Step 2
Create a Meaningful Context
Considerations
What is the meaningful context for engaging students in a performance assessment task through which the identified standards and benchmarks indicators might be assessed? Consider all ideas for context in terms of real issues or problems, themes and/or student interests.
Select a context for the task. Possible suggestions include:
| Arts & Aesthetics | Environment | Physical Health |
| Basic Needs | Food & Nutrition | Pollution |
| Communication | Government & Politics | Population |
| Community | History | Recreation |
| Crime/Corrections | Human Rights | Sports |
| Defense | Law & Justice | Technology |
| Economics | Medicine | Transportation |
| Education | Money | World of Work |
Think broadly about context. Remember, ideas for context can come from many sources including:
| textbooks | newspapers | conversations |
| magazines | trade journals | life experiences |
| almanacs | catalogues | random thoughts |
| divine inspiration |
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Select real issue/problem, theme and/or student interest to provide additional context descriptors for your task. Examples are:
Real Issues/Problems - examples include: |
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| citizen apathy | drug use/abuse | poor health habits | crime |
| illiteracy | poor nutrition | debt | littering |
| racial/ethnic tensions | disease | natural disasters | second-hand smoke |
| drinking & driving | pollution | student motivation | unsafe practices (bicycling, driving, etc.) |
Themes - examples include: |
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| abundance/scarcity | continuity | interactions | acceptance/rejection |
| courage | invention | adaptation | conflict |
| loyalty | aging/maturity | culture | patterns |
| balance | cycles | power | change |
| environment | production/consumption | challenge | fairness |
| symbols | communities | freedom/equality | systems |
| connections | friendship |
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Student Interests - examples include: |
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Primary Grades (pre K-2) |
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| animals/pets | five senses | seasons | cartoons |
| holidays | sharks | characters (books, TV) | planets/space |
| weather/snow | community helpers | plants | zoo |
| dinosaurs |
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Intermediate Grades (3-5) |
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| archaeology | friends | mysteries | books/literature |
| games | outer space | computers/games | geography |
| sports | disasters | movies | television shows |
| famous people |
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Middle School (6-8) |
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| amusement parks | games | science fiction | clothing/fashion |
| jobs/earning $ | shopping | computers | music/groups |
| sports | disasters | movies | television shows |
| friends |
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High School (9-12) |
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| automobiles | dating/romance | shopping | careers |
| friends | student government | clothing/fashion | jobs/earning $ |
| travel | colleges | music/groups | vacations |
| computers |
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Steps in the Design Process
- Step 1 - Identify Standard(s), Components, and Indicators
- Step 2 - Create a Meaningful Context for the Task
- Step 3 - Identify Thinking Skills/Processes to Build into the Task
- Step 4 - Identify the Products and/or Performance
- Step 5 - Identify Criteria for Evaluating Performance
- Step 6 - Generate Exemplary Responses
- Step 7 - Construct Scoring Tools
- Step 8 - Try out the Task
- Revise Where Necessary
