Authentic Performance
Tasks
{ An Overview
What are Performance Assessments?
“A collection of several standards-based tasks that progressively
develop and reveal student understanding of the standards.”
Why are Performance Assessments
valuable?
Inquiry
Based Learning
Authentic
Purpose
Real World
Purpose
Big
Ideas
Why are Performance Assessments
valuable?
Learning Progressions
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Why are Performance Assessments
valuable?
Aligned to
Curriculum
&
Why are Performance Assessments
valuable?
Assessment
How do I create Performance Assessments?
1. Write an Engaging Scenario
2. Design 3 – 4 Performance Tasks
3. Create a Scoring Guide for each
Performance Tasks
1. Write an Engaging Scenario
• Set a relevant, real-world context for learning unwrapped
standards (a current Situation)
• Offer the students a Challenge to meet
• Define the Role(s) the student will assume
• Identify the Audience (preferably external)
• Specify the Product/Performance that will be demonstrated
or created
S ituation
Challenge
ole
R
Audience
Product
During dinner last night, your mom
announces that her company is expanding
and has offered her a significant salary
increase to move and work in the offices
located in China. Knowing how much you
love studying social studies, your mom asks
you to investigate the benefits and
drawbacks of the two governments
(American democracy and Chinese
communism). She would like you to
determine whether the family should
relocate to China or remain in the United
States, then write a formal paper stating your
point of view supported with a counterargument, reasoning, evidence, and citations.
Your mom wants to reference your paper in
her meeting with her boss as she provides
her decision.
ROLE Examples
Advertising
Applicant
Architect
Artist
Athlete
Autobiographer
Biographer
Business Person
Campaign Worker
Cartographer
Cartoonist
Book/Movie Charac.
Chef
Citizen
Collector
Consumer
Contractor
Detective
Editor
Engineer
Executive
Famous Person
Food Critic
Inventor
Journalist
Judge
Jury Member
Lawyer
Musician
Newscaster
Parent
Photographer
Photojournalist
Playwright
Poet
Police Officer
Reporter
Researcher
Set Designer
Software Developer
Speech Writer
Stock Broker
Textbook Publisher
Tour Guide
Travel Agent
PRODUCT & PERFORMANCE Examples
Advertising Campaign
Anthem
Anthologies
Autobiography
Brochure
Business Letter
Debate
Designs for Experiments
Diorama
Ecosystem
Eulogy
Fable
Fashion Show
Film Review
Food Critique
Friendly Letter
Graphs
Inventions
Journals
Judge’s Decision
Lab Report
Lawyer’s Argument
Maps
Observation Log
Panel Discussion
Personal Narrative
Persuasive Letter
Models
Movie or Short Film
Museum Exhibit
Newspaper
PowerPoint Presentation
Prequel
Proposal
Puppet Show
Quilt
Reaction Paper
Scrapbook
Sculpture
Short Story
Symphony
Technical Manual
Travel Journals
Website
Physical Education/Health
Scenario Example

You have just been hired as one of the athletic
trainers from the United States Olympic
Training Center. You specialize in educating
young athletes about the proper training of
specific muscles and the proper techniques for
the prevention of injury. You’re job is to
produce a video that would be shown to all
Olympic Athletes on a yearly basis to raise
awareness about muscle injury and how to
prevent it.
Physical Education
Scenario: Teamwork

You are a general manager of a NBA, MLB, or NFL
team working to select your team of players. You
will make a presentation to the owner of your team
that validates the players drafted and a detailed
rationale explaining why each player would give
you the best opportunity to win a championship.
The owner will evaluate the players you have
assessed and either accept or deny your suggestion.
Music Engaging Scenario
The director of a computer company has developed a new
computer game called “Roller Coaster Fanatic.” The director has
selected you to create and compose an original theme song about
the feelings a person would have while riding a roller coaster.
After creating the theme song, you will perform it for the
director and his colleagues. They will be looking to see that it
demonstrates your understanding of how melodic line, rhythm,
dynamics, and tempo are used create feeling. The director will
evaluate your work and decide if it will be used in the computer
game.
Music Engaging Scenario
You are a composer who works on commission. A local car
dealership has decided to produce a commercial for a new
line of sports cars. The owner of the dealership is considering
hiring you to create the music for this commercial.
You will create an original melody for individual voice or the
instrument of your choice. As you compose your melody,
you must include a melodic line, a variety of rhythms, form,
and expressive qualities. In order to be hired, you must
perform your composition for the owner of the dealership.
Art Engaging Scenario

A publishing company wants to hire you as an illustrator to create a
realistic drawing or painting for the front cover of a new vegetarian
cookbook. As an artist, you are interested in being hired for this job.
In order to be considered, you must create a still life illustration
from observation using the following guidelines.

Using the elements of form, color, value, space, and implied line
you will create a still life illustration of an arrangement of at least
three fruits and/or vegetables. Your still life illustration will also be
evaluated on your use of the principles of organization: contrast,
emphasis and proportion. The editor has asked that you not use
any text with or on your drawing or painting.

The art editor of the publishing company will review and evaluate
your still life illustration and make a decision if it will be used on
the cover of the magazine.
2. Design 3-4 Performance Tasks
• Reflect priority/supporting standards
and essential questions/big ideas
• Directly align to “unwrapped skills”
and level of rigor
• Describe in detail, explicit,
step-by-step directions
• Relate in a cohesive manner to the
task before and after it
• Progress to a higher level of Bloom’s
Taxonomy as student understanding of
concepts and skills are revealed
Task 1 Examples
Task 2 Examples
(recognize, list, describe)
(interpret, summarize, compare)
Draw
Identify
Locate
Select
Label
Outline
List
Outline
Discuss
Find
Record
State
Confirm
Explain
Describe
Discuss
Highlight
Infer
Estimate
Match
Relate
Categorize
Compare
Examine
Sort
Combine
Predict
Establish
Paraphrase
Outline
Task 3 Examples
Task 4 Examples
(apply, analyze, model)
(evaluate, justify, create)
Apply
Analyze
Model
Sketch
Investigate
Plan
Hypothesize
Use
Illustrate
Classify
Arrange
Modify
Devise
Generate
Formulate
Critique
Criticize
Appraise
Compose
Appraise
Distinguish
Advertise
Experiment
Differentiate
Design
Invent
Originate
Justify
Construct
Evaluate
Recommend
3. Create a Scoring Guide for each Task
• Use specific, observable, and measurable criteria in a
language that is easily understood by all
• Match criteria directly to what the task requires and reflect
on the students’ degree of proficiency relative to the priority/
supporting standards
• Can use either qualitative or quantitative rubrics
• Begin by defining criteria for Proficient first, then Advanced,
Progressing and Beginning
Qualitative VS. Quantitative Criteria
Qualitative Criteria
Task 1: After reading the three articles, create
a chart listing the benefits and drawbacks of
American Democracy and Chinese
Communism. Be sure to examine the social,
political and economic aspects for both.
Advanced (4) - Can differentiate between social, political and economic aspects of
government; Identifies benefits and drawbacks for all three
aspects
of both governments; Can distinguish between opinion and fact
Proficient (3) – Can accurately differentiate between social, political AND economic
aspects of government; Identifies benefits and drawback for all
three
aspects of both governments
Progressing (2) – Can accurately differentiate between two of the three aspects of
government; Identifies benefits and drawbacks for two of the three
aspects of both governments
Beginning (1) – Can accurately differentiate between one of the three aspects of
government; Identifies benefits and drawbacks for one of the three
Quantitative Criteria
Task 3: Devise an effective opening paragraph that contains a
thesis statement, background information about your topic and
asserts your point of view.
Write a paragraph identifying a potential counter-argument to
your decision. Support your counter-argument with reasoning.
Write two paragraphs (one for social, political, and/or economic) to develop your
point of view and make a convincing case for that style of government.
Write a concluding paragraph to summarize your points that is grounded in logic
and not emotion.
Opening paragraph contains a thesis statement and background info
Concluding paragraph summarizes points and is grounded in logic
Spells all words correctly
Uses grammar, punctuation, and capitalization correctly
Uses appropriate and precise vocabulary to best support argument.
Advanced (4) – Meets all five requirements above
Proficient (3) – Meets four of the requirements above
Progressing (2) – Meets at least three of the requirements above
Beginning (1) – Meets at least two of the requirements above
How Do Performance Tasks Differ
From Traditional Projects?
• Performance Tasks:
• Build on earlier learning
• Student directed learning and inquiry based
• Real world based
• Completed throughout the unit
• Used as a formative assessment
• Allow for data teaming and instruction adjustment
• Traditional Projects:
• Used as a summative assessment
• Completed at the end of a unit
• No real world context
• Unable to check for student understanding until
project is completed
Questions?
Comments?
Concerns?