Test Guide

Extended-Response Assignment

Extended Assignment Directions

For the following question, you are to prepare a written response of approximately 250 to 350 words.

Read each assignment carefully before you begin to write. Think about how you will organize what you plan to write.

Sample Extended-Response Assignment

Assignment 1

For this assignment, you may type a response into the on-screen response box and/or record your response on a Response Sheet provided to you. Do not use more than one Response Sheet for this assignment.

Use the information below to complete the exercise that follows.

Current events can function as sources of inspiration for creating works of visual art.

Write a response of approximately 250–350 words in which you address each of the following points:

• Identify a specific recent event that could inspire the creation of a new work of visual art.
• Describe at least two aspects to be included in the new work of visual art (e.g., elements of art, principles of design, subject matter), connecting them to expressive intent and purpose.
• Identify an appropriate venue to exhibit the new work of visual art (e.g., museum, restaurant, gallery, public art space) and explain how you would display or install the work to effectively promote its expressive intent and purpose.

Example of Strong Extended Response

Recently, devastating wildfires in California have become the norm. Temperatures are rising, in part due to human activity, and our environment is affected to a point where many species in nature are headed towards extinction.

Like Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, I'll create a multi-media visual arts installation combining the formal elements of the visual arts: lines, shapes, space, scale, and context, with elements of sound and audience interaction to educate, create empathy, and affect change in the viewers' relationship to our ecosystem.

As the audience approaches the installation, they will see a hexagonal room within the gallery space surrounded by small, 18" × 24" 18 inches by 24 inches  framed landscape paintings around the exterior walls. They will hear the sound of moving water. The 'room within a room' is constructed of 4' × 8' 4 foot by 8 foot  pieces of sheet rock hung horizontally, creating each side of the hexagon. They match the walls of the gallery, constructed to accommodate the paintings, and leave four feet of space below, allowing viewers to see/go underneath into the interior. One could crouch down like a frog and enter the inner part, where there is a water fountain, 6 large 4' × 6' 4 foot by 6 foot  paintings on the walls, and an inflatable children's swimming pool filled with water and ceramic frogs on ceramic lily pads.

The small paintings of mountains, pastures, lakes, etc., in the pastoral style of landscapes we'd see on calendars and postcards, represent human views of the natural world as beautiful and sublime, in contrast with the larger interior paintings of human landscapes from a frog's perspective of dying in a suburban pool, fleeing from a lawnmower, or urban encroachment on wetlands. Frogs are bio-indicators of the health of an ecosystem, and these frogs have deformities, appendages morphed into iconic human cultural symbols like car keys, cigarettes, and McDonald's french fries, expressing the interconnection between the two perspectives.

By asking the audience to visually and physically engage with the artwork, rather than coming to the gallery merely to look, they may have their minds transformed, gain empathy for the frog's predicament, and make the connection to our own.

Extended-Response Assignment Performance Characteristics

The following performance characteristics will guide the scoring of responses to the extended-response constructed-response question on CSET: Art Subtest I.

Purpose	The extent to which the response addresses the constructed-response assignment's charge in relation to relevant CSET subject matter requirements.
Subject Matter Knowledge	The application of accurate subject matter knowledge as described in the relevant CSET subject matter requirements.
Support	The appropriateness and quality of the supporting evidence in relation to relevant CSET subject matter requirements.
Depth and Breadth of Understanding	The degree to which the response demonstrates understanding of the relevant CSET subject matter requirements.

Extended-Response Assignment Scoring Scale

Scores will be assigned to each response to the extended-response constructed-response question on CSET: Art Subtest I according to the following scoring scale.

Score Point	Score Point Description
4	The "4" response reflects a thorough command of the relevant knowledge and skills as defined in the subject matter requirements for CSET: Art. The purpose of the assignment is fully achieved. There is a substantial and accurate application of relevant subject matter knowledge. The supporting evidence is sound; there are high-quality, relevant examples. The response reflects a comprehensive understanding of the assignment.
3	The "3" response reflects a general command of the relevant knowledge and skills as defined in the subject matter requirements for CSET: Art. The purpose of the assignment is largely achieved. There is a largely accurate application of relevant subject matter knowledge. The supporting evidence is adequate; there are some acceptable, relevant examples. The response reflects an adequate understanding of the assignment.
2	The "2" response reflects a limited command of the relevant knowledge and skills as defined in the subject matter requirements for CSET: Art. The purpose of the assignment is partially achieved. There is limited accurate application of relevant subject matter knowledge. The supporting evidence is limited; there are few relevant examples. The response reflects a limited understanding of the assignment.
1	The "1" response reflects little or no command of the relevant knowledge and skills as defined in the subject matter requirements for CSET: Art. The purpose of the assignment is not achieved. There is little or no accurate application of relevant subject matter knowledge. The supporting evidence is weak; there are no or few relevant examples. The response reflects little or no understanding of the assignment.
U	The "U" (Unscorable) is assigned to a response that is unrelated to the assignment, illegible, primarily in a language other than English, or does not contain a sufficient amount of original work to score.
B	The "B" (Blank) is assigned to a response that is blank.

Focused-Response Assignments

Focused Assignment Directions

For the following questions, you are to record your response on a Response Sheet provided to you.

Read each assignment carefully before you begin to record your response.

Sample Focused-Response Assignments

Assignment 2

For this assignment, record your response on a Response Sheet provided to you. Do not use more than one Response Sheet for this assignment.

Complete the art-making exercise that follows.

Using your knowledge and understanding of the foundations of artistic perception, complete the following drawing exercise within the frame provided.

• Using geometric shapes, draw a simple composition showing asymmetrical balance.

Assignment 3

For this assignment, record your response on a Response Sheet provided to you. Do not use more than one Response Sheet for this assignment.

Complete the art-making exercise that follows.

Using your knowledge of basic art-making skills, techniques, and concepts, draw a composition within the frame provided in which you apply a technique or techniques to address each of the following points:

• Use two-point perspective to draw a pyramid.
• Draw a cylinder that appears to be three-dimensional.
• Make the forms partially overlap so that the pyramid appears to be in front of the cylinder.
• Create the illusion that both forms are resting on the same planar surface.
• Establish a single, directional light source.

Example of Strong Focused Responses

Assignment 2

Black-and-white drawing that is roughly square in shape. It includes three darkly shaded ovals of different sizes and lines that create several triangle and parallelogram shapes. Some of these shapes are darkly shaded and some are not.

In this drawing, the artist has created a sense of balance by distributing shapes of different visual weights (e.g., dark ovals of various sizes, light-valued triangles, dark and light parallelograms) in such a way that they stabilize each other. This composition thus provides an effective example of asymmetrical balance.

Assignment 3

There is a thin horizontal line across the middle of the frame. In front of the line, there are two three-dimensional objects: a pyramid and a cylinder. The pyramid is larger than the cylinder and is in front. The cylinder is smaller and appears behind the right side of the pyramid, with the bottom left portion of the cylinder covered by the pyramid. To the right of the objects, darker shaded areas represent shadows cast by the two objects.

This response achieves the stated purpose. The artist has established a horizon line and two implied vanishing points (one toward which the lines of the right side of the pyramid appear to converge, and the other toward which the lines of the left side appear to converge). The pyramid has been placed in front of the cylinder, as required. The horizon line helps establish that the two forms are resting on the same planar surface, and the darker values of the right sides of the objects and of their cast shadows suggest a light source coming from the upper left.

Focused-Response Assignment Performance Characteristics

The following performance characteristics will guide the scoring of responses to the focused-response constructed-response questions on CSET: Art Subtest I.

Purpose	The extent to which the response addresses the constructed-response assignment's charge in relation to relevant CSET subject matter requirements.
Subject Matter Knowledge	The application of accurate subject matter knowledge as described in the relevant CSET subject matter requirements.
Support	The appropriateness and quality of the supporting evidence in relation to relevant CSET subject matter requirements.

Focused-Response Assignment Scoring Scale

Scores will be assigned to each response to the focused-response constructed-response questions on CSET: Art Subtest I according to the following scoring scale.

Score Point	Score Point Description
3	The "3" response reflects a command of the relevant knowledge and skills as defined in the subject matter requirements for CSET: Art. The purpose of the assignment is fully achieved. There is an accurate application of relevant content specifications. There is appropriate and specific relevant supporting evidence.
2	The "2" response reflects a general command of the relevant knowledge and skills as defined in the subject matter requirements for CSET: Art. The purpose of the assignment is largely achieved. There is a largely accurate application of relevant content specifications. There is acceptable relevant supporting evidence.
1	The "1" response reflects a limited or no command of the relevant knowledge and skills as defined in the subject matter requirements for CSET: Art. The purpose of the assignment is only partially or not achieved. There is limited or no application of relevant content specifications. There is little or no relevant supporting evidence.
U	The "U" (Unscorable) is assigned to a response that is unrelated to the assignment, illegible, primarily in a language other than English, or does not contain a sufficient amount of original work to score.
B	The "B" (Blank) is assigned to a response that is blank.