HUM_YOT

Applied Humanities

Rubric Exploration Sample D 4 Module Four: Examining the Humanities, continued / Page 4.1.3 Exploration Sample D On this page: 0 of 13 attempted (0%) | 0 of 13 correct (0%) Objective: Apply the rubric to another sample assignment to better understand how your exploration document will be graded.

The previous paper was a pretty good example of what the graders will be looking for in this project. But before we leave the rubric behind, let’s run through it one more time with a paper that does NOT meet the criteria very well.

Critical Element 1

Describe the cultural artifacts that you have chosen. Consider questions such as these in your response: What is the name or title of the artifact? Who is the author or artist? What is the date or time period when the artifact was created? What is the cultural setting or physical location of the artifact?

Student response:

I have chosen two works for this exploration. One of them is a piece of classical music and the other is a painting. I found a modern version of my first work on Spotify, but I think it might be pretty different from the original. My second work is a painting, but since it was painted on a wall, it is actually called a mural.

Multiple-Choice Question

Now take a look at the rubric. Which category would you put this response in?

Not Evident: Does not describe selected cultural artifacts Needs Improvement: Describes selected cultural artifacts, but with gaps in detail or clarity Exemplary: Meets “Proficient” criteria and description is exceptionally clear and contextualized Proficient: Describes selected cultural artifacts

Critical Element 2

Identify at least one common theme that will serve as the framework of your exploration document. How is the theme expressed in your artifacts?

Student response:

These works are really different so its really hard to find the same theme in them both. But the outer space theme of Jupiter is kind of patriotic, because the pioneers were explorers too, just like astronauts, and you have to be pretty patrotic to be an explorer, even though I wonder if these artists really meant to make exploration the theme.

Multiple-Choice Question

Which rubric category would you put this response in?

Needs Improvement: Identifies at least one common theme to serve as framework of exploration document and explains how theme is expressed in artifacts, but with gaps in clarity or detail Exemplary: Meets “Proficient” criteria and identified theme is especially well- aligned with artifacts Proficient: Identifies at least one common theme to serve as framework of exploration document and explains how theme is expressed in artifacts Not Evident: Does not identify at least one common theme to serve as framework of exploration document and does not explain how theme is expressed in artifacts

Critical Element 3

Explain how the theme you identified is related to your personal experience. For instance, you could discuss how the expression of the theme in your cultural artifacts is connected to you personally.

Student response:

I think patriotism and a good spirit of exploration is important to everyone whether you’re a music artist or a painter. It must have been pretty important to Mr. Holst, who wrote the Jupier song. He was probably very patriotic to his country, and I bet the painter was too. If they were alive today, this theme would probly still be very meaningful to them.

Multiple-Choice Question

Which rubric category would you put this response in?

Proficient: Explains how identified theme is related to personal experience Needs Improvement: Explains how identified theme is related to personal experience, but with gaps in clarity or detail Not Evident: Does not explain how identified theme is related to personal experience Exemplary: Meets “Proficient” criteria and explanation demonstrates keen insight into impact of humanities on personal experiences

Critical Element 4

Discuss a profession that could be impacted by the theme you identified. In other words, how is the theme you identified related to professional experiences? How could a working knowledge of the humanities be useful in this field?

Student response:

Everyone could benefit from giving a few minutes consideration to what it means to be in a group of people. This considation should be taught in elementary schools to children at the youngest ages, and I would focus on first graders as the first group to inform about these issues. It’s extremely important for them to understand all of the humanities too.

Multiple-Choice Question

Which rubric category would you put this response in?

Exemplary: Meets “Proficient” criteria and explanation demonstrates keen insight into impact of humanities on professional experiences Not Evident: Does not discuss a profession that could be impacted by identified theme Proficient: Discusses a profession that could be impacted by identified theme Needs Improvement: Discusses a profession that could be impacted by identified theme, but with gaps in clarity or detail

Critical Element 5

Describe at least three humanities resources that you could use to investigate your theme and artifacts. Your sources must be relevant to your theme and of an appropriate academic nature. In your description, consider questions such as: What are the similarities and differences in the content of your sources? What makes them appropriate and relevant for investigating your issue? What was your thought process when you were searching for sources? How did you make choices? Did you encounter any obstacles, and, if so, how did you overcome them? If you did not, why do you think it was so easy to find what you needed?

Student response:

In my extensive research I used Google and the library. I searched on more than a dozen different terms and spent many hours pouring over hundreds of pages of text on these works and the topic. The very best of these are included in my reference list and amount them you will find a critical study, several websites, and a blog article. All of them are scholary, except the blog, but even that is by a music professor, so it’s all good. To find these sources I thought of keywords related to the topic and searched for them. I chose those which seemed best even though At times I grew tired of reading so much, but I would often go for a short walk and then was able to reengage.

Multiple-Choice Question

Which rubric category would you put this response in?

Proficient: Describes at least three relevant and appropriate humanities resources that could be used to investigate theme and artifacts

Not Evident: Does not describe at least three humanities resources that could be used to investigate theme and artifacts Needs Improvement: Describes at least three humanities resources that could be used to investigate theme and artifacts, but with gaps in appropriateness, relevance, or detail Exemplary: Meets “Proficient” criteria and description of resources demonstrates strong understanding of information needed to investigate expressions of human creativity

Note: Critical Element 6 is divided into three subsections, so we’ll consider each in turn.

Critical Element 6A

Discuss the relationship between each cultural artifact and its historical context. In other words, what were the circumstances under which each artifact was created?

Student response:

Studies and analyses of these two works come from all points in time, but the ones I found are pretty recent – within the last 50 years. One of my sources though has some notes from the painter, so those must be from around the same time he painted the mural. Both of these works were completed long before I was born, but I think they are both still relevant and relatble to people today.

Multiple-Choice Question

Which rubric category would you put this response in?

Needs Improvement: Discusses relationship between each cultural artifact and its historical context, but with gaps in detail, clarity, or citation Exemplary: Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates insight into essential humanities principles Proficient: Discusses relationship between each cultural artifact and its historical context, citing sources Not Evident: Does not discuss relationship between each cultural artifact and its historical context

Critical Element 6B

Explain the similarities and differences that you observe in the cultural artifacts you selected, in relation to the theme. For instance, do the artifacts contain any symbolism? If so, how are the symbols both similar and different? What do the symbols tell you about each artifact?

Student response:

Both of these works have a lot of symbolism, such as Jupiter makes you think about the different planets in the solar system. But they each approach the subject from a very different perspective, and I think the painting might actually have more symbolism because it is art.

Multiple-Choice Question

Which rubric category would you put this response in?

Not Evident: Does not explain similarities and differences observed in cultural artifacts Proficient: Explains similarities and differences observed in cultural artifacts in relation to theme, citing sources Needs Improvement: Explains similarities and differences observed in cultural artifacts, but not in relation to theme or with gaps in detail, clarity, or citation Exemplary: Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates insight into essential humanities principles

Critical Element 6C

Discuss the medium—such as literature, music, or sculpture—through which your cultural artifacts were created. For instance, how did the creator(s) of each artifact use the medium to convey something about the meaning of the artifact?

Student response:

Jupiter is a piece of music so it is written as sheet music on a page but it also uses the medium of recorded sound and it came to me as an mp3 file. One author describes music as “painting for the ears.” So on that note, Westward the empire

takes its way is a painting, and as I said earlier, it’s a big one on a wall, so that makes it a mural.

Multiple-Choice Question

Which rubric category would you put this response in?

Needs Improvement: Discusses the medium through which cultural artifacts were created, but with gaps in detail, clarity, or citation Not Evident: Does not discuss the medium through which cultural artifacts were created Proficient: Discusses the medium through which cultural artifacts were created, citing sources Exemplary: Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates insight into essential humanities principles

Critical Element 7

Based on your research, develop a thesis statement that conveys the claim you plan to make about your theme and artifacts. Your thesis statement should be clear, specific, and arguable.

Student response:

Patriotism is a part of pretty much any human’s experience. Therefore it’s helpful for it to be considered by everyone, at least at some point in their life. Music and art can both be helpful ways to understand this theme and others. Without them we ourselves are lacking the knowledge to make our own group identity.

Multiple-Choice Question

Which rubric category would you put this response in?

Not Evident: Does not develop thesis statement that conveys claim about theme and artifacts Exemplary: Meets “Proficient” criteria and claim demonstrates insight into connection between theme and artifacts

Needs Improvement: Develops thesis statement that conveys claim about theme and artifacts but thesis statement is not based on research, lacks clarity or specificity, or is not arguable Proficient: Develops clear, specific, and arguable thesis statement that conveys claim about theme and artifacts, based on research

Critical Element 8

Based on your research, identify an audience that would be interested in your theme and thesis statement. For example, who would benefit most from hearing your message?

Student response:

First graders in public school would probably be the best group to hear this message.

Multiple-Choice Question

Which rubric category would you put this response in?

Needs Improvement: Identifies an audience, but audience is not appropriate for theme and thesis statement or is not based on research Proficient: Identifies an audience that would be interested in theme and thesis statement, based on research Not Evident: Does not identify an audience Exemplary: Meets “Proficient” criteria and identification of audience demonstrates insight into theme and thesis statement

Critical Element 9

Describe how and why you can tailor your message to your audience, providing specific examples based on your research. For example, will your audience understand the terminology and principles used by humanities scholars, or will you need to explain these? How will you communicate effectively with your audience?

Student response:

I would not water down the language as school is a place to encounter new words and ideas. I would present this argument exactly as I have done above. They might not get all of it, but perhaps some seeds would be planted.

Multiple-Choice Question

Which rubric category would you put this response in?

Needs Improvement: Describes how and why message can be tailored to audience, but with gaps in examples or research support Not Evident: Does not describe how and why message can be tailored to audience Exemplary: Meets “Proficient” criteria and response demonstrates sophisticated understanding of how to effectively communicate with specific audience Proficient: Describes how and why message can be tailored to audience, providing specific examples based on research

Critical Element 10

Provide a reference list that includes all of the humanities resources you used to research your artifacts, theme, and thesis statement. Ensure that your list is formatted according to current APA guidelines (or another format, with instructor permission).

Student response:

Architect of the Capitol website about the Luetze painting.

The song and the mural by the artist and the composer.

And an article by the music professor John Kronlokken about “Jupiter.”

Multiple-Choice Question

Which rubric category would you put this response in?

Proficient: Provides reference list that includes all humanities resources used to research artifacts, theme, and thesis statement, ensuring that list is

formatted according to current APA guidelines Not Evident: Does not provide reference list that includes all humanities resources used to research artifacts, theme, and thesis statement Needs Improvement: Provides reference list that includes all humanities resources used to research artifacts, theme, and thesis statement, but list has gaps in adherence to current APA formatting guidelines

Those are all of the critical elements, but the rubric has one more line for us to use in considering the paper.

Multiple-Choice Question

Thinking back over all of the student’s responses, which of these rubric categories BEST fits the work?

Needs Improvement: Submission has major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas Exemplary: Submission is free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented in a professional and easy- to-read format Not Evident: Submission has critical errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that prevent understanding of ideas Proficient: Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization

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