View the Performance Task
Penny Argumentative Performance Task
This performance task comes from the Smarter Balanced practice test. This specific task asks students to read four informational articles about the historical and financial impact of the penny. Students answer three research questions (constructed- and selected-response items) that require them to evaluate sources and identify evidence to support ideas. Finally, students are asked to use the sources to write an article arguing for or against the continued production of the penny in the United States.
Smarter Balanced Resources
Download Student Work and Scoring Examples
Research Questions
Full Write Essays
| Organization & Purpose |
Evidence & Elaboration |
Conventions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scored Student Samples |
click to download | click to download | click to download |
| Unscored Student Samples |
click to download | click to download | click to download |
| Scoring Key |
click to download | click to download | click to download |
Download Case Studies
Each of the two case studies provides an analysis of an individual student’s responses to all of the questions in a performance task, unpacks the scoring, and considers next steps for supporting the student to demonstrate college and career readiness. Case study 1 is an analysis of an EL student’s responses to the performance task.