To successfully complete this assessment, students must consider key aspects of the photograph's reliability and think about other information that could be used to evaluate the reliability of the document. In question 1, students must explain that the fact that the purpose of the Signal Corps was to produce materials that could be used to win support for the war effort calls the reliability into question. In question 2, students should identify another piece of information that would help them evaluate the reliability of this photograph, such as whether this photo was staged or candid and what the photographer’s purpose was for taking the photo (e.g., military reconnaissance, war propaganda, creating a pictorial history).
Level: Proficient
Question 1: Student identifies relevant background information and explains why it might call the reliability of the photo into question.
Question 2: Student identifies a relevant piece of information to help determine the reliability of the photograph.
Level: Emergent
Question 1: Student identifies background information that might call the reliability of the photo into question but does not provide a complete explanation.
Question 2: Student identifies relevant information but does not fully explain how it would help determine the reliability of the photograph.
Level: Basic
Question 1: Student does not identify background information that might call the reliability of the photo into question.
Question 2: Student does not identify relevant information or does not explain how it would shed light on the reliability of the photograph.
