The task
As part of a cooperative learning project in social studies for Geography Awareness Week, students were asked to select an unfamiliar international location and produce a written and oral presentation about the location. Students used travel brochures, guide books about their chosen area, newspaper travel articles, and interviews to answer the following questions:

1. Where is the destination located? 2. How would someone get there? 3. What language is spoken? 4. What currency is used? What is the correct exchange rate? 5. What are some reasons a person might want to travel there? 6. List and describe some of its attractions. 7. What travel documents are required and how would you get them? 8. Recommend a specific itinerary for a visitor to the destination. Circumstances of performance This sample of student work was produced under the following conditions:

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alone in a group in class as homework with teacher feedback with peer feedback timed opportunity for revision

This was a long term project that was completed by two students.

What the work shows c Reading: The student reads and comprehends informational materials to develop understanding and expertise and produces written or oral work that: • restates or summarizes information; • relates new information to prior knowledge and experience; • extends ideas; • makes connections to related topics or information.

This work sample illustrates a standard-setting performance for the following parts of the standards: c Reading: Read and comprehend informational materials. a Writing: Produce a report. b Literature: Produce work in at least one literary genre that follows the conventions of the genre.

The students collected information on Italy from a variety of sources and then restated that information as a narrative of an imaginary trip to Italy. The work relates new information about traveling to Italy to the students’ prior knowledge of taking a trip. The students extended the information by incorporating their own likes and dislikes into the narrative. This not only makes their report more interesting, it also adds authenticity.

The students made the connections between the new information about Italy and the practical knowledge of what is required when planning a trip. a Writing: The student produces a report that: • engages the reader by establishing a context, creating a persona, and otherwise developing reader interest; • develops a controlling idea that conveys a perspective on the subject; • creates an organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and context; • includes appropriate facts and details; • excludes extraneous and inappropriate information; • uses a range of appropriate strategies, such as providing facts and details, describing or analyzing the subject, narrating a relevant anecdote, comparing and contrasting, naming, and explaining benefits or limitations; • provides a sense of closure to the writing. Click to Enlarge The use of superlatives (e.g., “so many,” “most beautiful”) and ellipses for suspense (…Italy!) in the first sentence engage the reader by demonstrating the students’ excitement over visiting the country of their ancestors. This also establishes the context for the report. The travel log listing cities and their attractions conveys the perspective of a tourist and creates the organizing structure. Each entry includes facts and details about the city as well as imaginary personal anecdotes. The work includes appropriate facts and details throughout, e.g., the description of Rome. The work describes and analyzes the attractions in each city giving historical details and explaining the significance of the attractions. The students used appropriate strategies for integrating factual information into their anecdotes about famous tourist attractions. For example, the narrative about the Leaning Tower of Pisa includes an explanation of why the tower is covered with steel scaffolding. The students gave authenticity and some local flavor to the travel log by including an Italian phrase “zuppa di pesce” and explaining what it means. This is appropriate for a travel log. The wish at the fountain to return one day is a natural and popular segue to closure as the students prepare to return home. Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge b Literature: The student produces work in at least one literary genre that follows the conventions of the genre. The work includes information in the form of a travel log, citing an itinerary organized by cities with their specific attractions. The students included factual information throughout the work to demonstrate the geographical and historical knowledge acquired during this assignment. The fictional details are used to engage the reader and convey the perspective of a visitor to Italy.