Description Of Bulleted Items In Each Rubric

• The first bullet references the use of content and vocabulary
• The second bullet references the manipulation/application of critical thinking skills.
• The third bullet references communication including organization and clarity.

These rubric bullets are used across the grade levels for all sub-domain open response models, thus providing a grading consistency K-12. The rubric was designed to reflect the proposed performance standards for the CATS open response questions in the social studies section of the state assessment. The proposed state social studies performance standards include:

• Content knowledge
• Decisions, concepts, problems (Critical Thinking Skills)
• Vocabulary
• Communication
• Connections (Critical Thinking Skills)

Grade 5: Government and Civics

Sample Government and Civics Open Response Question

Standard I: The study of government and civics allows students to understand the nature of government and the unique characteristics of American democracy including its fundamental principles, structure and role of citizens.

Academic Expectation 2.14: Students should understand the democratic principles of justice, equality, responsibility and freedom and apply them to real-life situations.

Academic Expectation 2.15: Students can accurately describe various forms of government and analyze issues that relate to the rights and responsibilities of citizens in a democracy.

Core Content

Demonstrators

• In order for a democratic form of government to function, citizens must play an active and responsible role (e.g., participating in an election process, obeying the law) 
• Define and give examples of freedom, equality, fairness (justice) and choice
• The U.S. government guarantees certain rights (e.g., freedom of religion, freedom of the press) such as those found in the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution 
• The basic purposes of the government of the United States are the establishment of order, security, the protection of the rights of individuals and the attainment of common goals as specifically listed in the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution
• The three branches of government at each level are legislative (propose bills/make laws), executive (carry out or enforce laws) and judicial (interpret laws) 
• Every level of government has specific offices associated with each branch that vary in title but contain similar duties (e.g., executive branch: local-mayor, state-governor, national-president)

• Determine rights and responsibilities in real life situations. 
• Demonstrate respect for different viewpoints
• Participate in political life of the school or community 
• Explore the purpose and functions of national government
• Form and defend an opinion based on multiple perspectives (5.1) 
• Analyze alternatives: make a decision (5.4)
• Choose a solution: evaluate the effectiveness of solution (5.5)

Grade 5: Culture and Society

Sample Culture and Society Open Response Question

Standard II: Culture is the way of life by a group of people, including their ideas and traditions. In America’s multicultural society, students need to understand that culture influences viewpoints, social rules and social institutions

Academic Expectation 2.16: Students observe, analyze and interpret human behaviors, social groupings and institutions to better understand people and the relationships among individuals and among groups.

Academic Expectation 2.17: Students interact effectively and work cooperatively with the many diverse ethnic and cultural groups of our nation and world.

Core Content

Demonstrators

• Elements of culture (e.g. language, music, art, dress, food, stories, folktales) serve to define specific groups and may result in unique perspectives. 
• All cultures develop institutions, customs, beliefs, and holidays reflecting their unique histories, situations, and perspectives.
• Compromise and cooperation are tools for social interaction.

History links: immigration, Native American and pioneer culture clash.

• Identify a social problem and suggest positive change
• Describe changing roles in different social situations.
• Demonstrate the ability to function as a part of a social system.
• Recognize culture is learned.
• Explore strategies for solving problems arising from cultural tensions.
• Investigate how society is influenced by a variety of cultures.
• Analyze a situation from different perspectives (6.1)
• Create a new solution or idea (5.2)

Grade 5: Economics

Sample Economics Open Response Questions

Standard III: Economics includes the study of production, distribution and consumption of goods and services. Students need to understand how their economic decisions affect them, others and the nation as a whole.

Academic Expectation 2.18: Students understand economic principles and are able to make economic decisions that have consequences in daily living.

Core Content

Demonstrators

• The government provides goods and services (e.g. police force, fire fighting, food surpluses) and pays for them with taxes. Private businesses offer similar goods and services (e.g. security guards, private schools, grocery stores) for profit.
• The U.S. economic system has financial institutions (e.g. banks)
• Economic systems can be as large as the U. S.
• The U. S. economics system is based on free enterprise where businesses seek to make profits by producing goods and services.
• Producers who specialize create specific goods and services (e.g. computer games, tennis shoes, movie theaters).

• Develop informed decisions based on a variety of economic considerations.
• Explore interdependent relationships among personal, local, state, national, and international economies.
• Describe relationships among objects, ideas and actions (6.3)
• Use the knowledge from one subject area to form an explanation. (6.1)

Grade 5: Geography

Sample Geography Open Response Question

Standard IV: Geography is the study of people, places and environments. Students need geographic knowledge to understand the world and their relationship to it. A geographic perspective also enables students to better understand the past and present and to prepare for the future.

Academic Expectation 2.19: Students recognize and understand the relationship between people and geography and apply their knowledge in real-life situations.

Core Content

Demonstrators

• People adapt or modify the environment to meet their needs such as: producing food, building shelter
• Technology now allows humans to settle in areas previously inaccessible.
• Every place is unique and can be described by its human characteristics (e.g. language, housing, religion) and physical characteristics (e.g. landforms, climate, water).
• Human populations gather in groups of different sizes and in different locations in the world.
• Humans usually settle where there are adequate resources to meet their needs (e.g. areas with water, fertile land, protected land, different modes of transportation).
• The physical environment both promotes and limits human activities (e.g. mountains are barriers or protection, rivers used as boundaries or transportation routes, rivers flood.)

• Understand and use geographic vocabulary appropriately
• Explain the influence of geographic factors on human movement.
• Make predictions based on information (6.2)
• Use data to modify, develop and test concepts (5.3)
• Illustrate the connection of knowledge between subject areas. (6.1)

Grade 5: History

Sample History Open Response Questions

Standard V: History is the interpretation of events, people, ideas and their interaction over time. In order for students to understand the present and make plans for their future, they must understand the past.

Academic Expectation 2.20: Students understand, analyze and interpret historical events, conditions, trends and issues to develop historical perspective.

Core Content

Demonstrators

• People explored and settled in America for multiple reasons: freedom, opportunities, and fleeing negative situations
• Accounts of historical events sometimes are influenced by perceptions of people and the passing of time
• Historical events have multiple causes
• Slogans, monuments, poems and other readings (e.g., Pledge of Allegiance, Gettysburg Address) can illustrate important events and ideas in American History
• The way we live has changed over time for Americans because of changes in many areas (e.g., communication, innovations/inventions, homes transportation, recreation traditions, education)
• History can be understood by using a variety of primary and secondary sources and tools (artifacts, diaries, timelines).
• The study of U.S. history is categorized into broad historical periods and eras.
  • Age of exploration, Colonialization,
  • War for Independence, Constitution and the young republic, Westward expansion,
  • Industrialism, and the 20^th Century
• The U.S., Canada, and Mexico have basic similarities and differences (e.g. indigenous peoples, immigrants, colonial backgrounds, cultural characteristics).

• Examine cause and effect and multiple causation
• Explore temporal relationships of historical events.
• Use historical data to make inferences about issues, events or people based on historical data.
• Analyze a situation from different perspectives (6.1)
• Describe relationships among objects, ideas and actions (6.3)