Sybil Ludington, the Hudson Valley, and the American Revolutionary War

Reading Performance Task Teacher Instructions

Instructions for the Teacher The “Sybil Ludington, the Hudson Valley, and the American Revolutionary War” performance task utilizes two informational texts, one tracing the plight of a young revolutionary (“Sybil Ludington’s Midnight Ride”) and one providing an overview of the Hudson Valley’s place in the Revolutionary War (“Life in the Hudson Valley during the American Revolutionary War”). Students read the text, respond to questions to demonstrate their understanding of the text, and write a response that requires them to critically analyze the interrelationships between the texts.

Read the student performance task and familiarize yourself with the text and tasks the student will be asked to complete. Provide students with copies of the student performance task and a means (paper or electronic) to write their responses. The recommended time for completing the task is ninety minutes. Students complete the task individually. Assess student performance based on the accompanying rubric.

Performance Task Skills • Determine the central idea of an informational text and explain how it is conveyed with details in the text

• Cite textual evidence to support analysis of an informational text

• Explain the basis for conclusions drawn about an informational text

• Explain the author's purpose and how it is conveyed in an informational text

• Analyze an informational text's structure to determine how a particular part fits in and contributes to the development of ideas (e.g., purpose of a specific sentence, organization of supporting details)

• Explain similarities and differences (e.g., purpose, organization, main ideas, viewpoint) between informational texts on the same topic

Task Evidence Rating/Points

1a. What is the central idea of • Student correctly identifies the central 8 points “Sybil Ludington’s Midnight idea of the text (e.g., Sybil Ludington • 2 points for Ride”? bravely helped the Continental Army by identifying the riding through the night to alert them central idea they were needed to fight the British). 1b. What are three details that • 3 points for support this central idea? How • Student correctly identifies and explaining the do the details support the explains three details that support the supporting details central idea? Include central idea. (3 possible) information from the text to • Student provides information from the support your answer. • 3 points for text to support the answer. providing

1 of 10 © 2013 by Renaissance Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction for educational use by STAR Enterprise licensees and their educators, students, and parents allowed. information from the text to support the answer (3 possible)

2a. What is the central idea of • Student correctly identifies the central 8 points “Life in the Hudson Valley idea of the text (e.g., The Hudson • 2 points for during the American Valley was an important place during identifying the Revolutionary War”? the Revolutionary War and both sides central idea wanted to control it). 2b. What are three details that • 3 points for support this central idea? How • Student correctly identifies and explaining do the details support the explains three details that support the supporting details central idea? Include central idea. (3 possible) information from the text to • Student provides information from the support your answer. • 3 points for text to support the answer. providing information from the text to support the answer (3 possible)

3. Why did the author write • Student correctly identifies and 4 points “Sybil Ludington’s Midnight explains the author’s purpose (e.g., to • 2 points for Ride”? How do you know? inform about Sybil Ludington’s life and identifying and Describe the author’s purpose. actions during the war). explaining the Include information from the • Student provides information from the author’s purpose text to support your answer. text to support the answer. • 2 points for

providing information from the text to support the answer

4. Why did the author write • Student correctly identifies and 4 points “Life in the Hudson Valley explains the author’s purpose (e.g., to • 2 points for during the American inform about why the Hudson Valley identifying and Revolutionary War”? How do was important during the Revolutionary explaining the you know? Describe the War). author’s purpose author’s purpose. Include • Student provides information from the information from the text to • 2 points for text to support the answer. support your answer. providing information from the text to support the answer

5. Read paragraph 8 of “Sybil • Student correctly explains the purpose 6 points Ludington’s Midnight Ride.” of the identified paragraph (e.g., to • 2 points for What is the purpose of this show what happened after Sybil’s ride explaining the particular paragraph? How does and the impact Sybil’s actions had on purpose of the it relate to the author’s the war). identified purpose? How does it fit into • Student correctly explains how the paragraph the overall structure of the paragraph relates to the author’s article? • 2 points for purpose. explaining how the • Student correctly explains how the paragraph relates paragraph fits into the structure of the to the author’s

2 of 10 © 2013 by Renaissance Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction for educational use by STAR Enterprise licensees and their educators, students, and parents allowed. article. purpose • 2 points for explaining how the paragraph fits into the structure of the article

6. Read paragraph 3 of “Life in • Student correctly explains the purpose 6 points the Hudson Valley during the of the identified paragraph (e.g., to • 2 points for American Revolutionary War.” explain reasons both sides wanted to explaining the What is the purpose of this control the Hudson Valley). purpose of the particular paragraph? How does • Student correctly explains how the identified it relate to the author’s paragraph relates to the author’s paragraph purpose? How does it fit into purpose. the overall structure of the • 2 points for article? • Student correctly explains how the explaining how the paragraph fits into the structure of the paragraph relates article. to the author’s purpose • 2 points for explaining how the paragraph fits into the structure of the article

7. Based on the two articles, • Student draws a reasonable conclusion 4 points what can you conclude about based on the two texts. • 2 points for the relationship between • Student explains the basis of the drawing a loyalists and patriots in the conclusion by including information reasonable Hudson Valley during the from the texts. conclusion Revolutionary War? Include information from the text to • 2 points for support your answer. including information from the texts to explain the basis of the conclusion

8. Use your understanding of • Student analyzes and explains the 32 points the articles “Sybil Ludington’s central ideas of both texts as a whole. • 4 points for Midnight Ride” and “Life in the • Student analyzes how details in one analyzing the Hudson Valley during the text help the reader better understand central ideas of American Revolutionary War” the other text. both texts as a to write an essay analyzing the whole relationship between the two • Student analyzes why the texts are texts. In your essay, you structured differently. • 4 points for should answer the following analyzing how • Student draws a connection between questions: details in one text the text structures and the authors’ help the reader • What are the central ideas of purposes. better understand both texts as a whole? • Student draws a conclusion about the the other text • How do the details in one viewpoint of each author. • 4 points for text help the reader better • Student explains the basis for these analyzing why the understand the other text? conclusions. texts are • Why are the texts structured structured • Student analyzes the interrelationships differently? How does the 3 of 10 © 2013 by Renaissance Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction for educational use by STAR Enterprise licensees and their educators, students, and parents allowed. author’s purpose in each text between the two viewpoints. differently influence these structures? • Student provides specific information • 4 points for • What is the viewpoint of from the texts to support the answer. drawing a each author? What leads you connection

to your conclusions about between text each author’s viewpoint? structures and How do these two viewpoints authors’ purposes relate to one another? • 4 points for You should provide specific drawing information from the texts to conclusions about support the points in your viewpoints essay. • 4 points for explaining the basis of the conclusions • 4 points for analyzing the interrelationships between the viewpoints • 4 points for providing specific information from the texts to support the answer

Sample Top-Score Response for Item #8 The articles “Sybil Ludington’s Midnight Ride” and “Life in the Hudson Valley during the American Revolutionary War” are both about events in the Hudson Valley during the Revolutionary War. As a whole, one central idea of these texts is that the patriots fought a hard war against the British to try to gain freedom in the Hudson Valley. Both texts describe how important this region was. They explain the many challenges the patriots faced. Another central idea is that the patriots had to work together and use clever strategies to fight the British. Both texts describe ways that the patriots in the Hudson Valley tried to defeat the British. They both stress how both soldiers and women helped the effort.

The details in “Life in the Hudson Valley” help the reader understand “Sybil Ludington.” For example, “Life in the Hudson Valley” explains reasons the British wanted to control the Hudson Valley. It was on an important route. It had rich farmland. It also was important for military strategy. These facts about the Hudson Valley help the reader understand why the British wanted to move into the valley in “Sybil Ludington.” In addition, “Life in the Hudson Valley” talks about how women played a big role in the war. This information helps the reader understand why Sybil did what she did. Many women during that time were involved in the war.

The details in “Sybil Ludington” also help the reader understand “Life in the Hudson Valley”. The article says women helped with the war and “Sybil Ludington” describes an example of how a young woman in the Hudson Valley helped. “Life in the Hudson Valley” also says one advantage patriots had was that they knew the land. “Sybil Ludington”

4 of 10 © 2013 by Renaissance Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction for educational use by STAR Enterprise licensees and their educators, students, and parents allowed. shows this was true. Sybil rode forty miles through the night to alert the patriot soldiers because she knew the land very well.

The texts have different structures. This is because “Sybil Ludington” is telling the story of one person and one event, while “Life in the Hudson Valley” gives general information. It’s about the time period and the region, not just about one person. The author’s purpose in “Sybil Ludington” is to tell an interesting and true story about Sybil Ludington’s journey. As a result, the author tells the story of Sybil’s ride in chronological order. “Life in the Hudson Valley” is organized differently. The author wants to give supporting details for each idea and fact rather than tell a story in order.

I would describe the viewpoint of the author of “Sybil Ludington” as admiring. The author talks about how brave Sybil was and calls her a “heroine.” The viewpoint of the author of “The Hudson Valley” is supportive of the patriots. The author talks about what the patriots needed to do to “overthrow the British.” The author also mentions George Washington and Sybil Ludington as examples of heroes. The viewpoints are similar because both authors admire the patriots. They both write about the challenges the patriots faced against the British. They seem to support the patriots’ efforts and show the British as the enemies.

Instructions for the Student Read the articles “Sybil Ludington’s Midnight Ride” and “Life in the Hudson Valley during the American Revolutionary War.” As you read the articles, think about the central ideas in each text. Think about how details support the central ideas. Also, think about how the articles are similar, and how they are different. After reading them, you will answer questions about the articles. Then, you will use what you’ve learned to write an essay about the relationship between the two texts.

Sybil Ludington’s Midnight Ride 1Many people have heard of Paul Revere’s midnight ride during the American Revolutionary War. He rode his horse over twelve miles to warn residents of Massachusetts that the British Army was coming. However, a young woman rode her horse forty miles on a rainy, cold night to warn her father’s soldiers that the British were coming. Sybil Ludington was a sixteen-year-old heroine of the American Revolutionary War.

2Sybil was born on April 5, 1761. She was the oldest child of Abigail and Henry Ludington. The Ludington’s had a farm and mill in the Hudson Valley. The Hudson Valley is the area around the Hudson River in eastern New York. Sybil was a responsible young woman. She worked on the family farm and helped take care of her eleven younger siblings. Her father was a colonel in the Continental Army. The Continental Army was made up of American colonists who wanted freedom from British rule. Colonel Ludington was also a member of the New York Assembly and a justice of the peace.

3Although Colonel Ludington once supported the British, he became a patriot. That means he was an American colonist committed to fighting for freedom from British rule. Many historians believe that Colonel Ludington encouraged his daughter Sybil to support the patriots’ efforts. Her father shared information with her about the patriots’ fight for freedom from the British. Sybil often talked with her father’s fellow patriots. Some historical accounts claim her father even kept her informed of important information about 5 of 10 © 2013 by Renaissance Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction for educational use by STAR Enterprise licensees and their educators, students, and parents allowed. the patriots’ war plans. The loyalists were colonists who supported the British. They thought Sybil’s father was a threat, and they wanted to capture him. Sybil was protective of her father. One night, she helped save him from capture. Sybil told her siblings to place lighted candles in the windows and march back and forth. The loyalists thought soldiers were guarding the Ludington home and decided not to attack.

4On April 25, 1777, the British Army arrived in Danbury, Connecticut. Danbury was a large town fifteen miles from Sybil’s farm. The Continental Army kept supplies of weapons, gunpowder, food, and clothing in Danbury. The British took the supplies and burned many buildings. The British Army planned to advance into the Hudson Valley. They would destroy the property of anyone who was not a British loyalist. A patriot on horseback came from Danbury to ask Colonel Ludington for his soldiers’ help. Colonel Ludington’s soldiers were mostly farmers. At this time, he had granted the men leave for planting season. Ludington would have to gather his men. Ludington himself needed to prepare for battle, so he could not do it. Someone was needed to alert them. But who could help him?

5The following evening, April 26, Colonel Ludington asked his daughter to ride through the area and alert the patriot soldiers. He told her to deliver the message to the soldiers to be at his farm at daybreak. There were about four hundred men in the group. They would then march to Connecticut to join the Continental Army and battle the British.

6Sybil agreed and prepared her horse, Star, for the ride. The forty-mile ride took her almost all night. She started at nine o’clock in the evening and finished around dawn. She had often taken horseback rides with her father on these roads, and he had pointed out where his soldiers lived. Some historians believe he prepared her for this ride just in case the British Army attacked.

7Sybil rode Star down backwoods roads going as fast as she could. When she arrived in a village, Sybil banged on the shutters of houses to wake up the soldiers.

8By dawn, Sybil had completed her ride and returned home, exhausted. Colonel Ludington’s men gathered and prepared to march. They battled the British and

6 of 10 © 2013 by Renaissance Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction for educational use by STAR Enterprise licensees and their educators, students, and parents allowed. successfully drove them back to their ships in the Long Island Sound, south of Connecticut. After the battle, George Washington visited the Ludington home and thanked Sybil.

9In 1975, the Postal Service honored Sybil Ludington with a stamp displaying her image. In Carmel, New York, a statue of Sybil on horseback honors the memory of this brave young woman.

Life in the Hudson Valley during the American Revolutionary War 1The American Revolutionary War influenced life in the Hudson Valley of New York. Many people there wanted freedom from British rule. However, many people also remained loyal to the King of England. This division led to tension between American patriots and British loyalists. The British Army controlled parts of the region, including nearby New York City. The British often destroyed the patriots’ property when they marched through the region. Meanwhile, the British protected the loyalists’ property from harm. Patriots knew they needed to defend the Hudson Valley in order to overthrow the British. The region became very important in the war.

2Both sides wanted control of the area. The area was a main route between New York and Connecticut. Roads made it possible to send supplies to battle sites. The Hudson Valley region also had rich farmland. Crops were needed to feed the people who lived there and the soldiers on both sides. The region was also important for military strategy. The British Army already controlled much of the Hudson River and its ports. This gave them a big advantage over the patriots. They could easily defend themselves from ships on the river. The British also prevented patriots from traveling by river or sending supplies to their troops.

3The patriot army, called the Continental Army, faced other challenges in their bid to control the Hudson Valley. Most soldiers in the Continental Army were farmers. Their leaders would give them leave during planting and harvesting season. Military leaders would call the army to prepare for battles when they were needed. However, farms were distant from one another. It could take up to a half hour to reach the closest neighbor’s farm by horseback. Steep hills and valleys made the journeys difficult. Roads were mostly narrow dirt paths. They became dangerous because of rain, sleet, and snow. One advantage that the patriots had was their knowledge of the area. They were familiar with the land, while the British were not.

4Women in the Hudson Valley also played active roles during the war. They supported the fight for independence from the British. The wives and daughters of patriot soldiers often helped spread news about the location of the British. They helped prepare supplies and food for soldiers. They worked on the farms when the men were at war. Some women even had knowledge of the patriots’ battle plans.

Washington at Valley Forge

5Many well-known figures from this period of American history lived and fought in the Hudson Valley. For example, George Washington led soldiers into battles in this region. Benedict Arnold, on the other hand, was known as a traitor. He planned to give the West Point fort over to the British while he was in command. Sybil Ludington, a teenager, rode forty miles through the region to alert the army that they needed to fight the British. Historians believe she may have saved many towns from destruction.

6Today, the Hudson Valley is known for its beauty and peacefulness. Over two hundred years ago, however, this region was caught up in a tense war. Its location on the banks of the Hudson River made it attractive to both the patriots and the British. As a result, the valley was the site of many important battles and many memorable moments in history.

1. A. The central idea of an article is the main point the author wants to make. Every part of the article is tied to the central idea. What is the central idea of “Sybil Ludington’s Midnight Ride”?

B. What are three details that support this central idea? How do the details support the central idea? Include information from the text to support your answer.

8 of 10 © 2013 by Renaissance Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction for educational use by STAR Enterprise licensees and their educators, students, and parents allowed. 2. A. What is the central idea of “Life in the Hudson Valley during the American Revolutionary War”?

B. What are three details that support this central idea? How do the details support the central idea? Include information from the text to support your answer.

3. Why did the author write “Sybil Ludington’s Midnight Ride”? How do you know? Describe the author’s purpose. Include information from the text to support your answer.

4. Why did the author write “Life in the Hudson Valley during the American Revolutionary War”? How do you know? Describe the author’s purpose. Include information from the text to support your answer.

5. Read paragraph 8 of “Sybil Ludington’s Midnight Ride.” What is the purpose of this particular paragraph? How does it relate to the author’s purpose? How does it fit into the overall structure of the article?

9 of 10 © 2013 by Renaissance Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction for educational use by STAR Enterprise licensees and their educators, students, and parents allowed. 6. Read paragraph 3 of “Life in the Hudson Valley during the American Revolutionary War.” What is the purpose of this particular paragraph? How does it relate to the author’s purpose? How does it fit into the overall structure of the article?

7. Based on the information in the two articles, what can you conclude about the relationship between loyalists and patriots in the Hudson Valley during the Revolutionary War? Include information from the text to support your answer.

Use What You Have Learned Now it’s time to show what you have learned.

You will write an essay analyzing the relationship between “Sybil Ludington’s Midnight Ride” and “Life in the Hudson Valley during the American Revolutionary War.” The essay should include an analysis of the central ideas that are shared across both texts as a whole and how the details in each text help the reader better understand the other text. The essay also should analyze why the texts are structured differently and how the authors’ purposes influence these structures. Finally, you will draw a conclusion about the author’s viewpoint in each article and analyze how these viewpoints relate to one another. A viewpoint is an author’s point of view, or opinion, on a topic.

8. Use your understanding of the articles “Sybil Ludington’s Midnight Ride” and “Life in the Hudson Valley during the American Revolutionary War” to write an essay analyzing the relationship between the two texts. In your essay, you should answer the following questions:

• What are the central ideas of both texts as a whole?

• How do the details in each text help the reader better understand the other text?

• Why are the texts structured differently? How does the author’s purpose in each text influence these structures?

• What is the viewpoint of each author? What leads you to your conclusions about each author’s viewpoint? How do these two viewpoints relate to one another?

You should provide specific information from the texts to support the points in your essay.