This document is designed to assist North Carolina educators in effective instruction of the new Common Core State and/or North Carolina
Essential Standards (Standard Course of Study) in order to increase student achievement. NCDPI staff are continually updating and improving
instructional tools to better serve teachers.
North Carolina Essential Standards Assessment Examples
(High School Social Studies)
What is the purpose of this tool?
Assessment is a vital component of the teaching and learning process. These assessment examples are aligned to new content standards
and reinforce teaching the standards to their intended level of deep mastery. The purpose of providing examples is to illustrate ways in
which the standards or part(s) of the standards might be assessed in the classroom.
How do I send Feedback?
We intend the examples in this document to be helpful and specific. That said, we believe that as this document is used, educators will find
ways in which the tool can be improved and made even more useful. Please send feedback to us at [email protected] and we will use
your input to refine our instructional tool. Thank You!
Where are the new Common Core State and North Carolina Essential Standards?
All standards are located at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/acre/
Terminology
Please note that these are EXAMPLES and are open to alteration or adaptation to fit the needs of YOUR classroom and
YOUR students. These are NOT intended to be examples of Measures of Students Learning or other End of Grade/End of
Course Assessments.
The assessment types listed below represent the range of assessment types that may be found within the K-12 Social Studies
Assessment Examples.
SR: Selected Response requires students to choose correct responses from among a series of options.
BCR: Brief Constructed Response requires students to generate a response as opposed to selecting a response. BCR may require
students to enter a single word, phrase, sentence, number, or set of number.
ER: Extended Response requires students to generate a more elaborate response.
PT: Performance Tasks requires students to integrate knowledge and skills across multiple standards in order to demonstrate
conceptual understanding.
Each assessment example has been categorized using the two dimensions of Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy as described in A Taxonomy
for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (Anderson, Krathwohl, et al.,
2001)
Subject: Social Studies
Course: American History I
Essential Standard: AH1.H.4 Analyze how conflict and compromise have shaped politics, economics and culture in the United
States.
Primary Clarifying Objective: AH1.H.4.1 Analyze the political issues and conflicts that impacted the United States through
Reconstruction and the compromises that resulted (e.g., American Revolution, Constitutional Convention, Bill of Rights, development
of political parties, nullification, slavery, states’ rights, Civil War).
Knowledge Dimension: B
Cognitive Dimension: 4
Stimulus material:
[ Articles of Confederation (Article 5, Section 2) http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/artconf.asp#art5 ]
[ The United States Constitution (Article 1, Sections 2 and 3) http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/art1.asp#1sec2 ]
Using the above documents, write an essay outlining the conflicts and political issues surrounding a national legislature in the
Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention. Analyze how the legislative structure changed between the Articles of
Confederation and the U.S. Constitution.
Scoring Criteria:
3-(Proficient) identifies conflicts; identifies political issues; analyzes how the legislative structure changed
2-(Sufficient) fulfills 2 of 3 requirements of a level 3 performance
1-(Insufficient) fulfills only 1 of 3 requirements of a level 3 performance
0-(Unacceptable) no response or the response does not address the prompt
SR
BCR
ER
PT
X
K-12 Social Studies ● Assessment Samples
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Current as of July 2, 2012
Subject: Social Studies
Course: American History I
Essential Standard: AH1.H.7 Understand the impact of war on American politics, economics, society and culture.
Primary Clarifying Objective: AH1.H.7.1 Explain the impact of wars on American politics through Reconstruction (e.g., Issues of
taxation with representation, Proclamation of 1763, Proclamation of Neutrality, XYZ Affair, Alien & Sedition Act, War Hawks,
Hartford Convention, slavery compromises, scalawags, carpetbaggers, etc.).
Knowledge Dimension: B
Cognitive Dimension: 2
Identify and explain one effect on American politics of the French and Indian War (1754-1763), the War of 1812 (1812-1815), and the
Mexican – American War (1846-1848).
War
Effects on American Politics
French and Indian War
War of 1812
Mexican – American
War
Scoring Criteria:
3-(Proficient) provides a political effect for the 3 wars
2-(Sufficient) fulfills 2 of 3 requirements of a level 3 performance
1-(Insufficient) fulfills only 1 of 3 requirements of a level 3 performance
0-(Unacceptable) no response or the response does not address the prompt
SR
BCR
ER
PT
X
K-12 Social Studies ● Assessment Samples
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Current as of July 2, 2012
Subject: Social Studies
Course: American History II
Essential Standard: AH2.H.2 Analyze key political, economic and social turning points in American History using historical
thinking.
Primary Clarifying Objective: AH2.H.2.1 Analyze key political, economic, and social turning points since the end of
Reconstruction in terms of causes and effects (e.g., Conflicts, legislation, elections, innovations, leadership, movements, Supreme
Court decisions, etc.)
Knowledge Dimension: B
Cognitive Dimension: 4
Research the background and decisions of Plessy v Ferguson and Brown v Board of Education. Write a newspaper article
distinguishing the societal differences that existed between 1896 and 1954 that influenced these decisions. Be sure to include specific
examples of political, economic, and social factors in your analysis.
Scoring Criteria:
3-(Proficient) analyzes the background on the cases, the societal differences that existed, examples of political, economic, and social
factors
2-(Sufficient) fulfills 3 of 4 requirements of a level 3 performance
1-(Insufficient) fulfills 1 or 2 of 4 requirements of a level 3 performance
0-(Unacceptable) no response or the response does not address the prompt
SR
BCR
ER
PT
X
K-12 Social Studies ● Assessment Samples
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Current as of July 2, 2012
Subject: Social Studies
Course: American History II
Essential Standard: AH2.H.8 Analyze the relationship between progress, crisis, and the “American Dream” within the United
States.
Primary Clarifying Objective: AH2.H.8.4 Analyze multiple perceptions of the “American Dream” in times of prosperity and crisis
since Reconstruction (e.g., Great Depressions, Dust Bowl, New Deal, oil crisis, savings and loan crisis, dot.com bubble, mortgage
foreclosure crisis, etc.).
Knowledge Dimension: B
Cognitive Dimension: 4
In an essay, analyze how perceptions of the “American Dream” differed between the 1950’s and the 1970’s. Be sure to include the
changes that occurred and how they affected perspectives of the “American Dream” between the two time periods. Use three primary
documents (e.g., songs, diaries, letters, and journals) and/or historical narratives for support.
Scoring Criteria:
3-(Proficient) analyzes how perceptions of the “American Dream” differed between the 1950’s and the 1970’s; analyzes 3 primary
documents and/or historical narratives
2-(Sufficient) analyzes how perceptions of the “American Dream” differed between the 1950’s and the 1970’s; analyzes 1 or 2
primary documents and/or historical narratives
1-(Insufficient) analyzes how perceptions of the “American Dream” differed between the 1950’s and the 1970’s
0-(Unacceptable) no response or the response does not address the prompt
SR
BCR
ER
PT
X
K-12 Social Studies ● Assessment Samples
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Current as of July 2, 2012
Subject: Social Studies
Course: Civics and Economics
Essential Standard: CE.C&G.3 Analyze the legal system within the United States in terms of the development, execution and
protection of citizenship rights at all levels of government.
Primary Clarifying Objective: CE.C&G.3.1 Analyze how the rule of law establishes limits on both the governed and those who
govern while holding true to the ideal of equal protection under the law (e.g., the Fourteenth Amendment, Americans with Disabilities
Act, equal opportunity legislation).
Knowledge Dimension: B
Cognitive Dimension: 4
Stimulus material:
Note: This is one sample of an amendment or act that can be used for this assessment sample. Other ideas include the 19th
Amendment, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Civil Rights Act of 1964, etc.
Analyze the 14th amendment - http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/amendmentxiv
Determine how the amendment limits those who govern.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Determine how the amendment limits those who are governed.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Determine what equal protections are guaranteed by the amendment.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
K-12 Social Studies ● Assessment Samples
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Current as of July 2, 2012
Scoring Criteria:
3-(Proficient) determines how the amendment or legislative act limits those who govern; determines how it limits those who are
governed; determines the equal protections that are guaranteed
2-(Sufficient) fulfills 2 of 3 requirements of a level 3 performance
1-(Insufficient) fulfills only 1 of 3 requirements of a level 3 performance
0-(Unacceptable) no response or the response does not address the prompt
SR
BCR
ER
PT
X
K-12 Social Studies ● Assessment Samples
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Current as of July 2, 2012
Subject: Social Studies
Course: Civics and Economics
Essential Standard: CE.E.3 Analyze the role of government and economic institutions in developing and implementing economic
stabilization policies in the U.S.
Primary Clarifying Objective: CE.E.3.1 Summarize basic macroeconomic indicators and how they vary over the course of the
business cycle (e.g., gross domestic product, unemployment, consumer price index, etc.)
Knowledge Dimension: B
Cognitive Dimension: 2
Stimulus material:
[ Chart on GDP and Unemployment Rates from 1975-2010
http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/fredgraph.png?&chart_type=line&graph_id=&category_id=&recession_bars=On&width=52
5&height=315&bgcolor=%23B3CDE7&graph_bgcolor=%23FFFFFF&txtcolor=%23000000&ts=8&preserve_ratio=true&fo=ve&id=
GDPC96,UNRATE&transformation=pca,lin&scale=Left,Left&range=Custom,Custom&cosd=1975-01-01,1975-01-01&coed=201001-01,2010-0101&line_color=%230000FF,%23FF0000&link_values=,&mark_type=NONE,NONE&mw=4,4&line_style=Solid,Solid&lw=2,2&vint
age_date=2010-07-03,2010-07-03&revision_date=2010-07-03,2010-07-03&mma=0,0&nd=,&ost=,&oet=,&fml=a,a ]
K-12 Social Studies ● Assessment Samples
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Current as of July 2, 2012
Imagine you are a political candidate running for the office of Senator to represent North Carolina. Script a response to the following
question in an attempt to get ready for a press conference. “As a candidate for Senator, do you think GDP rates impact unemployment
rates and what policies would you propose to ensure growth and stability in our state?” Be sure to use the above chart to complete
your response to the question.
Scoring Criteria:
3-(Proficient) states that the rate of unemployment would rise if GDP rises; states that the rate of unemployment would fall if GDP
falls; states that two quarters of negative GDP growth would indicate an economy in recession; summarizes the relationship between
GDP and unemployment
2-(Sufficient) fulfills 3 of 4 requirements of a level 3 performance
1-(Insufficient) fulfills 1 or 2 of 4 requirements of a level 3 performance
0-(Unacceptable) no response or the response does not address the prompt
SR
BCR
ER
PT
X
Subject: Social Studies
K-12 Social Studies ● Assessment Samples
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Current as of July 2, 2012
Course: World History
Essential Standard: WH.7 Understand how national, regional, and ethnic interests have contributed to conflict among groups and
nations in the modern era.
Primary Clarifying Objective: WH.7.3 Analyze economic and political rivalries, ethnic and regional conflicts, and nationalism and
imperialism as underlying causes of war (e.g., WWI, Russian Revolution, WWII)
Knowledge Dimension: B
Cognitive Dimension: 4
Stimulus material:
[ World War I Political Cartoon - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/WWI-Causes.jpg/250px-WWICauses.jpg ]
Analyze the cartoon and complete the chart.
Determine an example of an event
that is illustrated in the political
cartoon
How this event is an underlying cause of World War I?
economic rivalries
political rivalries
ethnic conflicts
regional conflicts
nationalism
imperialism
Scoring Criteria:
3-(Proficient) completes chart with 12 responses
K-12 Social Studies ● Assessment Samples
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Current as of July 2, 2012
2-(Sufficient) fulfills 8 to 11 of 12 requirements of a level 3 performance
1-(Insufficient) fulfills 1 to 7 of 12 requirements of a level 3 performance
0-(Inadequate) no response or the response does not address the prompt
SR
BCR
ER
PT
X
Subject: Social Studies
Course: World History
Essential Standard: WH.8 Analyze global interdependence and shifts in power in terms of political, economic, social and
environmental changes and conflicts since the last half of the twentieth century.
K-12 Social Studies ● Assessment Samples
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Current as of July 2, 2012
Primary Clarifying Objective: WH.8.1 Evaluate global wars in terms of how they challenged political and economic power
structures and gave rise to new balances of power (e.g., Spanish American War, WWI, WWII, Vietnam War, Colonial Wars in Africa,
Persian Gulf War, etc.)
Knowledge Dimension: B
Cognitive Dimension: 5
Stimulus material:
WWII World Map http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/axis.htm ]
[ Cold War World Map http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/coldwar1.htm ]
Examine the two maps and write an opening argument for a class debate evaluating how the outcome of World War II impacted the
global balance of political and economic power during the Cold War. Be sure to include specific evidence from the maps to support
your evaluation. Then, deliver your opening agreement to the class in the debate.
Scoring Criteria:
3-(Proficient) evaluates how the outcomes of World War II impacted the global balance of political power; evaluates how the changes
in borders or alliances after World War II impacted the global balance of economic power during the Cold War; provides specific
evidence from the maps
2-(Sufficient) fulfills 2 of 3 requirements of a level 3 performance
1- (Insufficient) fulfills only 1 of 3 requirements of a level 3 performance
0-(Inadequate) no response or the response does not address the prompt
SR
BCR
ER
PT
X
K-12 Social Studies ● Assessment Samples
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Current as of July 2, 2012