Assessment strategies

For this lesson there are a number of opportunities for assessment in a variety of subject areas (geography; history; reading, writing, speaking, and listening; and safety). During the first day students should come to class with the image of a cowboy. There is opportunity to gauge class participation in the class discussion of cowboy traits. In addition, reading comprehension and retention can be assessed with  Student Handout 1-Capturing the Last Frontier . The homework assignment also provides reading comprehension opportunity and includes a question or two that requires students to use basic map reading skills.

On Day Two, there is the opportunity to assess students on group work, reading comprehension, class participation, and writing skills. In a final writing assignment that requires students to use the knowledge they have acquired throughout the lesson, students are to write their own western short story using a historical event (which is provided) as inspiration. For an assessment of this final writing activity, see the rubric provided below.

Grading Rubric