Performance Assessment – Level 4
Theme(s): Cultural Diversity / Self Identity
Unit: Language Diversity
Essential Question: What aspects in our lives are influenced by language?
Performance Assessments:
Speaking Assessment
Your teacher assigns a certain role or identity to you (country of origin, ethnic background,
minority/majority, linguistic characteristics, etc.). Based on your identity, you need to prepare a
presentation about yourself, your culture, and the role of your culture in the target culture.
Writing Assessment
You have to write a letter to a company applying for a job. In this letter you must explain why your
intercultural background, understanding of different cultures and linguistic characteristics are extremely
useful for this position.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Theme(s): Family and Community
Unit: Human Rights
Essential Question: How are human rights recognized around the world?
Speaking Assessment
Debate one of the following prompts.
“People despise those who are different.”
“Are human right violated when protecting cultural heritage or is it xenophobia?”
Writing Assessment
Imagine you are a journalist in the target country. Write a newspaper article concerning a human rights
violation.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Theme(s): Leisure
Unit: Social Status Indicator through Leisure Activities
Essential Question: How do leisure activities indicate social status?
Speaking Assessment
You are doing a short oral presentation about sports in which you are going to respond to the following
question, “Do we play to win or do we play for the experience of sharing the game with each other?”
Defend your position.
Respond to visual prompt. Describe the scene, and explain how the circumstances relate to your own
travel experiences. Have you experienced something like this? If you haven’t, would you like to? What
do you find interesting about the scene? Would you pick a different picture for your ideal vacation? Why
or why not?
Writing Assessment
You have received an email from your e-pal who has written you about his/her favorite sports to watch
and to play. Write him/her back telling him/her about your favorite sport and favorite player and how
this sport defines who you are in society.
You and your class just got back from a vacation in the jungle, forest, mountains, beach…Write a
brochure addressing the students who are planning to take a similar trip next year. In the brochure,
include recommendations and suggestions as to what do/not to do, where to go/where not to go, what
to take/not to take etc.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Theme(s): Communication and Media
Unit: Media through generations
Essential Question: How does the use of media for communication differ through generations?
Speaking Assessment:
You are participating in a panel discussion (on the panel is a mediator, a famous person/ a paparazzo,/ a
grandparent, a teenager etc.) Address this question: Is it more important to hook the audience or to tell
the truth?
Writing Assessment:
Has technology had a positive or negative effect on the way we receive and distribute information?
Express your opinion in the essay giving specific details.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Theme(s): Health
Unit: Health Care
Essential Question: How does health care influences our lives?
Speaking Assessment:
Give a speech about the health risks that smoking causes to both the smoker and those exposed to the
smoke.
Writing Assessment:
Create a flyer educating people about the advantages and/or the disadvantages of vaccinations.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Theme(s): Science and Technology
Unit: Current Advances in Science and Technology
Essential Question: How do advances in science and technology influence our lives?
Speaking Assessment:
Research a famous scientist in the target culture. Prepare an oral presentation with details about his/her
life, how he or she became famous, and how his/her research impacted the world.
Writing Assessment:
You assume the personality of a famous scientist and write your own autobiography.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Theme(s): Customs and Traditions
Unit: Etiquette
Essential Question: How does etiquette differ amongst cultures?
Speaking Assessment:
You have just broken one of the etiquette rules outlined in your exchange contract. Roll play the way
the conversation would go between you and your host family.
Writing Assessment:
Assume the role of a family hosting an American exchange student. Make a list of dos and don’ts
outlining your expectations for the student concerning meal times, domestic responsibilities,
energy/water conservation, communication about curfews friends etc.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Theme(s): Global Issues
Unit: Climate Change
Essential Question: How could climate change influence our lives?
Speaking Assessment:
Respond to a visual stimulus. (Earthquake in Haiti, Tsunami in Japan, water levels in Germany, volcanos
in Mexico etc) Express your reaction with your comments questions and opinions.
Writing Assessment:
Create a flyer educating people about how to be prepared for a natural disaster.
(Fires/earthquakes/floods/hurricanes/mudslides etc.)