To answer this question correctly, students must see both the strengths and weaknesses of the Kodak advertisement as evidence of what life was like for U.S. soldiers during World War I. For Question 1, students must explain that the advertisement is useful because it provides information about how American soldiers were able to communicate with their families. For Question 2, students should explain that the fact that the image was an advertisement subjects it to the embellishments and creative license of the genre, and is, therefore, less useful as evidence of the actual living conditions of soldiers at the time.
Level: Proficient
Question 1
Student explains that the advertisement is useful evidence in that it provides some information about how soldiers could communicate with their families at the time.
Question 2
Student explains that the advertisement is less useful as evidence because it was illustrated to sell a product and was thus subject to artistic embellishment and creative license.
Level: Emergent
Question 1
Student sees that the advertisement provides some evidence of life as an American soldier but makes assumptions about the advertisement that go beyond the warrants of the evidence or does not fully explain how the advertisement could provide useful evidence.
Question 2
Student sees that the advertisement has limitations but provides an incomplete explanation about why the advertisement is less useful as evidence.
Level: Basic
Question 1
Student does not provide a relevant explanation for how the advertisement could be useful as evidence.
Question 2
Student does not identify or explain the limitations of the advertisement as evidence.
