The following 8 Anchor Papers represent a range of score points and are used in conjunction with the rubrics to assess student responses.

Score for Anchor Paper #1: Rubric Score 1

Annotation: This response is related to the question and shows minimal knowledge. A vague, but relevant fragment is given (find out what is happening…what the congress and government is doing).

Score for Anchor Paper #2: Rubric Score 1

Annotation: This response is related to the question and shows minimal knowledge. Fragmented and general ideas (press informs us what is happening in the world; when terrorist could get helpful information; have a right to know what is going on) are provided.

Score for Anchor Paper #3: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response shows knowledge of the relationship between freedom of the press and government censorship. Although a misconception is given (right of every person that can't be taken away), this student does include some key ideas (lets people express their opinions about issues; a constitutional right; someone wrote something horrible).

Score for Anchor Paper #4: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response shows knowledge of the relationship between freedom of the press and government censorship. Basic ideas are provided (educates us about everything; secrets of the gov't; everyone has a right to be informed). A key idea is also given (government's need to control info is sometimes in cases a matter of death or life; a job of the government to keep us safe.)

Score for Anchor Paper #5: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response shows some understanding of the relationship between freedom of the press and government censorship. The student provides accurate and supported concepts (would include war stragies and delicate information; print articles on what the United States army was about to do and were they were about to strike then the people…would be warned). Some evidence of higher order thinking is demonstrated in the first paragraph's analysis of freedom of the press (since the press is free, the people see all sides; not simply the side that they want you to see; will know if they are truly happy with the government and if they would vote for them again) and in the third paragraph's understanding of the government's need to balance citizens right to know versus the need to keep people safe.

Score for Anchor Paper #6: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response shows some understanding of the relationship between freedom of the press and government censorship. Accurate, supported concepts are given (protects people from harmful information; people would have no idea about what's going on in their economy; may prevent certain information from being released that could either be helpful or harmful). Using the example of "the attacks of 9/11," the student analyzes the issues surrounding public safety and the need to be informed in the midst of a potentially critical situation (know what changes are being made to policies; government had been sent many warnings; if the information was released, the public probably could've prepared; press allows them the opportunity to find out), thereby demonstrating some evidence of higher order thinking skills.

Score for Anchor Paper #7: Rubric Score 4

Annotation: This response shows understanding of the "balancing act" between freedom of the press and government censorship. Accurate and well supported concepts are given. The thoughtful analysis that utilizes an appropriate example (America is going to attack a terrorist site and the media has learned about it) and the idea of the press as a "connector" between the government and the governed, culminating in the need for a "happy medium" (if we receive too much information we will be hurting ourselves and if the government restricts too much information it will be hurting itself), demonstrates powerful evidence of higher order thinking.

Score for Anchor Paper #8: Rubric Score 4

Annotation: In this succinct, but powerful, response, the student shows understanding of the relationship between freedom of the press and government censorship. Concepts are accurate and well supported (helps to keep the citizens of the US informed; recent decisions the President made; people have a right to know that the person in charge of the whole country isn't doing well). The student demonstrates powerful evidence of higher order thinking through analysis of the "line" between individual rights and the government's need to control some information (difference between what the people should be notified of and what should be kept secret) and relevant examples of both cases (President Nixon's involvement in Watergate…people have a right to know that the person in charge of the whole country isn't doing well at their job; when the U.S. found out that the Russians had highly destructive missiles; if any information had leaked out…people could have freaked out…mass panic through the nation…cause the Russians and Cubans to freak out…sent off their missiles).

Additional Scored Student Responses