Achievement Level Descriptors for Grade 4 Social Studies

Achievement Level Descriptors for Grade 4 Social Studies Georgia Department of Education September 2015 All Rights Reserved

Achievement Levels and Achievement Level Descriptors With the implementation of the Georgia Milestones Assessment System, Georgia educators have developed four achievement levels to describe student mastery and command of the knowledge and skills outlined in Georgia s content standards. Most students have at least some knowledge of the content described in the content standards; however, achievement levels succinctly describe how much mastery a student has. Achievement levels give meaning and context to scale scores by describing the knowledge and skills students must demonstrate to achieve each level. The four achievement levels on Georgia Milestones are Beginning Learner, Developing Learner, Proficient Learner, and Distinguished Learner. The general meaning of each of the four levels is provided below: Beginning Learners do not yet demonstrate proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified in Georgia s content standards. The students need substantial academic support to be prepared for the next grade level or course and to be on track for college and career readiness. Developing Learners demonstrate partial proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified in Georgia s content standards. The students need additional academic support to ensure success in the next grade level or course and to be on track for college and career readiness. Proficient Learners demonstrate proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified in Georgia s content standards. The students are prepared for the next grade level or course and are on track for college and career readiness. Distinguished Learners demonstrate advanced proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified in Georgia s content standards. The students are well prepared for the next grade level or course and are well prepared for college and career readiness. More detailed and content-specific concepts and skills are provided for each grade, content area, and course in the Achievement Level Descriptors (ALDs). ALDs are narrative descriptions of the knowledge and skills expected at each of the four achievement levels and were developed for each grade level, content area, and course by committees of Georgia educators in March 2015 and July 2015. The ALDs are based on the state-adopted content standards. ALDs show a progression of knowledge and skills for which students must demonstrate competency across the achievement levels. It is important to understand that a student should demonstrate mastery of the knowledge and skills within his/her achievement level as well as all content and skills in any achievement levels that precede his/her own, if any. For example, a Proficient Learner should also possess the knowledge and skills of a Developing Learner and a Beginning Learner. Georgia Department of Education Page 2 of 8 All Rights Reserved

POLICY ALDs Beginning Learner Developing Learner Proficient Learner Distinguished Learner Beginning Learners do not yet demonstrate proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified in Georgia s content standards. The students need substantial academic support to be prepared for the next grade level or course and to be on track for college and career readiness. Developing Learners demonstrate partial proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified in Georgia s content standards. The students need additional academic support to ensure success in the next grade level or course and to be on track for college and career readiness. Proficient Learners demonstrate proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified in Georgia s content standards. The students are prepared for the next grade level or course and are on track for college and career readiness. Distinguished Learners demonstrate advanced proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified in Georgia s content standards. The students are well prepared for the next grade level or course and are well prepared for college and career readiness. RANGE ALDs Beginning Learner Developing Learner Proficient Learner Distinguished Learner A student who achieves at the Beginning Learner level demonstrates minimal command of the grade-level standards. The pattern exhibited by student responses indicates that students are most likely able to locate on a map where the following groups of Native Americans settled: Southwest (Hopi), Plains (Pawnee), and Southeastern (Seminole); identify how Native Americans obtained food, clothing, or shelter; identify cooperation or conflict between Europeans and Native Americans; identify who wrote the Declaration of Independence; identify King George III, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, A student who achieves at the Developing Learner level demonstrates partial command of the grade-level standards. The pattern exhibited by student responses indicates that students are most likely able to locate on a map the general location where the following groups of Native Americans settled: Arctic (Inuit), Northwest (Kwakiutl), and Plateau (Nez Perce); explain the ways Native Americans used their environment to obtain food, clothing, and shelter; identify reasons for, obstacles to, and accomplishments of the Spanish, French, and English explorations of John Cabot, Vasco Nunez de Balboa, Juan A student who achieves at the Proficient Learner level demonstrates proficiency of the grade-level standards. The pattern exhibited by student responses indicates that students are most likely able to explain the impact of the environment on Native American groups; explain reasons for, obstacles to, and accomplishments of the Spanish, French, and English explorations of John Cabot, Vasco Nunez de Balboa, Juan Ponce de Leon, Christopher Columbus, Henry Hudson, or Jacques Cartier; explain the effect of conflict and cooperation between Europeans and Native Americans; compare or contrast life in the A student who achieves at the Distinguished Learner level demonstrates advanced proficiency of the grade-level standards. The pattern exhibited by student responses indicates that students are most likely able to analyze the impact of the environment on Native American groups; analyze the reasons for, obstacles to, and accomplishments of the Spanish, French, and English explorations of John Cabot, Vasco Nunez de Balboa, Juan Ponce de Leon, Christopher Columbus, Henry Hudson, or Jacques Cartier; analyze the effect of conflict and cooperation between Europeans Georgia Department of Education Page 3 of 8 All Rights Reserved

Thomas Jefferson, Benedict Ponce de Leon, Christopher New England, Mid-Atlantic, and and Native Americans; Arnold, Patrick Henry, or John Columbus, Henry Hudson, or Southern colonies; analyze how differences in Adams; Jacques Cartier; explain the lifestyles of large lifestyles in the three regions identify the roles of the branches explain cooperation or conflict landowners, farmers, artisans, affected the development of of government; between Europeans and Native women, indentured servants, New England, Mid-Atlantic, and identify the purpose of the Bill of Americans; slaves, and Native Americans Southern colonies; Rights; identify lifestyles that may have during the colonial period; compare the lifestyles of large locate major physical features of been found in the New England, sequence the events French landowners, farmers, artisans, the United States including the Mid-Atlantic, and Southern and Indian War, British imperial women, indentured servants, Atlantic Coastal Plain, Great colonies; policy that led to the 1765 Stamp slaves, and Native Americans Plains, Gulf of Mexico, and Great identify the lifestyle of a Act, the activities of the Sons of during the colonial period; Lakes; landowner, farmer, artisan, Liberty, and the Boston Tea analyze the relationship of the locate the major man-made woman, indentured servant, Party that shaped the events French and Indian War, features of New York City, NY; slave, or Native American during revolutionary movement in British imperial policy that led to Boston, MA; and Philadelphia, the colonial period; America; the 1765 Stamp Act, the PA; identify the terms and events explain how the Declaration of activities of the Sons of Liberty, identify in which document We French and Indian War, British Independence was a response to and the Boston Tea Party that the people is found; imperial policy that led to the tyranny and the abuse of power shaped the revolutionary identify examples of ways the 1765 Stamp Act, the slogan no or explain why the Declaration of movement in America; government may handle taxation without Independence was necessary; analyze why the Declaration of conflicts; representation, the activities of explain why the Battle of Independence was necessary; identify examples of how the the Sons of Liberty, and the Lexington and Concord, the analyze the results of the Battle government defends the nation; Boston Tea Party that shaped Battle of Saratoga, or the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the identify examples of persons the revolutionary movement in of Yorktown was significant; Battle of Saratoga, or the Battle participating in public life; America; explain the impact of King of Yorktown; name positive character traits of identify reasons the Declaration George III, George Washington, analyze the impact of King key historic figures and of Independence was written; Benjamin Franklin, Thomas George III, George Washington, government leaders (honesty, identify the significance of the Jefferson, Benedict Arnold, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas patriotism, courage, Battles of Lexington and Concord, Patrick Henry, or John Adams on Jefferson, Benedict Arnold, trustworthiness); and Saratoga, and Yorktown; the American Revolution; Patrick Henry, or John Adams on identify elements of a personal describe the role played by King explain weaknesses of the the American Revolution; budget. George III, George Washington, government established by the evaluate the effectiveness of the Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Articles of Confederation; Articles of Confederation and Jefferson, Benedict Arnold, explain the role played by one of the impact this had on the Patrick Henry, or John Adams in the leaders of the Constitutional development of the new nation; the American Revolution; Convention or explain the major analyze the debates surrounding Georgia Department of Education Page 4 of 8 All Rights Reserved

identify weaknesses of the issues debated; one of the Constitutional Articles of Confederation; explain the reasons for checks Convention s major issues; identify leaders of the and balances or explain analyze the relationship of the Constitutional Convention; separation of powers; three branches of government explain the function of each explain in general terms how the to each other and to the states; branch of government or explain Bill of Rights places limits on the analyze the reasons for adding the relationship of the U.S. power of government or explain the Bill of Rights to the government to state why the Bill of Rights was added Constitution; governments; to the Constitution in 1791; explain the significance of the explain the reason for the explain the causes of the War of burning of the Capitol and the creation of the Bill of Rights; 1812; White House; identify causes and events of the explain territorial expansion as analyze the importance of the War of 1812; seen in the Louisiana Purchase, Louisiana Purchase, the Lewis identify one noted example of the Lewis and Clark expedition, and Clark expedition, and the territorial expansion the and the acquisitions of Texas (the acquisitions of Texas (the Alamo Louisiana Purchase, the Lewis Alamo and independence), and independence), Oregon and Clark expedition, and the Oregon (Oregon Trail), and (Oregon Trail), and California acquisitions of Texas (the Alamo California (the gold rush and the (the gold rush and the and independence), Oregon development of mining towns); development of mining towns); (Oregon Trail), and California (the compare and contrast the analyze the importance of the gold rush and the development importance of the steamboat, steamboat, the steam of mining towns); the steam locomotive, and the locomotive, and the telegraph explain the impact of the telegraph on life in America; on life in America; steamboat, the steam explain the impact of westward analyze the impact of westward locomotive, and the telegraph on expansion on Native Americans; expansion on Native Americans; life in America; explain the importance of Harriet analyze the impact of Harriet explain the impact of westward Tubman and Elizabeth Cady Tubman and Elizabeth Cady expansion on Native Americans; Stanton; Stanton; identify Harriet Tubman and explain the significance of analyze the impact of Sojourner Elizabeth Cady Stanton; Sojourner Truth to the Truth on the abolitionist and locate major physical features of abolitionist and suffrage suffrage movements; the United States including the movements; analyze reasons why some Atlantic Coastal Plain, Great identify reasons that led some groups developed permanent Plains, Continental Divide, Great groups to develop permanent villages and others did not; Basin, Death Valley, Gulf of settlements; analyze why a given explorer Mexico, St. Lawrence River, and explain how John Cabot, Vasco was able or unable to adapt to Georgia Department of Education Page 5 of 8 All Rights Reserved

Great Lakes; Nunez de Balboa, Juan Ponce de the physical environment in locate the major man-made Leon, Christopher Columbus, which he traveled; features of New York City, NY; Henry Hudson, or Jacques Cartier analyze the impact of geography Boston, MA; Philadelphia, PA; adapted, or failed to adapt, to on economic activities in the and the Erie Canal; the various physical colonies; identify economic activities environments in which they analyze how the American and practiced in the different colony traveled; British forces sought to use the groups (New England, Mid- explain how the physical physical geography of Lexington Atlantic, and Southern colonies); geography of each colony group and Concord, Saratoga, and identify specific American and helped determine economic Yorktown; British advantages and activities practiced therein; analyze how physical barriers or disadvantages at the Battles of explain how the American and gateways affected territorial Lexington and Concord, Saratoga, British forces sought to use the expansion between 1801 and and Yorktown; physical geography of Lexington 1860; identify physical barriers and/or and Concord, Saratoga, and evaluate the importance of the physical gateways encountered Yorktown; natural rights in the Declaration by Lewis and Clark or settlers on explain how physical barriers or of Independence; the Oregon Trail; gateways affected territorial analyze the reasons for the use identify the natural rights listed expansion between 1801 and of We the people in the U.S. in the Declaration of 1860; Constitution; Independence (the rights to life, describe the meaning of natural analyze how the United States liberty, and the pursuit of rights as found in the Declaration uses a federal system of happiness); of Independence (the rights to government; describe the meaning of We the life, liberty, and the pursuit of analyze the importance of the people from the Preamble to happiness); First Amendment; the U.S. Constitution as a explain the reasons for the use of explain how the government reflection of consent of the We the people in the U.S. helps protect rights; governed or popular sovereignty; Constitution; explain ways the government identify aspects of the federal explain aspects of a federal provides for the defense of the system of government; system of government; nation; identify the importance of the explain the importance of the analyze the importance of First Amendment; First Amendment to the U.S. limiting the power of people in explain how laws are enforced; Constitution; authority; identify ways in which the explain in broad, general terms explain why fiscal responsibility government protects rights of the process for making laws; of government is important; citizens; explain ways the government analyze the benefits of persons Georgia Department of Education Page 6 of 8 All Rights Reserved

explain ways the government may handle conflicts; participating in public life; provides for the defense of the explain ways the government analyze the effect opportunity nation; provides for the defense of the costs have on decision making; identify examples of persons nation; analyze the impact of price respecting the rights of others explain why limiting the power of incentives on people s behavior and/or promoting the common people in authority is necessary; and choices; good; define fiscal responsibility; analyze how specialization explain why it is important for explain why it is important to affects the standard of living; citizens in a democratic society to respect the rights of others and analyze the importance of participate in public (civic) life by to promote the common good; voluntary exchange; staying informed, voting, explain the necessity of obeying analyze the role of trade in volunteering, and/or reasonable laws/rules promoting economic activity; communicating with public voluntarily; analyze the impact of the officials; illustrate how George steamboat, the steam identify the noted positive Washington, Benjamin Franklin, locomotive, and the telegraph character traits associated with Thomas Jefferson, James on business productivity during important historic figures Madison, Patrick Henry, John the development of the United (honesty, patriotism, courage, Adams, Harriet Tubman, States; and trustworthiness); Elizabeth Cady Stanton, or analyze the importance of define opportunity costs; Sojourner Truth demonstrated spending or saving decisions. identify examples of price one of the positive character incentives; traits of honesty, patriotism, identify examples of courage, and trustworthiness; specialization; explain how opportunity costs define voluntary exchange; influence decision making; identify the role of trade in explain how price incentives economic relationships; and affect people s behavior and explain the purpose of a personal choices; budget. explain how specialization affects the standard of living; explain how voluntary exchange helps both buyers and sellers; explain the role of trade in promoting economic activity; explain the impact of the steamboat, the steam Georgia Department of Education Page 7 of 8 All Rights Reserved

locomotive, and the telegraph on business productivity during the development of the United States; and explain why personal spending and savings decisions are important. Georgia Department of Education Page 8 of 8 All Rights Reserved