Lesson 1: Power, Power, Who Holds the Power?
Handout 3

Rubric for Historical Research

In order to receive a 4 point score, the learner must:
  • Research a historical institution that acted as an alternative power structure in American society to improve conditions for the common good.
  • Describe how the historical institution had global impact on the modern world.
  • Illustrate how this institution reacted to historic violations of human dignity involving discrimination, persecution, crimes against humanity, and how the institution reacted to them.
  • Identify benefits and challenges in the historical institution and how it related to diversity in American life.
  • Show how individual rights and the concept of democracy were important to the historical institution.
  • Using various means, present research findings in a presentation format.


    • In order to receive a 3 point score, the learner must:
  • Research a historical institution that acted as an alternative power structure in American society to improve conditions for the common good.
  • Describe how the historical institution had global impact on the modern world.
  • Illustrate how this institution reacted to historic violations of human dignity involving discrimination, persecution, crimes against humanity, and how the institution reacted to them.
  • Using various means, present research findings in a presentation format.


    • In order to receive a 2 point score, the learner must:
  • Research a historical institution that acted as an alternative power structure in American society to improve conditions for the common good.
  • Using various means, present research findings in a presentation format.


    • In order to receive a 1 point score, the learner must:
  • Research a historical institution that acted as an alternative power structure in American society to improve conditions for the common good.


    • In order to receive a 0, the learner must:
  • Show no evidence of knowledge of any of the above elements.