Unit 3 Authentic Assessment

Students will present a newscast covering a key event in the era of global exploration and trade.

Events to Choose From

·  Columbus landing in 1492

·  Magellan’s ship returns

·  Arrival of slave ship in West Africa

·  Cortez seizes Tenochtitlan

·  Columbian exchange: new goods

·  Report from the Cuzco mine

·  Constantinople renamed Istanbul

·  Construction of Taj Mahal

·  Chinese/Japanese emperor open country to trade

·  Townshend & mercantilism

Elements of the Newscast

·  Group size must be 4-6 students

o  1-2 anchorpersons/reporters

o  3-5 witnesses

·  Report should last approximately 5 minutes

·  Each student must have a major speaking role (at least 45 seconds)

·  Must have a PowerPoint with relevant images (scenery backdrop, picture of interviewee, picture of trade goods, etc.)

·  Content of the presentation must demonstrate a deep understanding of the event’s relationship to SOLs 4-5 (exploration and global trade)

Grading Scale

See rubric on next page.

Unit 3 Authentic Assessment:

Newscast

Excellent / Good / Fair / Poor / None
Background / Completely explains the context and chain of events leading to the news item.
20 points / Explains the context and chain of events leading to the news item.
15 points / Explains some of the context and chain of events leading to the news item.
10 points / Incompletely or inaccurately explains the context and chain of events leading to the news item.
5 points / Grossly inaccurate context and chain of events, or no explanation at all.
0 points
Description of Event / Completely explains the news item.
20 points / Explains the news item well.
15 points / Explains the news item with some important facts omitted.
10 points / Incompletely or inaccurately explains the news item.
5 points / Grossly inaccurate or no explanation at all.
0 points
Effect/ Signficance of Event / Completely explains the historical impact of the news item.
30 points / Explains the historical impact of the news item well.
24 points / Explains the historical impact of the news item with some important ideas omitted.
16 points / Incompletely or inaccurately explains the historical impact of the news item.
8 points / Grossly inaccurate or no explanation at all.
0 points
Organization and Transitions / The article or oral presentation flows logically and smoothly.
10 points / The article or oral presentation flows fairly logically and smoothly.
8 points / The article or oral presentation flows with some leaps of logic or subject.
5 points / The article does not flow very logically or smoothly.
3 points / There are no transitions.
0 points
Interviews with witnesses / The article or oral presentation contains relevant, insightful interviews with witnesses.
10 points / The article or oral presentation contains relevant interviews with witnesses.
8 points / The article or oral presentation contains fairly relevant interviews with witnesses.
5 points / The article or oral presentation contains somewhat relevant interviews with witnesses.
3 points / The article or oral presentation contains irrelevant interviews, or none at all.
0 points
Pictures/Film/ Illustrations / The article or oral presentation contains relevant, insightful visuals.
10 points / The article or oral presentation contains relevant visuals.
8 points / The article or oral presentation contains fairly relevant visuals.
5 points / The article or oral presentation contains somewhat relevant visuals.
3 points / The article or oral presentation contains irrelevant visuals, or none at all.
0 points
Length / 3-5 min (TV report) or 2 pages (newspaper).
n/a / One minute over or under time limit, or less than two pages.
-3 points / Two minutes over or under time limit, or one page.
-5 points / More than two minutes over or under time limit, or less than one page.
-8 points / n/a
0 points

Total Points:

___/100