Social Studies Assessment

Tyler Jeannette Mattic

Rationale
Before this unit plan the students have worked with different types of graphic organizers and effect
methods and strategies of taking notes. Not only was it important for students to learn about their own
country, but now they will be introduced to a different country in a different time period. Fifth grade
students will spend 2 weeks learning about 16th Century Western Africa. The students will learn about
the different countries in Western Africa and how people lived back in the 16 Century. The assessment
will include taking note and participating in the daily activities. At the end of the 2 weeks the students
will have to complete a graphic organizer assessment without the use of any notes.
3 Essential Questions
1. Is 16th Century Africa different from current Africa?
2. What country in Western Africa would you seek a home? Why?
3. How does 16th Century Africa life and government differ from our own?
GLCEs
5 U1.3.1 Use maps to locate the major regions of Africa (northern Africa, western Africa, central Africa,
eastern Africa, and southern Africa). (National Geography Standard 1, p. 144)
5 U1.3.2 Describe the life and cultural development of people living in western Africa before the 16th
century with respect to economic (the ways people made a living) and family structures, and the growth
of states, towns, and trade. (National Geography Standard 10, p. 162
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.1a Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material;
explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under
discussion.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.1b Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.

Timeline
Day 1: What is the 6th Century?
Day 2: Introduction to Africa and the 5 regions.
Day 3: Discussion of the 16 countries in Western Africa.
Day 4: Discussion of the 16 countries in Western Africa.
Day 5: Review
Day 6: Western Africas types/areas of agriculture
Day 7: Western Africas government

Day 8: Western Africas family life

Day 9: Review
Day 10: Assessment
Resources (annotated list)
1. West Africa. (2013.) Go West Africa: Childrens Materials. Retrieved December 10, 2013 from
http://www.gowestafrica.org/kids/
This website presents different activities and lesson for students of all ages. There are lessons on
11 countries that go more in-depth from learning about the languages and also the culture.
2. History. (2012.) Ancient African Kingdoms: Village Societies. Retrieved December 10, 2013 from
http://africa.mrdonn.org/kinship.html
This website allows the students to learn about ancient Africa and the types of agriculture and
trade the people performed. Another important concept this website talks about is how the
village works with families and leaders.
3. Jansen, Ann. (2005.) Journey into Africa.
This book contains a lot of history, art and culture about Africa. There are specific chapters that
focus on certain areas. Chapter 5 is about West Africa, the students get to view many images
and learn about the culture in a way that they feel like they are part of that history.
4. History. (2013). National Geographic Kids. Retrieved December 11, 2013 from
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/places/find/nigeria/
This website was created for students to explore on their own. They will be able to visit different
countries, for example Nigeria and learn interesting facts and see photos. This is important for
they assessment because they must list facts about a specific country.
5. Information. (2013.) People: Kids from Nigeria. Retrieved December 12, 2013 from
http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0930071.html
Even though this link has information about Nigeria, this website allows different countries to be
researched. Students can navigate this website themselves to read about other kids in different
countries and learn about their hobbies and how they play.
6. Article. (2008.) Homeschooling Resources to Help Parents Raise Lifelong Learners.
Understanding Centuries. Retrieved December 10, 2013 from http://fivejs.com/free-printablesfor-understanding-centuries/
This article or blog came from a website created by different parents who home school their
students. This article is a resource for me, other teachers and parents. It gives strategies and
worksheets on an easier way to introduce and explain centuries to students. Learning about
West Africa is important but without knowing what the 16th Century is or how to determine a
century will be difficult for the students to understand what kind of things were going on.
7. Davis, Lucile. (1999.) Ghana. MN: Capstone Press
This book will be read to the students as an introduction to Ghana. There are real photographs
and information about Ghana that was created to be easily understood by students. This book
helps with note-taking skills because students will be able to quickly take important notes.

8. Game. (2014.) Western Africa: Countries Map Quiz Game. Retrieved December 10, 2013 from
http://online.seterra.net/en/ex/89
This website was included because it is a fun activity that the students will be able to do on their
own. They will be able to learn about the western African countries by identifying the different
locations of the countries. Even though knowing the exact location of each western African
country is not part of the objectives, the game will get the students familiar with knowing the
countries and their relation to one another.
9. Aardema, Verna. (1992.) Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain. Puffin.
This book is a book about a cattle man who wished for rain to come to his land. The student will
learn how important the people took the rain, and how beneficial it was for their land. This is
just an interesting story to engage the students about Africa.
10. Banks, James. (2003.) Our World. Macmillan/McGraw-Hill
This textbook will be used briefly to explore about Africa. The textbook explores many countries
and has different questions and topics to further discuss with other resources.
11. Education Place. (2013.) Classroom Resources: Graphic Organizers. Retrieved December 4, 2013
from http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/
This website presents different types of graphic organizers that can be used in any subject for
any content. The students will have already been exposed to a variety of graphic organizers and
this website prior to this assessment. The students must use a graphic organizer to present the
main ideas learned throughout the unit.

Rubric
Assessment
List of Western
Africa
countries

5 pts.
Student listed
8 or more
countries

4 pts.
Student listed
6-7 countries

3pts.
Student listed
4-5 countries

1 pt.
Student listed
1-3 countries.

List of the
areas of
agriculture

Student listed
3 or more
areas of
agriculture
Student named
a type of
product from
each of the
three areas of
agriculture.
XXX

XXX

Student listed
2 areas of
agriculture

Student listed
1 area of
agriculture.

XXX

Student named
a type of
product from
two of the
areas of
agriculture.
XXX

Student name
a type of
product from 1
area of
agriculture.

Student gave
an unclear
definition of
the
government.
XX

XXX

Student
incorrectly
named 2 of the
regions.

Student did
not map any of
the regions of
Africa.

2 facts about a
country

Student
incorrectly
named more
than 3-4
regions.
1 fact about a
country

Student
presented 3
facts.

Student
presented 1-2
facts.

Student did
not present
any facts.

Name type of
product from
agricultural
area

Name the type

of government
in the 16th
century
Brief definition
of the
government

Student gave a
definitions of
the
government

Name of the
ruler

XXX

Map the 5
regions of
Africa

Student
correctly
named each of
the 5 regions.

Interacting
Fact about a
country
Student
presented
information in
front of class
with partner.

3 facts about a
country
Student
presented 5
facts.

Student
correctly
named the
type of
government.
XXX

Student
correctly
named the
ruler.
XXX

Student
presented 4
facts.

XXX

XXX

0 pts.
Student did
not list any
Western
African
countries.
Student did
not list the
areas of
agriculture
Student did
not name type
of product
from
agricultural
area.
Student did
not name the
type of
government
Student did
not give
definition of
the
government.
Student did
not name the
ruler

No facts about
any country.

Used a graphic organizer

OUT OF 45 POSSIBLE POINTS

2pts
If the student used a graphic
organizer.

0 pts.
If the student did not use a
graphic organizer.

Next Stop: West AfricA

Expectations for Assessment:
Take daily notes.
Participate in class.
Choose appropriate graphic organizer.
Label the 5 regions of Western Africa.
List western Africa countries.
List and describe the areas of agriculture.
Tell at least 3 interesting facts about different
countries.
List and describe the type of government.

Timeline
Day 1: What is the 6th Century?
Day 2: Introduction to Africa and the 5
regions.
Day 3: Discussion of the 16 countries in
Western Africa.
Day 4: Discussion of the 16 countries in
Western Africa.
Day 5: Review
Day 6: Western Africas types/areas of
agriculture
Day 7: Western Africas government
Day 8: Western Africas family life
Day 9: Review
Day 10: Assessment

In Class Assessment:
Work with one partner to learn
about a country and introduce
information about your country as
if you lived there.
Create a graphic organizer that
will provide information on the
region of Western Africa.

Summary Document
The purpose of this Social Studies Assessment is to evaluate whether students learned about
West Africa. Everything that is required to be on the graphic organizer will be discussed fully in class and
examples of how to create a graphic organizer with that information will be shown on review days.
Students will be given a medium sized construction paper and also a blank map of Africa with the only
the country borders. The students must correctly show the 5 regions by drawing darker borders. The
students will then have to use any graphic organizer they wish such as a describing wheel or inverted
triangle, and they will have specific information that must be included on the graphic organizer. The
rubric given will be allowed to be used as a guide while the student creates the graphic organizer.
Students will be tested on not how much they remember but if they remember the key ideas which are
the themes of each day. It is important for students to know the main ideas in history, and to also
discover interesting facts on their own. Before the assessment the students will have time in class and
also time in the resource room to find their own 3 facts about different western African countries, the
students will be able to ask the teachers whether or not some of the websites or sources are credible
sources. This assessment measures everything that was taught in the unit plan which will take
approximately 2 weeks.
Within this course we have reviewed different techniques and activities that will be included in
the unit plan, but the assessment will be presented in a test format. The students will not be able to
work together or use any of their notes or resources during the assessment. A rubric will be distributed
2 days prior to the assessment to allow students to prepare and review their notes to understand the
main ideas that were taught about West Africa.
The first portion of the assessment includes the students working with one partner; they will be
given a country they must research during class time. The students will research different facts about
their country that interests them or that may interest their classmates. The students will find 5 pieces of
information on their country and present it in front of the classroom orally. Each student must say
something, as the students are telling the class the information they found, the students will be required
to take notes on each pair of students that presents. Even though note taking is not part of the rubric it
is part of their notebook grade which is separate from assessments. The students can use their notes
about each of the 16 West Africa countries in the fact section on their assessment.