WTS 1 and 2

Align Learning to Learners

James Schlauderaff
Saint Marys University of Minnesota
Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs
Portfolio Entry for Wisconsin Teacher Standards 1 and 2
EDUW 691 Profession Skills and Development
Sara Heisler, Instructor
June 25, 2015

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Learning Step1: Introduce Standards for Growth

Introduction
This entry documents completion of a seven-step professional learning process to
improve alignment of content and learning expectations (WTS 1) with diverse student growth
(WTS 2). The ultimate goal is to plan instruction that aligns starting points to the current range
of student abilities, and targeted objectives to developmental capabilities. To achieve that goal,
a developmental understanding of standards is necessary to assess student evidence accurately.
Three sets of standards served two major purposes in this entry: (a) guiding instructional
growth in developmental assessment and planning skills, and (b) assessing instructional growth
and student outcomes resulting from the learning process for this entry. Educator standards and
student performance standards form those three sets:
a. Wisconsin Standards for Teacher Development and Licensure. National Board Core
Proposition 1 corresponds to these two standards.
b. Danielsons Framework for Teaching (2007), Planning and Preparation, Domain 1.
c. Wisconsin Common Core State Standards for Literacy in All Subjects guided one set
of assessments. State or national standards applicable to the targeted subject also
guided student performance assessment. Wisconsin standards include academic
performance standards; Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
and Mathematics; Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards; and/or Wisconsin
Common Core Essential Elements for English Language Arts and Mathematics
(Alternate Achievement Standards). National standards include Advanced Placement
and other organizations. To guide growth in understanding developmental growth in
expectations, vertical formats were used when possible.

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Learning Step 2: Pre-assess Evidence Compared to Standards to Define Areas to Improve

EDUW 691 emphasizes a developmental approach to assessment and instruction.
Growth in professional and student communication skills stems from gaining a developmental
understanding of Wisconsin Common Core State Standards for Literacy in All Subjects. Those
standards guide expectations for various ways to communicate learning in all subjects.
Pre-assessment focused on the developmental aspects of improving assessment and
instructional planning skills associated with WTS 1 (understanding content and expectations
from a developmental perspective) and WTS 2 (understanding academic student growth from a
developmental perspective). This section starts with National Board Core Proposition 1, which
summarizes aspects of WTS 1 and WTS 2. Subsequent sections show pre-assessment results.
National Board Core Proposition 1: Teachers are Committed to Students and Their
Learning
Teachers are dedicated to making knowledge accessible to all students. They believe all
students can learn. They treat students equitably. They recognize the individual differences
that distinguish their students from one another and they take account for these differences in
their practice. Teachers understand how students develop and learn. They respect the cultural
and family differences students bring to their classroom. They are concerned with their
students self concept, their motivation, and the effects of learning on peer relationships.
Teachers are also concerned with the development of character and civic responsibility.
Wisconsin Standards 1 and 2 for Teacher Development and Licensure
Descriptors emphasized in EDUW 691, Professional Skills Development indicated by .
Underlined WTS descriptors on pages 4 and 5 show two areas selected for improvement
based on a self-assessment of current knowledge, attributes and performance.

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Standard # l: Teachers know the subjects they are teaching.

The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s)
he or she teaches and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter
meaningful for students.
Knowledge
The teacher understands major concepts, assumptions, debates, processes of inquiry,
and ways of knowing that are central to the discipline(s) s/he teaches.
The teacher understands how students conceptual frameworks and their
misconceptions for an area of knowledge can influence their learning.
The teacher relates his/her disciplinary knowledge to other subject areas.
Dispositions
The teacher realizes that subject matter knowledge is not a fixed body of facts but is
complex and ever-evolving. S/he seeks to keep abreast of new ideas and understandings in the
field.
The teacher appreciates multiple perspectives and conveys to learners how knowledge
is developed from the vantage point of the learner.
The teacher has enthusiasm for discipline(s) s/he teaches and sees connections to
everyday life.
The teacher is committed to continuous learning and engages in professional discourse
about subject matter knowledge and children's learning of the discipline.
Performances
The teacher effectively uses multiple representations and explanations of disciplinary
concepts that capture key ideas and links them to students' prior understandings.
The teacher can represent and use differing viewpoints, theories, "ways of knowing,"
and methods of inquiry in his/her teaching of subject matter concepts.
The teacher can evaluate teaching resources and curriculum materials for their
comprehensiveness, accuracy, and usefulness in representing particular ideas and concepts.
The teacher engages students in generating knowledge and testing hypotheses according
to the methods of inquiry and standards of evidence used in the discipline.
The teacher develops and uses curricula that encourage students to see, question, and
interpret ideas from diverse perspectives.
The teacher can create interdisciplinary learning experiences that encourage students to
integrate knowledge, skills, and methods of inquiry from several subject areas.

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Standard #2: Teachers know how children grow.

The teacher understands how children with broad ranges of ability learn and develop, and
can provide instruction that supports their intellectual, social, and personal development.
Knowledge
The teacher understands how learning occurs-how students construct knowledge,
acquire skills, and develop habits of mind-and knows how to use instructional strategies that
promote student learning for a wide range of student abilities.
The teacher understands that students physical, social, emotional, moral, and cognitive
development influence learning and knows how to address these factors when making
instructional decisions.
The teacher is aware of expected developmental progressions and ranges of individual
variation within each domain (physical, social, emotional, moral, and cognitive), can identify
levels of readiness in learning, and understands how development in any one domain may affect
performance in others.
Dispositions
The teacher appreciates individual variation within each area of development, shows
respect for the diverse talents of all learners, and is committed to help them develop selfconfidence and competence.
The teacher is disposed to use students strengths as a basis for growth, and their errors
as an opportunity for learning.
Performances
The teacher assesses individual and group performance in order to design instruction
that meets learners current needs in each domain (cognitive, social, emotional, moral, and
physical) and that leads to the next level of development.
The teacher stimulates student reflection on prior knowledge and links new ideas to
already familiar ideas, making connections to students experiences, providing opportunities for
active engagement, manipulation, and testing of ideas and materials, and encouraging students to
assume responsibility for shaping their learning tasks.
The teacher accesses student thinking and experiences as a basis for instructional
activities. For example, encouraging discussion, listening and to group interaction, and eliciting
samples of student thinking orally and in writing.

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Next Learning Steps Based on Video Observations Guided by WTS Descriptors

I believe growth in two major areas will positively influence my students. One of the
areas is in Standards One, where it states, The teacher effectively uses multiple representations
and explanations of disciplinary concepts that capture key ideas and links them to students' prior
understandings. In my video, as well as after self-reflection, I do not always do an adequate
job of connecting ideas to one another to complete the learning process for my students. I see
that as a result, there are times when I need to go back and re-teach these ideas so that students
see these connections. If I just made sure to make these connections the first time through the
information, I would be doing a greater service to my students, especially my struggling
students. The second area that there is needed growth in my teaching currently is in the second
standard, where it says, The teacher is disposed to use students strengths as a basis for growth,
and their errors as an opportunity for learning. At times rather than taking wrong answers and
growing from them, I simply passed over the wrong answer and went in search of the correct
answer. I know that students can learn greatly from making mistakes, so I need to take
advantage of this and help all students, especially those who are struggling to learn from their
mistakes.
Danielson Framework for Teaching
See Artifact A for pre-assessment results in selected areas of Domains 1a, 1b, and 1c that
relate directly to a developmental approach in selecting learning objectives.
Course learning emphasizes Domain 1, Planning and Preparation skills in the Danielson
Framework for Teaching:
Component 1a: Demonstrating Knowledge of Content and Pedagogy
Component 1b: Knowledge of students skills and knowledge

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Component 1c: Selecting Instructional Goals

Component 1d: Demonstrating Knowledge of Resources
Component 1e: Designing Coherent Instruction
Component 1f: Assessing Student Learning
Wisconsin Common Core State Standards for Literacy in All Subjects and Academic Student
Performance Standards for the Targeted Subject
To improve alignment between instructional starting points, ending objectives, and
developmental student growth, I plan to target an eighth-grade social studies lesson on the Civil
War. The main objective is to understand the outcomes of the Civil War. This learning goal was
implemented to help students understand the complexity of the Civil War. Students need to
understand that the outcomes resulted in changes beyond slavery, such as the formation of new
political parties.
Artifacts B and C show pre-assessment results of student performance evidence.
Wisconsin Common Core State Standards for Literacy in All Subjects guided assessment of how
learning was communicated through formative and summative tasks as of this writing (Artifact
C). A developmental assessment of student performance evidence compared to Wisconsin
Academic Performance Standards for Social Studies guided assessment of content growth
(Artifact B).
After learning step 6, the post-assessment results will also be included in each table for
ease of direct comparisons. The pre-assessment was based on a low, median, high student
sample from a unit previous to the Civil War chapters, which required similar answers to text
questions.

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Analysis Conclusion and Essential Question to Guide Research

The overall inquiry question to guide my 691 learning process is: How do I align content
growth to current student growth to achieve every students developmental capabilities? The
assessments of current instructional practices and student performance, guided by WTS 1 and 2,
suggested a needed to improve two general areas: (a) gaining a clear focus on expectation to
eliminate confusion, (b) knowing the standards developmentally to set appropriate expectations
for diverse need. I want to improve my ability to differentiate instruction so that all students of
varying levels can obtain their highest level of educational success. Students in my class are
being given the knowledge of United States history; however, the content is not allowing them to
reach an eighth-grade level in the skills that go along with U. S. history. The discussions in
class may be enjoyable for the students, but this information from discussion is not turning into
quality writing to show me that students understand and comprehending the information. I need
to continue to find ways that makes certain that all types of learners can be successful in my
class. Therefore, my specific inquiry question is How do I, as a teacher, better understand the
standards so create a lesson plan that meets of wide range of current abilities that have the
potential to perform at grade 8 in this chapter lesson?
Practical Research Summary
Introduction
To address growth related to Wisconsin Teacher Standards 1 and 2, teachers are expected
to, know their subject content (WTS 1) and, know how students grow (WTS 2). The overall
question guiding the 691 learning process is, How do teachers improve alignment of content
growth (learning expectations) to match the current range of student abilities and their diverse
range of capabilities (student growth)? My specific inquiry explored how to align content so

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that it meets the needs of the many diverse learners in my classroom. To improve student
thinking, the research suggested breaking down information so students can visualize content
and expectations.
Research Summary
Heisler (2015) found that to meet the needs of diverse learners, each student needed to
visualize the thinking process so he/she can actually manipulate the ideas. That visual must
allow them to write the key ideas so they can see and correct them. For example, if students
were using inductive reasoning to understand the outcomes of the Civil War, a visual called
Funny Face could work. Students would record facts from the text as the hairs, then create
the main ideas as the eyes, and create the central ideas at the mouth from grouping the main
ideas. A second topic of discussion was how to interpret terms in the developmental format of
the Wisconsin CCSS for Literacy in All Subject. Teachers need to make certain they are meeting
actual objectives from the standards rather than assigning activities that do not challenge
thinking appropriately. Many objectives in the literacy standards relate to growth in thinking. To
perform at middle school level, one set of standards terms teachers and students need to
understand are central ideas, which are the grouping of topic ideas, which group main ideas,
which group facts or further details. Instead, teachers at middle school level may only require
main ideas, rather than central ideas for major task, which is only third-grade thinking. For
example, at the end of a Civil War unit, students will show Shermans march to the sea and
explain how it ended the Civil War (the central idea). The topics might be the fall of Richmond
and the surrender at Appomattox. Main ideas under Appomattox might be the official
surrendering of the Confederate Army at the courthouse, and that Grant and Lee came to official

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surrender terms. Details might include Lees soldiers could keep their small firearms, officers
could keep their horses and no one would disrupt or harm the soldiers as they left.
Weselby (2014) found that to get to all levels of learners in a classroom, differentiation of
instruction is needed, so that each student can fully understand what is being taught. For
example, if students were learning about the Civil War teachers can differentiate the process and
product that students create by giving them a topic about the country during the war. For the
visual learners, teachers can allow them to read the text and write a paper about what they just
learned. For the audio learners, teachers can have them watch a video covering the same topic
and then give them the choice of writing a paper or delivering a speech on the topic. Lastly, for
the kinesthetic learner, teachers can give them a reading and then allow them to create something
that visually shows what they learned. A second idea in differentiated instruction is the learning
environment in which students go through the process and create the product. Again, knowing
the different types of learners is the key. For some students, going through the process
independently will allow them to understand text, audio, or visuals best. For other students,
small groups, where they can discuss what they are reading, seeing, or hearing, work best.
Lastly, some students will need to be in a whole group where the teacher is giving the content.
Allowing for all of these choices on major projects is important, so that all students can reach
their highest level of achievement. Many classrooms, however, overlook this and only give
content in one way, be it any of the options above. By doing this, teachers are only reaching a
portion of the class that is sits in front of them. For example, in dealing with the Civil War,
students all need to understand The Emancipation Proclamation. To allow all students the
opportunity to understand and be able to use the information, teachers can first assign it to be
read at home for homework, then reread in class and discuss in small group, and finally bring it

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back to the whole class. In class, the teacher pulls out the central ideas that must be understood
for later success on a quiz or test.
Schwertly (2014) explains that when presenting being concise with information is key.
This is extremely true for middle school students who are presenting to their peers. For example,
a student who is presenting on the Civil War and the roles of woman during the war would give
three clear concise ideas about the roles woman took up during the war. The three clear ideas
would be being nurses, being spies, and keeping the daily family life going. Listeners hear the
topic idea more easily when the main ideas are limited. The CCSS of Wisconsin also explains
that at a eight grade level, students should be able to present with sound reasoning with details
that validate the points being made. However, most students are only at a third grade level
where they are just simply retelling a story or event that has happened. To meet the eight grade
presentation level according the CCSS, a student presenting on the role of woman in the Civil
War would be able to pull out the three topics given above and would be able to recount specific
details. For example, if students were talking about women being nurses, they would explain the
initial anger from men when woman entered the field, explain why men thought woman were to
delicate to be in such a gruesome field, and then give specific woman such as Mary Edwards
Walker, Dorothea Dix, and Sally Tompkins who over-came this adversity and proved to men the
worth of woman in the medical field. By giving these specific details, students would then be
able to validate the importance of the three topics they choose. However, when looking at
students with diverse needs, the above content would need to be able to be presented in different
ways. For example, it could be through text, video or orally so that all diverse learners in the
classroom would have an equal opportunity to understand and connect with other key ideas of
the Civil War to see the overall central idea, which is the impact of the Civil War on America.

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Wisconsin Model Academic Standards for Social Studies (2015) states that students
between fifth through twelfth grade must learn about the Civil War in America. Knowing this, a
teacher must use the standard expectations from forth, eight and twelfth grade so that all students
in their class have the ability to grow academically. For example, if teachers are discussing the
attack on Fort Sumter in an eighth grade classroom, teachers would need to look at all three
levels of standards to make sure that all students are being challenged. By looking at the history
standards and finding a common standard to assess students understanding of the attack on Fort
Sumter, a teacher could use standard B. 7 at all three grade levels to assess students writing on
the question, explain the events that took place at Fort Sumter and how they begun the Civil
War. Students answers depending on current academic levels would vary in depth and breath
on the topic, but if a teacher used all three standards levels they would be able to accurately
assess if a student were performing at fourth, eight or twelfth grade level. By doing this, a
teacher is being aware of all academic levels in their classroom, and can then move forward
assisting all students to move their historical understanding forward dealing with the topic of the
Civil War.
CCR Anchor Standard 3: Text Type and Purpose (2011) states that students need to be
able to write narratives of people or that are imaginary in a manor that is correctly sequenced,
has effective writing strategies and is well detailed. For many middle school students this is a
major challenge. An eight-grade student writing on the Civil War should be able to give relevant
details, be reflective, and show the relationship between experiences and events. However, many
eighth grade students are at a second grade level in their ability to write a narrative. All they do
is give a sequence of events where they explain the thoughts, feelings, and actions of the lone
character. To get students to an eighth-grade level, a visual process is needed to assist them in

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getting all the necessary parts filled in. For example, a student writing on the First Battle at Bull
Run should be able to create a character that was at this battle. To assist them in this, teachers
need to first make sure the student understands the main ideas of Bull Run (Generals on both
sides, when and where the fighting was taking place, and finally the outcome). From this,
teachers help move the students to the key idea of Bull Run, that this was the first major battle in
the Civil War, and finally get them to see the central idea, which are the effects on America from
the Civil War. After walking through this, students have the actual facts of the battle at Bull Run.
Now they need to create their character, deciding which side they will reside on; then they need
to map out what their character did during the battle, and then create connections between these
actions. After mapping out this sequence, students need to start to find ways to have their
character reflect on the events as they are happening; this will help the reader connect to the
character. After doing the mapping steps, students will need to decide how they want to present
their information. Different types of learners have the chance to feel as if they can present in a
fashion that fits their skill sets. Some students may present through a written paper, some may
present with a presentation, or some may present through a monologue reenactment of their
character. Teachers help all students work towards the eighth-grade level in writing a narrative
when they help students visualize what they need and give diverse learners a chance to give back
the content in a way that they can be successful.
Research Conclusion
When dealing with how to align content so that it meets the needs of the many diverse
learners in a classroom, there are many ideas that will increase a teachers ability to succeed.
The common features from the five sources are understanding standards developmentally,
creating different ways to instruct or present information, and aligning objectives with the

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different levels of thinking. With these three common features, teachers can see what needs to
happen to improve students ability as well as their own abilities to succeed.
Research Implications
My inquiry question: Explore how to align content so that it meets the needs of the many
diverse learners in my classroom
My targeted lessons aimed for students to understand the outcomes of the Civil War, and
to use evidence from the text and class discussion to explain the two main reasons for this
outcome. I plan to apply these new ideas from inquiry research to answer the question: How do
I align content growth to current student growth to achieve every students developmental
capabilities?
1. Implementing Wisconsin Social Studies Standards appropriate to Civil War at grade 8
level.
2. Find ways to give the content for the Civil War in different mediums so that all
students can comprehend the information connected to the expectations for the summative task
(Text, images and videos).
3. Implementing CCSS for Literacy in All Subjects and focus on giving students an
aligned objective that deals with their discussion and final writing piece.
4. Incorporate the Funny Face writing for the final writing sample, starting from events
that led to the Civil War. Will have students practice this idea on smaller topics as they learn the
content in the first two days.
5. Make sure to give the information in concise fashion so that students can read the text
and know the difference between good to know information and must know information.

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Professional Communication Skills Implications

In addition, I plan to improve student learning by incorporating these areas for
professional growth from the guided investigation and assessments of my seven-step learning
process, and professional literacy skills:
1. I will emphasize the schools must haves through out the unit so that students are
meeting the must haves, and then will apply them to their final writing sample for the year.
2. Will focus on immediate and clear communication to students making sure that
misconceptions presented by students are used as moments to teach rather than skipped over in
search of correct answers.
Learning Step 4: Plan, Incorporating Answers and Insights from Research
See Artifact D, which is the instructional plan that resulted from research and in-class
learning. Markings and color-coding show evidence of improving alignment of content and
learning expectations with student growth.
Learning Step 5: Implement Plan and Gather Evidence
Artifact E shows student work samples with comments that explain how student
outcomes were affected by aligned expectations, a developmental approach to assessment and
instruction, and/or new understandings and practices that affected student outcomes.
Learning Step 6: Post Assess Evidence Compared to Pre-assessments and Standards
Artifacts A, B, and C use italicized type to distinguish post-assessment information from
the pre-assessment. Explanations and evidence are included in the comparisons, along with
evidence in student samples under Artifact E.

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Learning Step 7: Reflection of My Entire Learning Process

This WTS 1 and 2 learning process focused on improving alignment of content and
learning expectations with current student abilities and capabilities. Each area below
summarizes the most significant conclusions that emerged from a reflection of my entire learning
process to improve alignment of learning to the learner:
My Most Effective Actions/Attitudes in My Seven-Step Learning Process, with Evidence
1. The first positive during this process was realizing that I need to be more in tune with
the standards. For social studies, this is not just looking at the social studies standards as I have
done in the past, but instead is also looking at writing standards. Going forward, I can continue
to work on this as my school is focusing on writing and improving the quality of writing. By
continuing to improve in my understanding of grade level writing, I will help my professional
growth as well as my students growth.
2. The second area that I believe I was able to grow in was through my clarity. Teaching
middle school, I am working with students who are now able to be challenged more as time goes
on, but struggle to articulate to this new level. By focusing on and improving my clarity and
ability to go back and re-teach, I am improving my ability to understand and explain the content I
am teaching. This then allows my students to better understand and articulate and write at grade
level.
3. Another effective process was pre-assessment. Before this process, I had not really
taken the time to look and understand exactly where my students were at. Without doing this, I
was unaware of the exact levels of my students. By not knowing the exact levels of my students,
I can then not adequately challenge and teach students. However, now that I have pre-assessed, I

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can more effectively post-assess my students grades and see if they are making gains towards
grade levelwhen they are not, I know exactly what needs to be taught to get them there.
My Least Effective Actions/Attitudes in My Seven-Step Learning Process, with Evidence
1. The first action that I need to work on is simply time management. Throughout the
process I overloaded myself. As a result, I did not put in the time that was needed to achieve
master level work. One possible solution would be to prioritize lesson planning. For example, I
could take brief notes of where students perform while teaching and use that to plan more
accurately for student needs.
2. The second piece that I need to work on and improve in most is my attitude toward the
process. Throughout the process, I didnt believe that what I was doing was helping me improve
my ability to be successful at my school. A solution to this is not getting frustrated with the
process, as I can apply what is useful for me currently to help me grow as an educator. For
example, I can use the seven-step process to better plan, pre-assess, and post-assess my students.
My Next Steps for Improving My Learning Process (What to Learn and/or How I Learn)
1. The first step is to continue to better understand the standards. There are many parts
of the social studies and writing standards for all subjects that do not completely know and apply
in my classroom currently. A solution to this is to continue to work with the standards in
planning. For example, as I plan for next year looking to see where the standards work into the
first unit I will be teaching in each class.
2.

Second is that I need to continue to work on assessing my students while they are

learning. Currently my focus has been more to summative assessment and missing the
importance of formative assessments. A solution to this is switching that focus, because without
an understanding while going through the learning process I am unaware if my students are

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prepared for the summative assessment. An example of how this would work is introducing exit
slips into my classroom and recording data from these as a way to know where to begin each
class period.

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References
Danielson, C. (2007). Enhancing professional practice: A framework for teaching. (2nd ed. ).
Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Heisler, S. (2013). Write teaching. Retrieved with password and username write1 from
MY SMU to Blackboard site at http://www. smumn. Edu
McGraw-Hill Publisher Text Book: Will further update once I have access to my classroom.
Schwertly, S (2014). 8 Psychological Principles to Make a Memorable Presentation. The
official Slide Share Blog. Retrieved from https://blog. slideshare. net/2014/10/27/8psychological-principles-to-make-a-memorable-presentation/
Weselby, C. (2014). What is Differentiated Instruction? Examples of How to Differentiate
Instruction in the Classroom. Retrieved June 20, 2015, from http://education. cuportland. edu/blog/teaching-strategies/examples-of-differentiated-instruction/
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. (n. d. ). Wisconsin common core state standards
for literacy in all subjects. Retrieved from http://ela. dpi. wi.
gov/sites/default/files/imce/ ela/resources/CCSS_Vertical_Articulation_ELA. pdf
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. (n. d. ). Wisconsin Model Academic Standards
for Social Studies. Retrieved from http://standards. dpi. wi. gov/stn_ssb8

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Artifact A: Pre- and Post-assessments based on Danielson Framework

The Danielson Framework for Teaching is a tool for assessing teacher practices. It is not
a tool for assessing teacher effectiveness. The assumption is that using research-based teaching
practices will result in successful student learning. However, undeniable proof of teacher
effectiveness in achieving academic goals is evidenced in ongoing, valid assessments of
measurable academic performance compared to academic performance standards.
Each of the four rating levels encompasses a range of practices that may take years to
achieve. Pre- and post-assessment ratings may remain the same, even though significant growth
occurred. Ratings may also move downward, especially if the observed instruction is involving a
new lesson or new students. To qualify for a rating, the teaching continually demonstrated all
attributes at that level. Danielson interpretation of ratings: (p. 36-38)
Unsatisfactory: Component knowledge, but not practiced. First priority for growth.
Basic: Understanding, but not routinely practiced or successful; or a new lesson/position.
Proficient: Routinely practiced, masterful alternatives, experienced, successful outcomes.
Distinguished: Creates a cooperative, motivated learning community connected to life.
Domain 1: Planning and Preparation. Component 1a: Demonstrating Knowledge of
Content and Pedagogy: Knowledge of content and the structure of the discipline (p. 47)
Pre-assessment Rating: U
Explain with Descriptors: Not yet familiar of how concepts relate to one and other (B);
therefore does not correct errors made by students (U) instead searches for correct answers.
Evidence: When incorrect answers are given in class I do not allow student who gave the
incorrect answer a chance to see their misconception or why they were incorrect. Instead, I go
on to try and find the correct answer with rare follow up to explain incorrect answer.
Next Learning Step: Work with incorrect answers before moving on to eliminate
confusion.
Post-assessment Rating: B
Explain with Descriptors: Am more familiar with important concepts (B), however, still
need to find ways to relate them to one another (P).
Evidence: Focused on answering questions and correcting misconceptions to better help
students understand. Through this approximately 4-7 more students were now capable of
answering class discussions questions. This raised the participation level to approximately15 of
the 20 students who were now able to participate in some fashion.
Domain 1: Planning and Preparation. Component 1b: Demonstrating Knowledge of
Students: Knowledge of the learning process (p. 50)
Pre-assessment Rating: B
Explain with Descriptors: Do not always have accurate and current information (P);
therefore knowledge is limited or outdated (B).
Evidence: When students wrote in my class I look for content related answers. I missed
grammatical correction because of limited understanding and the emphasis on content. Students
were not writing at an eight grade level.
Next Learning Step: Look deeper at the writing standards in eighth grade to improve both
content answers and grammatical answers.

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Post-assessment Rating: B
Explain with Descriptors: I recognize the value of knowing how students learn (B),
however, need to continue to work on implementing this in smaller groups of students (P) who
struggle in my class.
Evidence: When dealing with writing standards and knowing that certain students are still
not meeting an eighth-grade level I need to better understand how to get them there. Only half of
the class would have been writing at an eighth-grade level due to holes in their content
understanding where at the start only 2-4 students would have been occasionally meeting grade
standards.
Domain 1: Planning and Preparation. Component 1b: Demonstrating Knowledge of
Students: Knowledge of students skills, knowledge, and language proficiency (p. 50)
Pre-assessment Rating: B
Explain with Descriptors: Do not display this knowledge for groups of students (P)
instead can only display this knowledge for the class as a whole (B).
Evidence: As an instructor I have knowledge of the Civil War and the content and can
give to the class as a whole but not sure how to break information down to varying levels of
learners in my classroom.
Next Learning Step: Find content appropriate information for different learners.
Post-assessment Rating: B
Explain with Descriptors: Do not display this knowledge for groups of students (P)
instead can only display this knowledge for the class as a whole (B).
Evidence: Still seeing my lower group of students being behind in writing skills of my
middle and high performing students. Only 13-15 of the 20 students were nearing an eighthgrade level when it came to writing skills when taking the content out of the picture and focusing
solely on grammar.
Domain 1: Planning and Preparation. Component 1b: Demonstrating Knowledge of
Students: Knowledge of students special needs (p. 50)
Pre-assessment Rating: B
Explain with Descriptors: My knowledge of students with special needs is incomplete or
inaccurate (B); therefore, I am not completely aware of students special learning and medical
needs (P)
Evidence: Have a student in my school with an ESP which is our schools version of an
ISP. I have knowledge of what is on the ESP, but my ability at times to meet all of his needs is
limited due to a lack of information on how to improve his ability to understand and grasp the
content in my classroom.
Next Learning Step: Further my understanding of his disability and create an action plan
to meet his needs.
Post-assessment Rating: B
Explain with Descriptors: My knowledge of students with special needs is incomplete or
inaccurate (B); therefore I am not completely aware of students special learning and medical
needs (P) due to a lack of time to address this area.
Evidence: My one student who needs accommodations did the paper incorrectly even
after working with him one on one to help complete the paper he still was unable to take home

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the information and complete the paper in a correct fashion. So 0% of students with special
accommodations reached the expected level.
Domain 1: Planning and Preparation. Component 1c: Setting Instructional Outcomes:
Value, sequence, and alignment (p. 54)
Pre-assessment Rating: B
Explain with Descriptors: Lack understanding of the developmental expectations that
lead to most outcomes represent high expectations (P). Consequently, at times I think
students are challenged, but the level is too high. Therefore, some (expectations) reflect
important learning in the discipline (B).
Evidence: The major project in my eight-grade class was a Presidents project. The
outcome was projected to be high, but the actual content that was gained from the project was
limited. However, content that was gained connected together the year as a whole.
Next Learning Step: Continue to better understand grade level expectations for eighth
graders to make sure that more assignments have high expectations and content that is gained is
important.
Post-assessment Rating: B
Explain with Descriptors: : Lack understanding of the developmental expectations that
lead to most outcomes represent high expectations (P). Consequently, at times I think
students are challenged, but the level is too high. Therefore, some (expectations) reflect
important learning in the discipline (B).
Evidence: I am finding ways to have students meet the expectations in Social Studies, but
there is still space to improve on quality of writing and creating expectations with rigor in that
category. Only 13 of my 20 students were meeting a proficient level in all categories on the final
writing task of the year. This is taking into account both writing and content.
Domain 1: Planning and Preparation. Component 1c: Setting Instructional Outcomes:
Clarity (p. 54)
Pre-assessment Rating: U
Explain with Descriptors: This is my biggest area of weakness currently. I do not make
outcomes moderately clear (B) also at times outcomes are stated as activities (U) rather than
outcomes.
Evidence: In taped lesson I did not give students the outcomes I was looking for from the
lesson. I do structure my lessons to get to certain outcomes, but if I were to state these I would
have more students understand what I am looking for and meet these outcomes.
Next Learning Step: Make sure that lesson have clear outcomes, not just activities.
Post-assessment Rating: B
Explain with Descriptors: The outcomes that I created for their final writing were only
moderately clear (B) therefore need to work on making sure outcomes are written in the form
of student learning (P)
Evidence: Some students did not understand how the rubric would be used in grading
their final writing piece. After two class discussions most students were aware but some students
still did not use it or fill it out in the end. In the end, I had 16 of 20 students fill in their final
rubric after the different class discussions.

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Domain 1: Planning and Preparation. Component 1c: Setting Instructional Outcomes:

Balance (p. 54)
Pre-assessment Rating: B
Explain with Descriptors: When creating lessons I focus on trying to reach all students
through several types of learning (B), but do not always focus on coordination (P) of the
learning styles.
Evidence: When creating my lessons for my Civil War unit I am looking to meet all
students needs by differentiating the way that the information is presented. I have not looked at
if these different styles are coordinating with one and other.
Next Learning Step: Look at unit to make sure that all types of content are working
toward the same area.
Post-assessment Rating: B
Explain with Descriptors: When creating lessons I focus on trying to reach all students
through several types of learning (B), but do not always focus on coordination (P) of the
learning styles.
Evidence: The final writing piece that was given was explained and given all in an
electronic medium which the students had access to and could print out. However, this created
some confusion and difficulties for certain students. Trying to balance this out and having some
paper copies on hand to at least look at while explaining the assignment may help for overall
comprehension in the future. For my final paper I received 19 of 20 papers, but only 12 of these
papers were turned in and done in the correct medium.
Domain 1: Planning and Preparation. Component 1c: Setting Instructional Outcomes:
Suitability for diverse learners (p. 54)
Pre-assessment Rating: B
Explain with Descriptors: Do not look at student proficiency (P) instead create
outcomes that are suitable for most of the students (B).
Evidence: Currently lacking the ability to lesson plan for the individual but instead am
focused on meeting the needs of the majority of students.
Next Learning Step: Find ways to better incorporate ideas to meet the high and low ends
of my student spectrum.
Post-assessment Rating: B
Explain with Descriptors: Do not look at student proficiency (P) instead create
outcomes that are suitable for most of the students (B).
Evidence: My struggling learners really fell behind in this assignment. There was a gap
in their understanding that I was not aware of until the final writing pieces were turned in. At
that point because it was the end of the year I was unable to go back and correct certain mistakes.
There were 7 students who did not meet proficient on all tasks of the final writing sample and 4
of these did not meet proficient in 2 of the 3 categories. Typically those results would have

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compared to closer to 15 out of the 20 students in class who had at least one category that was
not proficient.

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Artifact B: Developmental Assessment of Student Performance with Literacy

Standards
Wisconsin Common Core State Standards for Literacy in All Subjects guided assessment
of formative and summative activities and task expectations that communicated learning. The
age or grade level of proficiency means current student performance meets all expectations at
and below the performance descriptors.
Standard(s) for this Assessment: (a) Informational Text: Key Ideas and Details: CCR Anchor
Standard 2: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development;
summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
Targeted Grade Level: 8
Assessed Task(s): (Pre): Answering questions from the text on religions impact on social
reform prior to the Civil War. (Post) Final writing piece on the Civil War
Pre-assessed Skills: Lowest at Gr. 2 Median at Gr. 3 Highest at Gr. 5
Post-assessed Skills: Lowest at Gr. 3 Median at Gr. 5
Highest at Gr. 6
Current Range of Skills Based on Developmental Descriptors:
(Post-assessment results added in italicized type to show changes. )
Gr. 2: (a) Finds main idea (b) finds specific focus within paragraphs
Gr. 3: (a) Recounts specific details
Gr. 4: (a) Explains how its supported by key details
Gr. 5: (a) Find two or more main ideas (b) Summarize the text
End-of-Unit Objective: For all students to be able to find and understand main idea.
Then with this understanding being able to objectively write about the facts of the situation in
their own words.
Gr. 6: (a) Determine a central idea and how it is conveyed through particular
details; (b) Provide a summary that is opinion free and based on fact.
Gr. 7: (a) Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their
development over the course of the text; (b) provide an objective summary of the
text.
Gr. 8: (a) Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the
course of the text including its relationship to supporting ideas; (b) provide an
objective summary of the text.
Post-assessment Evidence of Median Level:
After using the smiley face writing technique and the assessment rubric being given to students
more students pushed their writing. The majority of students were able to find the two main
ideas and summarize what we had learned over the last few weeks of school. On past
assignments there would have been 4-7 students who would have given these things correctly.
However, on the final assessment they were still not able to provide opinion free summaries that
determined a central idea. Where nearly the whole class was adding in their opinion on things
that should have been factually based.
Standard(s) for this Assessment: Comprehension and Collaboration College and Career
Readiness (CCR) Anchor Standard 1: Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of

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conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and expressing
their own clearly and persuasively.
Targeted Grade Level: 5
Assessed Task(s): (Pre): Based on prior classroom discussion about religious reform in
the United States with a stated purpose to be prepared to speak on their agreement or
disagreement of the role religion had on impacting changes. (Post) Class discussion explained
the important events that took place during the Civil War.
Pre-assessment Skills: Lowest at Gr. K
Median at Gr. 1
Highest at Gr. 3
Post-assessment Skills: Lowest at Gr. 1
Median at Gr. 3
Highest at Gr. 4
Current Range of Skills Based on Developmental Descriptors:
Gr 1 Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and texts

under discussion.
Gr 2 Build on others' talk in conversations by linking their comments to
the remarks of others.
Gr 3 Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the
discussion.

End-of-Unit Objective:
Gr 4 Pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on

information, and make comments that contribute to the discussion and

link to the remarks of others.
Gr 5 Come to discussions prepared having read or studied required
material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information
known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.

Post-assessment Evidence of Median Level:

During our final class discussion I had more students who were able to explain their own ideas
throughout our discussion. These lead to my students who participate more frequently to then
stretch our class discussion by having them respond to and clarify ideas for their classmates. In
the past with discussion at best half the class would participate. When this stretched to 15 out of
20 students in class participating it allowed for the discussion to go further and deeper than in the
past.

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Artifact C: Developmental Assessment of Student Performance with Academic Standards

Standard(s) for this Assessment: WI. B. History: Time, Continuity, and Change: Students in
Wisconsin will learn about the history of Wisconsin, the United States, and the
world, examining change and continuity over time in order to develop historical
perspective, explain historical relationships, and analyze issues that affect the
present and the future.
Targeted Grade Level: 8
Assessed Task(s): (Pre): Answer textbook questions to understand economic, social and
political conditions in the United States prior to the Civil War. (Post)
Pre-assessment Skills: Lowest at Gr. 2
Median at Gr. 4
Highest at Gr. 8
Post-assessment Skills: Lowest at Gr. 2
Median at Gr. 6
Highest at Gr. 8
Current Range of Skills Based on Developmental Descriptors:
Skills for writing an argument: (The essay question is below at End-of-Unit Objective):
1. Defining: In the essay, define the topic (brief description of Civil War related to their
choices for the introduction) and main ideas for each paragraph (two most important factors
leading to outcome):
B. 4. 7 Identify and describe important events and famous people in Wisconsin
and United States history.
{B. 6. 7. to bridge the gap} Group common ideas and events to be able to see
the difference between a common event and a significant event.
B. 8. 7. Identify significant events and people in the major eras of United States
and world history.
2. Relating by antecedent-consequent: (In the essay, the two most important factors are
supports through if-then or cause-effect sequencing of events)
B. 4. 2. Use a timeline to select, organize, and sequence information describing
eras in history.
{B. 6. 2-3 to bridge the gap}: Use a timeline to select and sequence the most
significant events and circumstances leading to the outcome of a war.
B. 8. 3. Describe the relationships between and among significant events, such
as the causes and consequences of wars in United States and world history.
End-of-Unit Objective:
B. 8. 2 Employ cause-and-effect arguments to demonstrate how significant
events have influenced the past and the present in United States and world history.
Essay Question: We all know the outcome of the Civil War was that the North was
victorious over the South. However, many different events and circumstances led to Norths
victory. Using the evidence and information you gained to support your opinion, define the two
most important factors that led to the outcomes of the Civil War.
Notes for changes in starting objectives:
Low and Median: Can define a sequence of events, but not use them to prove a certain event was
most important in affecting the final outcome.

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H: Can identify significant events, but not yet capable of following a logical antecedentconsequent argument to support each factor they choose.
Thinking pattern: relate by antecedent-consequent (main idea statements). Support with
evidence.
How: Give factsbut then ask ?s that make connections. What changes come because
of victory from the long-term view? Use word outcomes.
Post-assessment Evidence of Median Level:
Approximately 14 out 20 students were grouping ideas that were connected with one
and other to begin to get towards more significant events. This would have been an increase
from approximately 7-10 students. However, my low and median group still lacked the ability
to completely understand and explain the significant event with appropriate detail for an eighthgrade level.

Standard(s) for this Assessment:

Targeted Grade Level: 8
Assessed Task(s):
Pre-assessment Skills: Lowest at Gr. 2
Median at Gr. 4
Highest at Gr. 6
Post-assessment Skills: Lowest at Gr. 2
Median at Gr. 4
Highest at Gr. 6
Current Range of Skills Based on Developmental Descriptors:
B. 4. 9. Describe examples of cooperation and interdependence among individuals,
groups, and nations.

B. 8. 10. Analyze examples of conflict, cooperation, and interdependence among groups,

societies, or nations.

B. 8. 2. Employ cause-and-effect arguments to demonstrate how significant events

have influenced the past and the present in United States and world history.

End-of-Unit Objective:
B. 8. 4. Explain how and why events may be interpreted differently depending upon the
perspectives of participants, witnesses, reporters, and historians.

Post-assessment Evidence of Median Level:

For this objective there was not growth that I saw in students work. There was ability to
show cause-and-effect and its influence on significant events for 2-3 more students than
before. However, The median student though was unable to explain how or why their
interpretation of an event was different or correct compared to anyone else.

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Artifact D: Improved Learning Plan

This plan excerpt shows how content growth aligns with student growth based on a
developmental understanding of assessment and standards. Starting objectives align with
current assessed student abilities and ending objectives align with projected capabilities based on
assessment of current student performance compared to content and literacy standards.
Resource: (give info in APA style will be given once I have access to my room publisher
given above).
Necessary Background: This is the final thing that my students study to end the year.
Due to a time crunch the standards had to be developmentally adjusted for the end of the year.
B. 8. 3. Describe the relationships between and among significant events, such
as the causes and consequences of wars in United States and world history.
B. 8. 3. Describe the relationships between and among significant events, such
as the causes and consequences of wars in United States and world history.

2. B. 8. 7. Identify significant events and people in

the major eras of United States and world history.
2. B. 8. 3. Describe the relationships between and among
significant events, such as the causes and consequences of
wars in United States and world history.
Students will connect different campaigns to get to outcomes
supported by details that prove antecedent-consequent
relationships that affected outcome of war.
1. B. 8. 2 Employ cause-and-effect arguments to demonstrate how
significant events have influenced the past and the present in United
States and world history.
3. ALIGNED SUMMATIVE TASK: Essay Question: We all know
the outcome of the Civil War was that the North was victorious over
the South. However, many different events and circumstances led to
Norths victory. Using the information you gained, what do you
think were the two most important factors that led to the outcome of
the Civil War?

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5, Starting point is introducing the

chapter objectives and then begin
reading the text.

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6 & 7. Define Objectives and

First Learning Task. The first
learning task is to complete part
of the chart below to start
noticing differences between
North and South. We do this as
a teacher model. This info will
help student start considering
the strengths and weaknesses of
North and South to address
Chapter 1 objective. Could be
used later as one of their most
important factors in the essay.
8. Student criteria for Venn
diagram: one strength and
weakness in North and South
portion of chart below. They
add more as the war continues
which can be used in the essay
as a possible choice.
9. Teacher Strategy is the Venn
diagram. Students continue to
add to text as they read the
chapter. I start by modeling the
first one, then as time goes on,
will be an independent task.

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Essay Question: We all know the outcome of the Civil War was that the North was victorious
over the South. However, many different events and circumstances led to Norths victory.
Using the information you gained, what do you think were the two most important factors that
led to the outcome of the Civil War?
4. Define summative task criteria
Name:
4 = Fully Proficient: Fully meets ALL expectations
3 = Minor improvements needed for a 4 rating
2 = Proficient: Adequately meets ALL expectations
1 = Minor improvements needed for a 2 rating
? = Does not meet expectations in section 2005-2013 Sara Heisler

Task: Civil War Argument

Date:
Grade/Points:

Directions for rating task:

1. Student rates each section after the S during/following guided assessment
2. Teacher rates each section after the T, totals score and writes grade/points at top.
Expectations to qualify for a 4 rating:

Content aligns with topic of major event (Civil

War) and the cause-effect (ante. -consq) thinking.

T______ S______ Body Paragraph Content

Two main ideas that define an antecedent-consequent relationship

Two main ideas must draw from the chapter objectives (See list. )
Each main idea must be supported with facts from the text or lecture
At least two facts support the antecedent (either before or during the war)
At least two facts support the consequent (after the war)

T______ S______ Organization

Four paragraphs: introduction, 2 body paragraph, conclusion

Introduction includes topic (war), the outcome, and your two factors.
Each body paragraph introduces factor, and antecedent-to-consequent support in a minimum of
five sentences
Conclusion states a general fact/feeling relating to all the information.

T______ S______ Writing Skills

Literacy standards align to 6th grade overall for breadth of

content, and for writing skills about level 2-3. Students
still lack the must-haves across the curriculum, so the
school is working on that in common.

Must Haves are correct

No 2nd person (you, your) voice. Write in 1st person with an objective point of view.

T______ S______ Score (Add ratings in each of 3 sections. )

To convert score to a grade that meets proficiency expectations in all sections: 2005-2013 Sara Heisler
*Caution: Rubric scores are NOT task points. Convert score to points using schools % for A-B-C-D-?.
When all three section ratings are 2 or more: 6 7 = C;

8 10 = B;

11 12 = A.

When ratings of 1 or ? are part of the total score:

One 1 rating, no ? rating, and a total score of 8 - 9 = C. (No B grade with 1 ratings. )
One 1 rating, no ? rating, and a total score of 5 - 7 = C-.
Two or three 1 ratings, no ? rating = Improve or D
(Example: one 4 rating + two1 ratings = D+.

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One or more ? rating = Improve, Unsatisfactory, or F.

Page 34

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Artifact E: Student Performance Evidence Related to Aligning Learning to the Learner

The low student made some growth compared to previous assignments. To start, they gave the
reader an idea of where they are trying to go with their paper. However, after the intro, there are
some major gaps that still exist. For example, they do not meet the expectations for the two body
paragraphs, as they do not give the cause-and-effect relationship that we were looking for. The
other place of growth from previous assignments is writing quality. There are still some areas
that need to be edited, but there is growth from past assignments, which is what I am looking for.
I believe that more students could reach a higher level, but due to time constraints at the end of
the year, major editing was missed. My low students throughout the year have been writing
around a third to fourth grade level. I believe that items such as a rubric were helping the student
in organization, but actual contextual connections are still behind and lacking.
Focus
should be
beyond
single
chapter in
the book.

Low students could always list strengths

and weaknesses, but they continued to
struggle in making the connection to
answer the question for how these
strengths and weaknesses affected the
war.

Gives two mains points they will discuss in their paper. This
is an improvement from the past where this introduction of the
paper and its requirements would have been missing.

Low:
In section 16 we talk about the war and how it ended. Each side has its strengths and weaknesses. Also how the
battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg impact the war. Each side uses their strengths to help their side win.
Unfortunately some of their weaknesses get in the way.
The north had some strengths that helped them. The first one is that they had a strong economy. This helped them
because they were able to produce lots of food and different supplies. The strength was that they had a big
population. This helped them because they could have many people go into the war, and many people for back up.
This leads into their weaknesses. They did have a lot of soldiers to fight but they werent well trained. This did affect
how they fought. Also they werent very good at defending themselves when they were attacked surprisingly.
Although the north was bad at surprise attacks the south wasnt. That one of the souths strengths. They were able
to fight back when they were loosing. They had a strong fighting spirit and they were able to defend their land.
Another strength was that they had excellent military resources. But just because they had the will to fight and the
supplies to fight doesnt mean they had a lot of people to fight. They had a smaller population so it was a
disadvantage to them. They didnt count their slaves as people. Also they had a disadvantage because they fought
on their land mostly so it got destroyed.
Each side tried using their strengths to win, of course. At the Battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg the war
took a big turn. At the Gettysburg battle the south had made an attack on the north. The north lost 23,000 men.
That was a lot of men. The north wasnt strong at that battle and the south won. At the Battle of Vicksburg the north
had attacked the south. The south didnt respond well and they had a huge blow. They really had hit a rough spot in
the war. They had lost 9,000 of their troops because 77,000 troops arched into their city, Vicksburg. For these two
wars the battles had really hurt both sides. But the north had wanted this war to end. They were going to fight for
their side. Thats just what they did. The south had really gotten more shy and backed off a little bit. I feel like the
wars both made the north realize that they arent going to lose, and it made the south realize that.
I feel that this war was definitely a huge part in US history. We had fought major battles. And we lost a lot of
men doing it. Each side tried their hardest and some fought until death. This war made the USA become one again.
Throughout the year
conclusions have been a major
struggling point especially for
my lower students.

Need to edit and answer what is being

asked of the student. (Whole Paper)
Again missing the expectations of the
assignment is an ongoing issue with
my low group for larger writing tasks.

These are just facts on the battles with no

connection to ending the war. Again,
common on going mistake.

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The median students, again like the low students, starts off with a good intro and there is an
understanding of where the paper is going. Their strengths continue on past the low student
because they attempt to give the cause-and-effect relationship that I was looking for. There is
still space for growth in this area, but they were working towards meeting objectives that were
given. I believe that if time would have permitted and more editing could have been done, this
student would have been able to make the adjustments needed to create a stronger cause-andeffect relationship. For writing quality, my median group showed growth in the overall quality
of their writing. For this assignment this student does a good job of meeting expectations for
grammar. Again, if time was permitting and more editing could have been done, I believe that
the student would have made even more steps forward in this category.
INTRO: Strong start,
understanding which objectives
where used to write the paper.

BODY: Strengths and weakness given, but connections to the war are weak.
Need to focus on connections and impact. Making an attempt to get the
connections in though is an improvement from past writing assignments.
Seeing growth in median group.

Median:
We all know how the Civil War ended, the Union won the war. The question is though, how did that come
about? Why did the North win? What got them the upper hand that allowed the, to take victory? This will be answered
through two different points, the advantages and disadvantages of both the North and the South and the events that
lead to the end of the war.
The North had a larger population than the South, by a lot. When it comes to war it all seems to come down
to numbers, so more people equals more soldiers. The North also had better ways to get supplies. The North had all
the factories which made weapons and basically everything. The South had the plantations, plantations, and the
plantation that sent the cotton to the North to be made into goods. In conclusion, the South really depended on the
North economically. If the economy isnt good prices go up and there are major problems with food. Even though the
North had some advantages, so did the South. Most of the battles of the South, which means they knew the land.
By knowing the land they have a upper hand on the battlefield; they probably knew the good hiding places, so they
can spring a surprise attack. The fact that probably helped them the most during most of the war was their spirit.
The North was just fighting for the end of slavery, that didnt directly affect them, but they thought it was wrong. The
South was fighting for the spreading and continuation of the major part of their economy and way of life. The South
would be less likely to give up, they would fight hard for their way of life and to show that the North did not rule over
them.
The events that really affected the course of the war in my opinion are the Battle of Gettysburg and the
Battle of Antietam. The Battle of Gettysburg was one of the few battles in the North. The Southern general, Lee,
decided to fight in the North because if he won he thought he could win the support of Great Britain or France. The
British were considering siding with the Confederate States of America, if they did the South would have a huge
advantage. In the end though the North won which made Britain withdraw their offer of two ironclads. The Battle of
Antietam was important because McClellan, a general that the North had faith in only at the beginning of the war,
beat Lee. This proved to the North that they had good leaders and the soldiers gained faith in their general, so they
started listening and following without hesitation. This while making the North gain faith, also made the South lose
faith. Though Lee had lost before, this defeat caused him to retreat to Virginia. After the war had gone on this long a
defeat and retreat basically sealed the Souths resignation.
In the end, as we all know the North won. They had the factories, the education, and the people. In my
mind though, this was a pretty even match. The North may have had more people, but the South had spirit. If Great
Britain or France had sided with the South, I believe that the history books would be different, the South would have
won. The Battle of Gettysburg and Antietam went to the North, so we are all free in America.
Conclusion should focus on the facts.
Students in median group frequently
struggle on conclusion paper on this
and past examples. Some editing
needed through out paper.

Antietam gives impact explanation for both sides but could improve on
connection to later events in the war. The giving of an impact though is an
improvement from past examples.
Gettysburg again gives an impact but impact needs to be expanded on. The
giving of an impact though is an improvement from past examples.

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The high student did a very good job throughout their paper. They start off by giving the proper
intro to explain where they are going with their paper. Next, they for the most part do a good job
of explaining the cause-and-effect relationship of the different events and facts they picked out.
Again, it seems as if time was an issue even for the high student as the end of the paper the
cause-and-effect relationship seems rushed and not as well done. The writing quality for my
high student is right around grade level as has been seen throughout the year. I believe that some
of the minor edits that are need could have been avoided if more time would have been available.
Intro: Students in this paper and
through out the year in my high
group have been able to for the
most part correctly intro a paper.
This example though does show
improvement in focus of intro.

Body: This is where there was the most growth for my

high group. They were able to give the connections of
the events they choose more often than in the past. By
making the connections you could see the understanding
both in their writing and during class discussions.

High:

Overall gave good

connections to
war dealing with
the strengths and
weaknesses of
both sides.

Understanding
of which
objectives will
be used to
write the paper.
Is a continued
strength of this
group.

The Civil War was a long, dreadful war that only included Americans killing other Americans. In
the end though, the Union were victorious, and there were many factors that played into that, but there
were two specific ones that really caught my eye. The first one was how the Norths strengths just
outweighed the Souths strengths, and the overwhelming amount of weaknesses that the South had
against the North. The other factor that stuck out at me was how I believed the battles of Gettysburg and
Vicksburg sealed of the victory for the North and how the South could no longer recover after those two
defeats.
In the Civil War when it came to strengths and weaknesses of each side the North easily had the
edge. First of all the South would have only had a few strengths no matter who they were fighting, but
the few that they had were that they were fighting in their own territory so they knew their surroundings
and where they could hide, and they were fighting for a cause they believed in. As a result of this they
were not going to back down from the favored North. The North had a handful of more strengths than
the South did such as having over twice the amount of civilians living there, they manufactured nearly
everything that the country had including ammunition and firearms, the North also had control of the Navy,
and they made it so it was a war between just them and the South. The war being between just the two
sides was a huge weakness towards the South because they were going to get help from two British
ironclads, but they were never sent out to sea. A couple more disadvantages for the Confederates was
that they manufactured close to nothing before the war started and got most of their products from the
North, but once the war started that supply line no longer existed, and I believe that is one of the most
important weaknesses of the South. Along with that the roads in the South were terrible, and they had
no railroads so this disabled them from moving any goods, people, or artillery to some locations. Unlike
the South the North had very few weaknesses. The two weaknesses that I thought played a small role in
the war were that the Union soldiers were not familiar with where they were fighting, and that the civilians
back at home and the soldiers became worried that the war would drag on, so many of the Northerners
just wanted to end the war. Even though those two weaknesses for the North didnt have a huge impact
on the war I do believe that they extend how long the war went on for. By the end of the war the Norths

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strengths just overpowered the Souths many weaknesses, and that resulted in the Union winning the this
hard fought war.
The battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg may have been the two most important battles
throughout the whole five years of the war. I believe Gettysburg was so important because for one it
showed the determination of the Union to not retreat, and because of that decision they won a great
battle. Once the South started Picketts Charge up Cemetery Ridge it looked as if they could succeed,
but the Union soldiers regrouped themselves and were like a stonewall. Three-fourths of the
Confederates that started the charge either laid wounded or died on the hill, and this was when General
Robert E. Lee realized he made a huge mistake. That was also when he retreated, but it came very
costly, losing 25,000 men. The biggest part about this battle though had nothing to do with anything even
close to America. It was all the way across the Atlantic Ocean. When Britain and France heard of the
South losing this battle they then decided not to send their ironclads to help them because they felt as if
they were incapable of winning the war at that point. At the same time that General Lee suffered the
defeated at the Battle of Gettysburg the Confederates were suffering another loss at Vicksburg,
Mississippi on the Mississippi River. Within just a over a month between the two battles the
Confederates lost over 34,000 people in battle, and maybe even more importantly by losing Vicksburg the
South was now split in half. I believe these two battles that simultaneously happened are what
eventually causes the Civil War to be won by the Union.
Before the Civil War it was never thought that it would carry out for as long as it did, but with the
determination of the Confederacy it did just that. The weaknesses of the South were just too much for
them to make up with the strengths of the North. The North was just overall too strong for them to
handle+With the Battle of Gettysburg and the Battle of Vicksburg happen right after another and both
ending as defeats for the South it was all just a matter of time before the South could no longer hold on.
Conclusion: Strong conclusion, but minor
editing is needed throughout. Again this is an
area of growth even in my upper group.
Conclusion paragraph were a struggling point
throughout the year, but in this example the
paper is concluded in a proper fashion.

Vicksburg
needs some
expansion if
students are
saying its so
important.

Gettysburg battle does a good job of

balancing facts and impact.