Meghan Wagner

Ready to Administer Performance Assessment

Create Your Own Government
Overview:
This performance assessment will be used in the citizenship class comprised of grades nine
through twelve as a culminating project at the end of the unit. The students have learned about
the various forms of government and will now put that knowledge into practice. Students are to
choose from one of the types of governments discussed during the course and are given the task
to create their own government.
Relation to Instructional Content:
The following classroom experiences are designed to prepare students for this assessment.

Presentations comparing and contrasting the different forms of government [Democracy

(Direct & Representative), Monarchy (Absolute & Constitutional), Oligarchy,
Dictatorship & Theocracy]

Discussions pertaining to how political power should be exercised

Articles that compare and contrast various ruler such as Stalin, Pinochet, Henry VIII and
Queen Elizabeth II

Standards:
C.12.2 Describe how different political systems define and protect individual human rights
C.12.13 Describe and evaluate ideas of how society should be organized and political power
should be exercised, including the ideas of monarchism, anarchism, socialism, fascism,
and communism; compare these ideas to those of representative democracy; and assess
how such ideas have worked in practice
Directions:
The following will be turned in in the format of a word document in twelve point times new
roman font through the learners Edmodo account. If step two is drawn out on construction paper
please turn it in directly to the teacher.
1. Step 1

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a. Select a form of government

i. Democracy (Direct or Representative)
ii. Oligarchy
iii. Monarchy (Constitutional or Absolute)
iv. Dictatorship
b. Go to https://www.nationstates.net/
i. Click new nation in the top right corner
ii. Complete the given information. Be sure to click the correct classification
of government. If you have any questions on this let us know.
iii. Complete the ideology analysis
iv. Copy and paste the overview and graphs that you were provided into a
word document
c. Define your government (a description on how your government will work- use
the following questions to guide you)
i. How do leaders become leaders?
ii. Who holds power in this form of government?
iii. Who makes the decisions in the government?
iv. Who establishes laws and/or rules?
v. Will all of the members of the society have the same rights?
vi. How is your society going to settle disputes or conflicts between citizens?
vii. How will your new government prevent crime and keep order?
2. Step 2
a. Create two of the following
i. Draw a map of your country
1. Draw a map of your nation. The map must show the capital and 5
other major cities; show at least five physical features such as
lakes, rivers, mountains, or other major landmarks.
ii. Create a flag of your country
1. Design a flag that will proudly wave among the other nations that
represent what your nation stands for. Are there any important
(appropriate) symbols of your country? What about the colors you
use, do certain colors represent different things? On the back of
your map, briefly explain your design. Why did you choose those
symbols or colors?
iii. Write a national anthem for your country (Feel free to look at an example
of another country)
3. Step 3
a. Be sure the answers fit into your government type.
i. Scenario #1
1. Two hundred citizens of yours have been arrested for stealing
bread. They claim that they stole the bread because they were
hungry and needed to feed their families. These people are unable
to find jobs and have no money. The question is; what are you

Meghan Wagner

going to do to solve this problem? Remember whatever you are

going to do will cost money; be sure to explain how you are going
to raise the money needed.
ii. Scenario #2
1. A city in your country has revolted against the local mayor (who
happens to be your brother) due to poor health conditions and bad
schools. The question is what do you do? How do you handle the
situation? Do you send in the army and stop the revolt immediately
and throw everyone in jail or do you listen to the people and throw
your brother in jail? Is there another option?
iii. Scenario #3
1. The neighboring country to your east has a major resource that you
needwater. Your country is in a huge drought and many of your
crops are failing. Your neighbor has a different type of government
than yours yet they have been friendly in the past; your people
prefer a peaceful solution but your generals and economic advisors
feel as though war is inevitable. What are you going to do? War or
peace; trade or raiding parties. Write a thoughtful paragraph about
how to solve this problem.
Criteria:

Demonstrate creativity (either in the way they handle the scenarios or in the product itself
Description of the government is well developed and well supported
All answers correlate to the regime type
Scenarios are thorough and include well informed decisions

Use of Self-Assessment:
Students will use a self-assessment tool that will be introduced to them. It asks students to
determine whether they have all components, whether they have met the standards established by
the criteria and provide examples to support the standards. This will allow the learner to utilize
the self-assessment to set learning goals both immediately on their own assessment and in the
future.
Feedback:
Students will receive feedback both during the performance informally and after the assessment
has been turned in. The teacher will meet with the learner individually and orally go over the
assessment. This will help the leaner in the ability to feed it forward and improve on their next
assignment or assessment. The leaner will be given the opportunity to improve upon their
performance if the criteria were not satisfied.

Meghan Wagner

Name:

Self-assessment Form
1. Do you have all components? Yes or No
2. Have you followed the format directions? Yes or No
Criteria
Demonstrate creativity (either
in the way they handle the
scenarios or in the product
itself)

Met (Y/N)

Evidence

Description of the government

is well developed and well
supported

All answers correlate to the

regime type

Scenarios are thorough and

include well informed decisions

1. What is one strength you believe you demonstrated well on the assessment?

Meghan Wagner
2. What is one piece you think you could improve on in the future?

3. What were the reasons you chose the form of government you focused on?