Looking for a performance assessment that asks individuals to demonstrate their competency in writing about informational text? Use Frederick Douglass' essay "On the Dred Scott Decision," and an excerpt from Abraham Lincoln's 1857 speech criticizing Stephen Douglas's position on the expansion of slavery as core texts for such an assessment. The prompt asks writers to identify the basic beliefs in Frederick Douglass's and Lincoln's reactions to the Dred Scott decision, and to fashion an essay response that includes evidence drawn ffrom the documents to support their response.

Concepts

dred scott, informational texts, formal writing, explanatory writing

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Additional Tags

english language arts

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Instructional Ideas

• Use the packet to prepare writers for such an assessment or as part of a study of the history of slavery in the US and of the Dred Scott Decision

Classroom Considerations

• Individuals should have experience crafting essay of this type

Pros

• The 43-page packet includes the texts, the prompt, worksheets, graphic organizers, and an essay rubric
• Also included is a detailed teacher guide and table of contents that makes it easy to locate specific resources

Cons

• None

Common Core

RI.11-12.1 RI.11-12.2 RI.11-12.5 RI.11-12.6 RI.11-12.8 W.11-12.2.a W.11-12.9.b SL.11-12.1.a RH.11-12.1 RH.11-12.2 RH.11-12.5