To answer this assessment correctly, students must identify the event depicted in an iconic historical photograph and explain why the event is historically significant. For the first question, successful students will explain that this image depicts a Kent State student killed by soldiers from the Ohio National Guard. The soldiers had fired into a crowd that was protesting U.S. military actions in Vietnam and Cambodia. For Question 2, successful students might explain that the shooting (and the photograph itself) energized anti-war protests across the country, with hundreds of protests and a widespread strike by millions of students across the country that shut down hundreds of college campuses. They might also highlight that the shootings further divided an already polarized public on the anti-war movement.
Level: Proficient
Question 1
Student clearly and specifically identifies the event depicted in the photograph.
Question 2
Student clearly and specifically explains why the event was historically significant.
Level: Emergent
Question 1
Student provides correct information related to the event but does not clearly identify the significant event.
Question 2
Student correctly elaborates on the event but does not clearly explain why the event is historically significant.
Level: Basic
Question 1
Student does not correctly identify the event.
Question 2
Student does not provide a correct or relevant explanation for why the event was historically significant.
