Bend-LaPine Schools

Grade Eight
Argumentative Performance Task

Student Directions
Immigration, and policies related to both legal and illegal immigration, has been a
controversy in the United States, both historically and currently. This controversy is the
topic of four sources that you will read and/or view in order to complete this performance
task. You may take notes to help you carefully examine the four sources. You can reexamine any of the sources as often as you like.
In Part 1, you will answer three questions about the four sources. Your answers to the
questions in Part 1 will help you think about the sources you have examined, which
should help you write your argumentative essay in Part 2.
In Part 2, you will write an argumentative essay on a question related to the four sources.
Before beginning, look over this entire assessment so that you know how your work will
be scored.

Part 1
After analyzing all four sources, answer the following questions.
1. Look at the claims in the table below. Decide if the information in each of the four
sources supports each claim. Put an X in any box below that correctly matches a
source with a claim.
Claims

Source
1

Source
2

Source
3

Source
4

Immigrants are an essential part of American

culture.
Immigration negatively affects American
culture.
2. In the box below, write a direct textual quote from one of the three other sources that
supports the same claim that Prinz Esteban is making in his political cartoon (Source 4).
Tell which source it comes from (Source 1, 2, or 3).

3. All of the sources provide information about immigration. In the chart below, identify a
source that is fairly objective and a source that is fairly biased in presenting the issue.
Justify your answer and support it with evidence from the sources.
# _____ is an objective source in this way:

# _____ is a biased source in this way:

Part 2
You will now review your notes and sources, and plan, draft, revise, and edit your writing.
You may use your notes and refer to the sources. Read the task description and the
information about how your writing will be scored before beginning your work.
Task Description
E Pluribus Unum (Out of many, one): Is this Latin phrase, adopted in 1782, still a fitting
motto for the national seal of the United States? After reading/viewing the four sources
provided, write an essay in which you discuss US immigration laws and policies and
evaluate whether they reflect or contradict this motto. Be sure to establish an
argumentative claim, address potential counterarguments, and support your position
with evidence from the sources.
Your argumentative essay will be scored using the following:
1. Organization/purpose: How well did you state your claim, address opposing claims,
and maintain your claim with a logical progression of ideas from beginning to end? How
well did your ideas thoughtfully flow from beginning to end using effective transitions?
How effective was your introduction and your conclusion?
2. Evidence/elaboration: How well did you integrate relevant and specific information
from the sources? How well did you elaborate your ideas? How well did you clearly state

ideas in your own words using precise language that is appropriate for your audience
and purpose? How well did you reference the sources you used by title or number?
3. Conventions: How well did you follow the rules of grammar usage, punctuation,
capitalization, and spelling?