Please note that many tasks were constructed prior to Common Core and the task alignments to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were not identified in the task materials. To search for the performance tasks explicitly aligned to the CCSS, Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), or College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards, please go to CCSS, NGSS, and C3 tabs.
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Source Subject Grade Level |
Plague Doctor This task asks that students source a painting of clothing worn by doctors in the 17th century in order to determine its usefulness in answering the question of what doctors wore when treating patients with the Plague. Students with a sophisticated understanding of how to source a document will be able to explain that the painting is useful in that it is based on information from a person who witnessed the plague in the 17th century. They will also observe, however, that the image might be limited as evidence of what doctors wore, because it is an artist’s interpretation rendered over two centuries after the account was recorded. Resources include PDF downloads of the assessment with source materials, and a rubric with benchmark descriptors. |
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Source Subject Grade Level |
AP World History 2012 Free-Response Questions |
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Source Subject Grade Level |
AP World History 2013 Free-Response Questions |
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Source Subject Grade Level |
AP World History 2014 Free-Response Questions |
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Source Subject Grade Level |
Apartheid in South Africa This task assesses students' knowledge of the past—but rather than measure rote recall of decontextualized facts, this assessment requires students to make connections across time and construct an argument about how events are connected. Students with a strong sense of the past will be able to explain that the social conditions of apartheid grew out of racial oppression instituted during European colonial rule of South Africa. Strong students will also explain that social conditions like those depicted in the photograph led the United States Congress to impose economic sanctions against South Africa in an effort to bring an end to the policy of apartheid. Resources available for this task include downloadable PDF versions of both the assessment with source materials, as well as the Rubric containing benchmark descriptors. |
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Source Subject Grade Level |
Appeasement at Munich This task assesses students' knowledge of the past—but rather than measure rote recall of decontextualized facts, this assessment requires students to make connections across time and construct an argument about how events are connected. Students with a strong sense of the past will be able to explain that the Munich Agreement can be seen in part as the result of the sanctions imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles. A strong response to the second question will explain that the Munich Agreement emboldened Hitler, which eventually led to the invasion of Poland. Resources available for this task include downloadable PDF versions of both the assessment with source materials, as well as the Rubric containing benchmark descriptors. |
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Source Subject Grade Level |
Career Explorations This unit includes an unit overview and 3 subunit overviews with built-in lessons. Unit description from the source: Students will investigate the varied career opportunities available within the health and biomedical sciences. They will conduct research on possible career paths and investigate the skills needed for each one. This unit will also give students an opportunity to learn about typical activities in various jobs and help them identify potential careers that match their interests, strengths, and goals. In addition, students will explore the broader social and economic impact of their career choices, while reviewing the historical origins of various health-related careers and their significance to the welfare of humankind. |
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Source Subject Grade Level |
Catch the Fever This unit includes an unit overview and 3 subunit overviews with built-in lessons. Unit description from the source: In this unit, students will explore the emergence and impact of communicable diseases on society. Students will investigate the role of microorganisms in causing disease. They will study the impact of a public health infrastructure, along with medical and pharmaceutical advances, on the evolution of microorganisms. |
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Source Subject Grade Level |
China's Cultural Revolution This task assesses students' knowledge of the past—but rather than measure rote recall of decontextualized facts, this assessment requires students to make connections across time and construct an argument about how events are connected. Students with a strong sense of the past will be able to identify that the poster promotes Maoist teachings and explain that Mao Zedong rose to power during the Chinese Revolution. Strong students will also note that the utter failure of the Great Leap Forward diminished some of Mao’s power and reputation. They will elaborate that this failure contributed to Mao’s initiation of the Cultural Revolution in an attempt to eliminate critics and win back popular support. Resources available for this task include downloadable PDF versions of both the assessment with source materials, as well as the Rubric containing benchmark descriptors. |
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Source Subject Grade Level |
Crime Scene Investigation This unit includes an unit overview and 3 subunit overviews with built-in lessons. Unit description from the source: In this unit, students take on the role of crime scene investigators to solve a murder that has occurred at the school. They will integrate math, science, and language arts into the study of forensic science and associated legal careers such as district attorneys, law enforcement, pathology, forensic science, and medical examination. |
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