MS05 Michigan Geographic Alliance(1996) Geography Sample Item Middle School Assessment Focus: Strand 2 Developing a Geographic Perspective Geography Content Standard Location, Movement, and Connection Human Settlement Part A: Explaining a Settlement's Location Part B: Distinguishing Between Site and Situation Part C: Locating a Settlement Part D: Determining Settlement Function Part E: Analyzing Relationships Constructed Response Benchmarks: 2.1.3.m, 2.3.1.m, 2.3.3.m, 5.1.2.m, 5.1.3.m. This assessment is designed to test the student's knowledge of basic factors determining settlement location, the distinction between site and situation, settlement function, and services provided. These assessment samples are intended for teachers to copy and use with their students. The assessments complement the Geography Content Standards and Benchmarks (Strand 2: Geographic Perspective), Inquiry (Strand 5), and Public Discourse and Decision Making (Strand 6) of the Michigan Framework for Social Studies Education: Content Standards. The samples included may also be used as models for teachers to follow in constructing geography assessments that will challenge students as well as assist them in preparing for both classroom based and statewide assessment.
HUMAN SETTLEMENT PART A (Total Points: 3) Settlements develop at sites which offer advantages to the people living there. Figure 1 Source: Edexcel Foundation. 1. Figure 1 shows a village which developed on a river terrace several centuries ago. Name and explain THREE reasons why the settlement was sited on the river terrace rather than at points A or B. 3 points Page 2 Human Settlement Middle School
Benchmarks: 2.1.3.m, 5.1.3.m. Constructed response: prior knowledge/ information processing. Middle School Human Settlement Page 3
PART B (Total Points: 10) Figures 2 and 3 show the site and situation of the city of Carcassonne in southern France. Figure 2 Situation of Carcassonne. F r a n c e Atlantic Ocean Bordeaux Mass i f Cent ra l A l p s S p a i n N Carcassonne P y r e n e e s Source: Edexcel Foundation. Mediterranean Sea Legend Highland Ocean International boundary Major cities Trade Routes 0 25 50 75 Miles Figure 3 Sketch Map Showing the Site of Carcassonne. M a s s i f R. Vallouviere C e n t r a l N R. Fresquel Canal du To Mediterranean Sea To Bordeaux Midi Legend Highland Rivers Canal Railroad Major roads City R. Aude P y r e n e e s Page 4 Human Settlement Middle School
1. Name and explain ONE advantage of Carcassonne's situation. Describe the map evidence which supports your choice. 3 points 2. Name and explain TWO reasons why the site of Carcassonne was chosen for a settlement. 2 points 3. For any other settlement you have studied, name the settlement and draw a labeled sketch map to explain either its site or its situation. 5 points Benchmarks: 2.1.3.m, 2.3.3.m, 5.1.2.m. Constructed response: information processing/ prior knowledge/ map drawing Middle School Human Settlement Page 5
PART C (Total Points: 38) The time is last century and the place somewhere on the American Frontier. Imagine that a group of settlers has sailed up the river and as leader of the group you have to choose the best site for a settlement. Your scouts have reported good possibilities at A, B, C, D, and E. The sites are shown on the map in Figure 4. Figure 4 N Legend E Possible village sites Rangeland Marsh Forest D Well-drained rich soils C River Direction of flow Good water point B Steep slopes A 0 1 2 3 Miles 1. You do not know much about the area and you want to quickly settle down after your long hard journey. You will need to build homes, provide your own food, and keep your families safe. Remember the only way to get around is by boat and on foot. The following table shows resources that are important to consider when choosing a site for a settlement. Resources Site A Site B Site C Site D Site E Water Cropland Grazing land Fuel Building materials Defense TOTAL Page 6 Human Settlement Middle School
a. Complete the table for each possible site in the following way: Look at each site carefully on the map, then decide how good it is for each of these resources and write the score down on your table. Give a score of 1 to 5 for each site where: 1 = Very good 2 = Good 3 = Average 4 = Poor 5 = Very poor You can use a score value more than once if the site is equally good for two or more resources. Next find the total for each site. 5 points b. Select and write down the best site. (The one with the lowest score.) 1 point c. With the help of the map, describe the location of your chosen site. (Where is it, what is it close to?) 2 points d. Give FOUR reasons why you think this site is better than the others. 4 points e. Give THREE main problems of living at this site. 3 points Middle School Human Settlement Page 7
2. After some time you learn more about the area and have worked out a better way to choose a site. The area is peaceful so defense is no longer important. a. Complete the second table. Give each resource a weighting between 1 and 10 to show how important it is. 10 is the most important, 1 the least. You can use a weighting value more than once if two or more resources are equally important. For example: Think about how often you will need each resource and how long it will take to reach it. In the case of water, you will need it every day and it is heavy to carry, so it will be best to be very near a source of fresh water. Therefore, this is a very important resource to be near so you can give it a high weighting of 10. Grazing land, on the other hand, may be less important because once you have walked your herds of animals there you will only need to check on them once a day. Therefore, you can give grazing land a much lower weighting, such as 3. Use similar reasoning for the other 3 resources and give them weightings. 3 points b. Measure the distance from each site to the resource and enter it in the distance column. Some have been done for you. 5 points c. Multiply the distance x weighting columns. Add this figure to 'D x Wt.' column. Then add the values to get the total for each site. 5 points Resources Site A Site B Site C Weight Distance D x Wt Distance D x Wt Distance D x Wt Water 10 0.6 6.0 0.6 6.0 Cropland 0.0 0.0 Grazing land 3 5.0 15.0 0.5 1.5 Fuel 6.0 2.0 Building materials Total = Total = Total = Resources Site D Site E Weight Distance D x Wt Distance D x Wt Water 10 2.0 20.0 Cropland 0.5 Grazing land 3 0.0 0.0 Fuel 0.5 Building materials Total = Total = Wt = weighting D = distance in miles D x Wt = distance multiplied by weighting Page 8 Human Settlement Middle School
d. Select and write down the best site. (The one with the lowest score.) 1 point e. Choose ONE of the other sites, name it and explain why it is not as good of a location for a settlement. 2 points f. Suggest why the weighting for each resource may change as the settlement grows and new technologies are introduced. 5 points g. What other things should people consider when deciding where to locate a settlement? 2 points Benchmarks: 2.1.3.m, 5.1.3.m. Constructed response: information processing/ cross-cutting - math/ prior knowledge. Middle School Human Settlement Page 9
PART D (Total Points: 15) The economic and social role of a settlement is important. For instance: some settlements are centers for national or local government, e.g., a capital city; others are ports important for trade; still others developed as mining, market, or manufacturing cities or tourist centers. These roles are called settlement functions. Figure 5 Main Functions of South American Cities. Maracaibo N Bogota Manaus Lima La Paz Brazilia Asuncion Rio de Janeiro Sao Paulo Valparaiso Rosario Montevideo capital city ocean port river port tourist center manufacturing city 0 500 1000 1500 Miles 1. The map in Figure 5 shows some cities in South America. On the map color the circles in the legend by choosing a different color for each of the city functions shown. Comlpete the legend only. 1 point 2. Decide what are the important functions for each of the cities shown on the map. Color its circle appropriately. If a city has more than one important function, divide the circle symbol to show each function. 12 points 3. Most capital cities have a number of important functions. Why is this? Which capital shown on the map is the exception to this? 2 points Benchmarks: 2.1.3.m, 2.3.1.m, 5.1.2.m, 5.1.3.m. Constructed response: prior knowledge/ information processing. Page 10 Human Settlement Middle School
PART E (Total Points: 6) Settlements provide services to the surrounding area, such as banks, schools, shops, churches, hospitals, railroad station, etc. Figure 6 shows the relationship between the size of a settlement and the number of services it offers. Figure 6 Relationship between Settlement Size and the Number of Services It Provides. 50 45 40 J K Population in thousands 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 I F H E G B C D A 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 150 160 170 180 Total number of different services G - Settlement 1. Which settlement has the most services? 1 point 2. What is the population of settlement B? 1 point Middle School Human Settlement Page 11
3. Describe the relationship shown in Figure 6 between population size and the number of services in a settlement. 1 point 4. Suggest ONE reason for this relationship. 1 point 5. Which settlement has fewer services than you would expect based on its size? 1 point 6. Suggest a reason why this settlement has fewer services than you would expect and describe the consequences for the people living there? 1 point Benchmarks: 2.3.1.m, 5.1.3.m. Constructed response: information processing/ prior knowledge Page 12 Human Settlement Middle School
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Human Settlement Teacher Resource SCORING GUIDE PART A # Answer Pts 1 Above flood plain; shallow wells for fresh water; close to good agricultural land; level land for building; control of routes along valley, no forest to clear. 1 pt. per reason. 3 PART B # Answer Pts 1 Defensive situation or route focus; controlled major route way 3 between Bordeaux and the Mediterranean, valley route through Pyrenees. 1 pt. for name. 1 pt. for explanation. Evidence: narrow lowland between upland areas. Trade routes. 1 pt. 2 Site at the confluence of Rivers Aude, Fresquel, and Vallouviere. 2 Defensive, control of routes, water supply, agricultural land on valley floor. 1 pt. per reason. 3 Must distinguish between "site" and "situation." Map - must have a title. Must be clear, labeled and explain site or situation with annotations. 0 to 5 pts. 5 PART C # Answer Pts 1a See suggested table below. 1 pt. for each column completed. 5 1b Site E (This will vary depending on reasoning.) 1 1c Head of valley of small tributary; 6 miles from main river; south-facing aspect, on bluff. 2 (This will vary.) 1 pt. per reason. 1d Within 1/ 2 mile of water supply; close to agricultural land and 4 forest resources; good defensive site; controls routes; south-facing. (This will vary.) 1 pt. per reason. 1e Distance from main river for protecting ships in deep water section of tributary; bringing supplies up to the settlement; distance to agricultural land, not sheltered (This will vary.) 1 pt. per problem. 3 1a. Example of an Initial Site Assessment. Resources Site A Site B Site C Site D Site E Water 1 1 2 5 1 Cropland 3 1 1 2 1 Grazing land 4 3 2 1 1 Fuel 5 4 4 3 1 Building materials 5 4 4 3 1 Defense 4 2 4 2 1 TOTAL 22 15 17 16 6 # Answer Pts 2a See table below. (This will vary.) 1 pt. per weighting. 3 2b See table below. 1 pt. per column correctly completed. 5 2c See table below. (This will vary.) 1 pt. per correct column. 5 2d Site E (This will vary.) 1 Page 14 Human Settlement Middle School
2e 2f 2g Name. 1 pt. 2 Reasons appropriate to the site chosen. 1 pt. Water - piped; roads - so proximity to water transport less important; 5 agricultural land always important - roads improve transport to and fro; fuel and building materials change and can be brought in from elsewhere. 1 pt. for each change. Possibilities for trade; long term development goals; development of communications - bridge 2 sites, good routes for roads and railroads; room for expansion of the settlement; employment; industrial development. 1 pt. per factor. 2a - An Example of the Second Site Assessment. Resources Site A Site B Site C Weight Distance D x Wt Distance D x Wt Distance D x Wt Water 10 0.6 6.0 0.6 6.0 1.0 10.0 Cropland 8 1.0 8.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Grazing land 3 5.0 15.0 2.5 7.5 0.5 1.5 Fuel 8 6.0 48.0 4.5 36.0 2.0 16.0 Building materials 6 6.0 36.0 4.5 27.0 2.0 12.0 Total = 113.0 Total = 76.5 Total = 39.5 Resources Site D Site E Weight Distance D x Wt Distance D x Wt Water 10 2.0 20.0 0.5 5.0 Cropland 8 0.5 4.0 0.5 4.0 Grazing land 3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Fuel 8 1.5 12.0 0.5 4.0 Building materials 6 1.5 9.0 0.5 3.0 Total = 45.0 Total = 16.0 PART D # Answer Pts 1 Legend circles colored using 5 different colors. 1 2 See scoring guide map below for suggested answer. 1 pt. per city. 12 3 Most capital cities have developed as the principal urban and industrial center in the country. 1 pt. Exception is Brasilia - purpose-built as a capital. 1 pt. 2 Middle School Human Settlement Page 15
PART D - Scoring guide for map. Main Functions of South American Cities. Maracaibo N Bogota Manaus Lima La Paz Brazilia Asuncion Rio de Janeiro Sao Paulo Valparaiso Rosario Montevideo capital city ocean port river port tourist center manufacturing city 0 500 1000 1500 Miles PART E # Answer Pts 1 K 1 2 5,000 1 3 As population size increases, number of services increases. 1 4 More people require more services and more people available to 1 work in service sector. 5 F 1 6 Economically depressed; area of high unemployment; or very close to another larger city that provides services. People have to travel to other cities to get services or do without. 1 Page 16 Human Settlement Middle School