Skip to:

Search for open-sourced performance tasks

Source Task

Source
High Tech High School

Subject
Multimedia

Grade Level
5, 6, 7, 8

The Bike Tour

In this task, students will create a 10+ mile bike route in San Marcos and map out a route that passes historical sights and points of interest. The students will then ride their collaboratively created bike path. 

This task includes:
1. Task Description
2. Video: A video example of the process and the chosen bike path.
3. Additional Resources: Individual Assessment, peer assessment sheet, peer assessment critique

Source
Performance Assessment Links in Math (PALM), Performance Assessment Links in Science (PALS)

Subject
Science, Mathematics, Interdisciplinary

Grade Level
5, 6, 7, 8

The Blizzard of 1993

This task (in PALM and in PALS) focuses on the Structure of the Earth System. Students must analyze a barograph from a winter storm in 1993. 

This task includes: 
1. Task Description 
2. Teacher Instructions
3. Scoring Rubric
4. Scored Student Work

Source
Stanford Beyond the Bubble

Subject
History/Social Studies

Grade Level
6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

The First Thanksgiving

This task measures students’ ability to source a document.  When historians interpret a document, they look at who wrote it and when.  Source information presents clues about whether the document provides reliable evidence about the past. This task gauges whether students understand an important aspect of sourcing: the time elapsed between when a document (in this case, a painting) was produced, and the event it depicts. To accomplish this, students must agree or disagree with a claim about the usefulness of the source, and explain their thinking.

The task includes a range of supplementary materials, many available for download with the creation of a free account:

Source
High Tech High School

Subject
Graphic Design, Multimedia, Mathematics, Interdisciplinary

Grade Level
6, 8

The Parchitecture Project

In this task, students will use Google Sketch Up to design a play area for the new school. They will have total creativity freedom with the one guideline that it must be accessable to everyone. 

This task includes:
1. Task Description
2. Student Work: 7 examples
3. Video: Example of students using Google Sketch Up to design their play area
4. Additional Resources: Budget sheet, supply cost, peer critique sheet, about the authors, learning goals, CA state standards, required materials, timeline, real world connections
 

Source
The Historical Thinking Project (Canada)

Subject
History/Social Studies

Grade Level
K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

The Underground Railroad

In this task, students will participate in an online simulation of the Underground Railroad in order to better understand the historical context of the time. 

This task includes:
1. Task Description
2. Additional Resources: Detailed lesson plan, web resources, PowerPoint, activities, student examples

Source
Bowland Maths (UK)

Subject
Mathematics

Grade Level
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

The Z Factor

In this task, students must calculate the duration of the show, Z Factor, if the judges had to watch all of the acts.

This task includes: 
1. Task Description 
2. Teacher Instructions
3. Progression Guide
4. Scored Student Work
5. PowerPoint of Task

Source
Performance Assessment Links in Science (PALS)

Subject
Science

Grade Level
5, 6, 7, 8

Threads

In this task, students will observe and make comparisons between burning thread.

This task includes:
1. Task Description
2. Student Instructions
3. Scoring Rubric
4. Scored Student Work
5. Technical Quality Info

Source
Bowland Maths (UK)

Subject
Mathematics

Grade Level
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Three of a Kind

In this task, students must describe a geometric pattern. 

This task includes: 
1. Task Description 
2. Teacher Instructions
3. Progression Guide
4. Scored Student Work
5. PowerPoint of Task

Source
The Historical Thinking Project (Canada)

Subject
History/Social Studies

Grade Level
K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Two Accounts of the Fall of New France

In this task, students will interpret two accounts of how the fall of New France in order to learn about competing narratives.

This task includes:
1. Task Description
2. Additional Resources: Detailed lesson plan, handout, student responses

Source
Stanford Beyond the Bubble

Subject
History/Social Studies

Grade Level
6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Unions in Paterson, New Jersey

This task gauges students' ability to source and contextualize a document. Students first listen to an excerpt from an interview with Marianna Costa, a union leader from Paterson, New Jersey. Students then analyze four historical facts and determine which ones can help discern whether Costa’s account of union accomplishments is historically reliable.

The task includes a range of supplementary materials, all accessible and available for download with the creation of a free account through the site:

Pages

If you would like to recommend additional open-sourced performance task banks to be included in the database, or if you would like to report a broken link, please email Pai-rou Chen.