1. Walden University: EDUC 6731
Assessment for Student Learning
Dr. Edward Griffin
February 17, 2013

2. Assessment Photo Album
Ryne K. Phillips
World History/Washington State History
Grades 10-11

3. Washington State: Role in World War II
O Overview of Unit:
O Students will evaluate and analyze Washington State’s
role in being an essential role in World War II. More
specifically, the essential role Washington State played
in the creation of the atomic bombs that were dropped
on Japan. Students will debate the issue of whether
dropping the bombs on Japan to end WWII was
morally justified and if it was the best decision or not.
O Understandings:
O SWBAT: Understand there are two viewpoints to the
story when dealing with warfare.
O SWBAT: Analyze and explain the effects of atomic
technology used in warfare.
O SWBAT: Explain the role of the Hanford Nuclear Site in
Washington State during WWII.

4. Essential Knowledge
O Students Will Know: O Students Will Be Able
O The basic To:
construction process O Analyze and infer
of an atomic bomb. historical sources.
O Evaluate and critique
O The difference
arguments on the
between primary
decision to drop the
and secondary bombs on Japan.
sources.
O Debate their position
O The devastation and on the conclusion of
capabilities of atomic WWII.
energy. O Predict the possibility
that the bombs
actually saved lives in
the long run.

5. Interdisciplinary Unit: Learning
Goals/Standards
O Washington State Social Studies Standards:
O 4.1.2: Understands how themes and
developments have defined eras in Washington
State and World History by: World War II (1939—
1945).
O 4.3.1: Analyzes and interprets historical materials
from a variety of perspectives in Washington
State or World History.
O 5.1: Uses critical reasoning skills to analyze and
evaluate positions
O 5.2: Uses inquiry-based research.

6. Interdisciplinary Unit: Learning
Goals/Standards
O Washington State Writing Standards:
O EALR 2. The student writes in a variety of forms for
different audiences and purposes.
O 2.1.1: Applies understanding of multiple and varied
audiences to write effectively.
O Identifies an intended audience.
O Analyzes the audience to meet its needs (e.g., uses
tone appropriate to culture, age, and gender of
audience).
O Respects the cultural backgrounds of potential
audiences (e.g., topic, word choice, perspective).
O Describes how a particular audience may interpret a
text (e.g., eliminating biased language that might be
offensive to the audience). Anticipates and addresses
readers’ questions or arguments.

7. Interdisciplinary Unit: Learning
Goals/Standards
O Washington State Communication Standards:
O EALR 1: The student uses listening and observation skills
and strategies to gain understanding.
O Component 1.2: Understands, analyzes, synthesizes, or
evaluates information from a variety of sources.
O 1.2.1 Evaluates effectiveness of and creates a personal
response to visual and auditory information.
O Compares literal and implicit meaning to respond to a
statement.
O Constructs personal meaning from visual and auditory
information (e.g., Social Studies: the connection between the
rhetoric of the leaders of independence movements in Africa
with images of people living and working in these emerging
nations).
O Critiques effectiveness of rhetorical information (e.g., peer
presentations, political speeches and arguments).

8. Interdisciplinary Unit: Learning
Goals/Standards
O Washington State Reading Standards:
O EALR 2: The student understands the meaning of what is read.
O 2.4.3 Analyze and evaluate text for validity and accuracy.
O Compare and contrast the logic (assumptions and beliefs) and use of
evidence (existing and missing information; primary sources and
secondary sources) used by two authors presenting similar or opposing
arguments (e.g., articles by two political columnists that address the
same issue).
O Judge the accuracy of the information in a text, citing text-based
evidence, author’s use of expert authority, author’s credibility to defend
the evaluation.
O EALR 3: The student reads different materials for a variety of
purposes.
O 3.1.1 Analyze web-based and other resource materials (including primary
sources and secondary sources) for relevance in answering research
questions.
O Examine materials to determine appropriate primary sources and
secondary sources to use for investigating a question, topic, or issue
(e.g., encyclopedia and other reference materials, pamphlets, book
excerpts, newspaper and magazine articles, letters to an editor, oral
records, research summaries, scientific and trade journals).

9. Essential Questions
O What is the relationship between Washington
State and World War II?
O Examples: Hanford Nuclear Site, Internment
Camps, Boeing
O Why did the United States enter World War II?
O Events: Pearl Harbor
O How did this event shape our decision to drop
the bombs?
O Was dropping the atomic bombs on Japan
morally justified and did it actually save lives for
both sides in the long run?

10. Methods of Assessment
O A variety of assessments will be used
throughout this entire unit to evaluate
student learning and understanding.
O Assessments will serve multiple purposes:
O Student’s understanding of essential
knowledge.
O Student’s progress of enduring
knowledge.
O Immediate student and teacher
feedback.

11. Assessment Tasks
O Assessment varieties are a critical part of this
unit and the following will be implemented:
O Diagnostic/Pre-Assessments
O Family/Community Assessments
O Formative: Self-Assessments
O Formative: Stated Propositions
O Performance Based Assessment: Debate and
Essay
O Summative: Paper and Pencil

12. Diagnostic/Pre-Assessment
O This particular assessment will be done before the
unit begins. Pre-Assessments never hurt nor help
your grade. These assessments allow the teacher to
see what prior knowledge students have about WWII.
It will consist of a variety of test questions of general
information about WWII.
O Example Test Questions:
O Who was the U.S. fighting during WWII?
O What event caused the U.S. to enter the war?
O How did the war eventually come to an end?
O What was Washington State’s role in WWII?
O When and where were the atomic bombs dropped on
Japan?

13. Family/Community Assessment
O These assessments are important because it allows
the family and community to get involved in the unit
and participate in any possible.
O This assessment will require students to take a
questionnaire hope to be completed by their
parents/guardians.
O I will ask the parents/guardians to voice their
thoughts, concerns, opinions, advice, knowledge,
special interests, and questions they have about this
controversial topic as well as WWII.
O Particularly this questionnaire will trying to locate any
“expert” family or community members that may
contribute and add special insight to this unit.

14. Formative: Stated Proposition
O Stated Proposition:
O “If the United States had not dropped the atomic
bombs on Japan during World War II, the war
would have been prolonged, resulting in a
greater number of casualties on both sides of
the war.”
O Throughout the entire unit the students will be
able to answer a variety of questions related to
and based on this stated proposition. There will
also be other stated propositions throughout the
unit.

15. Performance Based Assessment: Essay
O World War II & Atomic Bombs: Reflective
Essay
O One of the performance tasks of the unit will a
reflective essay. The essay will be asking the
students to provide examples of knowledge, both
factual and argumentative, presented to them and
if there originally stated opinion of dropping the
bombs on Japan changed at all throughout the
unit. The students will be asked to evaluate their
efforts and contributions to the debate as well as
in-class discussions.

16. Performance Based Assessment: Rubric
O World War II: Reflective Essay Rubric
Expectation Exceeds Meets Standard: Nearly Meets Standard: Below Standard:
s Standard: 4 3 2 1
Engages Effectively identifies Clearly identifies Identifies a condition, a Identifies a
the reader a condition, a a condition, a situation, or an issue but condition, a
by situation, or an situation, or an does situation, or an
establishin issue that issue that not adequately address issue but
g a context addresses the addresses the the does not address
and prompt. Insightful prompt. Analysis prompt. Attempts to the
analyzing a analysis conveys conveys convey analysis. prompt. Lacks
situation significance of the significance of analysis.
condition, situation, the condition,
or issue. situation, or
issue.
Uses a Skillfully selects Accurately Attempts to use a range Writing strategies
range or and uses a range selects and uses of are used
writing of writing strategies a writing strategies such as ineffectively.
strategies such as comparing range of writing comparing and
and contrasting, strategies such contrasting,
using concrete as comparing using concrete details,
details, description, and contrasting, description, creating a
creating a scenario. using concrete scenario.
details,
description,
creating a
scenario.

17. Performance Based Assessment:
Reflective Essay Rubric Cont.
Creating an The response is The response is The response Writing strategies
organizing skillfully clearly includes an are used
structure organized from organized from opening, body, ineffectively.
beginning to end; beginning to and closure;
this organization end; this however, one or
can be, but is not organization can more of these
necessarily, be, but is not elements is not
sequential. This necessarily, fully developed.
includes an sequential. This
opening, body, includes an
and closure that opening, body,
are complex. and closure.
Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates
understanding consistent control control of usage, some control of little control of
of English of grammar, grammar, usage, grammar, usage, grammar,
language usage, punctuation, punctuation, punctuation,
conventions punctuation, sentence sentence sentence
sentence construction, and construction, and construction, and
construction, and spelling. spelling. Frequent spelling.
spelling. Occasional errors errors interfere Numerous errors
do not with meaning. interfere with
usually interfere meaning.
with meaning.

18. Performance Based Assessment: Debate
O World War II: Atomic Bomb Debate
O The other performance based assessment will be
in the form of an in-class debate. Each student
will discuss their findings on the stated
proposition and present their evidence. Students
will be using primary and secondary sources as
well as their own opinions to argue for or against
the stated proposition. They will need to back up
their arguments with historically accurate
information and also refute any argument against
their standpoint.

19. Performance Based Assessment: Debate
O World War II: Atomic Bomb Debate Rubric
CATEGOR Exceeds Meets Standard: Nearly Meets Below Standard: 1
Y Standard: 4 3 Standard: 2
Informatio All information Most information Most information Information had
n presented in the presented in the presented in the debate several inaccuracies
debate was clear, debate was clear, was clear and accurate, OR was usually not
accurate and accurate and but was not usually clear.
thorough. thorough. thorough.
Use of Every major point Every major point Every major point was Every point was not
Facts was well supported was adequately supported with facts, supported.
and/or with several supported with statistics and/or
Statistics relevant facts, relevant facts, examples, but the
statistics and/or statistics and/or relevance of some was
examples. examples. questionable.
Presenta- Student Student usually Student sometimes Student had a
tion Style consistently used used gestures, used gestures, eye presentation style
gestures, eye eye contact, tone contact, tone of voice that did not keep the
contact, tone of of voice and a and a level of attention of the
voice and a level of level of enthusiasm in a way audience.
enthusiasm in a enthusiasm in a that kept the attention of
way that kept the way that kept the the audience.
attention of the attention of the
audience. audience.

20. Performance Based Assessment:
Debate Rubric Cont.
Understanding The student The student The student The student did
of Topic clearly clearly seemed to not show an
understood the understood the understand the adequate
topic in-depth topic in-depth main points of understanding
and presented and presented the topic and of the topic.
their information their information presented those
forcefully and with ease. with ease.
convincingly.
Rebuttal All counter- Most counter- Most counter- Counter-
arguments were arguments were arguments were arguments were
accurate, accurate, accurate and not accurate
relevant and relevant, and relevant, but and/or relevant.
strong. strong. several were
weak.

21. Summative: Paper and Pencil
O Summative assessments are similar to pre-
assessment except they do impact the student’s
grade.
O These assessments will use the stated propositions
to create a variety of questions consisting of
true/false, multiple choice, fill in the blank, matching,
and short essay.
O Example Short Essay Question:
O Explain and describe three specific reasons why or
why not, using historical evidence, the decision by the
United States to drop the atomic bombs on Japan was
morally justified and may have actually saved lives in
the long run for both sides of the war.

22. Paper and Pencil Assessment: Example
Questions
O True True/False
O The United States decision to drop the atomic
bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan during
World War II significantly shortened the war and
ultimately decreased the number of casualties for
both sides of the war. True or False.
O False True/False
O The United States decisions to drop the atomic
bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan during
World War II lengthened the war that ultimately
resulted in more casualties for both sides of the
war. True or False.

23. Paper and Pencil Assessment: Example
Questions Cont.
O Fill In The Blank
O Many factors played an important role that caused the end of World
War II. However, the most important factor that played a significant
role in ending the war was
___________________________________________________
because it forced the Japanese to ultimately surrender. As a result of
this event and the Japanese surrender, many casualties were spared
on both sides of the war.
O Multiple Choice
O What would have been the ultimate result if the United States decided
not to drop the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan and
decided to instead continue a planned amphibious attack and
invasion?
A. World War II would have been shortened, resulting in many
casualties being saved.
B. The Japanese would have surrendered quickly, resulting in many
casualties saved.
C. World War II would have been lengthened, resulting in many more
casualties.
D. The United States would have been victorious, resulting in minimal
casualties lost.

24. Assessment Photo Album: Group Project Rubric
O The rubric was created through contributions from each group
member. We made revisions and suggestions to make the final
product.
CATEGORY Exceeds Expectations: Meets Needs Intervention Required:
4 Expectations: 3 Improvement: 2 1
Content Covers topic in-depth Includes essential Includes essential Content is minimal and
with details and knowledge about the information about the displays only a limited
examples. Inferences topic. No major topic but uses limited understanding.
and applications go omissions regarding details and Assessments match 2
beyond what was the information processes. or less learning goal
explicitly taught. taught. Includes: Assessments match categories. Missing 2 or
Includes: -1 diagnostic 2 or 3 learning goal more assessment
-2 or more diagnostic assessment with categories. Missing a types.
assessments with family family information diagnostic, formative,
information -A formative or summative
-2 or more formative assessment with assessment
assessments with student reflection
opportunity for student -Paper Pencil
reflection Summative
-Variety of summative -Performance task
assessments with with Rubric
rubrics.
Assessments match all
learning goal categories.
Organizati Content is well organized Content is logically The overall Limited or no clear or
on with a clear connection organized and organization of topics logical organizational
among assessments. sequenced. is lacking at times. structure.

25. Assessment Photo Album: Group Project Rubric Cont.
O The rubric was created through contributions from each group
member. We made revisions and suggestions to make the final
product.
CATEGORY Exceeds Meets Needs Intervention Required:
Expectations: 4 Expectations: 3 Improvement: 2 1
Presentatio All learning goals and All learning goals Learning goals are Learning goals are
n standards are clearly are identified. unclear at times. unclear or missing.
identified. Masterful Adequately Limited inclusion of Does not include 21st
inclusion of 21st includes 21st 21st century century learning.
century learning. century learning. learning. Does not include APA
Accurately and Reflects APA Somewhat includes standards.
consistently standards and APA standards.
incorporate APA quality.
standards.
Technology Uses a wide and Effectively uses Technology adds Technology does not
varied range of technology to little engagement or engage students and
technology to inform inform students of the communication does not
and create the units various of assessments is communicate
enthusiasm for the assessments. somewhat unclear. assessments. Uses
unit. Graphics and Graphics and text Occasionally uses superfluous or no
text size explain and relate to and graphics that graphics to support
reinforce screen text support text and support text and text and presentation
and presentation presentation presentation (NCSU, 2012).
(NCSU, 2012). (NCSU, 2012). (NCSU, 2012).

26. Student Scores and Reflection
Type of Assessment Score: 0-4 Comments/Reflection:
Diagnostic: Pre-
Assessment
Family/Community
Assessment
Formative: Self-
Assessment
Formative: Stated
Propositions
Performance Based
Assessment: Debate
Performance Based
Assessment: Essay
Summative: Paper and
Pencil

27. Walden University Application Scores
Weekly Application Score: 0-4 Comments/Reflection:
Number
Week 1 Application 3.5 Did not meet all
requirements
Week 2 Application 2.5 Did not meet all
requirements
Week 3 Application 3.75 Did not meet all
requirements
Week 4 Application 4.0 Met all requirements
Week 5 Application 3.5 Did not meet all
requirements
Total Score 17.25/20