Unsatisfactory

1

Poor

2

Fair

3

Above Average

4

Excellent

5

Score

Explain why it is important to communicate with legislators.

The student is unable to explain why it is important to communicate with legislators.

The student names one way to communicate with legislators but cannot explain why it is important to communicate with legislators.

The student explains why it is important to communicate with legislators.

The student explains why it is important to communicate with legislators and describes the important relationship between legislators and their constituents.

The student explains why it is important to communicate with legislators, describes the important relationship between legislators and their constituents, and explains the consequences of not communicating with legislators.

Describe at least three ways to communicate with legislators.

The student describes only one way to communicate with legislators.

The student describes two ways to communicate with legislators.

The student describes three ways to communicate with legislators.

The student describes more than three ways to communicate with legislators.

The student describes more than three ways to communicate with legislators and analyzes which forms of communication are most effective.

Discuss the many roles of a legislator.

The student is unable to explain the job of a legislator.

The student understands that legislators create laws but he or she is unable to describe some of the many duties that legislators have.

The student discusses the many roles of a legislator (creating laws, communicating with constituents, serving on committees, debating on the floor, being a role model for other citizens, educating others, and managing an office).

The student discusses the many roles of a legislator (creating laws, communicating with constituents, serving on committees, debating on the floor, being a role model for other citizens, educating others, and managing an office) and explains the relationship between legislators and their constituents.

The student discusses the many roles of a legislator (creating laws, communicating with constituents, serving on committees, debating on the floor, being a role model for other citizens, educating others, and managing an office), explains the relationship between legislators and their constituents, and discusses why Members of Congress are often accused of forgetting about the interests and concerns of their constituents.

Identify ways that citizens can monitor legislators and hold them accountable.

The student is unable to identify ways that citizens can monitor legislators and hold them accountable.

The student identifies only one way that citizens can monitor legislators and hold them accountable.

The student identifies more than one way that citizens can monitor legislators and hold them accountable.

The student identifies more than one way that citizens can monitor legislators and hold them accountable and explains the importance of monitoring legislators.

The student identifies more than one way that citizens can monitor legislators and hold them accountable, explains the importance of monitoring legislators, and evaluates the effectiveness of the various ways of communicating with legislators.

Explain why some people criticize legislators for not looking out for the interests of their constituents.

The student cannot explain why some people criticize legislators for not looking out for the interests of their constituents.

The student describes a criticism people have of legislators but is unable to explain why some people have this criticism.

The student explains why some people criticize legislators for not looking out for the interests of their constituents.

The student explains why some people criticize legislators for not looking out for the interests of their constituents and discusses whether or not he or she agrees with this criticism.

The student explains why some people criticize legislators for not looking out for the interests of their constituents, discusses whether or not he or she agrees with this criticism, and describes some ways to counter that criticism.

Explain why the Framers designed a long and complicated legislative process.

The student cannot explain why the Framers designed a long and complicated legislative process.

The student describes the legislative process but does not explain why the Framers designed the legislative process in the manner in which they did.

The student explains why the Framers designed a long and complicated legislative process.

The student explains why the Framers designed a long and complicated legislative process and explains the benefits of a slow and deliberative process.

The student explains why the Framers designed a long and complicated legislative process, explains the benefits of a slow and deliberative process, and discusses whether or not he or she thinks the process is too long and complicated.

Evaluate how effectively the legislative branch of the government is serving the purposes for which it was created.

The student is unable to evaluate how effectively the legislative branch of the government is serving the purposes for which it was created.

The student describes the legislative branch of government but does not evaluate how effectively it is serving the purposes for which it was created.

The student evaluates how effectively the legislative branch of the government is serving the purposes for which it was created.

The student describes why the Framers designed the legislative branch in the manner in which they did and evaluates how effectively the legislative branch of the government is serving the purposes for which it was created.

The student describes why the Framers designed the legislative branch in the manner in which they did, evaluates how effectively the legislative branch of the government is serving the purposes for which it was created, and discusses why he or she would or would not change the legislative process.

Unsatisfactory

1

Poor

2

Fair

3

Above Average

4

Excellent

5

Score

Describe the role that money plays in politics.

The student is unable to describe the role that money plays in politics.

The student explains why some people contribute money to political campaigns.

The student explains why some people contribute money to political campaigns and describes the effect of money in politics.

The student explains why some people contribute money to political campaigns, describes the effect of money in politics, and explains whether or not he or she thinks money gives some people too much influence in politics.

The student explains why some people contribute money to political campaigns, describes the effect of money in politics, explains whether or not he or she thinks money gives some people too much influence in politics, and describes the current debate about campaign contributions.

Define the term special interest group .

The student incorrectly defines the term special interest group.

The student identifies a special interest group, but is unable to explain what a special interest group is.

The student defines the term special interest group.

The student defines the term special interest group and gives an example of a special interest group.

The student defines the term special interest group, gives an example of a special interest group, and explains the role of special interest groups in American politics.

Identify and explain the concerns some U.S. citizens have with special interest groups.

The student is unable to identify the concerns that some U.S. citizens have with special interest groups.

The student identifies some concerns U.S. citizens have with interest groups but does not explain why some citizens have these concerns.

The student identifies and explains the concerns that some U.S. citizens have with special interest groups.

The student identifies and explains the concerns that some U.S. citizens have with special interest groups and explains whether or not he or she has these same concerns.

The student identifies and explains the concerns that some U.S. citizens have with special interest groups, explains whether or not he or she has these same concerns, and compares these concerns with the concerns that James Madison had with factions.

Name at least three reasons why special interest groups are important in American politics.

The student names only one reason why special interest groups are important to American politics.

The student names only two reasons why special interest groups are important to American politics.

The student names three reasons why special interest groups are important to American politics.

The student names more than three reasons why special interest groups are important to American politics.

The student names more than three reasons why special interest groups are important to American politics and describes how one special interest group has influenced legislation that has benefited the nation.

Examine the influence of special interest groups on legislation.

The student identifies one special interest group but does not describe the influence of special interest groups on legislation.

The student defines the term special interest group but does not describe the influence of special interest groups on legislation.

The student describes the influence of special interest groups on legislation.

The student describes the influence of special interest groups on legislation and explains how one special interest group has influenced legislation.

The student describes the influence of special interest groups on legislation, explains how one special interest group has influenced legislation, and discusses the benefits and detrimental effects of special interest groups.

Explain how the media portrayed the government during Watergate.

The student is unable to explain how the media portrayed the government during Watergate.

The student describes the events that took place during Watergate but does not explain how the media portrayed the government.

The student explains how the media portrayed the government during Watergate.

The student explains how the media portrayed the government during Watergate and describes what some political analysts had to say about this event.

The student explains how the media portrayed the government during Watergate, describes what some political analysts had to say about this event, and explains the role of the media in changing people’s attitudes toward the government.

Explain how the media portrayed the government during the Vietnam War.

The student is unable to explain how the media portrayed the government during the Vietnam War.

The student describes the events that took place during the Vietnam War but does not explain how the media portrayed the government.

The student explains how the media portrayed the government during the Vietnam War.

The student explains how the media portrayed the government during the Vietnam War and describes what some political analysts had to say about this event.

The student explains how the media portrayed the government during the Vietnam War, describes what some political analysts had to say about this event, and explains the role of the media in changing people’s attitudes toward the government.

Explain how the media portrayed the government prior to President Clinton’s impeachment.

The student is unable to explain how the media portrayed the government prior to President Clinton’s impeachment.

The student describes the events that took place prior to President Clinton’s impeachment but does not explain how the media portrayed the government.

The student explains how the media portrayed the government prior to President Clinton’s impeachment.

The student explains how the media portrayed the government prior to President Clinton’s impeachment and describes what some political analysts had to say about this event.

The student explains how the media portrayed the government prior to President Clinton’s impeachment, describes what some political analysts had to say about this event, and explains the role of the media in changing people’s attitudes toward the government.

Describe how Watergate, the Vietnam War, and President Clinton’s impeachment changed Americans’ attitudes toward the government.

The student is unable to describe how Watergate, the Vietnam War, and President Clinton’s impeachment changed Americans’ attitudes toward the government.

The student explains what occurred during Watergate, the Vietnam War, and President Clinton’s impeachment but does not explain how these events changed Americans’ attitudes toward the government.

The student describes how Watergate, the Vietnam War, and President Clinton’s impeachment changed Americans’ attitudes toward the government.

The student describes the public’s attitude toward the government before Watergate, the Vietnam War, and President Clinton’s impeachment and explains how these events changed Americans’ attitudes toward the government.

The student describes the public’s attitude toward the government before Watergate, the Vietnam War, and President Clinton’s impeachment; explains how these events changed Americans’ attitudes toward the government; and offers suggestions to counter skepticism.