Alice Tsai

Olivia Cantoni
Leandra Tranquill
Nicole McConnell
KellyAnne Thompson
TESOL 428 Writing Assessments
Imitative Writing
Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Content Area: Social Studies: Geography
SOL Standard : 3.4c
The student will develop map skills by explaining how the people of Greece, Rome, and
West Africa adapted to and/or changed their environment to meet their needs.
WIDA Standard: 5: The Language of Social Studies
WIDA Proficiency Level: 1 Entering
Purpose: The purpose of this assessment is to assess students knowledge of how early people
adapted to meet their own needs in Greece, Rome, and Mali.
Objectives:
Content: SWBAT demonstrate their knowledge of the specific skills early peoples in
Greece, Rome, and Mali picked up in order to adapt to their environments.
Language: SWBAT fill in the blanks of a story in order to make sentences that have
appropriate form, spelling and legibility.
Directions: You will use the word bank at the bottom of the assessment to fill in the blanks of
the sentences in order to make the story have correct form and content. ( 1 pt each).
Example:
I really enjoy _______. I enjoy traveling because it is ___ fun and you _____ so much about the
_______. I would love to visit _______one day but I think I will do that when I am a ____older.
Word bank:
world so

learn

Australia

little

traveling

Answer: I really enjoy traveling. I enjoy traveling because it is so fun and you learn so much
about the world. I would love to visit Australia one day but i think I will do that when i am a
little older
Assessment:

Early ______ of _______ Greece became farmers, traders and _________. The early people of
Ancient _________ were farmers, traders, and road builders. Lastly, the early people of Ancient
Mali were ______, traders, and ______.

Word bank
miners people Rome Ancient farmers shipbuilders
Answer Key:
Early people of Ancient Greece became farmers traders and shipbuilders. The early people of
Ancient Rome were farmers, traders, and road builders. Lastly, the early people of Ancient Mali
were farmers, traders, and miners.
** the last two ( farmers and miners, can be in either order for full credit).**
Rubric:
8 total points
Content:
- 1 pt awarded for each correct blank
Form:
- 2 pts awarded for all words being copied correctly/legibly- even if content is incorrect students
can still get 2 points if they still formed proper sentences
-1 pt awarded for most words being copied correctly/legibly- mostly formed proper sentences
-0 pts awarded to no words being copied correctly/legibly.
Intensive (Controlled) Writing
Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Content Area: Social Studies: Geography
SOL Standard: 3.4b
The student will develop map skills by describing the physical and human characteristics
of Greece, Rome, and West Africa.
WIDA Standard: 5: The Language of Social Studies
WIDA Proficiency Level: 3 (Developing)
Purpose: The purpose of this assessment is to assess students knowledge of the physical and
human characteristics of the three major Ancient empires by writing short answers to questions
about these empires.
Objectives:
Content: SWBAT write 5 complete sentences describing the physical and human
characteristics of Greece, Rome, and West Africa.

Language: SWBAT write 5 descriptive sentences using the past tense that highlights the
physical and human characteristics of Greece, Rome, and West Africa.
Directions: You will answer each question in 1 complete sentence using the past tense. Make
sure your sentences are complete with proper punctuation and capitalization. (3 points each)
Example:
1. What did you eat for lunch yesterday?
Yesterday, I ate a sandwich for lunch.
Assessment:
1. What was a physical characteristic of Greece? Write at least 1 example.
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
2. What was a physical characteristic of Rome? Write at least 1 example.
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
3. What was a physical characteristic of Mali? Write at least 1 example.
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
4. Compare Greece and Romes human characteristics. What is one human characteristic they
shared?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
5. How were Malis human characteristics different than Greece and Rome? Write at least 1
example.
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

Rubric:
Each response will be scored on a scale of 0-2 points based on the content. Responses will be
scored on the students writing mechanics and tense usage through a checklist.
Content Rubric
2 points- Demonstrates high levels of content competence by correctly identifying the regions
physical characteristics

1 points- Demonstrates some content competence by identifying some knowledge about the
regions physical characteristics
0 points- No response/incomprehensible response
Checklist
Demonstrates correct use of tenses (1 point)
Demonstrates use of correct mechanics (ie. complete sentences, correct punctuation, correct
capitalization, etc.) (1 point)

1.

2.

3.
4.
5.

Answer Key:
These are example answers. Student answers may differ but the content should be present.
A physical characteristic of Greece was that they were located among mountains and hills. Other
answers students can write is that Greece was located in Europe on a peninsula and was
surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea or that it had limited rich soil.
A physical characteristic of Rome was that they were build on the Tiber River among mountains
and hills. Other acceptable answers include that Rome was located in Europe, Asia, and Africa
and surrounded the Mediterranean Sea or that it had limited rich soil.
A physical characteristic of Mali was that it contained gold mines. Other physical characteristics
include: grasslands, rivers, not surrounded by a body of water, near the Sahara Desert.
One human characteristic that Greece and Rome shared was that there were farmers in both
civilizations. Students can also write that there were traders in both regions.
Malis human characteristics were different from Greece and Rome because there were gold
miners in Mali. (All regions had farmers and traders, so that is not a difference)
Responsive Writing
Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Content Area: Social Studies: Geography
SOL Standard: 3.4a
The student will develop map skills by locating Greece, Rome, and West Africa on a map.
WIDA Standard: 5: The Language of Social Studies
WIDA Proficiency Level: 3 (developing)
Purpose: For students to be able to recognize a map of Greece, Rome and West Africa and
answer relevant questions.
Objectives:
Content: The student will have a clear understanding of where Greece, Rome, and West
Africa are on a map.
Language: The student will be able to respond to a question about geographical
locations in a complete sentence.

Directions: You will have an opportunity to look at a map, and then the instructor will read
where the locations of Greece, Rome and West Africa are. You will label the areas on the map
where these places are, and answer relevant questions. (2 points each; 10 points total)
Example:
Instructor: What country do we live in?
Student: We live in the United States of America.
Assessment:
Instructor: Take a look at the following map:

1.)
2.)
3.)
4.)
5.)

Instructor: Circle Rome on the map.

Instructor: Put a box around Greece.
Instructor: Draw an arrow to where West Africa would be on this map.
Instructor: Which of the three of these areas is the largest?
Instructor: Which of the following locations is in the country of Italy?
Answer Key/Rubric:

1.) Circle around Rome

2.) Box around Greece

3.) An arrow pointing towards West Africa

4.) West Africa is the largest of these areas.
5.) Rome is in the country of Italy.
Extensive Writing
Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Content Area: Social Studies: Geography
SOL Standard 3.4b
The student will develop map skills by describing the physical and human characteristics of
Greece, Rome, and West Africa;
WIDA Standard: 5: The Language of Social Studies
WIDA Proficiency Level: 5 (Bridging)
Purpose: The purpose of this assessment is to evaluate a students writing skills as well as how
well the student can demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics of ancient greece.
Objectives:
Content: Student will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of
characteristics of life in ancient greece.
Language: Students will be able to prewrite, draft, revise/edit, and develop a final
product of a written essay.
Directions: (5 points for each step, 20 points total)
You will be given a writing prompt about Ancient Greece. You will fill out the prewrite
worksheet, create a draft, revise and edit your draft, and create a final product of your work. You
will turn in all four steps of your writing.

Checklist:
Prewrite
Draft
Revise and Edit Draft
Final product
Example Prompt: If you could be any age for one day, what age would you be and what would
you do?
Assessment:
Prompt: Use your five senses to write about what it would have been like to live in Ancient
Greece. (What would you hear, see, smell, feel, and taste?)

1. Prewrite:

2. Draft:
3. Revised and Edited Draft:
4. Final Product:
Answer Key/Rubric:

References
Ancient Mali study guide (PDF document). (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.loudoun.k12.va.us/cms/lib4/VA01000195/Centricity/Domain/10076/Ancie
nt%20Mali%20Study%20Guide%202014.pdf.
Brown, H. D., & Abeywickrama, P. (2010). Language assessment: Principles and
classroom practices. White Plains, NY: Pearson Education.
History. (n.d.). 3.4, map skills ancient civilizations, geography
category. Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/a/lcps.k12.va.us/history/home/thirdgrade/3-4
Green, K. (2015). Intro to Greece, Rome, and Mali. Retrieved November 10, 2016, from
http://www.slideshare.net/fallenangel322/intro-to-greece-rome-and-mali
Study guide Greece and Rome (Google Document). (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kKcYcO-Sp2IG27ryD3N1-HBslSwM4D7cr8cTymDJdg/edit
The geography of ancient civilizations. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://ancienthistory.mrdonn.org/geography.html
VDOE. (2010). Standards of learning documents for history and social science. Retrieved from
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/history_socialscience/index.sht
ml
WIDA. (2012). English language development (ELD) standards. Retrieved from
https://www.wida.us/standards/eld.aspx#2012
WIDA. (2014). Can do descriptors. Retrieved from http://www.wida.us/standards/CAN_DOs/
Nightlight, B. T. (2009). Katie's {little ones} learning lounge. Retrieved, from

http://katiesliteraturelounge.blogspot.com/2009_12_01_archive.html
2 Teachers 1 Goal. (n.d.). Ancient Greece. Retrieved, from
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Ancient-Greece-1164619