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Please attach this to your assignments when you turn them in on the first day of school.
AP US Government and Politics Summer Assignment Rubric
Part I – Hardball Reading
Relation to
American
government and
politics
Examples and
details
Quality of writing
5 – College Level (AP)
Very sophisticated and
analytical explanation
of how each of the five
maxims relates
specifically to
American government
and politics
4 – Satisfactory
Very sophisticated and
analytical explanation
of several (3-4) of how
the five maxims relates
specifically to
American government
and politics
Provides one or more
very specific, detailed
examples from
Hardball AND provides
clear and elaborative
explanation of how
each example
demonstrates the
maxim
College level writing
with everything there
and relatively
sophisticated
Provide one or more
specific, detailed
examples from
Hardball AND provides
clear and elaborative
explanation of how
several (3-4) examples
demonstrate the
maxims
Mostly college level
writing with maybe a
few details missing, but
not major flaws
3 – Approaching
Somewhat
sophisticated and
analytical explanation
of how a couple of the
five maxims relate
specifically to
American government
and politics
Provides examples
from Hardball that
include some relevant
details AND attempts a
general explanation of
how the examples
demonstrate the
maxims
2 – Below Satisfactory
Explanation of the
maxim is very vague or
cursory, and does not
relate it directly to
American government
and politics
1 – Unsatisfactory
Work is incomplete or
of very poor quality
Provides few or no
direct examples from
Hardball
Work is incomplete or
of very poor quality
High school senior
level writing which
identifies big ideas but
lacks significant details
Student makes an
attempt, but it’s
general or vague
Work is incomplete or
of very poor quality
Part II – Current Events
Distribution of
Work
5 – College Level (AP)
6 articles
4 – Satisfactory
6 articles
3 – Approaching
6 articles
2 – Below Satisfactory
6 articles
1 – Unsatisfactory
Fewer than 6 articles
or does not meet
criteria for Below
Satisfactory
1 Supreme Court
article
1 Supreme Court
article
Topic or time of
articles comes from
only one month
1 Colorado state
government article
1 Colorado state
government article
Missing and article
about the Supreme
Court, the Colorado
state government, or
civil rights/liberties
1 civil rights/liberties
article
1 civil rights/liberties
article
3 other articles
3 other articles
1 article from June
Missing an article from
June, July, or August
Missing an article from
June, July, or August
1 article from August
Is clear about which
category of article it
falls in to
Is clear about which
category of article it
falls in to
Hints at which category
of article it falls in to
Unclear which category
of article it falls in to
Does not address
which category of
article it falls in to
Is completely focused
on the subject of the
article
Is mostly focused on
the subject of the
article
Is mostly focused on
the subject of the
article
Is mostly unfocused on
the subject of the
article
Is not focused on the
subject of the article
Completely
summarizes the main
ideas of the article
Completely
summarizes the most
of the main ideas of the
article
Mostly college level
writing with maybe a
few details missing, but
not major flaws
Mostly summarizes the
main ideas of the
article
Does not summarize
the main ideas of the
article
Does not focus on main
ideas of article
High school senior
level writing which
identifies big ideas but
lacks significant details
Student makes an
attempt, but it’s
general or vague
Work is incomplete or
of very poor quality
1 article from July
Summaries
Quality of writing
College level writing
with everything there
and relatively
sophisticated