The following 16 Sample Student Responses represent a range of score points.

Score for Sample Student Response #1: Rubric Score 4

Annotation: This response shows understanding of freedom from fear. Concepts are accurate and well supported. Powerful evidence of higher order thinking skills is provided through insightful analysis and evaluation of the importance of freedom from fear (we would not be a strong and equal democracy, would be a chaotic system of people abusing power, our other freedoms couldn't exist without it) and the comparing and contrasting of democratic and totalitarian governments.

Score for Sample Student Response #2: Rubric Score 1

Annotation: This response is related to the question but shows only minimal knowledge. The response chooses freedom of speech. The attempted idea (if they control what you say they control you) is vague, fragmented, and incomplete. The response is inadequate to show knowledge. Compare to Anchor Paper #1.

Score for Sample Student Response #3: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response shows knowledge of freedom of speech and expression. Basic ideas (diversity, democracy) are provided with a little support (speak your mind and not get in trouble for it, dress and act the way you want). The response shows knowledge of the question.

Score for Sample Student Response #4: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response shows some understanding of freedom of speech and expression. Concepts are accurate and supported. Some evidence of higher order thinking skills is provided through use of evaluation (necessary for growth of nation, without it our country would be less meaningful) and cause-and-effect reasoning (without it many wouldn't share opinions).

Score for Sample Student Response #5: Rubric Score 1

Annotation: This response is related to the question but shows only minimal knowledge. The response chooses freedom of speech and expression and presents fragments of basic ideas (everyone has their own mind and own expression, saying this is nasty) which are skeletal and incomplete.

Score for Sample Student Response #6: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response shows knowledge of freedom of speech and expression. Key ideas (can affect everyone, express how they feel about problems) are provided with a little support (problems would go on because no one wold be able to have any say).

Score for Sample Student Response #7: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response shows some understanding of freedom of speech and expression. In explaining its importance, accurate concepts are supported (suggesting solutions to problems, voicing protests). Some evidence of higher order thinking skills is provided through application of relevant examples (U.S. is a leading democracy, literature and art), evaluation (gives hope for the future, a better country), and cause-and-effect reasoning (the first step in remedying problems, protests have made free speech a larger priority). Compare to Anchor Paper #6.

Score for Sample Student Response #8: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response shows knowledge of freedom of religion. In explaining the importance of this freedom, basic ideas (important to a lot of people, not everyone has to practice the same religion) are presented with a little support (many different religions to choose from).

Score for Sample Student Response #9: Rubric Score 1

Annotation: This response is related to the question but shows only minimal knowledge of freedom of speech. Fragments of basic ideas are presented (say what you want when you want and how you want, everybody can use it), but the attempted ideas are skeletal and incomplete.

Score for Sample Student Response #10: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response shows some understanding of freedom from fear. An accurate concept (needed to ensure other freedoms) is supported, and application of relevant examples (immigration into the United States, groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and Nazis) and cause-and-effect reasoning (if anything does happen the police will take care of it) provides some evidence of higher order thinking skills. Compare to Anchor Paper #3.

Score for Sample Student Response #11: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response shows knowledge of freedom of speech. While explaining its importance, the student provides key ideas (Americans use every day, news and entertainment) with a little support (find out what's going on in today's world, make a living saying whatever they want; music, books, newspapers).

Score for Sample Student Response #12: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response shows some understanding of freedom of speech and expression. Accurate concepts are supported (civil liberty granted in the Constitution, freedom to openly criticize their government), and some evidence of higher order thinking skills is provided through application of relevant example (Travis Smiley, hospital workers' protest, politicians denounce each other) and comparison (foreign to those with authoritarian government).

Score for Sample Student Response #13: Rubric Score 4

Annotation: This comprehensive response shows understanding of freedom of speech and expression. Accurate and well-supported concepts (participation in government, personal expression) are integrated. Evidence of higher order thinking skills is demonstrated through application of analysis (without two sides the government could control what is said, we can show dissatisfaction with the government and hope for change), appropriate example (petition for a law, censorship of clothes and entertainment), and evaluation (you need to be able to say what you think, the foundation upon which America was built).

Score for Sample Student Response #14: Rubric Score 1

Annotation: This response is related to the question but shows only minimal knowledge of freedom of religion. A fragment of a basic idea (the U.S. has a lot of different religions) is presented.

Score for Sample Student Response #15: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: This response shows some understanding of freedom of religion. In explaining its importance, accurate concepts (many different religions and cultures in the United States) are supported, and application of analysis (focus beliefs in whoever they want, no specific religion that everyone must belong to), evaluation (a variation of culture is a good thing), and cause-and-effect reasoning (cultural variation exposes us to new things and gives everyone character) provide some evidence of higher order thinking skills.

Score for Sample Student Response #16: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response shows knowledge of freedom of speech and expression. A key idea (the public has a say in the way our government runs) is provided with a little support (basic part of our constitution, essential to democracy).

Anchor Papers used in scoring