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

Technology Through the Ages (History)

Student assignment:

In a persuasive paper or presentation, you will:

  1. Explain why a technological development was significant* by explaining the effects of this change in terms of costs and/or benefits.
  2. Explain how technology developments require investment in human capital, citing specific examples.
  3. Present a thesis on the significance of a technological change in a coherent presentation/paper that:
    • is well-organized,
    • is well-supported by accurate evidence, and
    • includes a general statement about why this technological change took place.

* "Significant" implies fully explaining each effect by describing how something was done before the new technology and how it was changed after its development.

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:

Development of Technology

Results of Technological Advancement

Air and Space Craft Electricity Firearms Railroads Nuclear Energy Technology in General

Associated Washington State Standards {EALR}

  • History 2.2.3: Analyze how technological developments have changed people's ideas about the natural world by evaluating short and long-term consequences.
  • Economics 2.4.3a: Explain how investments in human capital can increase productivity but such investments entail opportunity costs risks.
  • Social Studies Skills 1.1.3a: Formulate a thesis statement in the social studies that examines why as well as how.
  • Social Studies Skills 1.1.3d: Evaluate reliability, credibility, and validity of information from a variety of social studies sources.

Scoring
EALR Scoring
(*for additional levels, see OSPI Scoring Rubric)
History 2.2.3 *at highest level... Accurately explains why a technological development was significant by explaining at least three effects of this change in terms of costs and/or benefits.
Economics 2.4.3a *at highest level... Accurately explains how technology changes require investment in human capital, citing at least two specific examples.
Social Studies Skills 1.1.3a *at highest level... Presents a clear, plausible thesis on the significance of a technological change in a coherent presentation/paper that (all of the following):
  • is well-organized,
  • is well-supported by accurate evidence, and includes a general statement about why this technological change took place.
Social Studies Skills 1.1.3d *at highest level... Annotated bibliography includes a variety of resources from multiple perspectives. Annotations discuss reliability and credibility and show validity through comparison of resources. Annotations include the information that was useful to the development of your research.
National Archives and Records Administration
6125 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
http://www.archives.gov/pacific-alaska