School Improvement in Maryland
Public Release Item Scoring Information Return

Goal 1 Political Systems

Expectation 1.1 The student will demonstrate understanding of the structure and functions of government and politics in the United States.

Indicator 1.1.1 The student will analyze historic documents to determine the basic principles of United States government and apply them to real-world situations.

Assessment Limits:

  • Documents: Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Students are to know which rights/protections are addressed by the first ten amendments. Students are not expected to know the contents of any document by number.
  • Other documents and amendments may be used to assess the principles, but information will be provided.
  • Basic principles: federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, judicial review, representative democracy, limited government, rule of law, individual rights and responsibilities, consent of the governed, majority rule, popular sovereignty, equal protection.

Brief Constructed Response (BCR) Item - Released in 2001

Read the paragraph below.

In 1941, Franklin Roosevelt
addressed Congress and the
public about the importance of
freedom. Roosevelt spoke
specifically of freedom of
speech and expression, freedom
of religion, freedom from want,
and freedom from fear.
  • Select one of the freedoms listed above and discuss its importance in the lives of United States citizens.
  • State why you chose this freedom.
  • Include examples and details to support your answer.

Write your answer in the answer box below.

The following 9 Anchor Papers represent a range of score points and are used in conjunction with the rubrics to assess student responses.

Anchor Paper #1

image of student response

Score for Anchor Paper #1: Rubric Score 1

Annotation: This response is related to the question but shows minimal knowledge. The response chooses freedom of speech. Attempted ideas (voice what they believe, share ideas) are fragmented and incomplete. The response is inadequate to show knowledge.


Anchor Paper #2

image of student response

Score for Anchor Paper #2: Rubric Score 1

Annotation: This response is related to the question but shows minimal knowledge. The response chooses freedom of religion. The fragments of basic ideas presented (practice any religion they want, not be persecuted) are incomplete.


Anchor Paper #3

image of student response

Score for Anchor Paper #3: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response shows knowledge of freedom of speech. In explaining the importance of this freedom, the student provides basic ideas with a little support (say what we want about government, protest laws affecting us, many other countries don't have freedoms).


Anchor Paper #4

image of student response

Score for Anchor Paper #4: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response shows knowledge of freedom from fear. Basic ideas about why this freedom is important (should have right to feel safe, U.S. has allied with most nations) are provided with a little support (live in fear that a bomb will be dropped, trade and funds, imports and exports with Japan). Although some support is not connected to government's role in protecting freedom from fear (helping kids in South America), the response shows knowledge of the question.


Anchor Paper #5

image of student response

Score for Anchor Paper #5: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response shows knowledge of freedom of religion. Although a misconception exists in the apparent confusion between freedom of religion and freedom of movement or enforced segregation (not be allowed to go many places), a correct basic idea (people could lose jobs because of their religion) is provided with a little support (this increases poverty and welfare), showing knowledge of the question.


Anchor Paper #6

image of student response

Score for Anchor Paper #6: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response shows some understanding of freedom of expression. In explaining its importance, accurate concepts are supported (has always been part of America, without it we would have to conform to a norm created by the government). Some evidence of higher order thinking skills is provided through application of relevant historical examples, evaluation (expression makes us individuals, cultural diversity), and cause-and-effect reasoning (without it we'd have to conform, without it we wouldn't have cultural diversity).


Anchor Paper #7

image of student response

Score for Anchor Paper #7: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response shows some understanding of freedom of speech and expression. Concepts are accurate and supported (Americans express thoughts and feelings through clothing, First Amendment), and the appropriate application of the facts of the Supreme Court case, Tinker v. Des Moines, shows some evidence of higher order thinking skills and some understanding of the question.


Anchor Paper #8

image of student response

Score for Anchor Paper #8: Rubric Score 4

Annotation: This insightful response shows understanding of freedom from fear. The central concept (a government's purpose is to protect the citizens) is accurate and well supported with integrated knowledge. Application of analysis (an environment in which individuals can safely say what they feel, practice religions, and strive for goals), evaluation (color, gender, creed, or political party will not indicate one is a target), and appropriate comparison (fear inflicted by tyranny or dictatorship) provide powerful evidence of higher order thinking skills.


Anchor Paper #9

image of student response

Score for Anchor Paper #9: Rubric Score 4

Annotation: This response shows understanding of freedom of speech and expression. Accurate, well-supported concepts are insightfully integrated to explain why this freedom is important. In explaining how freedom of speech furthers the founding principles of democracy (self rule, communication of ideas, representation), the response gives powerful evidence of higher order thinking skills through integrated application of analysis, evaluation, cause-and-effect reasoning, and relevant example.


Brief Constructed Response (BCR) Rubric
Print: Scoring Rubric (pdf)
Score 4

This response shows understanding of the content, question, and/or problem. The response is insightful, integrates knowledge, and demonstrates powerful application.

  • The application shows powerful evidence of higher order thinking skills.
  • Concepts are accurate and well supported.
  • There are no misconceptions.
  • The response is comprehensive.
Score 3

This response shows some understanding of the content, question, and/or problem. The response includes appropriate application that demonstrates evidence of higher order thinking skills.

  • The application shows some evidence of higher order thinking skills.
  • Concepts are accurate and supported.
  • There are no interfering misconceptions.
  • The response may not develop all parts equally.
Score 2

This response shows knowledge of the content, question, and/or problem. The response is acceptable with some key ideas. The response shows little or no evidence of application.

  • The response includes some basic ideas.
  • The response provides little or no support.
  • There are minimal misconceptions.
Score 1

This response shows minimal knowledge of the content, question, and/or problem. The response is related to the question, but it is inadequate.

  • The response includes incomplete or fragmented ideas or knowledge.
  • There may be significant misconceptions.
Score 0

The response is completely incorrect or irrelevant. There may be no response.

Knowledge and Understanding indicate the degree to which the response reflects a grasp of the content, question, and/or problem presented in the stimulus. The response indicates mastery that progresses from knowledge to understanding.

Last Revised June 2001
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