Competencies and Grading

Grading Weight & Proficiency:

To receive credit for the course, you must maintain a 73% average, and a grade no lower than Partially Proficient in each competency. You cannot achieve credit for the course if you have a grade of Not Proficient in any competency.

90% of your overall course grade are assessed within the five social studies competencies (18% each).

-Within each competency, assessments are either formative (practice) or summative (final). Formative

assessments account for one third of your competency grade, summative assessments account for the remaining

two thirds of your competency grade.

-Formative (33%): day-to-day class work, homework, minor quizzes and projects, etc.

-Summative (67%): end of unit tests, long-term projects, research and performance assessments, etc.

10% of your overall course grade are assessed as “Habits of Work.”

Course Competencies: There will be five grading categories based on the competencies listed below. These competencies were designed using the Common Core Standards for Learning, the H-DHS 21st Century Academic Expectations, and the New Hampshire Curriculum Frameworks for Social Studies.

Acquiring Information (18%)

ACQ 1 - I can determine the central idea of a source by providing an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.

ACQ 2 - I can gather evidence by selecting the most significant and relevant facts from a variety of sources presented in diverse formats and media.

ACQ 3 - I can integrate multiple pieces of information in order to address a question, solve a problem or to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Analyzing Information (18%)

ANA 1 - I can evaluate a primary source to determine how its intended audience, author’s point of view, purpose and historical context impact its meaning.

ANA 2 - I can compare and contrast the similarities and differences of elements within a topic in order understand the relationships that exist.

ANA 3 - I can analyze the factors that went into making a decision and evaluate its effectiveness in order to develop my own problem solving skills.

Communicating Information (18%)

COM 1 - I can write responses by developing a precise claim that is supported by relevant evidence and explaining by insightful reasoning.

COM 2 – I can initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with peers, expressing my ideas clearly and persuasively.

COM 3 – I can present information and my findings, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, in a range of formats, including visual and digital media.

Connecting Information (18%)

CON 1 – I can organize and interpret the chronological sequence of events, determining the changes over time and if any cause and effect connections exist.

CON 2 – I can demonstrate how key events and ideas connect to broader central themes or concepts, including connections to other disciplines.

CON 3 – I can draw inferences by reinterpreting events in terms of what might have happened and from connections with current, real world events.

Content Knowledge (18%)

CNT 1 – I can determine the meaning and significance of content specific vocabulary terms and phrases, so that I can use them accurately and efficiently in other tasks.

CNT 2 – I can determine the meaning and significant of key content specific people, places and events, so that I can use them accurately and efficiently in other tasks.

CNT 3 – I can determine the meaning and significance of content specific theories and models, so that I can use them accurately and efficiently in other tasks.

Habits of Work (10%)

Students are assessed according to the level of their engagement, responsibility, dependability, and citizenship.