Creation of the Two-Party System
Course
Political Science I
Unit VI
People and
Politics
Essential
Question
Why does the US
have a two-party
system?
TEKS
§130.183(c)
(10)(A)
Prior Student
Learning
None
Estimated Time
5–7 hours
Rationale
Knowledge of the two-party system and its history is essential to careers in
GPA.
Objectives
The students will be able to:
1. Identify the origins of the two major political parties in the US
2. Discuss the history of the Republican Party in the US
3. Discuss the history of the Democratic Party in the US
4. Explain how the two-party system evolved in the US
5. Identify how a person can be elected to represent one of the two
major parties
6. Debate the necessity of the electoral college
7. Simulate a presidential debate
8. Analyze the congressional districts of Texas
9. Write a research paper about the New Deal Era
Engage
Have students informally debate the necessity of the electoral college in the
US. Many people argue that the electoral college is an outdated concept and
that Congress should amend the US Constitution. Have the students choose
whether the electoral college should remain intact or an amendment should
be created to dissolve this process. Use the Discussion Rubric or the Debate
Rubric for assessment.
Key Points
I. How did the two-party political system begin in the US?
A. The roots of the two-party system
1. The two-party system in the US has been around since about
1800 (Schmidt, Shelley, Bardes & Ford, 2012, p. 279)
2. The evolution of the US’s political parties can be divided into
seven different periods
a) 1789-1816: The creation of the parties
b) 1816-1828: The era of one-party rule, or personal politics
c) 1828-1860: The period from Andrew Jackson’s Presidency to
just before the Civil War
d) 1860-1896: The Civil War and Post Civil-War
e) 1896-1932: The Republican ascendency and the Progressive
Period
f) 1932-1968: The New Deal Period
g) 1968 to the present: The Modern Period
3. The first political division in the US occurred just before the
adoption of the US Constitution
a) The Federalist Party pushed for the adoption of the US
Constitution, while the Anti-Federalists wanted to adopt the
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4.
5.
6.
Articles of Confederation
b) The Federalist Party mainly consisted of property owners,
merchants of the Northeast, and the wealthy
(1) Pro-British, Anti-French
c) The Anti-Federalist Party mainly consisted of small farmers,
shopkeepers, and laborers
(1) Anti-British, Pro-French
d) The Federalist Party favored a powerful central government
with a two-house legislature
(1) The upper house consisted of elected officials who
served six-year terms and were far removed from “the
people”
(2) Comparable to the House of Lords in Great Britain
e) The Anti-Federalist Party wanted stronger state
governments, which were closer to “the people”
(1) They also sought small electoral districts and
unicameral legislature
In the years after the ratification of the US Constitution, the US
eventually experienced the evolution of the two-party system
a) These two-parties consisted of the Federalist and the AntiFederalist
b) The party system refers to the numbers and competitiveness
of political parties in a polity; for example, a government may
have a two-party system in which one party is ascending in
power
George Washington strongly opposed the concept of political
parties
a) His presidency was during an era of no formal parties
b) Although he ruled during an era of no formal parties, he knew
that party development was inevitable
(1) Future leaders would need legislators to band together
to pass legislation
c) During the presidency of George Washington, Alexander
Hamilton was secretly gathering legislators who would
eventually form the Federalist Party
d) At the same time, Thomas Jefferson feared a strong national
government and organized a group of supporters that would
rival Hamilton and the Federalists
After George Washington stepped down after two terms, the first
political parties were present in the presidential election of 1796
a) Federalist John Adams defeated Anti-Federalist Thomas
Jefferson in the election of 1796
b) Jefferson then began an election campaign across the
country with the Anti-Federalist Party, which included putting
ads in political newspapers and visiting local partisan groups
that were starting to form in the states
(1) Thomas Jefferson defeated John Adams in the election
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of 1800
The Electoral College was created so that it could ensure the
Founding Fathers that the elections were not in the hands of
the uneducated masses
(1) The electors come from the US Congress
d) The Electoral College is responsible for the election of the
President and Vice-President of the US as stated by Article II
Section 1 of the US Constitution
(1) The Constitution was amended in 1804, stating that
electors could cast separate ballots for the President
and Vice-President
(2) This is the 12th Amendment to the US Constitution
e) Since the US Constitution states the candidate must have a
majority of electoral votes to win the office of the Presidency,
this by default creates a two-party system
(1) Currently, the candidate running for President of the US
must receive 271 electoral votes of the 538 in order to
be elected
B. America is a two-party system and always has been
1. There are many minor parties around in the US
a) Libertarian Party
b) Socialist Party
c) Reform Party
d) Green Party
e) All minor parties rarely have a chance to win a major office,
but they can affect elections
(1) For example, Ross Perot’s effect on the 1992
Presidential election
2. The core function of both political parties in the US is to win
elections
c)
II. What is the historical timeline of the Republican Party in the US?
A. The Republican Party rose in the 1850s
1. The Republican Party began as the “antislavery party”
a) In 1860, the Republicans elected their first President of the
US, Abraham Lincoln
b) The election of Abraham Lincoln helped to ignite the Civil
War
c) The Republican Party thrived for more than 60 years
(1) The Republicans controlled most of the North while the
Democrats controlled the South
d) The second Republican era was initiated by a bitter
presidential election between Democrat William Jennings
Bryan and Republican William McKinley
(1) The Republicans favored the gold standard,
industrialization, banking, high tariffs, and the working
industrial class
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e) The Republicans remained the nation’s majority party until
the stock market crashed in 1929, causing the Great
Depression
B. Republicans remained silent until the election of 1952
1. Dwight Eisenhower was the first Republican elected to the office
of the Presidency since Herbert Hoover
a) Eisenhower did not reignite the Republicans’ momentum with
his election
(1) Eisenhower served two terms as President before being
replaced by Democratic candidate John F. Kennedy
b) During Eisenhower’s presidency, the Democrats controlled
the House and the Senate in every congressional term
except 1953-1955 (Edwards, Wattenberg & Lineberry, 2011,
p. 664)
C. The shift of the South
1. After Eisenhower, the Democrats remained in control of the
Presidency until the election of Richard Nixon in 1968
a) Nixon formulated the “southern strategy,” which emphasized
supporting states’ rights, law and order, and strong military
posture in Vietnam
b) The South began to slowly shift in favor of the Republicans in
1968 and is currently a Republican stronghold
III. What is the historical timeline of the Democratic Party in the US?
A. The Democratic Republicans
1. The party that finally challenged the Federalist Party after
President John Adams was the Democratic-Republican Party
a) The Democratic-Republican Party was led by Virginians:
Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe
(1) All of whom eventually became President of the US
b) This party derived its coalition from agrarian interests rather
than from the growing number of capitalists who supported
the Federalists
(1) However, like George Washington (Federalist), Thomas
Jefferson did not agree with political parties either
c) By 1816, the Federalist Party had virtually collapsed and twoparty competition did not really exist
2. In 1828 Andrew Jackson was elected to be President of the US
and founded the modern American political party known as the
Democrats
a) The Democratic Party was a coalition of Westerners,
Southerners, and new immigrants
b) Jackson was initially a Democratic-Republican, but when he
became President he quickly dropped the “Republican” and
his party became simply known as the Democrats
c) The policy of these Democrats was to broaden political
opportunity to the American people by eliminating elitism and
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mobilizing the masses
d) The competition among the Democrats and the Whigs was
fierce, closely matched, and brought the US its first broadly
supported two-party system
(1) The issue of slavery became a divisive issue in the US
during this time and eventually led to the demise of the
Whig Party
(2) The Whig Party was eventually replaced by the
Republican Party in the 1850s
B. The silent era for the Democratic Party
1. The Republican Party entered an era of dominance during the
Civil War Era
a) Political machines started to gain control of local and state
government, fueled by immigration from Europe
(1) Most notably Tammany Hall, which was New York City’s
Democratic political machine run by Richard Crocker
b) Although political machines like Tammany Hall were corrupt
and disrupted the political process, they generated
widespread political participation and helped to integrate
immigrants to the political process
c) The Democrats attempted to end the age of Republican
dominance by running William Jennings Bryan as the
Democratic presidential candidate in 1896
(1) The Democratic Party in 1896 appealed primarily to
Protestants, Southerners, Midwesterners, and rural
dwellers
d) Bryan lost the election to William McKinley, which laid the
foundation for Republican rule until the election of FDR in
1932
C. Democratic Dominance 1932-1968
1. The stock market crash of 1929 sent the economy into the Great
Depression, which motivated the election of FDR in 1932
a) President Franklin D. Roosevelt urged for increased
governmental role in promoting the public welfare
b) President FDR created the New Deal Coalition, which
(1) Was a coalition forged by the Democrats from the
1930s-1960s
(2) Was designed to appeal to several different classes of
American citizens
(a) Urban Dwellers, Labor Unions, Catholics, Jews,
the Poor, Southerners, and African-Americans
c) The Democrats remained in control of the Presidency, the
Senate, and the House of Representatives from 1932-1953
(1) Except for 1947-1949, the Republicans controlled the
House and Senate
d) The Republicans did not have a president until Dwight D.
Eisenhower in 1953
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2.
The Vietnam Era
a) The “Southern Strategy” waged by Republicans during the
Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement changed the
once Democratic-controlled South
b) The Democrats have not had a stronghold in the South since
the late 1980s
IV. How has the two-party system changed in the US?
A. Moving away from “party politics”
1. Candidate-centered politics
a) Following World War II, politics began to shift away from
political parties to focus more on the actual candidate who
was running
(1) World War II weakened the party system because of
extensive social change
b) Candidate-centered politics focuses on the candidates’
particular issues and character
c) Candidates started to have more power in how they
conducted their campaigns and how they obtained resources
(1) Interest groups and lobbyists started to replace what the
weaker parties could not support
d) Candidates became very reliant on interest groups and
lobbyists for support
(1) Candidates often took resources from a variety of
organizations or groups
2. Party machines decline
a) The flow of immigrants dropped dramatically during and after
World War II, so party machines lost power in many urban
cities
b) FDR and the New Deal Coalition replaced the idea of the
party machines because social services began to be seen as
a right, not a privilege
(1) In exchange, citizens just needed to support FDR’s
political party
c) During the era of party machines, citizens were very loyal to
their political parties and many presidential elections saw a
voter turnout of 75 percent or higher (O’Conner, Sabato &
Yanus, 2011, p. 393)
(1) Today voter turnout has declined drastically, only about
50-60 percent of today’s population will vote in a
presidential election (O’Conner, Sabato & Yanus, 2011,
p. 363)
B. The current organization of the two political parties
1. The National Party
a) The national party for the two parties is the pinnacle of the
party system in the US
b) The primary function of the national parties is to establish a
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2.
3.
unified vision in which citizens can identify nationwide
(1) Every four years the national party meets to reevaluate
policies and nominate a candidate to run for President
of the US
c) The national parties are supposed to represent the diversity
of the citizens throughout the US
d) The national parties also help fund particular candidates
throughout the US in local and state elections to ensure that
their political candidate gets elected into office
The State Party
a) The state parties have become significantly more effective
over the past several decades
(1) State parties have helped with fundraising, campaign
events, registration drives, and publicity of a particular
candidate
b) The state political parties are made up of a collection of local
party organizations
c) These state parties are very influential in getting a particular
candidate elected
(1) The national parties are also interested in the state
parties because oftentimes a state election can
influence a national election
The Local Party
a) The local parties act as the foot soldiers for the state and
national parties
b) The local parties are often supplemented by funds from the
state and national parties
(1) Local parties are always working to enhance party
loyalty of voters
c) Grassroots campaigns begin at the local level
V. How does a candidate get elected to run for office?
A. Types of elections
1. Primary elections
a) Voters decide which of the candidates within a party will
represent the party in the general election
b) Primaries are elections between candidates from the same
party
(1) Primary elections determine which candidate represents
the party in the general election
c) Primaries occur in two different forms
(1) Closed primaries – a primary election in which only a
party’s registered voters are eligible to cast a ballot
(2) Open primaries – a primary election in which party
members, independents, and sometimes members of
the other party are allowed to participate
d) Closed or open primaries are determined by each individual
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state
(1) Texas has an open primary system
e) Some political scientists claim that the closed primary system
is a more accurate representation of what will occur in the
general election
f) In ten states, a candidate must receive a majority of the
votes in order to run in the general election
2. Runoff primaries
a) Runoff primaries are elections that occur in states in which
one of the primary candidates must receive 50 percent of the
votes
(1) Texas has runoff primary elections; candidates must
receive 50 percent of the votes in the initial primary
election
b) The runoff primaries are narrowed down to the two
candidates from the initial primary elections who received the
most votes
(1) One of the candidates is guaranteed to receive a
majority of the votes in the runoff primary
c) The candidate that wins the primary election is the party
representative in the general election in November
3. Caucuses
a) This is the oldest, most party-orientated method of choosing
a candidate
b) The caucus used to be a closed meeting of party activists in
each state that selected the party’s presidential candidate
(1) Today, caucuses are more open and attract a widerrange of party participants
4. The General Election
a) Voters decide which candidates actually fill elective public
offices
b) These elections are held at the municipal, county, state, and
national levels
c) General elections are elections between candidates from
opposing parties
B. Campaigning
1. Fundraising
a) Fundraising is the most important function that candidates
must do to ensure their victory in an election
b) Fundraising can be obtained from individuals, political
parties, and Political Action Committees (PACs)
(1) PACs are fundraising organizations that represent the
interests groups in the political process
c) Fundraising is used to purchase television air time,
informational pamphlets, and yard signs, to pay political
consultants as well as many more activities
d) Candidates often host fundraising events to help raise money
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for their campaign
(1) Candidates who have raised the most money are often
the winner of their elections
C. Campaign effectiveness
1. Are they worth it?
a) Over 50 years of research on political campaigns has led to
the conclusion that campaigns reinforce and activate; they
rarely convert (Edwards, Wattenberg, Lineberry, 2011, p.
274)
b) Most people pay little attention to campaigns and have
selective perception
(1) Selective perception states that people’s beliefs often
guide what they pay the most attention to and how they
interpret events
c) Long term party affiliation influences voting behavior
regardless of a campaign
d) Incumbents have a substantial advantage over their
competing candidates
Activities
1. Presidential Debate. Have the students simulate a presidential debate
from the election of 1800 (the election between John Adams and Thomas
Jefferson). Divide the class into two groups. Have one group conduct
research on the platform of the Federalists and the other group conduct
research on the platform of the Democratic-Republicans. Have each
group select a representative to participate in the debate. Use the Group
Evaluation Rubric and the Peer Evaluation Rubric for assessment.
(Optional activity extension: The debate may be filmed and shown to GPA
classes. Then, students can vote on who they would want to be President
of the US. The students who are not selected to perform in the debate
would be responsible for creating campaign posters and slogans to be
placed around the school.)
2. Turn Texas Blue? Texas is considered to be a “Red State,” but some say
that in the next 15-20 years Texas could become a “Blue State.” Have
students research how each congressional district voted in the most
recent Presidential election. Then have students hypothesize and
determine which congressional districts must change their vote in order
for Texas to become a “Blue State.” Use the Research Rubric, the
Individual Work Rubric or the Discussion Rubric for assessment.
Assessments
Creation of the Two-Party System Quiz and Key
Debate Rubric
Discussion Rubric
Group Evaluation Rubric
Individual Work Rubric
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Peer Evaluation Rubric
Research Rubric
Materials
Creation of the Two-Party System computer-based presentation
Creation of the Two-Party System Key Terms
Resources
Edwards, George, Martin Wattenberg, and Robert Lineberry. Government in
America: People, Politics and Policy. 15. New York City: Longman,
2011. Chapter 17 & 21. Print.
Harrison, Brigid, and Jean Harris. American Democracy Now. 2. New York
City: McGraw Hill Company, 2011. Chapter 15 & 18. Print.
O'Conner, Karen, Larry Sabato, and Alixandra Yanus. American
Government: Roots and Reform. 2011. New York City: Longman, 2011.
Chapter 4 & 18. Print.
Patterson, Thomas. The American Democracy. 9th. New York City: McGraw
Hill Higher Education, 2009. Ch. 15 & 18. Print.
Schmidt, Steffan, Mack Shelley, Barbara Bardes, and Lynne Ford. American
Government and Politics Today. 2011-2012. Boston: Wadsworth
Cenage Learning, 2012. Chapter 17 &19. Print.
Accommodations for Learning Differences
For reinforcement, students will create a Venn diagram in which they identify
the platforms of the Democrats and the Republicans. In the middle of the
Venn diagram, the students will identify certain issues on which the
Democrats and Republicans could agree. Use the Individual Work Rubric for
assessment.
For enrichment, students will write a 2-3-page research paper about the New
Deal Era and how it impacted the US. Use the Research Rubric for
assessment.
State Education Standards
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career and Technical Education
§130.183. Political Science I (One to Two Credits).
(10) The student examines the role of political parties in the US
system of government. The student is expected to:
(A)
discuss the functions of the two-party system;
College and Career Readiness Standards
Social Studies Standards
I. Interrelated Disciplines and Skills
B. Periodization and chronological reasoning
3. Analyze causes and effects of major political, economic, and
social changes in U.S. and world history.
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Creation of the Two-Party System Key Terms
Caucus – a meeting of all members of the political party in one chamber in which they elect
leaders, approve committee assignments, and elect committee chairpersons
General Election – an election that determines which candidates win the offices being sought
Majority Rule – the idea that in a democracy only policies with 50 percent plus one vote are
enacted, and only candidates that win 50 percent plus one vote are elected
Party Identifiers – individuals who identify themselves as a member of one party or the other
Party System – the categorization of the number and competitiveness of political parties in a
polity
Political Action Committees (PACs) – a group that raises and spends money to influence the
outcome of an election
Political Machines – a party organization that recruits voter loyalty with tangible incentives
and is characterized by a high degree of control over member activity
Primary Elections – an election in which voters choose the party’s candidates who will run in
the later general election
The Electoral College – a group of people elected by votes in each state to elect the
president and the vice-president
Winner-Take-All – an electoral system in which the candidate who receives the most votes
wins that office
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Name:_________________________
Date:___________________________
Creation of the Two-Party System Quiz
1. _____What is a political party’s core function?
A To organize a national office
B To guide policymaking decisions
C To organize fundraising events
D To try and win elections
2. _____Although minor parties rarely have a chance to win elections, they do which of the
following?
A They promote a broad range of moderate policy ideas
B They will replace one of the major parties during realignment
C They can affect election outcomes
D They have no impact on the political process
3. _____A difference in primaries and caucuses is which of the following?
A Participation in caucuses is much lower than turnout for primaries
B Caucuses occur in more states than primaries
C Participants must register to participate in a caucus
D Media attention is more important in the caucuses
4. _____In certain states, if a candidate does not receive a majority of the votes in a primary
election, the candidate must campaign for which of the following?
A Party election
B Runoff election
C Winner take all election
D Majority election
5. _____Which of the following events caused politics to shift towards a more candidatecentered politics?
A World War I
B World War II
C Vietnam War
D September 11th
6. _____Which of the following factors contributes most to the cost of a campaign?
A Direct-mail pamphlets
B Printing posters and campaign paraphernalia
C Hiring campaign organizers
D Television advertising
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7. _____The first two political parties in the US are considered to be which of the following?
A The Democrats and the Republicans
B The Democratic-Republicans and the Federalists
C The Whigs and the Federalists
D The Federalists and the Anti-Federalists
8. _____All of the following citizens supported the New Deal Coalition except?
A Urban elite
B Labor unions
C Jews
D Southerners
9. _____Which statement best describes a political machine?
A Used by citizens to influence the selection of political leaders or the polices in which
they pursue
B A type of political party organization that relies heavily on material inducements, such
as patronage, to win votes and to govern
C The process through which individuals in a society acquire political attitudes, views,
and knowledge
D The process by which we select our political leaders
10. _____Who is responsible for the election of the President and Vice-President of the US?
A The Senate
B The House of Representatives
C The Electoral College
D The Supreme Court
11. _____How many electoral votes must a candidate receive in order to be elected
President of the US?
A 50
B 435
C 270
D 271
12. _____The US is a two-party system because most elections are considered to be which
of the following?
A Winner-Take-All elections
B Majority elections
C Proportional elections
D Representative elections
13. _____All of the following statements describe local political parties except?
A They do not influence the parties at the state and national levels
B They are considered to be the foot soldiers of the state and national parties
C They are funded by the state and national parties
D They are responsible for the organization of grassroots movements
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14. _____The primary function of a Political Action Committee is which of the following?
A Create television ads for political candidates during election season
B Organize volunteers
C Help raise and spend money to influence an election
D Develop campaign slogans
15. _____Which of the following statements is incorrect?
A Campaigns reinforce and activate people to become involved in the political process
B Incumbents have a substantial advantage over competing candidates
C Campaigns have little to no effect on people who are affiliate with a political party
D Most people pay little attention to campaigns
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Creation of the Two-Party System Quiz Key
1. D
2. C
3. A
4. B
5. B
6. D
7. D
8. A
9. B
10. C
11. C
12. A
13. A
14. C
15. C
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Name_______________________________
Date________________
Group Evaluation
Group 1
Did the group take the assignment seriously?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Yes
10
Could you tell what the group was trying to portray?
No
1
2
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7
8
9
Yes
10
Was the group portrayal creative?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
9
Yes
10
9
Yes
10
7
Did the group include the correct elements?
No
1
2
3
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5
6
7
8
8
Would you like to see this group demonstrate its talent for you in the future?
No
Yes
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Total Score_______
Group 2
Did the group take the assignment seriously?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Could you tell what the group was trying to portray?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Was the group portrayal creative?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Did the group include the correct elements?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
8
9
Yes
10
9
Yes
10
9
Yes
10
9
Yes
10
Would you like to see this group demonstrate its talent for you in the future?
No
Yes
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Total Score_______
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Group 3
Did the group take the assignment seriously?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Yes
10
Could you tell what the group was trying to portray?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Yes
10
Was the group portrayal creative?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
8
9
Yes
10
8
9
Yes
10
7
Did the group include the correct elements?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Would you like to see this group demonstrate its talent for you in the future?
No
Yes
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Total Score_______
Group 4
Did the group take the assignment seriously?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Yes
10
Could you tell what the group was trying to portray?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Yes
10
Was the group portrayal creative?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
8
9
Yes
10
8
9
Yes
10
7
Did the group include the correct elements?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Would you like to see this group demonstrate its talent for you in the future?
No
Yes
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Total Score_______
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Group 5
Did the group take the assignment seriously?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Yes
10
Could you tell what the group was trying to portray?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Yes
10
Was the group portrayal creative?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
8
9
Yes
10
8
9
Yes
10
7
Did the group include the correct elements?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Would you like to see this group demonstrate its talent for you in the future?
No
Yes
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Total Score_______
Group 6
Did the group take the assignment seriously?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Yes
10
Could you tell what the group was trying to portray?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Yes
10
Was the group portrayal creative?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
8
9
Yes
10
8
9
Yes
10
7
Did the group include the correct elements?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Would you like to see this group demonstrate its talent for you in the future?
No
Yes
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Total Score_______
18
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
Your Name___________________________________ Your Group Number_______
Peer Evaluation
1) Name of Student________________________________________
At what level of seriousness did they take this activity?
Not Very Serious
Very Serious
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to the brainstorming process?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to preparing for the activity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
What was the level of their participation in the activity(s)?
None
A Lot
0
1
2
3
4
Would you want to work with this person in a group again based on
their level of productivity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Total Score_______
2) Name of Student________________________________________
At what level of seriousness did they take this activity?
Not Very Serious
Very Serious
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to the brainstorming process?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to preparing for the activity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
What was the level of their participation in the activity(s)?
None
A Lot
0
1
2
3
4
Would you want to work with this person in a group again based on
their level of productivity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Total Score_______
19
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
3) Name of Student________________________________________
At what level of seriousness did they take this activity?
Not Very Serious
Very Serious
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to the brainstorming process?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to preparing for the activity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
What was the level of their participation in the activity(s)?
None
A Lot
0
1
2
3
4
Would you want to work with this person in a group again based on
their level of productivity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Total Score_______
4) Name of Student________________________________________
At what level of seriousness did they take this activity?
Not Very Serious
Very Serious
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to the brainstorming process?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to preparing for the activity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
What was the level of their participation in the activity(s)?
None
A Lot
0
1
2
3
4
Would you want to work with this person in a group again based on
their level of productivity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Total Score_______
20
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
5) Name of Student________________________________________
At what level of seriousness did they take this activity?
Not Very Serious
Very Serious
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to the brainstorming process?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to preparing for the activity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
What was the level of their participation in the activity(s)?
None
A Lot
0
1
2
3
4
Would you want to work with this person in a group again based on
their level of productivity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Total Score_______
6) Name of Student________________________________________
At what level of seriousness did they take this activity?
Not Very Serious
Very Serious
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to the brainstorming process?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to preparing for the activity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
What was the level of their participation in the activity(s)?
None
A Lot
0
1
2
3
4
Would you want to work with this person in a group again based on
their level of productivity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Total Score_______
21
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
Name:____________________________________
Date:_____________________________________
Debate Rubric
Objectives
4 pts.
Excellent
3 pts.
Good
2 pts. Needs Some
Improvement
1 pt. Needs Much
Improvement
N/A
Pts.
Information
Clear, accurate and thorough
Facts, statistics and/or
examples used to support major
points.
Communication
Respectful body language
Respectful responses
Focused/On-topic
Sarcasm avoided
Participation
Full participation
Attentive listening
Total Points (32 pts.)
Comments:
22
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
Name_______________________________________
Date_______________________________
Discussion Rubric
Objectives
4 pts.
Excellent
3 pts.
Good
2 pts. Needs Some
Improvement
1 pt. Needs Much
Improvement
N/A
Pts.
Participates in group discussion
Encourages others to join the
conversation
Keeps the discussion progressing
to achieve goals
Shares thoughts actively while
offering helpful recommendations to
others
Gives credit to others for their ideas
Respects the opinions of others
Involves others by asking questions
or requesting input
Expresses thoughts and ideas
clearly and effectively
Total Points (32 pts.)
Comments:
23
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
Name______________________________________
Date_______________________________________
Individual Work Rubric
4 pts.
Excellent
Objectives
3 pts.
Good
2 pts. Needs Some
Improvement
1 pt. Needs Much
Improvement
N/A
Pts.
Follows directions
Student completed the work as directed,
following the directions given, in order and to the
level of quality indicated
Time management
Student used time wisely and remained on task
100% of the time
Organization
Student kept notes and materials in a neat,
legible, and organized manner. Information was
readily retrieved
Evidence of learning
Student documented information in his or her
own words and can accurately answer questions
related to the information retrieved
*Research/Gathering information (if relevant)
Student used a variety of methods and sources
to gather information. Student took notes while
gathering information
Total Points (20 pts.)
Comments:
24
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
Name______________________________________
Date_______________________________________
Research Rubric
4 pts.
Excellent
Objectives
3 pts.
Good
2 pts. Needs Some
Improvement
1 pt. Needs Much
Improvement
N/A
Pts.
Question/goal
Student identified and communicated a question
or goal of the research
Research/Gathering information (if relevant)
Student used a variety of methods and sources
to gather information. Student took notes while
gathering information
Conclusion/Summary
Student drew insightful conclusions and
observations from the information gathered.
Information is organized in a logical manner
Communication
Student communicated the information gathered
and summary or conclusions persuasively.
Student demonstrated skill in the use of media
used to communicate the results of research
Reflection
Student reflected on the importance of the
research and its potential application
Total Points (20 pts.)
Comments:
25
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.