City State Architect Rubric
Grade 7 Social Studies Civics & World Civilizations
City-State Project Assessment Rubric
Total Score
/ 50
Student Name
City-State Name
Period / Class
Date
Written Dossier: Parts I–V (20 pts)
•
Cartography & Key: Hand-drawn Map (20 pts)
•
Writing Conventions: Sentence Counts & Mechanics (10 pts)
| Criterion & Pts |
Exemplary 10–9
|
Proficient 8–7
|
Developing 6–5
|
Beginning 4–0
|
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Survival Basics & Infrastructure Parts I, II, & III
Score: ___ / 10
| Thoroughly explains all foundational concepts: origin, era, food and water sources, housing styles, military defense, borders/barriers, and transit systems with rich, logical detail. | Addresses all required elements across Parts I, II, and III. Explanations of food, water, housing, defense, borders, and travel are clear and realistic to the theme. | Missing 1–2 key survival or infrastructure items (e.g., omitted water source or transit). Explanations are brief or lack logical consistency with the chosen setting. | Missing 3 or more elements from Parts I–III. Descriptions are severely incomplete, confusing, or left blank. |
| Civic Life, Rule & Culture Parts IV & V
Score: ___ / 10
| Provides vivid, mature descriptions of government structure, civic spaces, vibrant city center, cultural venues (stadiums/museums), education systems, and religious/belief freedoms. | Describes government type, public areas, downtown core, culture, schooling, and belief systems clearly. Details demonstrate solid thought about how society functions. | Omits 1–2 prompts or offers surface-level descriptions (e.g., states "there is a king" without explaining laws, voting, or citizen rights; vague on education or faith). | Multiple sections of Parts IV and V are omitted. Descriptions fail to portray an organized society or community culture. |
| Map Content & Key Alignment Visualized Features
Score: ___ / 10
| Every element described in Parts II–V is accurately drawn or represented by creative symbols. Map key/legend is comprehensive, organized, and matches the written plan flawlessly. | Nearly all required elements (food, water, housing, defense, borders, roads, government, culture) appear on the map. Includes a clear key with matching symbols. | Several required items (3–4) are missing from the map or omit symbols from the key. Disconnect between written answers and what is drawn. | Lacks a functional map key. Most required features from the brainstorm are absent on the map; minimal effort to connect writing to geography. |
| Cartography, Scale & Color Map Presentation
Score: ___ / 10
| Hand-drawn map masterfully utilizes the entire sheet of paper. Rich, purposeful color throughout distinguishes terrain and districts. Includes clear title, compass rose, and neat labels. | Map fills most of the page effectively. Neat color is applied across all major zones. Includes an official title, compass rose, and legible feature labels. | Significant empty/wasted space on the page. Incomplete or rushed coloring (mostly pencil). Missing title, orientation, or labels are difficult to read. | Map is drawn in a small corner or unfinished. Uncolored or scribbled. Lacks cartographic basics (no title, no compass rose, messy or illegible). |
| Sentence Counts & Conventions Directions Compliance
Score: ___ / 10
| 100% complete sentences. Strictly satisfies or exceeds all sentence minimums (Part I: 1+; Parts II–III: 2+; Parts IV–V: 3+). Demonstrates grade-level grammar, spelling, and mechanics. | Written in complete sentences throughout with minor grammatical errors. Adheres to nearly all sentence minimums (1 minor shortfall only). | Multiple sentence-length requirements ignored (e.g., only 1 sentence written for 3-sentence prompts). Contains notable fragments, run-ons, or frequent spelling issues. | Dominated by incomplete sentences, single-word answers, or extensive grammatical errors that obscure meaning. Sentence rules largely disregarded. |
Teacher Evaluation & Constructive Feedback Commendations & Next Steps
Evaluator Signature: _______________________ Date: ____________
Scoring Scale
45 – 50 pts Advanced (A)
40 – 44 pts Proficient (B)
35 – 39 pts Basic (C)
30 – 34 pts Developing (D)
Below 30 pts Revision Needed (F)
Final Grade:
____ / 50
