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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5th Grade

You Decide (Civics)

Student assignment:

In a persuasive paper or presentation, you will:

  1. Select a public issue and summarize background information on this issue.
  2. Explain how the issue is related to both the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
  3. Make an informed decision about the issue and support your decision with convincing reasons.

You will also:

  1. Use the graphic organizer provided to analyze different points of view on this issue.

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:

Civil Rights

Principles African Americans Women's Rights Right to Disagree with United States Policy American Indian Rights Chinese Rights Japanese Rights Rights of workers

Slavery

Associated Washington State Standards {EALR}

  • Civics 1.3.1a - Identify examples of rights and responsibilities of citizenship
  • Civics 4.2.1a - Participate in Civic discussion pertaining to public issues at school and in the local community
  • Social Studies Skills 1.1.1e - Locate data into graphic organizers
  • Social Studies Skills 1.1.1f - Create a product that demonstrates understanding of information and responds to central questions; present product to a meaningful audience.

Scoring
EALR Scoring
(*for additional levels, see OSPI Scoring Rubric)
Civics 1.3.1a *at highest level... Accurately and explicitly explains how issue is related to three (or more) rights and responsibilities of citizenship (including one of each)
OR
Accurately explains how the issue is related to one right and one responsibility and provides 2 or more well-supported reasons in the explanation.
Civics 4.2.1a *at highest level... Constructs an informed decision supported convincingly and explicitly by three (or more) clear, accurate reasons and/or specific examples.)
Social Studies Skills 1.1.1e *at highest level... Effectively uses graphic organizer to analyze two (or more) perspectives and their own with three accurate, relevant, and distinct reasons for each. (completes 6–9 boxes plus three for their own perspective)
Social Studies Skills 1.1.1f *at highest level... Provides detailed background on the issue. Explicitly states and explains the history and/or current relevance of the issue.
National Archives and Records Administration
6125 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
http://www.archives.gov/pacific-alaska