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9-12 Grade Level Illinois Alternative Assessment Program Scoring Rubric ITEM: Farming in the U.S.A. This item presents students with an unlabeled dot map that shows the distribution of wheat farming in the United States and a list of four crops--cotton, wheat, corn, tobacco. They are asked to analyze and determine which crop is represented on the map, to give reasons for selecting one crop, and to explain why they did not select any of the other three. Students are expected to use their knowledge of physical and agricultural geography to answer the question. Level Four Performance At this level, the student correctly identifies wheat as the crop shown on the map and provides two or three valid reasons for this choice, i.e., climate of the Great Plains, favorable soils for wheat growing, suitable terrain, knowing that states such as Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas produce large amounts of wheat. In addition, for each of the other crops not selected, students provide one valid reason why it is not the crop shown on the map, e.g., not cotton because it requires a longer growing season than exists in the Dakotas. Responses are organized according to the order specified in the question, i.e., choose a crop, provide reasons, explain why it is not any of the other crops. Level Three Performance At this level, the student correctly identifies wheat as the crop shown on the map and provides one valid reason for this choice, e.g., climate, soils, terrain, area where wheat is grown. Also, for each of the other crops not selected, the student gives one reason why it is not the crop shown on the map, but at least one of the three reasons is inaccurate, e.g., "cotton and tobacco the same, it would be more clustered throughout the Great Plains region." As with Level Four, responses are organized according to the order specified in the question. Level Two Performance At this level, the student selects wheat as the crop shown on the map, usually through a process of elimination, and may provide one reason for their choice. However, if a reason is given it is less precise than in a Level Three or Four response or it is marginally accurate, e.g., "the majority of the planting is done in the vicinity of the driest part of the U.S." At least two of the reasons given for not choosing the other crop options are wrong, e.g., "the farms in Illinois are to small for corn and cotton," "tobacco...its mostly imported." Student responses are less well organized than at previous levels and only partially follow the order specified in the question. Level One Performance At this level, the student seldom selects wheat as the crop shown on the map. If wheat is selected, the reason given does not provide an adequate explanation for the pattern on the map, e.g., "wheat is grown in the plains region. It is not grown all over the U.S." or reveals lack of understanding of the physical geography of the U.S., e.g., "wheat is grown in hot climates..." In some cases, no effort is made to provide reasons for why it cannot be the other crops mentioned in the question. Often, corn or cotton is identified at the crop represented on the map. Student responses tend to be short and lack organization.