The Ontario Curriculum Exemplarsof exemplars. Many responded to this invitation. Teams of subject...

Samples of Student Work:A Resource for Teachers

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Ministry of Education

The Ontario Curriculum

ExemplarsGrade 10

Canadian andWorld Studies

Civics

Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Purpose of This Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Features of This Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

The Tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

The Rubrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Development of the Tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Assessment and Selection of the Samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Use of the Student Samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Teachers and Administrators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Civics, Open . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11A Letter of Concern About a Local Issue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

The Task . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Expectations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Prior Knowledge and Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Task Rubric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Student Samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Teacher Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

This publication is available on the Ministry of Education’s website athttp://www.edu.gov.on.ca.

3

In 1999–2000, the Ministry of Education published a new curriculum for Ontario secondary school students. The new curriculum is more specific than previous curric-ula with respect to both the knowledge and the skills that students are expected todevelop and demonstrate in each grade. In the curriculum policy document for eachdiscipline, teachers are provided with the curriculum expectations for each coursewithin the discipline and an achievement chart that describes four levels of studentachievement to be used in assessing and evaluating student work.

The document entitled The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9–12: Program Planning andAssessment, 2000 states that “assessment and evaluation will be based on the provincialcurriculum expectations and the achievement levels outlined in this document and inthe curriculum policy document for each discipline” (p. 13). The document alsostates that the ministry is providing a variety of materials to assist teachers in improv-ing their assessment methods and strategies and, hence, their assessment of studentachievement. The present document is one of the resources intended to provide assis-tance to teachers in their assessment of student achievement. It contains samples(“exemplars”) of student work at each level of achievement.

Ontario school boards were invited by the ministry to participate in the developmentof exemplars. Many responded to this invitation. Teams of subject specialists fromacross the province were involved in developing the assessment materials. Theydesigned the performance tasks and scoring scales (“rubrics”) on the basis of selectedOntario curriculum expectations, field-tested them in classrooms, suggested changes,administered the final tasks, marked the student work, and selected the exemplarsused in this document. During each stage of the process, external validation teamsreviewed the subject material to ensure that it reflected the expectations in the cur-riculum and that it was accessible to and appropriate for all students. Ministry staffwho had been involved in the development of the curriculum policy documents alsoreviewed the tasks, rubrics, and exemplars.

The selection of student samples that appears in this document reflects the professionaljudgement of teachers who participated in the project. No students, teachers, or schoolshave been identified.

The procedures followed during the development and implementation of this projectwill serve as a model for boards, schools, and teachers in designing assessment taskswithin the context of regular classroom work, developing rubrics, assessing theachievement of their own students, and planning for the improvement of students’learning.

Introduction

4 The Ontar io Curr iculum – Exemplars , Grade 10: Canadian and World Studies

The samples in this document will provide parents1 with examples of student work tohelp them monitor their children’s progress. They also provide a basis for communica-tion with teachers.

Use of the exemplar materials is supported initially through provincial in-servicetraining, discipline- or subject-specific workshops, and summer institutes.

Purpose of This Document

This document was developed to:

• show the characteristics of student work at each of the four levels of achievementfor Grade 10;

• promote greater consistency in the assessment of student work across the province;

• provide an approach to improving student learning by demonstrating the use ofclear criteria applied to student work in response to a clearly defined assessmenttask;

• show the connections between what students are expected to learn (the curriculumexpectations) and how their work can be assessed using the levels of achievementdescribed in the curriculum policy document for the subject.

Teachers, parents, and students should examine the student samples in this documentand consider them along with the information in the Teacher’s Notes and Comments/Next Steps sections. They are encouraged to examine the samples in order to developan understanding of the characteristics of work at each level of achievement in Grade 10and the ways in which the levels of achievement reflect a progression in the quality ofknowledge and skills demonstrated by students.

The samples in this document represent examples of student achievement obtainedusing only one method of assessment, called performance assessment. Teachers willalso make use of a variety of other assessment methods and strategies in evaluatingstudent achievement in a course over a term or school year.

Features of This Document

This document contains the following:

• a description of the performance task, as well as the curriculum expectationsrelated to the task

• the task-specific assessment chart, or rubric

• two samples of student work for each of the four levels of achievement

• Teacher’s Notes, which provide some details on the level of achievement for eachsample

• Comments/Next Steps, which offer suggestions for improving achievement

• the Teacher Package that was used by teachers in administering the task

It should be noted that each sample for a specific level of achievement represents thecharacteristics of work at that level of achievement.

1. In this document, parent(s) refers to parent(s) and guardian(s).

5Introduct ion

The Tasks

The performance tasks for the exemplar project were based directly on curriculumexpectations selected from courses outlined in the curriculum policy documents forthe various disciplines. The tasks encompassed the four categories of knowledge andskills (i.e., Knowledge/Understanding, Thinking/Inquiry, Communication, andApplication), requiring students to integrate their knowledge and skills in meaningfullearning experiences. The tasks gave students an opportunity to demonstrate not onlyhow well they had learned to use the required knowledge and skills in one context,but how well they could use their knowledge and skills in another context. The taskadministered for the Grade 10 civics course outlined in The Ontario Curriculum,Grades 9 and 10: Canadian and World Studies, 1999 was entitled “A Letter of ConcernAbout a Local Issue”.

Teachers were required to explain the scoring criteria and descriptions of the levels ofachievement (i.e., the information in the task rubric) to the students before theybegan the assignment (for the rubric, see pages 14–15).

The Rubrics

In this document, the term rubric refers to a scoring scale that consists of a set ofachievement criteria and descriptions of the levels of achievement for a particulartask. The scale is used to assess students’ work; this assessment is intended to helpstudents improve their performance level. The rubric identifies key criteria by whichstudents’ work is to be assessed, and it provides descriptions that indicate the degreeto which the key criteria have been met. The teacher uses the descriptions of the dif-ferent levels of achievement given in the rubric to assess student achievement on aparticular task.

The rubric for a specific performance task is intended to provide teachers and stu-dents with an overview of the expected final product with regard to the knowledgeand skills being assessed as a whole.

The achievement chart in the curriculum policy document for Canadian and worldstudies provides a standard province-wide tool for teachers to use in assessing andevaluating their students’ achievement over a period of time. While the chart is broadin scope and general in nature, it provides a reference point for all assessment practiceand a framework within which to assess and evaluate student achievement. Thedescriptions associated with each level of achievement serve as a guide for gatheringand tracking assessment information, enabling teachers to make consistent judgementsabout the quality of student work while providing clear and specific feedback to stu-dents and parents.

For the purposes of the exemplar project, a single rubric was developed for a specificperformance task. This task-specific rubric was developed in relation to the achieve-ment chart in the curriculum policy document.


The differences between the achievement chart and the task-specific rubric may besummarized as follows:

• The achievement chart contains broad descriptions of achievement. Teachers use itto assess student achievement over time, making a summative evaluation that isbased on the total body of evidence gathered through using a variety of assessmentmethods and strategies.

• The rubric contains criteria and descriptions of achievement that relate to a specifictask. The rubric uses some terms that are similar to those in the achievement chartbut focuses on aspects of the specific task. Teachers use the rubric to assess studentachievement on a single task.

The rubric contains the following components:

• an identification (by number) of the expectations on which student achievement inthe task was assessed

• the four categories of knowledge and skills

• the relevant criteria for evaluating performance of the task

• descriptions of student performance at the four levels of achievement (level 3 onthe achievement chart is considered to be the provincial standard)

As stated earlier, the focus of performance assessment using a rubric is to improve students’ learning. In order to improve their work, students need to be provided withuseful feedback. Students find that feedback on the strengths of their achievement andon areas in need of improvement is more helpful when the specific category of knowl-edge or skills is identified and specific suggestions are provided than when they receiveonly an overall mark or general comments. Student achievement should be consideredin relation to the criteria for assessment stated in the rubric for each category, andfeedback should be provided for each category. Through the use of a rubric, students’strengths and weaknesses are identified and this information can then be used as abasis for planning the next steps for learning. In this document, the Teacher’s Notessection indicates the reasons for assessing a student’s performance at a specific level ofachievement, and the Comments/Next Steps section indicates suggestions forimprovement.

In the exemplar project, a single rubric encompassing the four categories of knowledgeand skills was used to provide an effective means of assessing the particular level ofstudent performance in the performance task, to allow for consistent scoring of studentperformance, and to provide information to students on how to improve their work.However, in the classroom, teachers may find it helpful to make use of additionalrubrics if they need to assess student achievement on a specific task in greater detailfor one or more of the four categories. For example, it may be desirable in evaluatingan oral report to use one rubric for assessing the content (Knowledge/Understanding),one for the research (Thinking/Inquiry), one for the writing (Communication), andone for the delivery of the oral presentation itself (Application).

The rubrics for the tasks in the exemplar project are similar to the scales used by theEducation Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) for the Grade 3, Grade 6, andGrade 9 provincial assessments in that both the rubrics and the EQAO scales are based

7Introduct ion

on the Ontario curriculum expectations and the achievement charts. The rubrics differfrom the EQAO scales in that they were developed to be used only in the context ofclassroom instruction to assess achievement in a particular assignment in a course.

Although rubrics were used effectively in this exemplar project to assess responsesrelated to the performance tasks, they are only one way of assessing student achieve-ment. Other means of assessing achievement include observational checklists, tests,marking schemes, or portfolios. Teachers may make use of rubrics to assess students’achievement on, for example, essays, reports, exhibitions, debates, conferences, inter-views, oral presentations, two- and three-dimensional representations, journals orlogs, and research projects.

Development of the Tasks

The performance tasks for the exemplar project were developed by teams of subjectspecialists in the following way:

• The teams selected a cluster of curriculum expectations that focused on the knowl-edge and skills in the course that are considered to be of central importance in thesubject. Teams were encouraged to select a manageable number of expectations toenable teachers to focus their feedback to students. The particular selection ofexpectations ensured that all students in the course would have the opportunity todemonstrate their knowledge and skills in each category of the achievement chartin the curriculum policy document for the subject.

• For each course, the teams drafted a task that would encompass all of the selectedexpectations and that could be used to assess the work of all students in the course.

• The teams established clear, appropriate, and concrete criteria for assessment, andwrote the descriptions for each level of achievement in the task-specific rubric,using the achievement chart for the subject as a guide.

• The teams prepared detailed instructions for both teachers and students participat-ing in the assessment project.

• The tasks were field-tested in classrooms across the province, in March–April 2001,by teachers who had volunteered to participate in the field test. Student work wasscored by teams of teachers of the subject. In addition, classroom teachers, students,and board contacts provided feedback on the task itself and on the instructions thataccompanied the task. Suggestions for improvement were taken into considerationin the revision of the tasks.

In developing the tasks, the teams ensured that the resources needed for completingthe task – that is, all worksheets and support materials – were provided. It was alsosuggested that students could consult the teacher-librarian at the school about addi-tional print and electronic materials.


Assessment and Selection of the Samples

After the final administration of the tasks, student work was scored at the districtschool board level by teachers of the subject who had been provided with training inthe scoring. These teachers evaluated and discussed the student work until they wereable to reach a consensus regarding the level to be assigned for achievement in eachcategory. This evaluation was done to ensure that the student work being selectedclearly illustrated that level of performance. All of the student samples were then for-warded to the ministry. A team of teachers from across the province, who had beentrained by the ministry to assess achievement on the tasks, rescored the student samples.They chose samples of work that demonstrated the same level of achievement in allfour categories and then, through consensus, selected the samples that best repre-sented the characteristics of work at each level of achievement. The rubrics were theprimary tools used to evaluate student work at both the school board level and theprovincial level.

The following points should be noted:

• Two samples of student work are included for each of the four achievement levelsin each subject. The use of two samples is intended to show that the characteristicsof an achievement level can be exemplified in different ways.

• Although the samples of student work in this document were selected to show alevel of achievement that was largely consistent in the four categories ofKnowledge/Understanding, Thinking/Inquiry, Communication, and Application,teachers using rubrics to assess student work will notice that students’ achievementfrequently varies across the categories (e.g., a student may be achieving at level 3 inKnowledge/Understanding but at level 4 in Communication).

• Students’ effort was not evaluated. Effort is evaluated separately by teachers as partof the “learning skills” component of the Provincial Report Card.

• This document does not include any student samples that were assessed using therubrics and judged to be below level 1. (Work judged to be below level 1 is work onwhich a student achieves a mark of less than 50 per cent. A student whose overallachievement at the end of a course is below 50 per cent will not obtain a credit forthe course.) Teachers are expected to work with students whose achievement isbelow level 1, as well as with their parents, to help the students improve their performance.

Use of the Student Samples

Teachers and Administrators

The samples of student work included in this document will help teachers and admin-istrators by:

• providing student samples and criteria for assessment that will enable them to helpstudents improve their achievement;

• providing a basis for conversations among teachers, parents, and students about thecriteria used for assessment and evaluation of student achievement;

• facilitating communication with parents regarding the curriculum expectations andlevels of achievement for the course;

• promoting fair and consistent assessment within subjects and courses.

9Introduct ion

Teachers may choose to:

• use the teaching/learning activities outlined in the performance task;

• use the performance task and rubric in this document in designing comparable performance tasks;

• use the samples of student work at each level as reference points when assessingstudent work;

• use the rubric to clarify what is expected of the students and to discuss the criteriaand standards for high-quality performance;

• review the samples of work with students and discuss how the performances reflectthe levels of achievement;

• adapt the language of the rubric to make it more “student friendly”;

• develop other assessment rubrics with colleagues and students;

• help students describe their own strengths and weaknesses and plan their nextsteps for learning;

• share student work with colleagues for consensus marking;

• partner with other schools to design tasks and rubrics, and to select samples forother performance tasks and other subject areas.

Administrators may choose to:

• encourage and facilitate teacher collaboration regarding standards and assessment;

• provide training to ensure that teachers understand the role of the exemplars inassessment, evaluation, and reporting;

• establish an external reference point for schools in planning student programs andfor school improvement;

• facilitate sessions for parents and school councils using this document as a basis fordiscussion of curriculum expectations, levels of achievement, and standards;

• participate in future exemplar projects within their district school boards or withthe Ministry of Education.

Parents

The performance task in this document exemplifies a range of meaningful and rele-vant learning activities related to the curriculum expectations for the Grade 10 civicscourse. In addition, this document invites the involvement and support of parentsas they work with their children to improve their achievement. Parents may use thesamples of student work and the rubric as:

• resources to help them understand the levels of achievement;

• models to help monitor their children’s progress from level to level;

• a basis for communication with teachers about their children’s achievement;

• a source of information to help their children monitor achievement and improvetheir performance;

• models to illustrate the application of the levels of achievement.


Students

Students are asked to participate in performance assessments in all curriculum areas.When students are given clear expectations for learning, clear criteria for assessment,and immediate and helpful feedback, their performance improves. Students’ perfor-mance improves as they are encouraged to take responsibility for their own achieve-ment and to reflect on their own progress and “next steps”.

It is anticipated that the contents of this document will help students in the followingways:

• Students will be introduced to a model of one type of task that will be used toassess their learning, and will discover how a rubric can be used to improve theirproduct or performance on an assessment task.

• The performance task and the exemplars will help clarify the curriculum expectationsfor learning.

• The rubric and the information given in the Teacher’s Notes section will help clarify the assessment criteria.

• The information given under Comments/Next Steps will support the improvementof achievement by focusing attention on several suggestions for improvement.

• With an increased awareness of the performance task and rubric, students will bemore likely to communicate effectively about their achievement with their teachersand parents, and to ask relevant questions about their own progress.

• Students can use the criteria and the range of student samples to help them see thedifferences in the levels of achievement. By analysing and discussing these differ-ences, students will gain an understanding of ways in which they can assess theirown responses and performances in related assignments and identify the qualitiesneeded to improve their achievement.

CivicsOpen


A Letter of Concern About a Local Issue

The Task

This task was designed to encourage students to apply theirknowledge and skills in the area of active citizenship. Studentswere asked to examine and analyse a local issue of communityand personal interest and to write a letter expressing their con-cern about the matter. The letter had to analyse at least two per-spectives on the issue and propose a reasonable and convincingsolution to the problem.

To monitor their work, students were encouraged to use theorganizer, checklists, and template that were provided to them(see the appendices to the Teacher Package, reproduced on pages 39–40 of this document).

The intended audience was a person or persons in a position ofpower or influence with respect to the selected issue.

The final product was a formal letter of concern, addressed to anappropriate figure, that analysed a local issue from at least twoperspectives and proposed a reasonable solution to the problem.

Students were also to submit a bibliography reflecting theirresearch, although this element was not evaluated as part of thefinal product.

Expectations

This task gave students the opportunity to demonstrate achieve-ment of the following selected expectations from two strands:Purposeful Citizenship and Active Citizenship.

Students will:

1. describe how their own and others’ beliefs and values can beconnected to a sense of civic purpose and preferred types ofparticipation;

2. analyse a current public issue that involves conflictingbeliefs and values, describing and evaluating the conflictingpositions;

3. articulate clearly their personal sense of civic identity andpurpose, and understand the diversity of beliefs and valuesof other individuals and groups in Canadian society;

4. communicate their own beliefs, points of view, and informedjudgements, and effectively use appropriate discussion skills(e.g., persuasion, negotiation);

5. demonstrate an ability to research questions and issues ofcivic importance, and to think critically and creatively aboutthese issues and questions;

6. participate effectively in a civil action or project of interest tothem and of importance to the community (e.g., attend pub-lic hearings, plan religious or cultural event, join specialinterest group, write letters to editor).

Prior Knowledge and Skills

To complete this task, students were expected to have someknowledge or skills relating to the following:

• various types of civic action and their relative effectivenessand appropriateness in different situations

• the responsibilities of municipal and provincial governments

• the inquiry process

• developing arguments and points of view

• detecting bias in sources (e.g., editorials, letters to editor)

• writing persuasively and effectively

• using peer and self-assessment checklists during the writingprocess to improve their work

• using a word-processing program (optional)

• accessing the Internet and using search engines effectively(optional)

• developing bibliographies

For information on the process used to prepare students for the taskand on the materials, resources, and equipment required, see theTeacher Package reproduced on pages 36-40 of this document.


Task Rubric – A Letter of Concern About a Local Issue

Expectations*

1, 2

2, 3, 5

3, 4

Criteria

– demonstrates understand-

ing of a current civic issue

(i.e., through an explana-

tion of why the chosen

issue is of concern to the

community)

– demonstrates the ability

to analyse critically two

different perspectives on

the chosen issue

– uses effective inquiry

skills in identifying and

clarifying both the issue

and the potential solution

– writes effectively for the

purpose, using clear and

persuasive language and

a tone that elicits a posi-

tive response

Level 1

– demonstrates limited

understanding of the

issue

– conducts critical analysis

with limited ability

– uses inquiry skills with

limited effectiveness

– uses language and tone

with limited effectiveness

Level 2

– demonstrates some

understanding of the

issue


with some ability


some effectiveness


with some effectiveness

Level 3

– demonstrates consider-

able understanding of the

issue


with considerable ability


considerable effectiveness


with considerable

effectiveness

Level 4

– demonstrates a high

degree of understanding

of the issue


with a high degree of

ability


a high degree of

effectiveness


with a high degree of

effectiveness

Knowledge/Understanding

The student:

Thinking/Inquiry

The student:

Communication

The student:

Expectations*

6

Criteria

– makes connections

between personal con-

cerns and community

interest by proposing a

realistic and reasonable

solution that takes into

account the effect on the

community

Level 1

– makes connections with

limited effectiveness

Level 2


some effectiveness

Level 3


considerable effectiveness

Level 4


a high degree of

effectiveness

Application

The student:

*The expectations that correspond to the numbers given in this chart are listed on page 12.

Note: A student whose overall achievement at the end of a course is below level 1 (that is, below 50%) will not obtain a credit for the course.


A Letter of Concern About a Local Issue Level 1, Sample 1

A B

Teacher’s Notes


– The student demonstrates limited understanding of the civic issue (e.g.,

refers to the local council’s proposal to build a skateboard park but does

not explain why the issue is of concern to the community).

Thinking/Inquiry

– The student demonstrates limited ability to analyse critically two different

perspectives, as illustrated by the following:

– The student provides limited analysis of the position advocated in the let-

ter (e.g., notes that “Having a skateboard park would also decrease the

risks to non-participating citizens and passers-by”, but provides no

specifics on such risks).

– The student includes only a very general reference to an opposing per-

spective (e.g., “People are opposed . . . because it might become a location

for drug use”) and offers a simplistic response to this position (e.g., “This

could be easily remedied by having periodical supervision of the area by

the police.”).

– The student uses inquiry skills with limited effectiveness, as illustrated by

the following:

– The issue is not clearly separated from the solution (e.g., “I am writing

regarding the issue of the skatepark in . . . .”; “Building a skateboard park

in . . . would be an ideal solution to the situation.”).

– The student does not address when, where, or how the park would be

built.

Communication

– The student uses language and tone with limited effectiveness: Although

sentences are clearly written, the tone is respectful, and attempts have

been made to include persuasive vocabulary (e.g., “I believe that the youth

of . . . need a designated location . . . ”; “an ideal solution”), ideas are not logi-

cally ordered and the connections between them have not been made

explicit (e.g., in the first three sentences of the second paragraph).

Application

– The student makes connections with limited effectiveness, as illustrated by

the following:

– Because the student has neither discussed the obstacles to be overcome

nor outlined the steps involved in implementation, the solution cannot be

judged realistic or reasonable.

– The student suggests how some youths would be affected by the solution

(e.g., “it would occupy most teenagers and keep them out of trouble”),

but does not adequately consider how the solution would affect the

broader community.

Comments/Next Steps

– The student needs to provide additional supporting details throughout the

letter.

– The student should conduct additional research on the issue so that statisti-

cal information can be included to bolster the argument.

– The sample shows promise, particularly in the writing style, which is clear

and persuasive and approaches level 2.

– The student’s focus is too narrow. The student could look at other sides of

the issue to make the overall argument more compelling.

– The flow of the letter would be improved by the use of transitional words

and phrases.



A B

Application

– The student makes connections with limited effectiveness, proposing a solu-

tion that is not very realistic or reasonable (e.g., suggests that the answer

to the problem is “to put the highway a different route”) and failing to

acknowledge the possible destructive effects of the solution on other seg-

ments of the community.

Comments/Next Steps

– The letter presents little evidence that the student has conducted effective

research. Specific facts need to be included to support claims and general-

izations.

– The student needs to work on improving his or her writing skills, specifically

with respect to sentence structure and verb tenses (e.g., “It also holds rare

species and is a wonderful place for kids and family to spend a day in.”; “if

this valley was to be cut down it will kill rare species”).

Teacher’s Notes


– The student demonstrates limited understanding of the civic issue, stating

the reasons why the valley is valued by the community (e.g., “it holds the last

of fourteen streams that flows through . . . . It also holds rare species and is

a wonderful place . . . ”), but not providing enough detail to support these

assertions.

Thinking/Inquiry

– The student demonstrates limited ability to conduct critical analysis, making

only a brief reference to an opposing perspective (e.g., “I am assured that it

would cut down on our travelling time, but to have it at the expense of cut-

ting down our valley is wrong.”).

– The student uses inquiry skills with limited effectiveness, as illustrated by

the following:

– The arguments lack supporting facts and details (e.g., the student asserts

that “if this valley was to be cut down it will kill rare species”, but provides

no facts to support the assumption that endangered species live in the

valley).

– The student identifies only a very broad solution (e.g., “The solution that

is best is to put the highway a different route.”), and does not offer any

detail to clarify this suggestion.

Communication

– The student uses language and tone with limited effectiveness, as illustrated

by the following:

– The use of persuasive vocabulary is limited to a basic statement of con-

cern (e.g., “I am writing this letter to inform you of my concern about . . .

Expressway.”) and to a general statement of awareness (e.g., “I am aware

of the problems it will cause and fix.”).

– The student concludes on an apologetic note, using the passive voice,

which limits persuasiveness (e.g., “Action being done on this issue would

be greatly appreciated. Thank you for taking your time to read my letter.”).

– The writing is not always clear, and the syntax is frequently awkward

(e.g., “To situations like this there are different viewpoints”; “My viewpoint

on this situation is that having to cut down 40,000 trees . . . is cruel.”).



A B

Thursday, May 24, 2001

Dear Mayor,

I am writing this letter to inform you of an important issue in my community. A few years ago, we created a plastic recycling depot. The number of people that used the depot have increased; therefore, we had apermanent plastic recycling depot. Now, years later, our town council wantsto close this depot and have a hazardous waste depot. This issue is a concernboth for me and for my community because we know that plastics do notdecompose. As a result, the environment will become more polluted.

Every Saturday local citizens from our community visit the plasticrecycle depot to drop off the plastics that should not be disposed of throughthe regular garbage. There has been an increase in the number of peoplethat use the depot as many people become more aware of the effects thatplastics can have on our environment. There are many points of view on thisissue on whether or not the depot should be closed in favour of the hazardouswaste depot. Many believe that the depot should remain open so that we candispose of our plastics instead of putting plastics that will not decomposeinto our earth. The town council has proposed that the hazardous wastedepot be in use once a week. On the other hand, it costs money to run thesedepots and the price that recycling companies pay to get the plastics fromthe depot is too low. It is very expensive to collect from the depot. Most ofthe companies that recycle plastic use clean, plastic waste from industries.The plastic that comes from homes is not clean and so everthing has to beseparated and cleaned. Contractors have looked at the cost to collect theplastic which could total $15,000 per ton per year. I feel that the recyclingdepot should stay open due to the larger numbers of people using the depotand also because it is helping our environment. I can understand that moneyis a concern to the council, but our world is a concern to us. People can hold

on to their hazardous waste until the annual hazardous waste disposal. Currently, there is no demand to have one every week, but there is a needfor the plastics depot.

Several solutions have been proposed by members of our community.Some feel that we should dispose of our plastics once a month instead ofevery week; and therefore, save tax dollars. As well, it has been proposedthat the hazardous waste depot happen once a month along with the plasticrecycling depot. People have asked the council to look at their decisionagain and to look at the problems that will occur if the plastic depot isclosed. In letters that have been sent to the local newspaper, some citizenshave suggested that the council members should come out on a Saturdaymorning to see how many people really use the depot. I hope that you willbe able to help in this matter and make sure that the plastics recycling depotremains open. Remember, the more plastics that we keep out of dump sites,the better off our environment is.

Sincerely,

A Concerned Citizen

C Teacher’s Notes


– The student demonstrates some understanding of the civic issue, mention-

ing several key components of concern to the community (e.g., the environ-

mental problem associated with the disposal of plastic, the increasing use

of the recycling depot by members of the community, the expense of operat-

ing the depot) but providing insufficient detail about these considerations.

Thinking/Inquiry

– The student demonstrates some ability to conduct critical analysis of two

different perspectives, as illustrated by the following:

– The student defends the need to keep the recycling depot open, but does

not adequately evaluate the suggestion that the frequency with which the

depot operates be reduced to accommodate a weekly hazardous waste

depot (e.g., asserts that “People can hold on to their hazardous waste

until the annual hazardous waste disposal”, but provides no evidence to

support this statement).

– Although the student acknowledges the town council’s financial concerns

(e.g., notes that “it costs money to run these depots” and that “the cost to

collect the plastic . . . could total $15,000 per ton per year”), his or her

analysis of this issue is confusing (e.g., “the price that recycling compa-

nies pay to get the plastics from the depot is too low. It is very expensive

to collect from the depot.”).

– The student uses inquiry skills with some effectiveness, as illustrated by the

following:

– The student identifies the problem (e.g., “our town council wants to close

this depot and have a hazardous waste depot”) and clarifies the issue

somewhat by demonstrating the continuing need for the recycling depot

(e.g., “plastics do not decompose”, “There has been an increase in the

number of people that use the depot”), but does not clarify the issue

more fully by discussing the reasons for council’s decision to open the

hazardous waste depot.

Bibliography

www.rco.on.ca


Comments/Next Steps

– The student’s argument on the need to maintain the recycling depot would

be bolstered by the addition of statistics on the number of people using the

facility and the amount of plastic being recycled.

– The student should provide background on why council decided to close the

recycling depot and open a hazardous waste depot.

– The student needs to practise stating his or her thoughts in a more organ-

ized manner.

– The student lists several possible solutions that have been proposed by

the community (e.g., monthly, rather than weekly, recycling of plastics;

operating the hazardous waste depot and the recycling depot at the

same time), but does not evaluate these solutions or identify which, if any,

he or she advocates.

Communication

– The student uses language and tone with some effectiveness, as illustrated

by the following:

– Although some of the letter is clearly written and the vocabulary is

appropriate to the topic (e.g., “hazardous waste”, “decompose”, “recycling

depot”), grammatical errors and abrupt transitions reduce the letter’s

overall coherence (e.g., “The number of people that used the depot have

increased; therefore, we had a permanent plastic recycling depot.”;

“council has proposed that the . . . depot be in use once a week. On the

other hand, it costs money to run these depots . . . ”).

– Although the student adopts a somewhat persuasive tone (e.g., closes the

letter by reiterating that “the more plastics that we keep out of dump

sites, the better off our environment is”), the lack of focus in the closing

paragraph detracts from the letter’s overall persuasiveness.

Application

– The student makes connections with some effectiveness, as illustrated by

the following:

– Having discussed the expense to the municipality of recycling household

plastics, the student refers to a proposal that may save money (i.e.,

“Some feel that we should dispose of our plastics once a month instead

of every week; and therefore, save tax dollars.”). However, the student

does not indicate how much money such a solution would save or

whether monthly recycling is feasible at the existing depot.

– Although the student lists some reasonable ways of keeping the recycling

depot open, these are presented as solutions proposed by the community,

not by the student (e.g., “Some feel that . . . ”, “it has been proposed that

. . . ”, “some citizens have suggested . . . ”).


A B


Application

– The student makes connections with some effectiveness, in that he or she

proposes a solution that is somewhat realistic and reasonable, referring to

the general advantages of recycling and composting (e.g., “recyclables can

be sold to many different manufactures”, “Composting is also very good . . .

very easy . . . it would not take much money”), but does not outline its effects

on the community.

Comments/Next Steps

– The student’s explanation of why the issue is important to the city approaches

a level 3, but more detail about the effects on the community is needed in

the discussion of both the problem and the solution.

– The student needs to practise stating his or her ideas more precisely and in

greater detail.

– The student needs to develop a wider range of vocabulary in order to avoid

repeating the same words (e.g., “concern”, “concerned”, “current”).

Teacher’s Notes


– The student demonstrates some understanding of the civic issue (e.g., cites

statistical projections for the time when the current sites will be full, and

acknowledges the connection between an over-reliance on garbage dumps

and the threat to a “clean and healthy” environment).

Thinking/Inquiry

– The student demonstrates some ability to conduct critical analysis, as illus-

trated by the following:

– He or she includes a reference to the disadvantages of one initiative to

reduce the amount of garbage sent to dumps (e.g., “Two other sites are

now even charging $1.25 per bag of garbage and that can add up for

some people.”), but does not provide enough detail.

– The analysis of the opposing perspective is limited (e.g., the claim that

some people want “to leave our local sites the same as they are now” is

not explained or supported by any evidence).

– The student uses inquiry skills with some effectiveness, as illustrated by the

following:

– Some statistical data are presented to help identify and clarify the issue

(e.g., “all of our garbage sites will be full within 19 years”), but the detail

is limited.

– The student includes specific information to support the argument for

recycling and composting (e.g., “juice boxes can be used for paper towel

and tissue production”; “Composting alone can reduce waste by up to

25 %”), but does not clarify how this solution would be implemented.

Communication

– The student uses language and tone with some effectiveness, adopting a

somewhat persuasive tone (e.g., “I am writing to you because I am hoping

that you can do something about this issue.”), but sometimes using vague

and ineffective language (e.g., “one has closed do the amount of work that

needs to be done to it”; “Other citizens . . . might want to deal with whatever

happens when the time comes.”).


A B

June 5, 2001Member of Parliament

Dear Bonnie Brown,

I am writing in regard to the transit system that currently exists in .In efforts to preserve the environment, I understand that public transit is apopular solution. Many cities encourage it’s citizens to utilize it’s transitsystem by providing reasonable fares, daily transportation and a frequentand regular schedule. residents, however, are being discouragedto use it’s transit system. The exhorbitant fare, lack of service on Sundayand infrequent and irregular schedule encourage residents to find alternative methods of transportation. If the transit system is supposedto be helping the environment, greater efforts should be put forth toencourage residents to use it. I feel that a few adjustments need to be madeto the current system..

As a student without a car, I depend on the transit system as a means oftransportation. On Monday through Friday the buses run every hour andevery half an hour during the rush hour periods (7am-10am and 3pm-6pm).On Saturday the buses run every hour and in the evening some routes arecombined. On Sunday there is no bus service. Due to the infrequent serviceI usually find myself very uncomfortable in the often overcrowded buses.On numerous occasions the bus had passed me by as it was too full to pickup additional passengers. As a result, I had to wait another hour for thenext bus to arrive. Taking the bus on Saturday is often confusing and frustrating. As there are less buses in operation, routes are often combinedmaking them longer. It is a hassle having to make modifications to yourschedule to compensate for time lost on the bus ride. Also, the lack of busservice on Sunday is an inconvience to many residents. In addition,the $2.00 fare is quite costly. I understand that the buses run with the GO train schedule as it is during those times where they receive the mostpassengers. I am aware that it is fairly costly to operate buses. I am also

aware that during certain times of the day, it is not cost effective for morebuses to run as there are very few riders. I am grateful that bus service has been provided, however I feel that with a few minor adjustments,

’s transit system would be more successful.

During the rush hour periods there is a need for more buses. I think thatby increasing the number of buses in operation during this time, the rider-ship would increase greatly. With the increase in ridership, the transit sys-tem would be able to decrease their fare. By increasing the frequency of theschedule, residents would be encouraged to use the transit sys-tem as they would be less fearful of missing the bus. Also, there is a needfor buses to run on Sunday. residents need to travel every day ofthe week and should not be denied Sunday transportation. Please considermy requests.

Sincerely,A concerned citizen


C

Bibliography

1. www.oakvilletransit.com

2. www.town.oakville.on.ca/services/towndept_transit.asp

Teacher’s Notes


– The student demonstrates considerable understanding of the civic issue,

outlining the importance of public transportation and describing how his or

her city’s public transit system compares unfavourably with those in other

cities (e.g., “The exhorbitant fare, lack of service on Sunday and infrequent

and irregular schedule encourage . . . residents to find alternative methods

of transportation.”).

Thinking/Inquiry

– The student demonstrates considerable ability to conduct critical analysis,

as illustrated by the well-supported assessment he or she provides of the

difficulties facing the city in expanding the transit system (e.g., “buses run

with the GO train schedule”, “it is fairly costly to operate buses”, “it is not

cost effective for more buses”).

– The student uses inquiry skills with considerable effectiveness, as illus-


– Through a personal perspective, the student identifies specific limits to

the usefulness of the current transit system (e.g., “find myself very

uncomfortable in the often overcrowded buses”, “the $2.00 fare is quite

costly”).

– The student identifies several ways in which the public transit system

should be expanded (e.g., “During the rush hour periods there is a need

for more buses”).

Communication

– The student uses language and tone with considerable effectiveness, as

illustrated by the following:

– The student’s use of polite and succinct language (e.g., “I am grateful that

bus service has been provided . . . with a few minor adjustments, . . . ’s tran-

sit system would be more successful”) invites a positive response.

– The student writes clearly and effectively (e.g., “the lack of bus service on

Sunday is an inconvience to many . . . residents”), although his or her use

of the passive voice somewhat limits the persuasiveness of the letter.

Application

– The student makes connections with considerable effectiveness, proposing

a generally realistic and reasonable solution for each of the problems iden-

tified and taking into consideration the impact on the community (e.g., the

addition of more buses during rush hour would result in an increase in rid-

ership, which would make possible a reduction in fares).

Comments/Next Steps

– The student has written an effective and persuasive letter, including rele-

vant detail and examples in his or her presentation of opposing viewpoints.

– The student should provide comparative statistical data to support his or

her argument (e.g., schedules, fares, and ridership of a comparable transit

system).

– The student could poll other users and non-users of the transit system for

varying points of views and analysis.

– The student’s letter should have been addressed to a member of provincial

Parliament, rather than a member of federal Parliament.

– The student should practise varying sentence construction (e.g., the student

overuses the passive voice and begins too many sentences with “I”), and

should edit more carefully to catch grammatical and spelling errors

(e.g., “Many cities encourage it’s citizens”).



A B

May 25, 2001Mayor of

To the Mayor of

I am writng this letter to express my concern about the dangers of second-handsmoke and the need for a ban on smoking in all public places in the city of

. I strongly urge the city to create a smoke-free , and feel that anybylaw banning smoking must be enforced without exception.

I feel that a ban on smoking in all public places will benefit the city greatly. The quality of health of all citizens will improve due to the lack of second-handsmoke. Second-hand smoke is the cause of 53,000 deaths a year. It is the thirdlargest preventable cause of death, behind regular smoking and alcohol abuse.Second-hand smoke can be especially dangerous to young children, whose tis-sues are still developing. The carcinogens found in smoke are as dangerous tothose inhaling them second-hand as they are to the smoker. Therefore, a smoke-free envirnoment is in the best interests of the people, as their health is at riskwhen exposed to second-hand smoke.

I also recognize that 25% of the population smokes. Businesses catering to theneeds of these people profit due to the service they are providing. Bar andrestaurant owners resist the idea of a ban. They fear that they will lose businessif a ban is imposed, but this in fact may prove to be completely untrue. Bans onsmoking that have taken place in other cities have shown that if businessdecreases, it rapidly returns, and oftentimes business actually improves when aban on smoking is implemented. I understand that some businesses are con-cerned but still feel that a ban on smoking would be hugely beneficial to the cityof .

I feel that banning smoking in all public places would be a wise decision, but thisis not enough. A bylaw would have to be strongly enforced, with no exceptions. If smoking is to be eliminated completely from public places, an effective teamwould need to be hired with enough members to administer this law. I believethat, as mayor of this city, you are in the best position to ensure that this bylawis passed and effectively administered.

SincerelyA Concerned Citizen

Bibliography

orders no smoking in public places – News release: http://cbc.ca//cgi-bin/templates

Where there’s smoke . . . it’s usually second-hand:http://www.ontario.cancer.ca/SiteBoth/English/CCSA2B4C2D4E1FOGO.asp

Application

– The student makes connections with considerable effectiveness, as illustrated

by the following:

– The student proposes a realistic and reasonable solution, clearly outlining

the conditions necessary for an anti-smoking bylaw to be effective (i.e.,

the ban must apply to all public places in the city and must be adequately

enforced).

– In proposing the solution, the student takes into account its effect on

various segments of the community (e.g., notes that “a smoke-free

envirnoment is in the best interests of the people, as their health is at

risk . . . ”; reassures businesses that their counterparts in other cities did

not experience long-term financial losses following similar bans).

Comments/Next Steps

– The student has created a well-written and plausible letter of concern.

– The work could be improved by a more detailed explanation of the role of

the people who would administer the law.

– The work could be further improved if the student clarified some ambiguous

statistical data and added more detail on local aspects of the issue.

– More careful proofreading would eliminate typographical errors

(i.e., “writng”, “envirnoment”).

Teacher’s Notes


– The student demonstrates considerable understanding of the civic issue,

describing the health risks posed by both smoking and second-hand smoke

(e.g., “The carcinogens found in smoke are as dangerous to those inhaling

them second-hand as they are to the smoker.”).

Thinking/Inquiry

– The student demonstrates considerable ability to conduct critical analysis

of two different perspectives, clearly outlining the perspective of those

opposed to the smoking ban (e.g., “Bar and restaurant owners . . . fear that

they will lose business if a ban is imposed”) and countering this position

with evidence from other cities that have implemented similar bans

(e.g., “oftentimes business actually improves . . . ”).

– The student uses inquiry skills with considerable effectiveness, as illustrated

by the following:

– Statistics are used to illustrate the problem of smoking and the dangers

of second-hand smoke (e.g., “25% of the population smokes”; “Second-

hand smoke is the cause of 53,000 deaths a year.”), but the student does

not indicate whether statistics reflect national or provincial trends.

– The student clarifies the solution by stressing the importance of effective

enforcement (e.g., “banning smoking in all public places would be a wise

decision, but this is not enough. A bylaw would have to be strongly

enforced”).

Communication

– The student uses language and tone with considerable effectiveness, as


– The writing is clear, facts are effectively integrated (e.g., “Second-hand

smoke can be especially dangerous to young children, whose tissues

are still developing.”), and the vocabulary is appropriate to the topic

(e.g., “second-hand smoke”, “carcinogens”, “preventable cause of

death”).

– The tone is forceful and persuasive (e.g., “I strongly urge . . . ”, “you are in

the best position to ensure that this bylaw is passed”).



A B

May 29, 2001Minister of the Environment

Dear Sir,

I am writing in concern about the government plans to build a1.8km. highway through Park. The building of the highway willaffect the environment, threatening many rare plant and animal species.As a nearby resident, I often visit the park. My friends and I camp thereseveral times during the summer and my whole family enjoys skiing thereduring the winter. Local residents of all ages appreciate the protected natu-ral environment and the thousands of tourists who visit the park each yeardo so as well. There are many quiet trails for hiking and bicycles and cleanlakes for swimming. On weekends many local residents go to the park forpicnics or just to enjoy nature. I believe that it is important to preserve thenatural parks of Canada. They are part of our heritage and we want to protect them for our own children.

The highway planned is an extension of an existing highway and itis designed to link three cities. Conservationists argue that the highwaywill destroy some of the oldest trees in Eastern Canada. It will cross twobeaver ponds and the ramps will destroy a nesting site of rare Cooper’shawks. Many other species of plants and animals will be affected. The reason for building the highway is to reduce travel time. Are people sobusy that they are willing to wipe out rare animal species like the southernflying squirrel and the western chorus frog forever, just to save a few min-utes a day? Why should tax money ($45 million dollars) be spent on thehighway when it could be used to protect the environment?

The government however, says that it is too early to say where thehighway will go through the park. The government wants a consultant’sreport on where the ramps should be placed, so that they would have theleast environmental impact. It also wants a list of all the plant and animalspecies that will be affected. The transportation ministry began public

hearings and the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans will beinvolved because a wetland may be affected. They say all these measureswould minimize the damage by deciding where the highway should bestbe built in the park.

Is it possible to build a highway through the park without cuttingdown large numbers of the very old and rare trees like the white pines thatgrow throughout the park? Some of these are 500 years old! Is it possible tobuild the highway without disturbing nests and destroying rare plant life?Are the frogs and turtles going to survive in the wetlands with all the noiseand pollution caused by the traffic on the highway? I don’t think so.

I believe that the highway should not be built through the park at all.The fact that the plan for the highway was approved ten years ago and isstill not started shows that a new road is not needed urgently. An informa-tion sheet should be sent out to local residents explaining the environmen-tal issues. Are they really willing to sacrifice an important part of theirheritage for yet another highway? I think that when people understand theissues, they will agree with my solution. The highway could be builtaround the park. This would be more costly and would be a longer routefor motorists certainly, but a very special part of our environment wouldremain protected!

I strongly suggest that the government take another look at thisissue.

Sincerely,A Concerned Citizen

Teacher’s Notes


– The student demonstrates a high degree of understanding of the civic issue,

as illustrated by the following:

– The issue is clearly identified (e.g., “government plans to build a 1.8km.

highway through . . . Park . . . will affect the environment, threatening

many rare plant and animal species”).

– The student provides an excellent explanation of why the issue is of con-

cern to the community (e.g., “There are many quiet trails for hiking and

bicycles and clean lakes for swimming. On weekends many local resi-

dents go to the park for picnics or just to enjoy nature.”; “Local residents

of all ages appreciate the protected natural environment . . . ”).

Thinking/Inquiry

– The student demonstrates a high degree of ability to conduct critical analy-

sis, describing the safeguards proposed by the government (e.g., “The gov-

ernment wants a consultant’s report on where the ramps should be placed,

so that they would have the least environmental impact.”) and concluding

that these are insufficient (e.g., “Are the frogs and turtles going to survive in

the wetlands with all the noise and pollution caused by the traffic on the

highway? I don’t think so.”).

– The student uses inquiry skills with a high degree of effectiveness, conduct-

ing substantial research and using the information to clarify the issue and

the proposed solution (e.g., discusses the park as host to specific species of

animals, vulnerable wetlands, very old trees, and nesting sites for rare

birds to support his or her contention that the highway should not be built

in the park).

Communication

– The student uses tone and language with a high degree of effectiveness, as


– The letter is clearly written, sentence structure is skilfully varied, and a

number of effective rhetorical questions are posed (e.g., “Are people so

busy that they are willing to wipe out rare animal species like the south-

ern flying squirrel and the western chorus frog forever, just to save a few

minutes a day?”).

C

Bibliography

“Road will kill whole ecosystem.” Ottawa Citizen 18 Apr. 2001: B1.

“NCC is failing Gatineau Park.” Ottawa Citizen 2 May 2001: F5.

www.thecitizen.com/city/010418

www.capcan.ca/aatineau

www.ottawa.cbc.ca/editorServlets


– The student’s language and tone contribute very effectively to the persua-

siveness of the argument (e.g., “. . . it is important to preserve the natural

parks of Canada. They are part of our heritage and we want to protect

them for our own children.”).

– There are only a few errors in punctuation and grammar (e.g., “The gov-

ernment however, says . . . ”; “these measures would minimize the damage

by deciding where the highway should best be built”).

Application

– The student makes connections with a high degree of effectiveness, as illus-


– The student proposes a realistic and reasonable solution (i.e., advocates

constructing the proposed highway outside the park and building com-

munity support for this plan by educating people about the new road’s

potential impact on the environment).

– The student recognizes that there would be disadvantages for the com-

munity if the route for the highway were moved (e.g., notes that building

the road outside the park “would be more costly” and would result in “a

longer route for motorists”) but argues convincingly that these consider-

ations are outweighed by the advantages of preserving the park for

future generations.

Comments/Next Steps

– This is a highly effective and persuasive letter: the issue is well researched

and the student’s concerns are articulated in a coherent and convincing

manner.

– The student could provide additional detail to explain the viewpoint of the

proponents of the government’s plan to build a highway through the park.

– The student should proofread more carefully to catch errors in punctuation

and grammar.


A B

June 5, 2001Minister of Finance

Dear Minister of Finance,

I am writing this letter in regard to the high price of gasoline and heating oil. Thecost of these resources impacts on the daily lives of all Canadian citizens, withthe biggest impact on poor and middle class people. I live in a small rural community where there are a number of people living on small fixed incomes,many of them retired. The Farmer’s Almanac predicts a very cold winter andthese people are seriously concerned about the increased cost of heating theirhomes during the long winter months. As well, a local factory closed down several months ago which employed many local residents. Some of these peoplefound employment in other towns but it means that they are required to commutelong distances. As gasoline prices continue to increase, without comparablesalary increases, these people have less real spending money. Increased fuel costshave a negative effect on other sectors of my community as well, such as stores,restaurants and small contractors. They all report that sales are down in letters tothe editor of our local newspaper. This is no surprise as people have less moneyto spend on goods, services and entertainment. The price of gas and heating oil isan important factor that contributes to making the cost of living more expensive.

I know that there are various factors that influence the cost of fuel to the consumer.For example, the price of crude oil has a direct influence on the retail price ofpetroleum products. Refining and transportation costs also affect the retail price.Unfortunately, as fuel costs increase, transportation costs increase, and as transportation costs increase, fuel costs increase. This increases fuel prices. Highgovernment taxation increases the cost of gasoline and heating oil as well.

Some argue that maintaining a high cost for fuel is good for the environment.People tend to drive less when the prices at the gas pumps are high and thereforepollution is reduced. Also, taxes on fuel provide a lot of money for the FederalGovernment and that allows them to spend money on important projects likehelping farmers and health care. On the other hand, many people argue that

taxes on fuel are too high and so the poorest families are suffering and cannotafford their heating bills. People in rural communities such as mine have to relyon their cars and trucks for transportation because there is no alternative.Although some supporters of the high tax on fuel argue that the money could bespent on improving public transportation, that would be a solution for cities, butwould not solve the problem in small towns.

Some people in my community suggest that we stop exporting Canadian oil anduse our own resources at home. They think this would reduce costs. This is not agood solution because oil from Alberta cannot be sent to the eastern provinceswithout huge transportation costs, so this would not reduce oil and gas prices.There has been some talk of building a pipe-line across the country. I think thismay be a good solution for the future, but it would take a long time and a lot ofmoney, so it would not help people today.

My proposal is to reduce government taxes on oil and gas. Obviously the government does need some tax money to build new roads and improve transportation, but the taxes are too high. Gas and oil are not luxury items.Farmers need fuel to operate their machinery and people need money to heattheir homes. Over 40% of the money we spend at the gas pumps goes for taxes.In 1995, the federal government had a deficit and added a 1.5 cent per litre taxon gas. The problem was solved, so this extra tax should be dropped immedi-ately. The government should also remove the GST on heating oil.

This solution can work and is good for Canadians. It would help poor and lowerincome people with a solution that would make a real difference in their lives.It would ensure that people can afford to heat their homes and commute to jobs.I know it would make a big difference to the residents of my community andother small rural towns like mine. It is important to build roads and subway systems, which benefit some people, but there is also a time to consider theimmediate needs of people, including those living in rural areas. This is one ofthose times. I politely request that you consider my solution.

Sincerely,A Concerned Citizen


Teacher’s Notes


– The student demonstrates a high degree of undertstanding of the civic

issue, clearly explaining why the issue is a community concern (e.g., “people

are seriously concerned about the increased cost of heating their homes

during the long winter months”; “People in rural communities such as mine

have to rely on their cars and trucks for transportation because there is no

alternative.”).

Thinking/Inquiry

– The student conducts critical analysis with a high degreee of ability, as illus-


– The student examines the positive side of high taxes on fuel (e.g., “People

tend to drive less . . . and therefore pollution is reduced”; “the money

could be spent on improving public transportation”), but argues that

such outcomes do not benefit rural communities.

– The student effectively demonstrates the broader impact of high fuel

prices (e.g., “Increased fuel costs have a negative effect on other sectors

of my community”; “people have less money to spend on good, services

and entertainment”).

– The student outlines some alternative solutions being discussed in the

community (e.g., using Canadian rather than foreign oil, building a

pipeline), and clearly demonstrates why these solutions would not be

effective.

– The student uses inquiry skills with a high degree of effectiveness, citing

statistics to support the argument that fuel taxes are too high and to clarify

his or her proposed solution (e.g., “Over 40% of the money we spend at the

gas pumps goes for taxes.”; “In 1995, the federal government had a deficit

and added a 1.5 cent per litre tax on gas . . . this extra tax should be dropped

immediately.”).

C

Bibliography

“Gas Tax Honesty Day” www.taxpayer.com/studies/federal

“Group calls for cuts to gas taxes” www.canoe.ca/CNEWSGas01/0524

“Don’t lower gasoline taxes” www.tcp.com

“Prices at pump fuel CPI rise” www.globeandmail

“Attention whiners: There is no energy crisis in Canada” www.tcp.com

Communication

– The student uses language and tone with a high degree of effectiveness, as


– The student presents information and expresses ideas clearly and con-

cisely, and structures arguments logically (e.g., “Unfortunately, as fuel

costs increase, transportation costs increase, and as transportation

costs increase, fuel costs increase.”).

– The letter elicits a positive response because the student writes both

assertively (e.g., “It is important to build roads and subway systems,

which benefit some people, but there is also a time to consider the imme-

diate needs of people, including those living in rural areas. This is one of

those times.”) and politely (e.g., “I politely request that you consider my

solution.”).

– The student’s syntax is occasionally somewhat awkward (e.g., “They all

report that sales are down in letters to the editor . . . ”).

Application

– The student makes connections with a high degree of effectivenes, proposing

a realistic and reasonable solution that takes into account the effect on the

community (e.g., “It would help poor and lower income people . . . It would

ensure that people can afford to heat their homes and commute to jobs.”).

Comments/Next Steps

– This is a highly effective, well-written letter of concern.

– To strengthen his or her argument about the impact of high fuel prices, the

student could include statistics on recent increases in gas and oil prices.

– The student might consider additional ways of reducing the price of gaso-

line. His or her proposal for a 1.5¢ per litre reduction in the tax on gasoline

will have only a minor impact on gas prices.


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Title: A Letter of Concern About a Local Issue

Time Requirement: 4 periods of 75 minutes each

Description of TaskThis task is designed to encourage students to apply their knowledge and skills in the area ofactive citizenship. Students are asked to examine and analyse a local issue of community andpersonal interest and write a letter expressing concern about that issue. This letter must analyseat least two perspectives on the matter and present a reasonable and convincing solution to theproblem.

Final ProductThe final product will consist of:

• a handwritten or word-processed letter of concern that addresses a local issue and proposes areasonable solution to the problem;

• a bibliography listing all sources used by the students in completing the necessary research forthe task.

Note: The bibliography will not be evaluated as part of the exemplar task but is required toensure that students list all the sources used in their research.

Teachers should advise students that any quotes taken directly from a source must beappropriately recognized.

Assessment and EvaluationStudents will assess their work by means of the following:

• self-assessment of research notes, using the Checklist for Research Notes (Appendix B)

• peer assessment of the letter, using the Checklist for Peer Editing (Appendix D), and self-assessment of the letter, using the task-specific rubric

The final product will be evaluated by the teacher, using the task-specific rubric.

Canadian and World Studies Exemplar TaskGrade 10 Civics – Open

Teacher Package

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Expectations Addressed in the Exemplar Task

Students will:

1. describe how their own and others’ beliefs and values can be connected to a sense ofcivic purpose and preferred types of participation;

2. analyse a current public issue that involves conflicting beliefs and values, describing andevaluating the conflicting positions;

3. articulate clearly their personal sense of civic identity and purpose, and understand thediversity of beliefs and values of other individuals and groups in Canadian society;

4. communicate their own beliefs, points of view, and informed judgements, and effectivelyuse appropriate discussion skills (e.g., persuasion, negotiation);

5. demonstrate an ability to research questions and issues of civic importance, and to thinkcritically and creatively about these issues and questions;

6. participate effectively in a civil action or project of interest to them and of importanceto the community (e.g., attend public hearings, plan religious or cultural event, joinspecial interest group, write letters to editor).

Teacher Instructions

• Prior to starting the task, collect community newspapers, arrange for speakers and otherresources, and/or have students collect relevant articles.

• Book a computer lab, if available, for word processing the letters and conducting Internetsearches.

• Encourage peer conferencing and editing.

Prior Knowledge and Skills RequiredTo complete this task, students should have some knowledge or skills related to the following:

• various types of civic action and their relative effectiveness and appropriateness in differentsituations

• the responsibilities of municipal and provincial governments

• the inquiry process

• developing arguments and points of view

• detecting bias in sources (e.g., editorials, letters to editor)

• writing persuasively and effectively

• using peer and self-assessment checklists during the writing process to improve their work

• using a word-processing program (optional)

• accessing the Internet and using search engines effectively (optional)

• developing bibliographies

Teacher Package

3

AccommodationsAccommodations that are normally provided in the regular classroom for students with specialneeds should be provided in the administration of this performance task.

You may wish to review the relevant course profile for specific suggestions for accommodationsappropriate for students in special education programs.

Materials and ResourcesThe following resources may facilitate student selection and research of an issue:

• Access to local community news through– newspaper articles– magazines– televised news– radio (call-in shows)– Internet access (optional)– community experts

• Government websites that provide directories of municipal councillors or members of federalor provincial Parliament

• Phonebooks (blue and yellow pages)

• Computer lab workstations for word processing and Internet searches

RubricIntroduce the task-specific rubric* to the students when you begin to discuss the task with thestudents. Review the rubric with the students and ensure that each student understands thecriteria and the descriptions for achievement at each level.

Allow ample class time for a thorough reading and discussion of the assessment criteria outlinedin the rubric.

Some students may perform below level 1. It will be important to note the characteristics of theirwork in relation to the criteria in the assessment rubric and to provide feedback to help themimprove.

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The Exemplar Task: 4 periods of 75 minutes each

Period 1: Introduction, Brainstorming, and Beginning Research

• Introduce the task to students. Tell them that they are to choose an issue that is of concern tothem and to their local community. They will research at least two sides of the subject,develop a potential solution to the problem inherent in the issue, and write a persuasive letterof concern to a person who is in a position to effect change with respect to the matter.

• Inform students that they have four class periods in which to complete the task.

• Review with students the steps of an inquiry model (identify and clarify an issue, explore theissue, consider the options, make a decision, take action, reflect on the results of the action).

• Brainstorm with the students to generate a list of issues specific to their community.

• Have each student identify and clarify a local issue of concern to him or her and to the localcommunity (e.g., in the area of waste management, use of natural resources, transportation,social services, development and construction, city planning). Check that students havenarrowed the issue down into a clearly stated question that will guide their research (e.g.,Should local residents pay for garbage disposal of more than two bags? Should there beservice charges for using the gym or day-care facilities at the local recreational centre? Shoulda bylaw be changed to allow for a later curfew for teenagers?).

• Although students pick their own issue, you must approve their choice.

• Ask students to begin to collect information from two or more sources. Examples of sourcesinclude local/national newspapers, reliable websites, local television or radio programs, andcommunity experts.

Note: To facilitate the research process, students may have been collecting articles on variousissues throughout the course or may use resources that you have provided. Sources must reflectmore than one viewpoint.

Period 2: Organizing and Reviewing Research• Instruct students to record the information they have gathered from various sources in point

form on the chart Organizing Your Research Notes (Appendix A).

• When they have finished their research, ask students to complete the Checklist for ResearchNotes (Appendix B) to assess their notes.

• After they have reviewed their research notes, ask students to choose the solution that seemsmost effective, reasonable, and justifiable, based on the information recorded on theirOrganizing Your Research Notes sheets.

*The rubric is reproduced on pages 14–15 of this document.


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Period 3: Drafting the Letter

• Ask each student to identify an appropriate person or organization to whom the letter ofconcern will be addressed. Examples of appropriate recipients are:– the district school board (director/trustees)– the mayor or council members– regional (county) administration– an MP, MPP, or cabinet minister– the CEO or health and safety officer of a local company– a member of the media– a community service group, cultural organization, or volunteer association.

• Have students discuss the following question: “If you received a letter of concern, what wouldimpress you, prompt you to keep reading, and make you want to respond in a positivemanner?” The discussion can be held in small groups or among the whole class. During thisdiscussion, the students’ ideas should be recorded on a chart, either by the teacher or by thestudents working in small groups. A sample chart follows:

An effective letter. . . An ineffective letter. . .

– is well written (contains no errors in – is poorly written (contains errors in grammar, spelling, format) grammar, spelling, format)

– demonstrates that the writer is informed – demonstrates that the writer is not about the issue informed about the issue

– is respectful and articulate – is insulting and insensitive; uses slang

– presents reasonable solutions – suggests unreasonable solutions

– shows an understanding of obstacles – assumes that the solution is easy;faced by the reader ignores obstacles

• Discuss the components of a letter of concern with students.

• Using the Template for a Letter of Concern (Appendix C), show a sample outline of a formalletter of concern and discuss the components of a formal letter with the students.

• Ask students to review their research notes and write a first draft of their letter.

Period 4: Assessing Drafts and Completing the Final Product

• Have students partner with a peer-editor for feedback on their first draft. Instruct peer-editorsto use the Checklist for Peer Editing (Appendix D).

• After peer editing is completed, ask students to self-assess their letters with reference to therubric criteria.

• Ask students to produce a final copy of their letter of concern. Remind them to submit abibliography with their letter.

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Appendices

Appendix A: Organizing Your Research Notes

Appendix B: Checklist for Research Notes

Appendix C: Template for a Letter of Concern

Appendix D: Checklist for Peer Editing

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Appendix A: Organizing Your Research Notes

Read through the sources you have gathered and make point-form notes under the followingheadings.

What is the problem? (Include general statements, facts, and statistics if possible.)

Viewpoints on the problem

Viewpoint #1 Viewpoint #2

– –

– –

– –

– –

What has been done so far? (Identify some actions that have already been taken to addressthe problem.)

What should be done? (Identify possible solutions to the problem.)

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Appendix B: Checklist for Research Notes

Self-Assessment

Before proceeding to the next step, complete the following checklist to make sure your researchnotes are complete and correctly done.

Criteria Yes No

Notes are written in point form.

Notes are written in my own words.

Sufficient information is provided under each heading.

Important and detailed information is included (e.g., facts, statistics).

Sources are recent.

Sources are reliable.

Sources represent at least two viewpoints.

Bibliographic information is included.


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Appendix C: Template for a Letter of Concern

Date

Recipient’s Position (e.g., mayor, member of Parliament, health inspector)

Salutation (Dear ),

Section 1:

Explain why you are writing this letter and why this issue is of concern to you and to your localcommunity.

Section 2:

Explain what you know about the issue and your understanding of the problem.

Explain that you understand that there are other viewpoints on the issue (multiple perspectives).

Explain one of those viewpoints in addition to your own viewpoint.

Section 3:

Outline your reasonable and realistic solution.

Explain why it is a good solution.

Politely request action.

Sincerely,

A Concerned Citizen

Note: Usually, you would address your letter to a specific person at a correct address, and youwould sign your name. For this exercise only, you are asked not to include any names oraddresses.

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Appendix D: Checklist for Peer Editing

Directions:

Read the draft copy of your partner’s letter of concern.

Complete the following checklist for your partner as carefully as you can, so that when he or shewrites the final copy, your feedback will be constructive and helpful.

Use a ✓ to note the elements that your partner has used in his or her letter of concern.

CheckElements to Look for in a Letter of Concern✓

ELEMENTS OF THE LETTER

The letter has a date.

The letter includes the position of the recipient.

The opening salutation is clearly written.

There are at least three paragraphs in the letter (at least one for each section).

The letter includes a complimentary closing.

The letter has been signed “A Concerned Citizen”.

CONTENT OF THE LETTER

Section 1: Identifies the writer’s concern and reasons for the chosen audience.

Section 2: Outlines the issue from at least two viewpoints.

Section 3: Outlines and explains solution(s) and requests appropriate action.

The supporting evidence is relevant to the concern being expressed.

The supporting evidence is sufficient to support the opinion.

Words and phrases are appropriate to the purpose, audience, and style.

The letter meets the purpose of persuading the intended audience to acknowledge the concern and consider the solution.

LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS

Words are spelled correctly.

Vocabulary is appropriate and relevant to the topic.

Grammar used is correct and effective.

Punctuation is correct and effective.

The Ministry of Education wishes to acknowledgethe contribution of the many individuals, groups,and organizations that participated in the develop-ment and refinement of this resource document.

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