Baltimore County Public Schools
Office of Secondary English Language Arts
Unit 2: Student Resource
Performance Based Assessment 2
Power of the Pen: Writers as Agents of Social Change
Visual Project Choices
Multimedia Slide Show/PowerPoint
(1 person)
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Poster or Online Poster
(1 to 3 people)
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Include 5-10 slides, including words, pictures,
and sounds effectively.
Establish your topic and point of view in slide
one or in the first several slides.
Use supporting evidence from at least two
cited, reputable sources.
Address the viewpoint of your opposition
Include a conclusion which states an opinion
about what people should do in regard to the
issue.
Present the multimedia slide show to an
audience.
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Original Website or Wiki
(1 or 2 people)
Create a website that collects differing
viewpoints on your topic.
Include a definition of your chosen topic.
Use supporting evidence from at least two
cited, reputable sources.
Include a personal opinion from each group
member about what people should do in regard
to the issue.
Direct an audience to view the website or wiki
in order to leave further opinions, and feedback.
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Diary of a “Created Character”
(1 person)
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Create 5-8 ‘journal’ entries. Each must be
dated.
Create a character who deals directly with your
topic or issue
Include descriptions of ways the character is
effected by the topic or issue
Include an acknowledgement of the
opposition’s viewpoint
Include a one sentence concluding opinion
about what people should do in regard to the
issue.
Read the journal to an audience or present it
online for comment.
Grade 6 GT English Language Arts
Unit 2, PBA 2
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2
Create an organization that effectively presents
the information (web, chart, paragraph, ___...)
Include a definition of your chosen topic.
Use supporting evidence from at least two
cited, reputable sources.
Address the viewpoint of your opposition
Include at least one visual that relates to your
topic
Include a one-sentence concluding opinion
about what people should do in regard to the
issue.
Present the poster to an audience.
Newspaper Editorial
(1 person)
Examine a model of a real-life editorial in order
to use this as your ‘master text.’
Develop an interesting or surprising opening
paragraph
Include a definition of your chosen topic.
Use supporting evidence from at least two
cited, reputable sources.
Address the viewpoint of your opposition
Include a one-sentence concluding opinion
about what people should do in regard to the
issue.
Read the editorial to an audience.
Comic Strip (On paper or computer)
(1 or 2 people)
Create 2-4 page comic book, complete with art,
text blocks, and character word balloons
Create a character who deals directly with your
topic or issue
Create a story that dramatizes one person’s
conflict caused by the issue or topic.
Include an acknowledgement of the
opposition’s viewpoint
Include a one sentence concluding opinion
about what people should do in regard to the
issue.
Present the comic to an audience or present it
online for comment.
Summer 2013
Baltimore County Public Schools
Office of Secondary English Language Arts
Unit 2: Student Resource
Performance Based Assessment 2
Power of the Pen: Writers as Agents of Social Change
Performance Project Choices
Speech or Monologue
(1 person)
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Dramatic Skit
(3 to 5 people)
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Examine an example of a speech to use as your
model.
Create a two-three minute written speech or
monologue about your topic or issue
Establish your topic and point of view the first
several sentences.
Use supporting evidence from at least two
reputable sources.
Address the viewpoint of your opposition
Include a conclusion which states your opinion
about what people should do in regard to the
issue.
Present the speech or monologue to an
audience.
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Live or Pre-taped News Editorial
(2 to 3 people)
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Live or Pre-taped Podcast
(3 to 5 people)
o
Examine an example of a news-based editorial
to use as your model.
Include a short (4-10 second) introduction that
introduces the commentator by name and the
question or controversy raised by the topic or
issue.
Create a two-three minute written editorial
about your topic or issue
Include personal opinions on the topic.
Address the viewpoint of your opposition
Include a conclusion which states your opinion
about what people should do in regard to the
issue.
In the case of 3 person groups, the remaining
player will take on the role of ‘man in the
street’ at the end of the editorial, responding to
the opinions of the commentator
Present editorial live or online for comment.
Grade 6 GT English Language Arts
Unit 2, PBA 2
Create a speaking role for each member of your
group, including each created character and a
narrator
Use a narrator to set up the scene and provide
an opinion statement about the topic or issue at
the end of the skit
Create a character (the protagonist) who deals
directly with your topic or issue
Create other characters that either help or are in
conflict with the protagonist.
Create a story that dramatizes the conflict
caused by the issue or topic.
Include an acknowledgement of the
opposition’s viewpoint
Create a script (3-5 pages) for your script.
Include a one sentence concluding opinion
about what people should do in regard to the
issue. Your skit will end with the narrator’s
reading of this sentence.
Present your skit for an audience.
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3
Examine a model of a real-life pod-cast in order
to use this as a model.
Develop a rough script of the pod-cast,
including ideas to discuss and opinions to
share.
Create opinion positions for each member in
regard to the issue or topic. Assign the role of
moderator to one member of the group. At
least one member must take on the roll of
‘opposition.’
Over the course of the discussion, supporting
evidence from at least two cited, reputable
sources must be used.
Allow every member time to speak.
Each member must conclude with an opinion
statement about the topic or issue.
Perform the pod-cast live or record it online for
comment.
Summer 2013