Curriculum Based Assessment

CI 3400: Policies and Practices in Educational Assessment

Chelsea Womack
Appalachian State University

Part 1: Selection of Curricular Standard and/or Objectives

Directions:
Paste your
Curricular
Standard
here:
(Include
denotation
numbers).

From what
grade and
subject is this
Curricular
Standard?
Classify The
Standard

Sixth Grade Social Studies: World Geography, History & Culture: Patterns of Continuity and Change

Provide a
brief
rationale for
why you
chose the
classification
above.

This standard is classified as a Reasoning Target. For this set of standards, the students knowledge of
the topic will be the base for their assessments and will aid them in forming conclusive arguments about
a topic or a theme, which they will have the knowledge to provide reasoning for their answers. For
example, students general understanding of different forms of governments (Monarchy, Democracy,
Anarchy, etc.) will be applied when creating a fictional form of government (using an existing government
as a template) by making decisions, which they will be able to justify using their Reasoning Target.

Knowledge (__) Reasoning (X)

Skill (__) Product (__)

Part 2: Analysis of Essential Content

Table of Specifications adapted from Guskey (2005) to align with Chappuis et al. (2012)
Directions: Look at the curricular standard you chose. Fill out as much information as you can think of about what knowledge students will need to
know and what reasoning they will need to be able to have about the knowledge. If you have skills or products students will need to do or create, fill
those in too. You can make a brief list in each column.
Try to only think of content that they would need to obtain in one academic year .
Its ok if you dont have something for each column.
Knowledge

Skill

Product

Factual
Information

Procedural
Knowledge

Conceptual
Understanding

Inference

Analysis

Comparison

Classification

Evaluation

Synthesis

Skill(s) they
will need to
demonstrate

Product(s) they
need to create.

Define
different
forms of
government
(What is a
Democracy,
Monarchy,
Anarchy, etc.)

Ability to
perform and
apply
research

Understanding
of how and why
governments
formed in
different
countries
(United States,
China, North
Korea, United
Kingdom, etc.)

View a list of
countries and
infer what
form of
government
they have
based on
beliefs, laws,
representatio
n of people,
etc.

Ability to
analyze the
intent
behind
government
actions

Ability to
compare and
contrast
different
forms of
government

Ability to
distinguish
between
different forms
of government

Evaluate how
nations have
succeeded
(politically,
economically,
etc.) under a
form of
government

Ability to form
an opinion that
demonstrates
knowledge of
a topic (Is a
Democracy or
Communism
better for the
people?)

Ability to speak
in front of peers

Ability to create
a fictional
government
using knowledge
and research, as
well as reasoning
to justify
decision-making

Identify
relevant key
terms to the
discussion of
government
(ex. Divine
Right, etc.)

Ability to
collect and
record
relevant
information

Reasoning

Ability to
analyze
ideas and
events that
led to the
foundation
of different
governments

Identify
countries that
act under
different
governments
(Ex. Monarchy:
Australia &
Canada)

Evaluate how
nations have
failed
(politically,
economically,
etc.) under a
form of
government

Ability to
defend an
opinion-based
position on a
topic
Ability to
collect accurate
research on a
topic using
sources (books,
encyclopedias,
etc.)
Ability to
communicate
learned
information

Part 3: Deconstruction of Standards into Clear Learning Targets & Assessment Blueprint
Target Type
K R S
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
1
0
1
1
1
2

Recognize and define varying forms of government

Effectively identify key terms relevant to the discussion of government
Understand the events behind the formation of governments in different countries
Successfully infer what form of government a country has based upon their laws, beliefs,
representation of people, etc.
Accurately analyze the ideas that led to the formation of governments in different countries
Understand the intent behind government actions in different countries
Successfully compare and contrast the differences and similarities between different governments
using a Venn Diagram
Identify countries that act under different governments
Evaluate the political and economical successes/failures of countries under different governments
Effectively communicate the impact of past governments actions on present-day governments
Effectively form and defend an opinion that supports and argument and demonstrates knowledge of the
subject
Successfully create a fictional government using knowledge and research of an existing government

X
X
X
X

Assessment
Method
P SR W
P PA
R
C
X
X
X
X

X
X

X
X

X
X
X

X
X

Part 4: Creation of the Assessment for Knowledge and Reasoning

1. Is this assessment formative or summative? formative
2. Write a short explanation of how you will use this assessment with your future students.
Be explicit about when you will give this to them, how it will work in your class, and
what you expect.
After researching a form of government that is assigned to them, students will
collect information that they feel is important into personal journals. They will
need to record information such as: form of government, organization of
government (Is there a king? A president? A round table with knights sitting
around it?), when that government was first seen, representation of the people
(Are the peoples voices heard? Are decisions made with the people in mind?
etc.). These journals will be used in creating their own form of government (using
an existing government as a template). Each week students will be required to
create more and more of their government. For example, one week students will
be asked to create a story about why that government is used in their country,
another week students will be asked to appoint leaders (these can be fictional
people or friends) and then be asked to explain why they chose these people.
These journal entries will be given on Wednesday night and will be turned in on
Friday in class. The questions that the students receive to fill out in their journals
will coincide with a topic that we discuss in class that week. (For example: if we
talk about leaders in class, they will be asked to appoint leaders in their journals)
Each week, I expect detailed work explaining the formation of their government.
Over the weekend, I will review their journals and make comments next to their
entries. These comments can include asking them to clarify, telling them that they
need more detail, etc. Students will be given free rein to use their own creativity
to create their government. Because of the breadth of this assignment, I will be
sure to provide excellent feedback throughout the process to keep students on the
right track and to give students an idea as to what I am looking for in reference to
what will be expected of them based on the rubric. I will also keep a journal of my
own fictional government that will address the same journal entries as their own,
that way students will have an example of the level of work that I am expecting
from them. This will be done on an individual basis rather than a group to keep
interpersonal conflict down amongst students who will probably have different
ideas on what the country should be like (There is always conflict when running a
governmentthis gives students the opportunity to make choices individually
with their own strong reasons for doing so). Completing this assignment by
themselves will also allow the students to see how so many different forms of
government can come about when they are all revealed and the variability that can
exist between similar governments.

3. Copy and paste your Assessment of Knowledge and Reasoning on the next page (or
pages). Be sure to include:
a. the learning targets you are assessing,
b. the point value for each item (if you are grading this), and
c. the answers for all items.

Learning Targets:
Students will use their knowledge of the subject to
create their fictional government. Students will use
reasoning to justify their decision-making by answering
why? questions.
1 Recognize and define varying forms of government
2
Effectively identify key terms relevant to the
discussion of government
3
Understand the events behind the formation of
governments in different countries
5
Accurately analyze the ideas that led to the
formation of governments in different countries
1
Successfully create a fictional government using
2 knowledge and research of an existing government

Target Type
K R S

Assessment
Method
S
W
P PA
R
R
C

X
X

X
X

X
X

Journal entries will be graded out of a total of 15 possible points. Students

will be given opportunities to correct and revise their work based on comments that

I make in their journals for the corresponding prompt from that week. Students will
be assessed using the following rubric, which will be scored out of 24 total points
(24 out of 24 points=100%, 20 out of 24 points=83%, and so on:
Correct answers depend upon each students form of government and their logic in
determining its formation. Students will need to correctly identify the leadership of
that government (for example, they may not choose a king and a queen for a
democracy, they will need to choose a president, create a fictional senate, etc.)

Journal Response #1: What form of government do you have?

How is that government organized?
When was this form of government first seen?
What country was the first to use this form of
government?
How are the people represented in this form of
government?
Journal Response #2: How did your country decide to use this form of
government?
What events caused it?
Create a story explaining, in detail, the reason why this
government was formed in your country.
Journal Response #3: Who is in charge of your government?
Look at how your government is run in a real society. Who
is in charge? Appoint individuals to leadership roles in
your government. These individuals may be friends,
family, celebrities, etc.
Explain what that persons role is and how they help your
government run.
The focus is not on who is appointed to a position, but
what their role will be in your government.
Journal Response #4: What are the major laws of your country?
Who creates the laws?
Who judges those who break the laws?
Look at how laws are created and handed out in different
countries, also look at how criminal courts are handled in
other countries and describe how your country creates
and deals with its laws.
Journal Response #5: How does your country deal with public health?
Safety?
Conflict with other countries?

Part 5: Creation of the Assessment of Skill and or Product Creation

1. Is this assessment formative or summative? Summative
2. Write a short explanation of how you will use this assessment to inform your
instructional practice.
After students create their fictional government in their journals (and have
received my approval of its material), students will create a presentation of their
information to present to the classroom. Students will be expected to inform their
classmates of their form of government (and explain what that government stands
for/how it works) and then they will use visual displays (powerpoint, diorama,
model, etc.) to display their project and work to the class. This assignment will
help to validate all of the work that the students will have done in their journals
and give them an opportunity to express their creativity to their classmates.
3. You can use the GRAFTS, RAFTS, or template from the book here if you wish, but you
have to address each of these components:
a. List the learning targets for this assessment.
b. How long will students have to complete this assessment?
c. Where will the students get resources to complete this assessment?
d. What is the teachers role in this assessment?

Learning Targets:

Target Type

X
X

Assessment
Method
S WR P PA
R
C
X
X

K R
Recognize and define varying forms of government
Effectively identify key terms relevant to the
discussion of government
Understand the events behind the formation of
governments in different countries
Accurately analyze the ideas that led to the formation
of governments in different countries
Identify countries that act under different governments
Successfully create a fictional government using
knowledge and research of an existing government

X
X

Students will be given a week to work on this assignment. They will be given
class time each day to use supplies inside the classroom as well as to ask any
questions that they have about the project. Students will also be able to ask their
peers questions to get ideas for their presentation, but they may not use another
students idea for their whole project. Some class time will be spent in the computer
lab (to allow students in-class time to type up their projects). Students may also
spend time in the art room (with supervision) to respectfully use the materials
there.

My role will be to monitor how well a student is able to present their ideas. Their
journals will be given a grade, following a rubric, after their completion. This
assignment will be awarded a grade for completion and creativity, and is more so an
opportunity for students to have fun while learning and mastering key concepts and
curriculum. The material that they present in the journals will have been graded
prior to their presentation of their projects and so they will automatically receive a
perfect score for accuracy as long as they do not completely change their project (I
will be meeting with students in class to make sure that they are on the right track
and do not make any drastic informational changes). Using my example journal
entries with my own form of government, I will create my own presentation about
my government in order to present and to give students a definitive picture of my
expectations of them.

4. Write explicit and clear directions for your students (use as many pages as you need).

Turning it into A Presentation!

Now that you have completed your journal entries about your form of government, I would like
you to display your work to the rest of the class in the form of a presentation!
This presentation has no time length; I would just like you to display all of the information that
you included in your prompts.
For example, you may organize your presentation like your journal prompts and answer the
questions as you go through. Or, you may draw your government in a picture and explain it
that way! There is no correct way to do this; however, I would like for you to be creative (So
no getting in front of the class and reading word-for-word from your journals!)
This presentation will be graded out of a total of 24 possible points (24 out of 24 points=100%,
20 out of 24 points=83%, and so on). Please refer to the rubric to see my specific expectations of
you. I will be presenting my fictional government to the class as a demonstration of my
expectations so that you can see how I expect the rubric to be applied in your presentation. My
presentation is just an example; I do not expect your presentations to look exactly like mine.
What you need to have:
A visual guide (like a drawing, powerpoint, diorama, etc)something that the class
can look at while you present to get a better picture of your government!
Informationyou need to include all of the information that you included in your
journal. For example, we need to know what kind of government you have, where
that government was seen, how your government formed in your fiction government,
etc. Answer all of the questions in the prompts from your journal entries! (You dont
have to answer everything word-for-word. You can draw a picture of a King and a
Queen if youre demonstrating a Monarchy, just make sure you explain their roles)
You will be given time and materials in class to work on your presentations. This is an
opportunity for you to ask questions. You will have plenty of time to complete these in class.
Any work that is unfinished during class is expected to be completed outside of class.

References
Chappius,J.,Stiggins,R.,Chappius,S.,&Arter,J.(2012).ClassroomAssessment
forStudentLearning(2nded.).PearsonEducation.
RubiStarHome.(n.d.).RetrievedMarch2,2015,from
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php