SamplePerformanceTasksTakenFromAppendixBELACommonCoreStandards

GRADES68
SamplePerformanceTasksforStories,Drama,andPoetry
StudentssummarizethedevelopmentofthemoralityofTomSawyerinMarkTwainsnovelofthesamenameand
analyzeitsconnectiontothemesofaccountabilityandauthenticitybynotinghowitisconveyedthroughcharacters,
setting,andplot.[RL.8.2]
StudentscompareandcontrastLaurenceYepsfictionalportrayalofChineseimmigrantsin
turnofthetwentiethcenturySanFranciscoinDragonwingstohistoricalaccountsofthesameperiod(using
materialsdetailingthe1906SanFranciscoearthquake)inordertogleanadeeperunderstandingofhowauthorsuse
oralterhistoricalsourcestocreateasenseoftimeandplaceaswellasmakefictionalcharacterslifelikeandreal.
[RL.7.9]
StudentsciteexplicittextualevidenceaswellasdrawinferencesaboutthedrakeandtheduckfromKatherine
PatersonsTheTaleoftheMandarinDuckstosupporttheiranalysisoftheperilsofvanity.[RL.6.1]
StudentsexplainhowSandraCisnerosschoiceofwordsdevelopsthepointofviewoftheyoungspeakerinher
storyEleven.[RL.6.6]
StudentsanalyzehowtheplaywrightLouiseFletcherusesparticularelementsofdrama(e.g.,settinganddialogue)
tocreatedramatictensioninherplaySorry,WrongNumber.[RL.7.3]
StudentscompareandcontrasttheeffectHenryWadsworthLongfellowspoemPaulReveresRidehasonthem
totheeffecttheyexperiencefromamultimediadramatizationoftheeventpresentedinaninteractivedigitalmap
(http://www.paulreverehouse.org/ride/),analyzingtheimpactofdifferenttechniquesemployedthatareuniquetoeach
medium.[RL.6.7]
StudentsanalyzeWaltWhitmansOCaptain!MyCaptain!touncoverthepoemsanalogiesandallusions.They
analyzetheimpactofspecificwordchoicesbyWhitman,suchasrackandgrim,anddeterminehowtheycontribute
totheoverallmeaningandtoneofthepoem.[RL.8.4]
StudentsanalyzehowtheopeningstanzaofRobertFrostsTheRoadNotTakenstructurestherhythmandmeter
forthepoemandhowthethemesintroducedbythespeakerdevelopoverthecourseofthetext.[RL.6.5]
SamplePerformanceTasksforInformationalTexts:EnglishLanguageArts
StudentsdeterminethepointofviewofJohnAdamsinhisLetteronThomasJeffersonandanalyzehowhe
distinguisheshispositionfromanalternativeapproacharticulatedbyThomasJefferson.[RI.7.6]
StudentsprovideanobjectivesummaryofFrederickDouglasssNarrative.Theyanalyzehowthecentralidea
regardingtheevilsofslaveryisconveyedthroughsupportingideasanddevelopedoverthecourseofthetext.
[RI.8.2]
StudentstracethelineofargumentinWinstonChurchillsBlood,Toil,TearsandSweataddresstoParliamentand
evaluatehisspecificclaimsandopinionsinthetext,distinguishingwhichclaimsaresupportedbyfacts,reasons,
andevidence,andwhicharenot.[RI.6.8]
StudentsanalyzeindetailhowtheearlyyearsofHarrietTubman(asrelatedbyauthorAnnPetry)contributedtoher
laterbecomingaconductorontheUndergroundRailroad,attendingtohowtheauthorintroduces,illustrates,and
elaboratesupontheeventsinTubmanslife.[RI.6.3]
Studentsdeterminethefigurativeandconnotativemeaningsofwordssuchaswayfaring,laconic,and
taciturnityaswellasofphrasessuchasholdhispeaceinJohnSteinbecksTravelswithCharley:InSearchof
America.TheyanalyzehowSteinbecksspecificwordchoicesanddictionimpactthemeaningandtoneofhiswriting
andthecharacterizationoftheindividualsandplaceshedescribes.[RI.7.4]
SamplePerformanceTasksforInformationalTexts:History/SocialStudies&Science,
Mathematics,andTechnicalSubjects
StudentsanalyzethegovernmentalstructureoftheUnitedStatesandsupporttheiranalysisbycitingspecifictextual
evidencefromprimarysourcessuchasthePreambleandFirstAmendmentoftheU.S.Constitutionaswellas
secondarysourcessuchasLindaR.MonksWordsWeLiveBy:YourAnnotatedGuidetotheConstitution.
[RH.68.1]
StudentsevaluateJimMurphysTheGreatFiretoidentifywhichaspectsofthetext(e.g.,loadedlanguageand
theinclusionofparticularfacts)revealhispurposepresentingChicagoasacitythatwasreadytoburn.
[RH.68.6]
StudentsdescribehowRussellFreedmaninhisbookFreedomWalkers:TheStoryoftheMontgomeryBus
Boycottintegratesandpresentsinformationbothsequentiallyandcausallytoexplainhowthecivilrightsmovement
began.[RH.68.5]
StudentsintegratethequantitativeortechnicalinformationexpressedinthetextofDavidMacaulays
Cathedral:TheStoryofItsConstructionwiththeinformationconveyedbythediagramsandmodelsMacaulay
provides,developingadeeperunderstandingofGothicarchitecture.[RST.68.7]
StudentsconstructaholisticpictureofthehistoryofManhattanbycomparingandcontrastingtheinformation
gainedfromDonaldMackaysTheBuildingofManhattanwiththemultimediasourcesavailableontheManhattan
ontheWebportalhostedbytheNewYorkPublicLibrary
(http://legacy.www.nypl.org/branch/manhattan/index2.cfm?Trg=1&d1=865).[RST.68.9]
StudentslearnaboutfractalgeometrybyreadingIvarsPetersonandNancyHendersonsMathTrek:Adventuresin
theMathZoneandthengeneratetheirownfractalgeometricstructurebyfollowingthemultistepprocedurefor
creatingaKochscurve.[RST.68.3]

GRADES910
SamplePerformanceTasksforStories,Drama,andPoetry
StudentsanalyzehowthecharacterofOdysseusfromHomersOdysseyamanoftwistsandturnsreflects
conflictingmotivationsthroughhisinteractionswithothercharactersintheepicpoem.Theyarticulatehowhis
conflictingloyaltiesduringhislongandcomplicatedjourneyhomefromtheTrojanWarbothadvancetheplotof
Homersepicanddevelopthemes.[RL.910.3]
StudentsanalyzehowMichaelShaarainhisCivilWarnovelTheKillerAngelscreatesasenseoftensionandeven
surpriseregardingtheoutcomeofeventsattheBattleofGettysburgthroughpacing,orderingofevents,andthe
overarchingstructureofthenovel.[RL.910.5]
Studentsanalyzeindetailthethemeofrelationshipsbetweenmothersanddaughtersandhowthatthemedevelops
overthecourseofAmyTansTheJoyLuckClub.Studentssearchthetextforspecificdetailsthatshowhowthe
themeemergesandhowitisshapedandrefinedoverthecourseofthenovel.[RL.910.2]
StudentsanalyzehowtheJapanesefilmmakerAkiraKurosawainhisfilmThroneofBlooddrawsonand
transformsShakespearesplayMacbethinordertodevelopasimilarplotsetinfeudalJapan.[RL.910.9]
StudentsanalyzehowartisticrepresentationsofRamsesII(thepharaohwhoreignedduringthetimeofMoses)
vary,basingtheiranalysisonwhatisemphasizedorabsentindifferenttreatmentsofthepharaohinworksofart
(e.g.,imagesintheBritishMuseum)andinPercyByssheShelleyspoemOzymandias.[RL.910.7]
SamplePerformanceTasksforInformationalTexts:EnglishLanguageArts
StudentscompareGeorgeWashingtonsFarewellAddresstootherforeignpolicystatements,suchastheMonroe
Doctrine,andanalyzehowbothtextsaddresssimilarthemesandconceptsregardingentanglingalliances.
[RI.910.9]
StudentsanalyzehowAbrahamLincolninhisSecondInauguralAddressunfoldshisexaminationoftheideasthat
ledtotheCivilWar,payingparticularattentiontotheorderinwhichthepointsaremade,howLincolnintroduces
anddevelopshispoints,andtheconnectionsthataredrawnbetweenthem.[RI.910.3]
StudentsevaluatetheargumentandspecificclaimsaboutthespiritoflibertyinLearnedHandsIAman
AmericanDayAddress,assessingtherelevanceandsufficiencyoftheevidenceandthevalidityofhisreasoning.
[RI.910.8]
StudentsdeterminethepurposeandpointofviewinMartinLutherKing,Jr.s,IHaveaDreamspeechand
analyzehowKingusesrhetorictoadvancehisposition.[RI.910.6]
SamplePerformanceTasksforInformationalTexts:History/SocialStudies&Science,
Mathematics,andTechnicalSubjects
StudentscomparethesimilaritiesanddifferencesinpointofviewinworksbyDeeBrownandEvanConnell
regardingtheBattleofLittleBighorn,analyzinghowtheauthorstreatthesameeventandwhichdetailstheyinclude
andemphasizeintheirrespectiveaccounts.[RH.910.6]
StudentsanalyzetheroleofAfricanAmericansoldiersintheCivilWarbycomparingandcontrastingprimary
sourcematerialsagainstsecondarysynthesessuchasJimHaskinssBlack,BlueandGray:AfricanAmericansinthe
CivilWar.[RH.910.9]
Studentsdeterminethemeaningofwordssuchasquadrant,astrolabe,equator,andhorizonlineinJoanDashs
TheLongitudePrizeaswellasphrasessuchasdeadreckoningandsailingtheparallelthatreflectsocialaspects
ofhistory.[RH.910.4]
StudentscitespecifictextualevidencefromAnnieJ.CannonsClassifyingtheStarstosupporttheiranalysisof
thescientificimportanceofthediscoverythatlightiscomposedofmanycolors.Studentsincludeintheiranalysis
precisedetailsfromthetext(suchasCannonsrepeateduseoftheimageoftherainbow)tobuttresstheirexplanation.
[RST.910.1].
StudentsdeterminehowJearlWalkerclarifiesthephenomenonofaccelerationinhisessayAmusementPark
Physics,accuratelysummarizinghisconclusionsregardingthephysicsofrollercoastersandtracinghow
supportingdetailsregardingtheprocessesofrotationaldynamicsandenergyconversionareincorporatedinhis
explanation.[RST.910.2]
StudentsreadinPhillipHoosesRacetoSaveLordGodBirdabouttheattemptsscientistsandbirdloversmadeto
savetheivorybilledwoodpeckerfromextinctionandassesstheextenttowhichthereasoningandevidenceHoose
presentssupportshisscientificanalysisofwhyprotectingthisparticularspecieswassochallenging.[RST.910.8]

GRADE11CCR
SamplePerformanceTasksforStories,Drama,andPoetry
StudentsanalyzethefirstimpressionsgivenofMr.andMrs.BennetintheopeningchapterofPrideandPrejudice
basedonthesettingandhowthecharactersareintroduced.Bycomparingthesefirstimpressionswiththeirlater
understandingbasedonhowtheactionisorderedandthecharactersdevelopoverthecourseofthenovel,students
understandtheimpactofJaneAustenschoicesinrelatingelementsofastory.[RL.1112.3]
StudentscompareandcontrasthowtheprotagonistsofHermanMelvillesBillyBuddandNathanielHawthornes
ScarletLettermaintaintheirintegritywhenconfrontingauthority,andtheyrelatetheiranalysisofthatthemetoother
portrayalsinnineteenthandearlytwentiethcenturyfoundationalworksofAmericanliteraturetheyhaveread.
[RL.1112.9]
StudentsanalyzehowAntonChekhovschoiceofstructuringhisstoryHomebybeginninginmidstream
shapesthemeaningofthetextandcontributestoitsoverallnarrativearc.[RL.1112.5]
StudentsprovideanobjectivesummaryofF.ScottsFitzgeraldsGreatGatsbywhereintheyanalyzehowover
thecourseofthetextdifferentcharacterstrytoescapetheworldstheycomefrom,includingwhosehelptheygetand
whetheranybodysucceedsinescaping.[RL.1112.2]
StudentsanalyzeMigueldeCervantessDonQuixoteandJeanBaptistePoquelinMolieresTartuffeforhowwhat
isdirectlystatedinatextdiffersfromwhatisreallymeant,comparingandcontrastingthepointofviewadopted
bytheprotagonistineachwork.[RL.1112.6]
StudentscomparetwoormorerecordedorliveproductionsofArthurMillersDeathofaSalesmantothewritten
text,evaluatinghoweachversioninterpretsthesourcetextanddebatingwhichaspectsoftheenacted
interpretationsoftheplaybestcaptureaparticularcharacter,scene,ortheme.[RL.1112.7]
StudentscompareandcontrastthefigurativeandconnotativemeaningsaswellasspecificwordchoicesinJohn
DonnesValedictionForbiddingMourningandEmilyDickinsonsBecauseIWouldNotStopforDeathinorderto
determinehowthemetaphorsofthecarriageandthecompassshapethemeaningandtoneofeachpoem.Students
analyzethewaysbothpoetsuselanguagethatisparticularlyfresh,engaging,orbeautifultoconveythemultiple
meaningsregardingdeathcontainedineachpoem.[RL.1112.4]
StudentscitestrongandthoroughtextualevidencefromJohnKeatssOdeonaGrecianUrntosupporttheir
analysisofwhatthepoemsaysexplicitlyabouttheurnaswellaswhatcanbeinferredabouttheurnfromevidencein
thepoem.Basedontheirclosereading,studentsdrawinferencesfromthetextregardingwhatmeaningsthefigures
decoratingtheurnconveyaswellasnotingwherethepoemleavesmattersabouttheurnanditsdecoration
uncertain.[RL.1112.1]
SamplePerformanceTasksforInformationalTexts:EnglishLanguageArts
StudentsdelineateandevaluatetheargumentthatThomasPainemakesinCommonSense.Theyassessthe
reasoningpresentinhisanalysis,includingthepremisesandpurposesofhisessay.[RI.1112.8]
StudentsanalyzeThomasJeffersonsDeclarationofIndependence,identifyingitspurposeandevaluatingrhetorical
featuressuchasthelistingofgrievances.Studentscompareandcontrastthethemesandargumentfoundtheretothose
ofotherU.S.documentsofhistoricalandliterarysignificance,suchastheOliveBranchPetition.[RI.1112.9]
StudentsprovideanobjectivesummaryofHenryDavidThoreausWaldenwhereintheyanalyzehowhearticulates
thecentralideasoflivingsimplyandbeingselfreliantandhowthoseideasinteractandbuildononeanother(e.g.,
AccordingtoThoreau,howspecificallydoesmovingtowardcomplexityinoneslifeundermineselfreliance?)
[RI.1112.2]
Studentsanalyzehowthekeytermsuccessisinterpreted,used,andrefinedoverthecourseofG.K.Chestertons
essayTheFallacyofSuccess.[RI.1112.4]
StudentsdetermineRichardHofstadterspurposeandpointofviewinhisAbrahamLincolnandtheSelfMade
Myth,analyzinghowbothHofstadtersstyleandcontentcontributetotheeloquentandpowerfulcontrasthe
drawsbetweentheyounger,ambitiousLincolnandthesober,morereflectivemanofthepresidentialyears.
[RI.1112.6]
SamplePerformanceTasksforInformationalTexts:History/SocialStudies&Science,
Mathematics,andTechnicalSubjects
StudentsdeterminethecentralideasfoundintheDeclarationofSentimentsbytheSenecaFallsConference,noting
theparallelsbetweenitandtheDeclarationofIndependenceandprovidingasummarythatmakesclearthe
relationshipsamongthekeydetailsandideasofeachtextandbetweenthetexts.[RH.1112.2]
StudentsevaluatethepremisesofJamesM.McPhersonsargumentregardingwhyNorthernsoldiersfoughtinthe
CivilWarbycorroboratingtheevidenceprovidedfromthelettersanddiariesofthesesoldierswithotherprimaryand
secondarysourcesandchallengingMcPhersonsclaimswhereappropriate.[RH.1112.8]
StudentsintegratetheinformationprovidedbyMaryC.Daly,vicepresidentattheFederalReserveBankofSan
Francisco,withthedatapresentedvisuallyintheFedViewsreport.Intheiranalysisofthesesourcesofinformation
presentedindiverseformats,studentsframeandaddressaquestionorsolveaproblemraisedbytheirevaluation
oftheevidence.[RH.1112.7]
StudentsanalyzethehierarchicalrelationshipsbetweenphrasesearchesandsearchesthatusebasicBoolean
operatorsinTaraCalishainandRaelDornfestsGoogleHacks:Tips&ToolsforSmarterSearching,2ndEdition.
[RST.1112.5]
StudentsanalyzetheconceptofmassbasedontheirclosereadingofGordonKanesTheMysteriesofMassand
citespecifictextualevidencefromthetexttoanswerthequestionofwhyelementaryparticleshavemassatall.
StudentsexplainimportantdistinctionstheauthormakesregardingtheHiggsfieldandtheHiggsbosonandtheir
relationshiptotheconceptofmass.[RST.1112.1]
Studentsdeterminethemeaningofkeytermssuchashydraulic,trajectory,andtorqueaswellasother
domainspecificwordsandphrasessuchasactuators,antilockbrakes,andtractioncontrolusedinMark
FischettisWorkingKnowledge:ElectronicStabilityControl.[RST.1112.4]