapers, the school advisory panel (or local school board) and the school district superintendent. Your letter should:

  1. Describe the current weapons policy and your recommended changes for

      consequences instead of installing metal detectors.

  1. Recommend a school violence prevention program in lieu of the installation of

      metal detectors.

  1. Reflect your beliefs on school violence and your feelings about the use of metal

      detectors as a response to an isolated incident.

 

5.   Have a peer edit the draft of your letter for the following:

q       Position with regard to the weapons policy explained.

q       Proper conventions of the English language used.

q       Sources of information cited.

q       Persuasive arguments annotated and supported.

q       Arguments clear, reasonable, persuasive, and logical.

 

6.  Schedule a time to meet with the School Advisory Council (SAC) and the District Superintendent to formally present your position on school violence prevention. 

 

7.  Send the revised letters to the editors of the post and/or local newspapers with courtesy copies to the School Advisory Council and the District Superintendent.

 

 

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.      Identifies the social context of the current school violence policy.

2.      Uses persuasive techniques and persuasive language.

3.      Participates in all aspects of the group’s work.

4.      Demonstrates an understanding of the rules of the English language.

5.      Selects the structures and features of language appropriate to the purpose, audience and context of the work.

6.      Cites sources of information.

7.      Support arguments with evidence and sources of information.

 

Related Standard(s):

 

Speaking, Listening and Viewing

 

E3c The student prepares and delivers an individual presentation in which the student:

                E3c.1  shapes information to achieve a particular purpose and to appeal to the

                       interests, and background knowledge of audience members

                E3c.4  develops several main points related to a single thesis.  

 

 

Student Name___________________________

Date of Presentation_____________________

Presenter_________________________

 

Audience Note Taking Chart

 

Presenter

 

Is the present weapons policy explained clearly?

 

Position with regard to the weapons policy is explained?

 

Proper conventions of the English language are used in the presentation (annotate exceptions if there are any)

 

 

What were the sources of information cited?

 

 

Annotate the persuasive arguments and how they were supported.

 

Were they clear?

 

Were they reasonable?

 

Were the arguments persuasive enough to change the mind of the audience?

 

Presentation skills were used appropriately:

 

·         Use of clear, audible language

 

·         Use of voice inflection

 

·         Use of gestures

 

·         Use of eye contact with audience