| Inquiry (ST) | Emerging (could look like anything up until these descriptors) | Developing | Proficient | Extending (could look like anything starting from to beyond descriptors) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competency: Use Social Studies inquiry processes and skills to ask questions; gather, interpret, and analyze ideas; and communicate findings and decisions | ||||
| I can select a relevant inquiry problem or question. | Creates a question that may or may not involve research. | Creates an inquiry question that involves some research. | Creates a relevant inquiry question that involves research. | Creates a unique, critical, and relevant inquiry question that involves research with opportunities for further inquiry. |
| I can use effective strategies to clarify and define a problem or issue. | Begins to use generally relevant strategies to clarify and define a problem or issue. | Uses some effective strategies to clarify and define a problem or issue. | Uses effective strategies to clarify and define a problem or issue. | Uses effective, personal, and intentional strategies to clarify and define a problem or issue. |
| I can select an appropriate graphic form of communication for a specific purpose (e.g. a timeline to show a sequence of events, a map to show a location). | Selects a simple graphic form of communication that partially executes or demonstrates a specific purpose. | Selects a graphic form of communication that mostly executes or demonstrates a specific purpose. | Selects an appropriate graphic form of communication that demonstrates or executes a specific purpose. | Selects a logical, relevant, and insightful graphic form of communication to meaningfully execute or demonstrate a specific purpose. |
| I can represent information accurately and cite sources appropriately. | Includes information and may cite some sources. | Summarizes information and attempts to cite sources. | Represents information accurately and appropriately cites sources. | Represents information accurately and critically; appropriately cites a diverse range of sources. |
| I can select appropriate forms of presentation suitable for my purpose and audience (e.g. song, essay, dramatic performance). | Selects a simple form of presentation that shows some understanding and skill application for the specific purpose and audience. | Selects a reasonable form of presentation that generally communicates understanding and skill application for the specific purpose and audience. | Selects appropriate form of presentation that clearly communicates understanding and skill application for the specific purpose and audience. | Selects a unique and effective form of presentation that thoroughly and creatively communicates understanding and skill application for the specific purpose and audience. |
| EXAMPLES IN CONTEXT: Descriptor – Students select a cultural exchange/movement from 7th century to 1750 (e.g., Silk Road, crusades, Mesoamerica, Renaissance, imperialism, Columbian exchange, etc.) and compose a research question into the complexity of the phenomenon. Students will create a visual presentation of their findings. | ||||
| Example | Student begins to reflect on a cultural exchange/movement from 7th century to 1750 that involves a partially research-driven question and basic presentation of findings. Ex: Student may pose a simple question relating to the impact of the Columbian exchange and may create a slideshow that summarizes details and begins to discuss impacts of the Columbian exchange on different groups. | Student is mostly able to reflect on a cultural exchange/movement from 7th century to 1750 that involves a mostly research-driven inquiry question and presentation of findings. Ex: Student may pose a general question relating to the severity of impact of the Columbian exchange and may create a timeline to show the impacts of the Columbian exchange on different groups. | Student is able to reflect on a cultural exchange/movement from 7th century to 1750 that involves a research-driven inquiry question and logical presentation of findings. Ex: Student may pose a question relating to the severity of impact of the Columbian exchange and may create a mind map to show the impacts of the Columbian exchange on different groups. | Student is able to meaningfully and critically reflect on a cultural exchange/movement from 7th century to 1750 that involves an insightful research-driven inquiry question and unique and informative presentation of findings. Ex: Student may pose a question relating to the severity of impact of the Columbian exchange and may create a board game to show the impacts of the Columbian exchange on different groups. |
| Historical Significance | Emerging (could look like anything up until these descriptors) | Developing | Proficient | Extending (could look like anything starting from to beyond descriptors) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competency: Assess the significance of people, places, events, or developments at particular times and places | ||||
| I can determine the importance or impact of a person, place, event, or development using specific criteria. | May identify a relevant criteria and includes basic comments on importance or impact. | Identifies some relevant criteria, including some aspects of importance or impact. | Identifies relevant criteria and accurately assesses importance or impact. | Identifies and insightfully evaluates criteria, providing a nuanced assessment of importance or impact. |
| I can explain why a person, place, event, or development is important. | Provides a basic explanation of at least one significant aspect with minimal supporting evidence. | Offers some explanation of certain significant aspects with some vague supporting evidence. | Provides a detailed and clear explanation with supporting evidence. | Delivers a comprehensive and insightful explanation with strong supporting evidence and connections to broader contexts. |
| I can recognize and explain how importance may change with time and place. | Notices changes in importance over time and place. | Recognizes some relevant changes in importance over time and place and partially explains them. | Recognizes relevant changes in importance over time and place and can clearly explain them. | Insightfully recognizes and explains changes in importance, providing a nuanced understanding of historical context. |
| I can figure out what was important to the creator of a historical source. | Can make observations about the creator of the source. | Identifies some relevant explicit aspects of the creator’s perspective. | Accurately identifies explicit aspects of the creator’s perspective and may identify some implicit aspects. | Accurately identifies both implicit and explicit aspects of the creator’s perspective and provides an insightful analysis. |
| EXAMPLE IN CONTEXT: What makes a leader significant? After learning about some criteria that makes historical figures significant, students were asked to choose a figure from the current unit on medieval history and produce a product that highlights their figure’s significance. | ||||
| Example | Student produces a poster with a sketch of a leader labelled with some basic facts. | Student produces a short podcast where they spend most of their time providing a biography of their figure before a brief discussion of a few relevant reasons why they think their leader is significant. They provide a vague explanation of those reasons. | Student creates a complete and coherent profile of a significant leader while highlighting the implicit and explicit impacts of their actions in the time period with supporting evidence. | Student creates a detailed and insightful profile of a significant leader that analyzes the implicit and explicit impacts of their actions in relation to others, the time period, and beyond. |
| Evidence | Emerging (could look like anything up until these descriptors) | Developing | Proficient | Extending (could look like anything starting from to beyond descriptors) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competency: Assess the credibility of multiple sources and the adequacy of evidence used to justify conclusions | ||||
| I can differentiate between primary and secondary sources. | Knows the definitions of primary and secondary sources. Distinguishes sources with limited accuracy. | Differentiates between common types of primary and secondary sources with some accuracy. | Accurately differentiates between common types of primary and secondary sources. | Accurately differentiates between primary and secondary sources with detailed understanding. |
| I can ask questions about various sources and assess their bias and credibility. | Asks basic questions about the source to identify who created it and when. Attempts to identify bias and credibility. | Asks topical questions about the source to assess its bias and credibility with some accuracy. | Asks relevant questions about the source, its creator, and its context to accurately assess its bias and credibility. | Asks purposeful questions about the source, its creator, and its context to thoroughly assess its bias and credibility. |
| I can analyze and interpret the content of a variety of sources. | Briefly notes and describes the clearly observable aspects in a source. | Analyzes and interprets the clearly observable aspects of sources with some detail and accuracy. | Accurately analyzes and interprets the clear and subtle aspects of sources. Provides a thorough and detailed analysis. | Accurately analyzes and interprets the clear and subtle aspects of sources. Provides a comprehensive and insightful analysis. |
| I can make inferences about the origins, purpose, and audience of a variety of sources. | Makes basic observations about some aspects of the origins, purpose, and audience of sources. | Makes general inferences about the origins, purpose, and audience of sources with some detail. | Makes clear, detailed, and plausible inferences about the origins, purpose, and audience of sources. | Makes insightful, nuanced, and highly detailed inferences about the origins, purpose, and audience of sources. |
| I can decide if evidence is relevant to my investigation. | Identifies basic evidence to support their investigation and selects enough evidence for an initial investigation. | Identifies relevant evidence to support their investigation and selects enough evidence for a partial investigation. | Accurately assesses the relevance of their evidence and selects several quality sources to support a complete investigation. | Thoroughly assesses the relevance of their evidence and selects ample high quality evidence to support a deep investigation. |
| I can assess the adequacy of evidence used to justify a conclusion. | Provides a basic assessment of a few factors that indicate the adequacy of evidence used to justify a conclusion. | Provides a partial assessment of some of the factors that indicate the adequacy of evidence used to justify a conclusion. | Provides a detailed and accurate assessment of the relevance and reliability of the evidence used to justify a conclusion. | Provides a thorough, accurate, and insightful assessment of the relevance and reliability of the evidence used to justify a conclusion. |
| EXAMPLES IN CONTEXT: Students watch an old episode of Deadliest Warrior that conducts several tests to determine the winner of a hypothetical battle between Joan of Arc and William the Conqueror. The episode concludes that Joan of Arc would be the winner. Students then participate in a class discussion about the adequacy of the evidence used in the episode to justify their conclusion. | ||||
| Example | Student: “They both seemed like pretty awesome warriors. The tests they did were pretty close, so I think the battle would have been pretty close too.” | Student: “I feel like the most useful tests were the tests of the armour and the swords because that is what they needed most in the final face off. Joan’s armour and sword were better for fighting up close like they did in the end, and I think that is what they were thinking about when they decided that Joan would win.” | Student: “It is pretty clear to me that they were almost equally matched. In the tests of their weapons and armour, each had its strengths and downsides. Like how Joan’s crossbow was more accurate but harder to use while William’s was less accurate but easy to reload quickly. Every test seemed like they were basically tied even when they gave the edge to one over the other. If you choose to focus on different evidence, you could make a good argument that William should have won, but I think there’s enough evidence to prove Joan was the winner.” | Student: “I don’t think their conclusions can be justified. Joan and William lived 400 years apart, and Joan’s advantages in many of the tests that they conducted can be attributed to the significant improvements in military technology during that time. Any evidence they collected is skewed by the fact that it’s not a fair comparison in the first place.” |
| Continuity and Change | Emerging (could look like anything up until these descriptors) | Developing | Proficient | Extending (could look like anything starting from to beyond descriptors) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competency: Characterize different time periods in history, including periods of progress and decline, and identify key turning points that mark periods of change | ||||
| I can identify changes and continuities over time and space. | Begins to identify changes and continuities over time and space with guidance. | Identifies changes and continuities over time and space with some detail. | Clearly identifies changes and continuities over time and space with accuracy. | Thoroughly identifies and analyzes changes and continuities over time and space with comprehensive detail. |
| I can identify examples of progress and decline for different groups, individuals, places, or phenomena over time. | Begins to identify a few examples of progress and decline for different groups, individuals, places, or phenomena over time. | Identifies several examples of progress and decline for different groups, individuals, places, or phenomena over time with some detail. | Accurately identifies examples of progress and decline for different groups, individuals, places, or phenomena over time with detail. | Identifies and analyzes numerous examples of progress and decline for different groups, individuals, places, or phenomena over time with comprehensive detail. |
| I can explain how change occurs at different rates and in different directions for different groups, individuals, or places over time, and I can identify patterns and trends. | Begins to explain how change occurs at different rates and in different directions for different groups, individuals, or places over time. Begins to identify some patterns and trends. | Explains how change occurs at different rates and in different directions for different groups, individuals, or places over time with some detail. Identifies patterns and trends with some detail. | Accurately explains how change occurs at different rates and in different directions for different groups, individuals, or places over time. Accurately identifies patterns and trends. | Accurately explains and analyzes how change occurs at different rates and in different directions for different groups, individuals, or places over time with comprehensive detail. Analyzes patterns and trends with comprehensive detail. |
| I can identify turning points that mark periods of change and explain their impacts. | Begins to identify turning points that mark periods of change. | Identifies turning points. May address how they mark periods of change and partially explains their impacts. | Accurately identifies turning points that mark periods of change and explains their impacts. | Identifies and analyzes numerous turning points that mark periods of change, some of which may be novel, and explains their impacts with comprehensive detail. |
| EXAMPLES IN CONTEXT: Using specific case studies from the text, learners choose an invention or innovation from the time of the Renaissance, and create a short presentation entitled “How it Started How it’s Going”. Some examples may include the Printing Press, Perspective in Art, Heliocentric Theory, Navigation, etc. Learners must include an example of this innovation at the time of its popularity, its impact for progress or decline, different groups that were impacted, and a modern day example of where we might see versions of this innovation today. These statements reveal the learner’s main conclusion on continuity and change of the Printing Press. | ||||
| Example | Student communicates that the invention of the Printing Press allowed books to be made quicker, making them available to more people. Today, we use modern printers to make books even quicker. | Student describes how the Printing Press changed how knowledge was shared in the Renaissance, making books more available. Today, we can see how communication is still accessible in how we use digital publishing in the world. | Student describes how the Printing Press revolutionized communication by making access to knowledge easier. This challenged social hierarchies, and promoted progress in science, religion, and education. Today, the legacy of the Printing Press lives on in digital technologies that similarly shape how we learn and communicate. | Student explains how the Printing Press marked a turning point in the Renaissance by decentralizing knowledge, and challenging the power of religious and political authorities. While its role in democratizing knowledge continues today, the shift from physical to digital formats highlights a significant change in how we consume and control information, bringing up new questions about accessibility and misinformation. |
| Cause and Consequences | Emerging (could look like anything up until these descriptors) | Developing | Proficient | Extending (could look like anything starting from to beyond descriptors) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competency: Determine which causes most influenced particular decisions, actions, or events, and assess their short and long term consequences | ||||
| I can identify and differentiate multiple types of causes of events, decisions, and developments (e.g. direct, indirect). | Begins to identify and differentiate various causes of events, decisions, and developments, with accuracy. | Identifies and differentiates various types of causes of events, decisions, and developments with some accuracy. | Accurately identifies and differentiates various types of causes of events, decisions, and developments. | Accurately and insightfully identifies and differentiates various types of causes of events, decisions, and developments with detailed understanding. |
| I can explain how some causes are more influential than others. | Begins to explain how some causes are more influential than others. | Explains how some causes are more influential than others with some detail. | Accurately explains how some causes are more influential than others. | Thoroughly explains and analyzes how some causes are more influential than others with comprehensive detail. |
| I can differentiate between different types of consequences (e.g. short-term, long-term, unintended) and assess their impact. | Begins to differentiate between types of consequences with acknowledgment of impact. | Differentiates between various types of consequences and identifies their impact. | Accurately differentiates and assesses various types of consequences and their degree of impact. | Insightfully differentiates and assesses various types of consequences, thoroughly discussing their degree of impact. |
| EXAMPLES IN CONTEXT: Descriptor – students create a cause and consequence visual (ie. mind map, scale, etc.) to show the various causes and consequences of the Crusades. | ||||
| Example | Student creates a list of causes and consequences for the Crusades; may be types on a Doc, Slide show, or written on a piece of paper. | Student creates a slide show that lists out causes and consequences of the Crusades; may include some points about the degree of impact for some of the causes and consequences. | Student creates a visual mind map that displays various causes and consequences of the Crusades that includes discussion of most impactful causes and consequences, likely through a ranking system or scale to show which causes and consequences were more impactful. | Student creates a detailed visual platform used to represent a complex web of causes and consequences of the Crusades; likely the use of a digital tool that includes a visual representation of the causes and consequences, paired with ability to open or further explore explanations that thoroughly detail the scale of impact for each cause and consequence (ie. like a Prezi). Clear ranking system or scale is applied to show thorough understanding of all causes, consequences, and the depth of their impact. |
| Perspective | Emerging (could look like anything up until these descriptors) | Developing | Proficient | Extending (could look like anything starting from to beyond descriptors) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competency: Explain different perspectives on past or present people, places, issues, or events, and compare the values, worldviews, and beliefs of human cultures and societies in different times and places | ||||
| I can identify ways in which beliefs and values about places, issues, or events are similar and different. | Recognizes some ways in which beliefs and values about places, issues, or events are similar and different. | Identifies ways in which beliefs and values about places, issues, or events are similar and different. | Accurately identifies and explains ways in which beliefs and values about places, issues, or events are similar and different. | Identifies and evaluates ways in which beliefs and values about places, issues, or events are similar and different. |
| I can identify the beliefs, values, and worldviews of people or groups, across geographical and historical contexts. | Begins to identify the beliefs, values, and worldviews of people or groups. | Identifies the beliefs, values, and worldviews of people or groups across historical and geographical contexts. | Identifies and explains the beliefs, values, and worldviews of people or groups across historical and geographical contexts. | Identifies and analyzes the beliefs, values, and worldviews of people or groups across historical and geographical contexts. |
| I can analyze available evidence to infer the perspective of a person or group. | Begins to analyze available evidence to infer the perspective of a person or group. | Describes available evidence to infer the perspective of a person or group. | Accurately analyzes and explains available evidence to infer the perspective of a person or group. | Analyzes and evaluates available evidence to infer the perspective of a person or group. |
| EXAMPLES IN CONTEXT: Learners explore the variety of groups present at the time of the Fur Trade, and what life was like in a colony in the 16th and 17th century in what we now know as Canada. In groups of four, learners prepare for small group discussions representing a specific perspective (French Settler, Indigenous peoples, Jesuit Missionaries, Fille du roi). Three main discussion questions: What were the goals and values of the group? What challenges did this group face? How did they interact with other groups? Sensory details and empathy are emphasized when studying Indigenous peoples, avoiding stereotypes or insensitivity. |
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| Example | Learners can describe some goals of their assigned group, and share basic information about their challenges. | Learners are able to explain the goals, values, and challenges of their assigned group. They can recognize how these goals influenced their interaction with others. | Learners are able to analyze how the historical and geographic context influenced the goals, values, and challenges of their assigned group. They can clearly explain how these values and goals shaped their interaction with other groups. | Learners can evaluate how the goals, values, and challenges of their assigned group were influenced by historical and geographical factors. They can compare and contrast these perspectives with other groups, and explain how different beliefs co-existed and conflicted at the time of New France. |
| Ethical J.(JL) | Emerging (could look like anything up until these descriptors) | Developing | Proficient | Extending (could look like anything starting from to beyond descriptors) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competency: Make ethical judgments about past events, decisions, or actions, and assess the limitations of drawing direct lessons from the past | ||||
| I can consider important contextual details about a time or place before making ethical judgments. | Identifies basic contextual details about a time or place and briefly considers them as part of their ethical judgments. | Considers general contextual details about a time or place when making ethical judgments. | Analyzes relevant contextual details about a time or place, individual circumstances and changing ideas about what is right and wrong as part of making ethical judgments. | Thoroughly analyzes highly relevant contextual details about a time or place, individual circumstances and changing ideas about what is right and wrong as part of nuanced ethical judgments. |
| I can make reasoned ethical judgments about events, decisions, actions, or policies. | Makes ethical judgments about events, decisions, actions, or policies based on personal experiences. | Makes ethical judgments about events, decisions, actions, or policies based on general evidence. | Makes reasoned ethical judgments about events, decisions, actions, or policies based on relevant and reliable evidence. | Makes reasoned and nuanced ethical judgments about events, decisions, actions, or policies based on various relevant and reliable evidence. |
| I can assess the benefits and limitations of using lessons from the past to guide decisions in the present or future. | Begins to consider benefits and limitations of learning from the past. Briefly describes lessons we feel we can learn from the past. | Identifies some potential benefits and limitations of learning from the past, and provides an assessment of how they can be used to guide decisions in the present or future with some clarity and detail. | Carefully considers potential lessons from the past and provides a detailed assessment of their values and limitations for the present or future. | Identifies potential lessons from the past and provides a nuanced assessment of how they can be used to guide decisions in the present or future. |
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EXAMPLES IN CONTEXT: Students have been studying First Contact and the Columbian Exchange. After exploring the topic through a variety of resources and activities, they are asked to answer the following question: To what extent did people on all sides of the Atlantic benefit from First Contact and the Columbian Exchange? The examples are topic sentences introducing each student’s paragraph response. |
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| Example | Student forms a mostly complete paragraph that includes how people on all sides of the Atlantic had some benefits and some disadvantages from First Contact and the Columbian Exchange. | Student composes a brief paragraph that includes how the Columbian Exchange and First Contact were mostly good for Europeans and had some harsh effects on Indigenous people. | Student composes a paragraph that describes how after First Contact, Europeans benefited greatly from the Columbian Exchange as they gained new territory, resources, and wealth while Indigenous people lost their lands, resources, and lives in the face of the European invasion. | Student composes a robust paragraph that thoroughly evaluates the dynamics of the First Contact and the Columbian Exchange. Paragraph poses: when examining First Contact and the Columbian Exchange, it is clear that from the very beginning the relationship between Europeans and the peoples of both Africa and the Americas was extremely unequal and only really benefited Europeans. |