Kim Essenburg (English 10 teacher at Christian Academy in Japan) reflects on her assessment results from her introductory unit test:

I just finished marking my introductory unit tests. I’m pleased with the results. Students understood the unit’s central idea—that as God’s image bearers, human beings are creative, communicative truth-seekers.
 
I included a 25-point essay question about the central idea on the 100-point unit test: Discuss the Cultural Mandate and its significance to this unit. Since it was the first test of the year and since I wanted to test their understanding of the central point (and not their writing and thinking skills), I decided to break the essay into 4 short-answer questions:

1. What is the Cultural Mandate? (2 points)
2. How is it rooted in who humans are as being made in the image of God? (4 points)
3. How is it connected to literature as part of creation? (4 points)
4. Give 3 examples of authors we read carrying out the Cultural Mandate (15 points).

Here’s a sample student response to “Discuss the Cultural Mandate and its significance to this unit (25 points)”:
 
(1) What is the Cultural Mandate? (2 points)
The Cultural Mandate says, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and subdue it.” We are to develop the social world (schools, governments, families, law, etc.) and use what we can from God’s creation to create culture and civilization.
 
(2) How is it rooted in who humans are as being made in the image of God? (4 points)
Like God, we are creative beings—because we are in His image. Therefore, it is in our nature to desire to create things using our imaginations—and thus develop the various cultures in the world
 
(3) How is it connected to literature as part of creation? (4 points)
God gave us the gift of language and the ability to read and write. So when authors write, they are doing what God intended—using language to spread their thoughts and ideas throughout the world.
 
(4) Give 3 examples of authors we read carrying out the Cultural Mandate (15 points).
Confucius’ ideas became a very big part of Chinese culture and have shaped it for 2,000 years. His teachings guide people in how they should live. Confucius used the ability of speaking and sharing his knowledge to influence mass numbers of people.
 
Allende said she wrote so people would love each other more. This shows her desire to improve the relationships between mankind. Through writing about experiences people may have in common, she hopes to bring people together.
 
Marquez was called the master of magical realism because he was the first author to use it a lot. In this way, he used his ability to imagine and create something which added to the world’s literature and language.