Interdisciplinary

Assessment:
Renaissance In Europe
(14th-17th century)
By: Alexa, Emmanuel, Madison, and Nick
 Introduction
The Renaissance is a period in European history marking the transition from
the Middle Ages to modernity, covering approximately the 14th and 17th
centuries. This period of history is characterized by an effort to revive and
surpass ideas and achievements of classical antiquity. European society
experienced a “rebirth” that changed the course of intellectual advancement
and culture.

A collective cultural shift in consciousness manifested in art, literature, and

music, impacting the overall trajectory of Western history. This five day unit
will explore how cultural movements during the Renaissance came to define
this historical period as a turning point for humanity.
 Inquiry Questions

❖ In what ways did society go through a “rebirth” between the 14th

and 17th centuries?
❖ What changes in art, music, and literature define the Renaissance
as a turning point for humanity?
❖ How did the collective consciousness change throughout the
Renaissance?
 History
Standards:
Big Ideas:
1.a. Formulate compelling and supporting questions
after evaluating primary sources for point of view and - What pushed humanity to move from the Middle Ages
historical context. to the renaissance

3.a.Evaluate continuity and change over the course of - Why was there such an importance on the architecture,
world history. art, and music.
- What pushed humanity out of the renaissance towards
Learning Targets:
the enlightenment.
I can…
Essential Understandings:
A- analyze the historical sources of the time period
Students will be able to…
B- describe what changed to cause a shift to the
renaissance. - evaluate the changes that occurred during the
renaissance and how that affected the future.
C- connect my understanding from English, Art and
Music to the historical reasonings for the changes I see. - analyze historical documents and explain them.

D- Describe the shift from the renaissance to the - connect English, Art and Music to each other through
enlightenment. history as well as to the history themselves.
 History
Possible Misconceptions:
- There is a specific start and end date to the renaissance.
- There were no societies during this time that did not change or go through a “rebirth”.
- Only central Europe was affected by the renaissance.
Formative Assessment:
Students are required to…

- draw/sketch a famous piece of renaissance architecture or a personal design based of the principals of
renaissance architecture. Then describe in a short paper the architectural elements and the historical
significance they had. (Approximately 1 page)
And

- Wright a 1-2 page paper describing the…

- significance of the renaissance through the architecture, art, literature and music.
- reasoning the renaissance lead to the enlightenment using evidence from primary and secondary
sources.
Standards & Learning Targets in Art: Art
1) Observe and learn to comprehend: Students will observe and research European Renaissance
artists to be able to create thoughtful and creative artwork.
2) Envision and critique to reflect: Students will envision their work and create sketches as well as
research to plan out their artworks.
3) Invent and discover to create: Students will learn by creating art. They will ideate and employ
skills to generate a work of art. Students will use and experiment with new materials, like oil pastels,
clay and other materials to create their works of art.
4) Relate and connect to transfer: Students will make new connections to their own environments,
cultures and stories through the process of making art. Students will understand the similarities
and differences in 3D and 2D works of art found in the Renaissance era.
Big Ideas/Essential Understandings:
● Students will be able to identify and understand the characteristics seen in Renaissance art and apply
these understandings to their sketchbooks, artist statements as well as their final presentation.
● Students will be able to understand and explain the Renaissance art period and make connections to the
other content areas (Music, English, History). Students will be able to understand similarities and
differences between the 3D and 2D works of art found in the Renaissance era.
Possible Misconceptions:
●
●
Art and history are not related
Sketchnotes cannot be used to research/document/journal
Art
● Art cannot be used to gather information
● Art does not overlap with other areas
● Paintings are the only art found and recognized in the Renaissance time period
● Renaissance art only consists of religious art works

2 Formative Assessments:
1. Renaissance inspired sketchbook work with reasoning statement (Students will complete 1-3 finished
drawings in their sketchbooks with drawing/painting materials that overall reflect their understanding of
the art made in the Renaissance time period, specifically the paintings and drawings made during this
time. I will check the students understanding, their reasoning statements for the work they completed in
their sketchbooks and their final piece because they will be submitting process photos for their final
summative assessment).
2. Renaissance inspired mini clay sculpture with reasoning statement (Students will complete one mini clay
sculpture that overall reflects their understanding of the sculptural works of art that were made during
the Renaissance time period. I will check the students understanding, their reasoning statement for the
work they completed with clay and the final piece because they will be submitting process photos for
their final summative assessment).
 English
Standards and Learning Big Ideas/Essential
Targets Understandings
Standards: Big Ideas:
2.1.a. Evaluate the contribution to society made by traditional, Shakespeare (Macbeth, Othello, King Lear, Hamlet), Dante and
classic, and contemporary works of literature that deal with similar The Divine Comedy, John Milton (Paradise Lost), the printing
topics and problems press, African and Arab influence on the Renaissance,
1.2.a. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative Renaissance ideas (Inspiration from the Ancients, Humanism,
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse secular writing), Elizabethan poetry and prose, women writers of
partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on the renaissance, language changes and “awakening”
others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
Essential Understandings:
Learning Targets: Students will be able to:
A. I can describe the ways in which literature changed as a 1. Identify and understand major literature works of the
result of the renaissance. renaissance era and explain the ways in which these
B. I can identify key authors and their contributions to works defined society’s major philosophies and ideas.
literature throughout this time period. 2. Explain why society changed the way it did during the
C. I can explain the influences that other cultures had on the renaissance and what influenced this change.
European renaissance. 3. Associate the renaissance with works even outside of the
D. I can summarize the overall influence of the renaissance common, including women’s writing and other cultures.
on modern society, as well as the ways in which it changed 4. Discuss the overall impact the renaissance had on
how we thought, live, and interact. modern society.
 Possible Misconceptions
● That other cultures were not involved or that the renaissance was not influenced by other parts of
the world outside of europe
● That some concepts reintroduced throughout the renaissance were “not problematic” for modern
society— they actually set the stage for some negative effects seen in our current society

Formative Assessments
1. “Rebirth” Plan Activity: Students will imagine that they live in a society (either in the past or in present/future
times) where the past couple hundred years have been really bad— famine, wars, inequality, major deadly
diseases (like the Black Death), etc. They will take on the role of one of the leaders in this society. They will then
draft a detailed plan of how they would begin to rebuild/“reform”/rebirth society into one that is on a better
track. Beyond this, students will explain which elements of the renaissance they were inspired/influenced by in
their plans, and which elements of the renaissance they would change or do differently (2-day activity)
2. Discussion: Students will engage in an open discussion about the texts we have explored and how they may
agree with or challenge the ideals of the renaissance. We will also discuss the possible influences, both positive
and negative, of the renaissance on modern society. Teacher will facilitate and assess based on understanding.
3. Metacognition exit slip: After an information-heavy day, students will reflect on what they learned. It will be
outlined as such:
a. 3 things you learned, and why did we learn these things?
b. 2 things you found interesting and why?
c. 1 (or more) question(s) that you still have.

Link for day-to-day lesson plans

 Music
Standards and Learning Big Ideas/Essential
Targets Understandings
4.4 Identify how music has been used in Renaissance music was increasingly
different historical periods and cultural freed from medieval constraints, and
and social contexts. more variety permitted in range, rhythm,
harmony, form, and notation.
Students will be able to:
a. Listen to and analyze music from a Specific characteristics to identify:
historical period and describe how the
music reflects the context of the Harmony: richer texture with four or
period. more independent parts, typically
b. Identify and describe how historical polyphonic (multiple melodies
context can inform a performance. blended/layered on each other)
 Possible Misconceptions
● Music has no correlation to political, societal, and intellectual advancements in history.
● Renaissance music is “classical music.”
● Renaissance composers are not widely known, therefore they have little significance in
music history.

Assessment
Students will listen to and analyze the music of both the medieval era and renaissance era of music. They will take
notes on specific characteristics (melody, harmony, texture, instrumentation, rhythm, etc) of each piece of music.

Students will engage in a class discussion describing the contrasting characteristics of

medieval and renaissance music. The teacher will serve as a proctor for the discussion and
pose leading questions.

During a low-stakes In-Class Listening quiz, students will listen multiple piece of music,
decide whether it belongs to the renaissance or the medieval era, and describe specific
features of the music that make it so.
 Summative Assessment Description
At the end of this unit, students will be asked to create a presentation that has
a total of five slides answering an inquiry question of their choice—one slide
per content area (Art, History, Music, & English: 4 total) and one slide for a
conclusion. The conclusion should detail what they have learned overall and
how their knowledge relates back to the inquiry question they chose.

Students must show their best knowledge from all content areas in relation to
the inquiry question they choose (see rubric for specific content information
and expectations).

This unit will conclude on the 5th day with work time on Friday for their
summative assessment. Students will turn in the slides via Google Classroom.
 Summative Rubric
4 (Exemplary) 3 (Proficient) 2 (Developing) 1 (Emerging)

-Includes primary and secondary -Includes primary and secondary -Includes either primary or -Does not include primary or
History sources, cited correctly. sources, incorrectly or not secondary sources, incorrectly or secondary sources.
- Describes the connection that cited. not cited. -No connection between history
history has to all the other -Shows a connection history has -Shows the connection history and the other content areas.
content areas. to all the other content areas. has to one or two other content - No connection from the past,
- Explains the connection from - Shows a connection from the areas. present, or future of the
the past, present and future of past, present and future of the - Shows a connection from the renaissance.
the renaissance. renaissance. past, present, or future of the
renaissance.

- Sketchbooks are detailed with - Sketchbooks have some details -Sketchbooks have little detail -Sketchbooks are not completed
Art artist statement and 2-3 process and a few process pictures in and only one process photo in and no process photos are
photos are in their final their final presentation. their final presentation. present in the final presentation.
presentation. -Student does some research -Student does little research and -Student does no research and
-Student does thorough and and makes some connections to makes one connection to the makes no connections to other
descriptive research and makes other content areas in final other content areas in final content areas in final
connections to other content presentation. presentation. presentation.
areas in final presentation.
 Summative Rubric
4 (Exemplary) 3 (Proficient) 2 (Developing) 1 (Emerging)

Shows great understanding of Shows understanding of the Shows some understanding of Shows little to no understanding
English the influences of literature during influences of literature during this the influences of literature during of the influences of literature
this time. time. this time. during this time.
Fully understands the Understands the Slightly shows understanding of Shows little to no understanding
impacts/changes in language impacts/changes in language the impacts/changes in language of the impacts/changes in
and society. and society. and society. language and society.
Can fully explain major works as Can explain major works as well Attempts to explain major works Cannot explain major works as
well as contributions from other as contributions from other as well as contributions from well as contributions from other
cultures cultures. other cultures, but slightly misses cultures, or attempts to do this
the mark. are inaccurate.

Excellent use of music Music terminology is used. Attempted, but incorrect use No use of musical
Music terminology. of music terminology is used. terminology.
Musical characteristics are
Musical characteristics are usually matched to the Some musical characteristics No attempt to make
matched to the correct time correct time period. are matched to the correct correlations between music
period. Correlations are made time period. and history.
Sophisticated correlations between music and history. Attempted correlations are
between music and history made between music and
are made. history.