ã Hillbillies:

A Performance Assessment Module

Created by Michelle Waters

©2002 Project TANEY, Inc.

Purpose: This module can be used at the conclusion of a unit studying the culture and folklore of the hillfolk who, during the 19th century, settled in the Ozarks region along the White River watershed areas of Missouri and Arkansas. The module might also be used as a stand-alone assessment tool with some modifications. Students will apply their understanding of cultural themes and literary elements in order to answer a variety of question types.

Grade Level Range: 6-8

Subject Area: Communication Arts

Composite Listing of Standards Addressed by this Module:

Knowledge/Content Standards: CA1; CA2; CA3; CA4

Performance/Process Standards: 1.6; 1.8; 1.9; 1.10; 2.1; 2.2; 2.5

Materials and Resources Needed for the Module:

The Coffin Quilt by Ann Rinaldi

"The Fourth of July Picnic," by DeeDee McWilliams in Yesterday’s Lifestyles-Today’s Survival

Time Needed to Complete the Module: Two-three 50 minutes class periods

Instructions for Administering the Module: Present the module to students, making sure all items are in each module, and explain the time allowance for completing the assessment. Review the scoring guides to ensure student understanding of a quality response.

Pre-Assessment Instructions: Students are to be familiar with the general cultural characteristics of the Ozarks hillfolk, literary elements (fiction, non-fiction, and poetry), and the writing process.

     Read the introductory chapter to The Coffin Quilt by Ann Rinaldi. The story is about the consequences of the feud between the Hatfield and McCoy families from the Appalachian areas of Kentucky and West Virginia. Read the passage, then answer test items 1-5.
1.  Which of the following pairs of words best describes the mood of this passage?

 

 
a.  horrifying and menacing
b.  serious and somber
c.  humorous and light-hearted
d.  mysterious and eerie
2.   Which of the following statements best identifies the   central conflict of the passage?

 

 

 
a.  The feud between the families caused Ellison Mounts to be hanged unjustly.
b.  The feud between the families left Ma crippled in mind and body.
c.  The feud between the families threatened to destroy Fanny’s hope for a normal life.
d.  The feud between the families led to the loss of the McCoy home at Blackberry Fork.
3.  Which of the following activities does the narrator consider unusual or inappropriate at the event of Mount’s hanging?

 
a.  The band was playing "Blackeyed Susie."
b.  A huge crowd gathered to witness the hanging.
c.  Concessions were sold along the street.
d.  Men were armed and women wore their best dresses.
4.  Adelaide is described as a granny woman. Which word given below has the same meaning as granny in this passage?

 
a.  nanny
b.  midwife
c.  witch
d.  grandma
5. Respond to the prompt using the information from the passage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Explain how the information in this passage might benefit someone researching the culture of the Ozark hillbillies. What is the relationship between the culture of the people in the passage and the Ozarks hillbillies. Be sure to use specific details from the passage to support your ideas.

 

 

 

 

 

 
     The passage below is by DeeDee McWilliams in which she describes a childhood memory. Read the passage, then answer item 6-9.  Be sure to use specific details from the passage in your response to the test item.
   

 

 

The Fourth of July Picnic

About the only bright spot for the hillbilly in the summer months was the fourth of July picnic. Concession stand rights were sold to the highest bidder. Each owner would put up a rough stand with a roof and side walls up to the counter, and an opening on one side for entry. The counter was covered with oilcloth which could be wiped clean whenever food was served on it. You could always find an ice cream stand, a cold lemonade stand, a firecracker stand, a hot dog and hamburger.
6. Which of the following statements expresses the main idea of this passage?

 

 
a.  About the only bright spot for the hillbilly in the summer months was the fourth of July picnic.
b.  Concession stand rights were sold to the highest bidder.
c.  People came from miles around to enjoy this picnic.
d.  There were always rival baseball teams, and in the afternoons that was the big entertainment.
7.  Which of the following is the author’s main purpose for writing this passage?

 
a.  To tell a story about a baseball game
b.  To prove that summer was boring
c.  To relate a childhood memory
d.  To explain what is a concession stand
8.  Would the events in this passage most likely have occurred before 1800, around 1920, or after 1985? Explain your reasoning, giving at least two examples from the passage to support your ideas.
 
 
 

 

 
9. Create an appropriate graphic organizer that shows at least three similarities and three differences between the event described in "The Fourth of July Picnic" and the event described in the beginning of The Coffin Quilt?
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 
     Ann Rinaldi and DeeDee McWilliams both described an important social event in the life of a child. Write a well-developed personal narrative in which you describe an important event in your childhood. Use the space below to show your pre-writing thinking. Write your final copy on a clean sheet of paper.