Listed below are informal, daily assessments or questions teachers can ask themselves after each lesson.

Lesson Two: Seals — Art and Personal Symbol

Social Studies

  • Were the students able to design a drawing of a symbol to be used in the creation of a Chinese seal impression, realizing that this seal will be used to stamp projects and assignments that are of value to the student?
  • Were the students able to describe their symbol design and explain the individual value and meaning of the symbol and its importance to them personally?
  • See Personal Symbol Rubric.

Art

  • Could the students identify a seal on a scroll?
  • Did the students understand that a seal represents an artist's signature?
  • Could the students tell why there can be more than one seal on a scroll?
  • Were the students able to create their own seal?

Lesson Three: Calligraphy

Social Studies

  • Did the students understand the importance of writing as a means of communication?
  • Were the students able to identify East Asian calligraphy and understand the directions in which the words are written?
  • Did the students understand that calligraphy is an art form, and that it takes many years of practice to learn all the symbols and paint with expertise?
  • Were the students able to write a few simple words in Chinese calligraphy?

Art

  • Did the students understand some basic differences between Asian and western methods of using a brush?
  • Were the students able to create flowing, thick to thin lines?
  • Were the students able to copy a Chinese word?
  • See Calligraphy Rubric.

Lesson Four: Painting

Social Studies:

  • Did the students understand the connection between plants and their symbolic meanings?
  • Did the students complete a sketch of their chosen plants?
  • Were the students able to articulate the reasons why they chose the plant to represent themselves?
  • See You as a Plant Rubric.

Art:

  • Did the students understand major differences between Western and East Asian styles of painting?
  • Were the students able to apply their experience of brushwork learned in the calligraphy lesson to this painting lesson?
  • Were the students able to complete a horizontal painting that included flowers and insects in a natural setting?

Lesson Five: Garden and Poetry

Social Studies: Garden

  • Did the students' garden designs include elements from garden styles of China, Japan, and Korea?
  • Did the students understand the symbolic meanings of the features they chose for their garden designs?
  • Were the students able to relate the cultural values and characteristics to their own culture, depicting diversity in their gardens?

Social Studies: Poetry

  • Were the students able to compose haiku in the prescribed format?
  • Did the haiku relate to the imagery on their paintings?
  • Were the students able to complete their handscroll with all three perfections included?
  • Can the students list the three perfections and write a short paragraph about each?

Lesson Six: Social Studies Summary Essay

Writing an essay in lesson six is good preparation for the extended response or civic writing portion of the MEAP (Michigan Educational Assessment Program) 5th-grade Test in Social Studies. See Student Essay Requirement. The essay should be evaluated for spelling, punctuation, word usage, and grammar.