7th Grade Performance Assessment – World War I
Scenario:
It is April 2, 1917; you are a United States Congressman. President Woodrow
Wilson just made a speech asking Congress to declare war against Germany. You need
to help the other congressmen from your state decide if they will vote for or against the
declaration of war. You have assembled a collection of data to support the argument
you will present to your fellow congressmen, including pictures, maps, documents, and
newspaper articles on the war. The time to vote is coming up quickly, so you will have
only have 2-3 minutes to convince them that declaring war is either good or bad for the
country.
Task: Choose one of the following options to explain your response to the scenario above. You
will use the attached documents to support your position.
This summative assignment is worth 25 points-see rubric next page.
Informational Pamphlet –
Write a short speech and create a pamphlet that
congressmen could use to show their constituents
(voters) how entering the war is either good or bad
for the country.
Propaganda Poster –
Write a short speech and create a poster that
congressmen could use to show their constituents
(voters) how entering the war is either good or bad
for the country.
This summative assignment is worth 25 points:
TASK
Use of sources
MASTERY
I used information
from multiple sources
to support my point of
view.
PROGRESSING
I used information
from a source to
support my point of
view.
BEGINNING
I did not use information
from sources to support
my point of view.
6 points
4 points
I demonstrated how
each source supported
my point of view.
I demonstrated how
some sources
supported my point of
view.
4 points
I did not show how the
sources I chose
supported my point of
view.
2 points
6 points
My ideas are organized
and expressed clearly
and there are multiple
details and historic
references.
My ideas are expressed
clearly, but have few
details or historic
references to support
my position.
My ideas are
unorganized, and are not
supported with details,
historical references or
examples.
2 points
6 points
My product
demonstrates an
understanding of the
factors that had to be
considered when
deciding whether or
not the United States
would enter WWI.
6 points
4 points
My product
demonstrates an
understanding that a
decision had to be
made in Congress on
whether or not the
United States should
enter WWI.
4 points
2 points
Explanations of how
source supports your
point of view
Ability to evaluate,
illustrate or describe
issues
Understanding of
significant content
Name and block on the back 1 point
My product
demonstrates an
understanding that the
U.S. decided to enter
WWI.
2 points
SOURCE #1
Think: What is the president asking Congress to do in this speech? Why does he think it’s
the right thing to do? Why does he think this war should be a concern of the United
States?
“The world must be made safe for democracy…We have no selfish ends to serve. We
desire no conquest, no dominion. We seek no indemnities for ourselves, no material
compensation for the sacrifices we shall freely make. We are but one of the
champions of the rights of mankind…”
-President Wilson, from his address to Congress, April 2, 1917
Source #2
Think: What happened to the Lusitania in May 1915? Who was on it? What was on it? Did
this event have any effect on Americans?
Source #3
Think: Which countries are involved in the war? Which countries are allied with each other?
Which side will the U.S. join if Congress declares war on Germany? Why?
SOURCE #4
Think: The Zimmermann telegram (February 1917) was sent in code. Who sent it? Who was
the intended receiver? What did it say? What did it have to do with the U.S.? How did
Americans react?
telegram in code
translation of coded
telegram
SOURCE #5
Think: How many soldiers does the U.S. have at the time of President Wilson’s speech in April 1917? How
many soldiers do the other countries have? How well prepared is the U.S. to fight a war? What does the U.S.
government need to be prepared to do if we declare war on Germany? What will regular Americans need to
be willing to do?
Military Personnel by Country 1914-1917
14,000,000
12,000,000
10,000,000
8,000,000
6,000,000
4,000,000
2,000,000
0