Ancient and Medieval History
Ancient Civilizations
Of
India and China
Benchmark
Grade 7
Title of Test: 7th Grade Social Studies Benchmark #2
Testing Window: December 15, 2008 to January 9, 2009
Purpose:
The SJSD Assessment team emphasizes the purpose of the SJSD benchmark assessment program is to facilitate and provide information for the following in order to enhance and promote student learning:
1. Student Achievement -- To produce information about student achievement so that parents/guardians, students and teachers have a baseline against which to monitor academic mastery of the skills and processes set forth within a particular curriculum sequence.
2. Student Counseling -- To serve as a tool in the counseling and guidance of students for further direction and for specific academic placement.
3. Instructional Change -- To provide teachers with the information needed to make instructional decisions, plans and changes regarding classroom objectives and program implementation.
4. School and District Evaluation -- To provide indicators of the progress of the district toward established goals.
Assessment Director: Dr. Laura Nelson
District Subject Coordinator: Robert Nash
SJSD Curriculum Objective and Missouri Grade Level Expectations (GLEs/CLEs) for this benchmark: (Include SJSD curriculum objective-number and words & GLE coding)
2-3Benchmark Focus / Describe and evaluate the diverse cultural features of a group of people.
Essential Question:
Why do we need culture?
2-4
Benchmark Focus / Examine the economic characteristics of a society and connect how the society's economic decisions can influence its development and impact future societies
Essential Question:
Why do we need an economy?
Show-Me Standards for this benchmark:
Content standards
3b-AExamine river civilizations including: DOK 2
· India (religions and culture)
· China (technological advances)
4F Interpret the past, explain the present and predict future consequences of economic decisions DOK 3
6F Analyze how cultural traditions, human actions and institutions affect people’s behavior DOK 2
Process standards
1.6 Discovering and evaluating patterns and relationships in information, ideas, and structures.
1.9 Identifying, analyzing, and comparing the institutions, traditions, and art forms of past and present societies.
3.8 Assessing costs and benefits and other consequences of proposed solutions.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS:
ADMINISTERING:
1. It is imperative that your students are instructed to follow the answer sheet’s numbering sequence. Please inform your students that numbers 7 and 10 are constructed response questions and they will complete their answer directly on the benchmark assessment, and that you will fill in the answer sheet for these questions after you have graded the constructed response questions.
2. Please closely monitor students and their progress during and after they have completed the benchmark examine to ensure the answer sheet was properly completed.
3. If you have a student that is absent, please keep their answer sheet and a copy of the test. When the student returns, please administer the assessment to the student and then forward the answer sheet to the Assessment office downtown.
GRADING:
1. Please grade your students constructed response questions on numbers 7 and 10. Each question has a scoring guide, an exemplary answer, other possible answers, and instructions how to fill in the students answer sheet. Please see example below.
Point Value / Answer sheet response / Response qualifier2 points / Mark bubble A / The student correctly identifies two reasons why humans settled in this region.
1 point / Mark bubble B / The student correctly identifies one reason why humans settled in this region
0 points / Mark bubble C / Other
Exemplar / Answer
One main reason humans settled in this region is the fertile soil. Another reason is transportation.
Other possibilities but not limited to. / · Trade
· Farming and or irrigation
· Fishing or food source
2. Only the responses that are given in the scoring guide may be accepted. If your students are providing additional responses that are not part of the scoring guide, immediately contact your building’s department chair, as well as Robert Nash the district’s social studies coordinator. Once the contacts have bee made and the information has been disseminated, a decision will be made in an expedient manner.
· India (religions and culture)
1. What do Hinduism and Buddhism have in common?
a. Their bathing rituals.
b. The belief in many gods.
c. Their complicated writings.
d. The belief in many lifetimes.
Read the passage on the right and answer question 2.
Do not hesitate in your sacred duty as a warrior.
For a soldier nothing is more sacred than the fight for a just cause…
If you do not take up this just fight, you will fail in your duty and your honor will be lost…
If you die in battle you will enter heaven.
If you win you will enjoy the earth.
Therefore rise and fight with determination.
Fight for the sake of fighting.
Look equally on happiness and distress, gain and loss, victory and defeat.
In this way you will not incur sin.
From the Bhagavad Gita
Translated by Ranchor Prime
2. In which way does this passage best show the Hindu idea of fulfilling one’s duty?
a. Fighting leads to happiness.
b. Praying leads to happiness.
c. Meditation leads to happiness.
d. Doing your best will lead to happiness.
3. According to Buddhism the end of suffering in life is called
a. Dharma.
b. Nirvana.
c. noble truth.
d. reincarnation.
4. What was the main goal of people who followed Buddhism as the Buddha taught it?
a. They believed in meditation.
b. They wanted to reach nirvana.
c. Their main goal was reincarnation.
d. They were required to do missionary work.
5. How did Buddhism and Hinduism improve the quality of life in India?
a. A fearful society was created.
b. There was a decrease in trade.
c. There was an increase in trade.
d. A peaceful society was created.
Answer questions 6-8 regarding how cultural traditions, human actions, and institutions affect people’s behavior. (SS GLE 6F Analyze how cultural traditions, human actions and institutions affect people’s behavior)(SS GLE 3b-A -- Examine river civilizations including: India (religions and culture)
6. How is the Hindu belief of karma related to the caste system?
a. People born into a low caste can rise to a higher caste.
b. People born into a low caste cannot improve their karma.
c. People are in a caste because of how they lived in past lives.
d. People are in a caste because of how much money they earn.
Examine the diagram and answer the following questions 7 and 8.
7. Using details, explain two reasons why the diagram of Indian society was shaped like a pyramid.
Point Value / Answer sheet response / Response qualifier2 points / Mark bubble A / The response explains with details two reasons why the diagram of Indian society was shaped like a pyramid.
1 point / Mark bubble B / The response explains with details only one reason why the diagram was shaped like a pyramid.
0 points / Mark bubble D / Other
Exemplar / Answer
The diagram is shaped like a pyramid to show that the fewest and most important people were at the top.
Other possibilities but not limited to. / · The least important people are at the bottom.
· There are more people at the bottom.
· There are fewer people at the top.
8. What is the most likely reason that the Pariahs or “Untouchables” are located at the base of the pyramid?
a. They did jobs no one else wanted.
b. They were not important to the civilization.
c. They were highly skilled at their jobs.
d. They represented the smallest caste.
Answer questions 9-11 regarding the technological advancements of China. (SS GLE 3b-A -- Examine river civilizations including:China (technological advances)
9. Paper was an important invention to the Chinese for all of the following reasons EXCEPT?
a. It was more durable than silk.
b. It made more books available.
c. It was used for record keeping.
d. It was less expensive than silk.
10. Chinese agricultural improvements made life easier for farmers and made more grain available for trade. Identify two Chinese agricultural improvements and explain why the improvements were important to China’s food production and trade?
Point Value / Answer sheet response / Response qualifier2 points / Mark bubble A / The response identifies two Chinese agricultural improvements and explains why the improvements were important to China’s food production and trade.
1 point / Mark bubble B / The response identifies only one Chinese agricultural improvement and explains why it was important to China’s food production and trade
1 point / Mark bubble C / OR the response identifies two Chinese agricultural improvements without explanations.
0 points / Mark bubble D / OTHER
Exemplar / Answer
“The plow (made farming easier, increased production and made it possible to plant crops faster). Watermills used river power to grind grain.”
Other possibilities but not limited to. / Ø Collar harness made it possible for horses to pull heavy loads.
Ø Wheelbarrows made it easier for farmers to move heavy loads.
11. What was the purpose of building the Great Wall?
a. Protect the empire from invaders.
b. Provide work for peasants who had no jobs.
c. Prevent scholars from criticizing the emperor.
d. Promote wealth among the empire’s landowners.
Answer questions 12-16 regarding economic decisions. (SS GLE 4F Interpret the past, explain the present and predict future consequences of economic decisions)Read the passage to answer questions 10-12.
Moving trade goods along the ancient Silk Roads was made difficult by the fierce climatic and geographical conditions of desert and mountain regions along vast distances. With transportation limited to pack animals, a traveler in a camel caravan going from Kashgar to Chang’an could expect to take six months to arrive at his destination. Thieves were an additional concern because caravans traveled poorly marked routes. Because of the difficulty of traveling long distances and crossing territories, merchants generally traveled and traded within the confines of a single politically controlled area. Some merchants operated from stationary locations in the oasis cities. Despite the difficulties that faced the merchants on the Silk Roads, exchanges continued in segmented stops carrying the influence of products and culture between east and west.
12. From the passage above, which best describes how the value of an object would change as it was transported farther away from the source.
a. An item's value did not change.
b. An item's value was priceless.
c. An item became less valuable the farther away from its source.
d. An item became more valuable the farther away from its source.
13. Despite the dangers faced by traders along the Silk Road, they continued to transport goods. What would be the most likely reason traders were willing to risk their lives?
a. They wanted increased profits.
b. They wanted travel opportunities.
c. They traveled for religious reasons.
d. They traveled for hunting and gathering purposes.
14. The Silk Road influenced Europe and Asia in all of the following ways EXCEPT
a. The spread of ideas.
b. The spread of religion.
c. The trading of goods.
d. The trading of industries.
15. Very little paper is arriving in India due to harsh winters and attacks on caravans. What is the most likely result?
a. The cost of paper will increase in India.
b. The cost of paper will decrease in India.
c. The supply of paper will increase in India.
d. The demand for paper will decrease in India.
16. Which good was most valuable on the overland trade route connecting Asia and Europe?
a. jewelry
b. pottery
c. perfume
d. silk