Performance Tasks

Students write an argumentative paper about school violence in the United States, using evidence from resources studied and discussed in class, as well as their own research findings. Students identify a specific problem related to school violence and then propose a solution to help decrease the...

In this task, students will play the role of a risk assessor for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Their job is to figure out if their local region is at risk of a devastating earthquake or volcano and to write a risk assessment document for their locality. In order to understand...

As President Reagan’s second term in office drew to a close, he delivered this speech to a group of university students at Moscow State University. What he did not know was that the Cold War was also to end in just a few years. This speech was an attempt to bridge the gap between the two...

The context for this task immerses students in the mathematics of supply and demand. Accordingly, the work involves applying their understanding of demand, revenue, profit, and price. Students learn about how to model the relationships among these quantities using Internet resources provided for...

After viewing, listening to, and studying commencement speeches by notable figures, students will write and present their own graduation speeches. The entire class will first listen to at least two commencement speeches to extrapolate their thematic, structural, and stylistic features and will...

This task asks students to write an argumentative essay about which level of government -- federal or state -- should have authority and power when making and executing laws related to a controversial issue.

Students will research an issue of their choice, write an argument in support of...