Washington State
Curriculum Based Assessment [CBA] Links to the National Archives and Records Administration's Primary Documents located at [web]www.ourdocuments.gov
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10th-11th Grade

Humans & the Environment (Geography)

Student assignment:

In a persuasive paper or presentation, you will:

  • provide accurate analysis of the positive benefits and/or negative consequences of multiple stakeholders' uses of the environment related to a contemporary issue OR a historical situation.
For a contemporary issue,
  • propose a reasonable solution to the issue in terms of improving the health of the system.
For a historical situation,
  • analyze the historical situation in terms of the environment and propose a reasonable alternative in terms of what would have improved the health of the system.
For either,
  • cite, restate, paraphrase, and interpret relevant information from specific sources.

The presentation may take place as an oral presentation (e.g., PowerPoint, theater, speech, video, multi-media presentation, etc.). However, you will also need to put your findings in written form (e.g., written report, article, essay, editorial, etc.).

Primary source documents from "Our Documents, 100 Milestone Source Documents from the National Archives and Records Administration," relating to this Curriculum Based Assessment [CBA]:

Important notes for using this section:

  • Following each sub-topic is a list representing specific documents that are believed to best illustrate a topic. Each document is linked to an interactive digital copy of the record itself, complete with description, background information, a transcribed copy [for convenience and for students having difficulty reading handwriting] and teaching suggestions, from the "Our Documents" web site [see [web]www.ourdocuments.gov]. Just click on the document title and it will take you to the specific "Our Documents" page.
  • In addition, there is a "Document Only" link which can be used in classrooms with fewer web connections. This is an "Adobe Acrobat" [.pdf] file and can be opened in advance and copied by the instructor or student directly, without a web connection, on any type of computer, as long as Adobe Acrobat is loaded on the computer. For a free copy of the Adobe Acrobat program [web]click here.

Sample Topics and Associated Primary Sources:

American Indians/ Indigenous Peoples versus United States Citizens

Developments That Might Have Impacted the Environment in the United States

US Conservation Policies

US Land Use

Associated Washington State Standards {EALR}

  • Geography 3.1.3a: Analyze and evaluate the positive benefits and negative consequences of people’s different uses of the environment (Human/Environment Interaction, Region).
  • Geography 3.1.3b: Analyze how environmental knowledge and responsible action can encourage species' survival in the midst of air, water, and land issues (Human/Environment Interaction, Region).
  • Social Studies: Inquiry and Information Skills 3.1.4a: Identify multiple perspectives; compare and contrast; use multiple sources…determine relevant information.

Scoring
EALR Scoring
(*for additional levels, see OSPI Scoring Rubric)
Geography 3.1.3a *at highest level... Provides accurate analysis of explicitly stated positive benefits and/or negative consequences of three (or more) stakeholders' uses of the environment.
Geography 3.1.3b *at highest level...
(CONTEMPORARY ISSUE) Proposes a reasonable solution to the issue in terms of improving the health of the system with three or more reasons explicitly supported by accurate evidence.
OR
(HISTORICAL SITUATION) Analyzes a historical situation in terms of the environment AND proposes a reasonable alternative in terms of what would have improved the health of the system with three or more reasons explicitly supported by accurate evidence.
Social Studies Inquiry and Information Skills 3.1.4a *at highest level... Explicitly cites and accurately restates or paraphrases, and accurately interprets relevant information from three specific sources.
National Archives and Records Administration
6125 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
http://www.archives.gov/pacific-alaska