Best American Invention Letter

Due Date: _____________

Students Name ____________________________________________ Date _____________________ Class Period __________

Write a Letter of Congratulations to the invention that you have chosen as the winner of The Greatest American Invention.
The letter will need to incorporate facts about the invention and the positive and negative effects of the invention. Please be sure to
address the answers to the questions addressed in your group debate:
Who invented it?
What problem(s) did it solve?
What problem(s) did it create or make worse?
Did it lead to other inventions? If so which ones?
Is it still in use today?
Did it contribute to ECONOMIC power of the United States?
How would the United States be different TODAY if it were never invented?
Understands and
demonstrates
knowledge of
concepts and content
presented.

25 Pts.
Clearly answers are
correct for all components
of the prompt. Writing
reflects clear knowledge
and understanding of the
concepts and content.

20 Pts.
Writing reflects adequate
knowledge and
understanding of the
concepts and content.
Answers to all of the
components presented are
adequate.

15 Pts.
Writing reflects some
knowledge or
understanding of
concepts and content.
Correctly answers only
one of the components
presented.

10 Pts.
Writing reflects limited
knowledge or understanding
of concepts and content
Answers to components
presented were attempted,
but very limited.

0-5 Pts.
Writing reflects lack of
knowledge and
understanding of
concepts and content.
Answers to all
components are
incorrect.

Explains and justifies

the answers and
enhances the writing.

25 Pts.
Explanation and
justification of answers are
evident and clear. Writing
enhanced throughout and
easily understood.

20 Pts.
Explanation and
justification of answers is
adequate and most of the
writing is somewhat easy
to understand.

15 Pts.
Explanation and
justification is present, but
writing needs more to
understand.

10 Pts.
Has difficulty explaining
and justifying. Explanation
is not as clear and difficult
to follow.

0-5 Pts.
Is unable to explain or
justify answers.
Explanation does not
make sense.

Demonstrates
knowledge and uses
correct social studies
terminology and
vocabulary.

25 Pts.
Clearly demonstrates
knowledge and correctly
uses social studies content
words and vocabulary
throughout the writing.

20 Pts.
Most of the time uses
social studies content
vocabulary and
demonstrates an adequate
knowledge of vocabulary
throughout the writing.

15 Pts.
Sometimes uses social
studies content
vocabulary and
demonstrates some
knowledge of social
studies vocabulary
throughout the writing.

10 Pts.
Seldom uses social studies
vocabulary and
demonstrates a limited
knowledge of social studies
vocabulary throughout the
writing.

0-5 Pts.
Demonstrates a lack of
knowledge or there is no
use of social studies
words in writing.

Demonstrates the
correct spelling,
punctuation, and
uses complete
sentences.

25 Pts.
Writing is almost always
has correct spelling and
punctuation. Sentences are
almost always complete.

20 Pts.
Most of the time writing
has the correct spelling
and correct punctuation.
Most of the time there are
complete sentences.

15 Pts.
Sometimes writing has
correct spelling and
punctuation. Sometimes
there are complete
sentences.

10 Pts.
Writing seldom has the
correct spelling, punctuation,
and sentences are seldom
complete.

0-5 Pts.
Writing shows incorrect
spelling, punctuation, and
sentences are rarely
complete.

______ Pts.

______ Pts.

______ Pts.

______ Pts.

____ Pts.

TOTAL: ______/100