1. Constructed Response 101
Simple ways to ensure that all students are prepared for the constructed response portion of the MCAII

2. Give One, Get One for Constructed Response
Look at the Give One, Get One template.
Write down four things you know ( or think you know about constructed response).
Now get four new ideas from four different people.

3. Constructed Response
A constructed response question is a short answer question. Here is an example from the reading test:
*Using information from the story, give two reasons explaining why Denise wants to take Sweet Magnolia home with her and two reasons why she changes her mind.

4. Why Should We Teach Constructed Response?
“Writing is a “threshold skill for both employment and promotion, particularly for salaried employees. Half the responding companies report that they take writing into consideration when hiring professional employees.”
Right Answer Writing, Cole
“ In most cases, writing ability could be your ticket in ….or it could be your ticket out.”
National Commission on Writing 2004, page 5

5. Why Should We Teach Constructed Response?
Across the state, at all grades, and in all subjects, constructed response was the type of question where students scored significantly lower
Students will probably do much better on MCAII if they understand how to answer constructed response questions effectively
The more students verbalize and demonstrate their thinking, the deeper their learning.

6. State Results
In almost all districts, students perform lower on constructed response. To find out how your school did with constructed response, consult your principal’s report from the state department.
In Rochester, our constructed response scores are in the fortieth percentile for most grades. This means 60% of our students are not proficient in this area….an opportunity for improvement.
Conferencing with students about their last year’s constructed response score is a great opportunity to have a conversation with them. ( Colleen)

7. Why do students do so poorly on constructed response?
Brainstorm the reasons you think students perform lower on constructed response.
Choose a person at your table to report your ideas.

8. MN Department of Education Press Release:
The results for 11th grade math indicated that about 39% of students were proficient. That number was due in part to students leaving nearly 31% of the questions blank where they needed to explain their answer.
Holy Cow! They skip these questions.

9. Reasons for Low Constructed Response Scores
Many students don’t answer the question.
Some responses are very shallow and need details.
Some students get off topic.
Spelling and handwriting can affect a student’s score.
Students don’t understand what the question is asking.
Instead of writing about what the passage talked about , students write about what they know about the topic.
Students don’t think about their audience.

10. Constructed Response Questions in Reading
The state is only looking for evidence that the student comprehended the text. This means:
* a student may use a t-chart, bullets, a summary statement, or a venn diagram to answer the question.
* they do not need to write in complete sentences
* students may not use prior knowledge about the topic but must use only the text in the reading questions.
* wrong answers are not held against students but only correct answers are counted. Having extra answers can only help your score.

11. Baseline Assessment
Do a baseline assessment with your students. Read them a fairytale and ask them an open ended question. I have samples available if you are interested.
After you have taught them the process you’ll learn today, reassess and see what they have learned.
This works even for middle and high school students!

12. 6 Steps for Answering a Constructed Response Question
1. Re-read the passage at least once, then re-read the
question carefully to decide all the parts it is asking
for. Mark the key words in the question. The key
words are the verb or verbs, any character names,
and key literary terms.
In the story, Jarrod and Bo are always in a hurry. Give three examples of the boys’ impatience using examples from the story.

13. Teach It!
Question Jar: Collect questions and let students practice marking all the key words or information. Use this when there are just a few minutes left in the hour as a wrap up. Collect questions from other teacher’s tests.
Ask students to practice this on all of their tests in their other classes. Repetition is the key!

14. Step 2
2. Rewrite the question in your own words to make sure that you know exactly what is being asked. Then, turn that question into a topic sentence for your answer.
Jarrod and Bo showed their impatience in the following three ways: 1. 2. 3.

15. Restating: Useful in the Real World
In real life, people use restating to give them time to think about the answer and confirm that they have understood what is being asked.
( Better Answers by Cole)

16. Teach it!
Practice restating orally first with personal questions about your students.
What did you do last night when you got home? Last night when I got home from school I….
Let’s try it…
What is your favorite movie?
What do you and your family do for fun?
What is your favorite restaurant?

17. Teach it!
Practice restating some questions that have to be changed to make sense:
Why did the wicked stepmother think Snow White was still alive?
The wicked stepmother thought SnowWhite was still alive because….

18. Partner Collaboration
Pair students up.
*Read a short fairytale or picture book and hand out a constructed response question. Students take turns restating, marking key words and writing their restatements.
Textbook Hunt
Find a question in your science or social studies book and practice restating it.

19. Assessment: Observation During Partner Activity
Did you use most of the words from the question to begin your answer?
Did you reread your writing?
Does your spelling match the question’s?
Did you use a transition word? Which one?
Did you have to substitute any pronouns or verbs? Which ones?

20. Step 3
3. Go back to the passage and collect the needed information. Make sure you get the relevant details (if the question asks for 3 details, make sure you find 3 details). Highlight or number this information so you can find it easily as you write your answer.

21. Teach it!
Start with a short passage ( one page) and a prompt. Use an overhead to model how to highlight or number the information needed.
*Let’s try it. We’ll read Marsupials using a strategy called Cloze Reading. You will fill in the words I leave out.
*Our question is: List three characteristics of the Kangaroo.

22. Marsupials
A marsupial is a type of mammal. Unlike other mammals, marsupials have pouches. They carry their babies in their pouches. Most of the marsupials in the world live in Australia. Kangaroos are marsupials. They have strong back legs and can jump long distances. Kangaroos have strong tails. Their tail is used for balance. The red kangaroo can grow to be about seven feet tall. They can weigh more than 200 pounds. They move fast. Sometimes, they travel at 40 miles per hour.

23. Step 4
4. Organize the details into a logical order. Use a graphic organizer if that helps. See the graphic organizer in your packet. a. You may also want to consider the answer sandwich for younger students. This comes from Better Answers ( Cole) page 23. b. Another great resource is the transition list. Teach your students that transitions make your writing look good and sound smart.

24. Teach it!
Model the graphic organizer using a familiar tale and a prompt.
*Let’s try it. I’ll read Little Red Riding Hood . Below is our question.
*Question: How did Little Red Riding Hood know that the character in the bed was not her grandma?
* Now I’ll think aloud how to use the graphic organizer.

25. Think Aloud for Little Red Riding Hood
Constructed Response Resource.doc

26. Your turn
Listen to the story of the three bears. Work with your partner to fill out the graphic organizer. Here is your prompt:
Why were the bears so upset when they got home from their walk?

27. Step 5 Write your answer neatly.
Remind students that there are people who will be reading and scoring their answer. The neater they write, the easier it is for the scorers to understand what they are trying to say.
Tell your students the sloppy paper story.
Indenting and evenly placed beginnings are small cosmetic improvements that can make a difference.

28. Spelling Strategies Write it Five Ways. Use a Synonym
Use Hints such as the question and other text information to help you.
Learn the high frequency words.
If students learn the first 25 words they will have 33% of their writing correct.
If they learn the first 100, they are assured 68% correct.
ton.html

29. Step 6
Re-read your answer to be sure you answered all the parts of the question. * Have students work in pairs and re-read their answer aloud to a partner. This ensures that they actually read it and helps them notice things that don’t sound correct.

30. Follow the gradual release of responsibility model:
I do ( teacher models) Modeling is mandatory and is the most important part of the writing process. Students need to observe how we think so they emulate the process. Most of what we do is assessment without instruction and modeling!
We do ( let students work in pairs) This provides support and modeling for students who are just learning the process. You may have to build in incentives for both students to be participating. ( I need to see two kinds of handwriting on this).
You do ( students work independently)

31. Pair Share
Talk to your partner about what most students do when they get a paper back that has been edited by the teacher.

32. Editing that Works
Read the student’s response and place a check behind each line that has an error. For struggling students limit this to two or three lines.
The student’s job is to go back and fix the errors.
Let students work in pairs when you begin this approach.
Be sure to find two or three positive things that the student did well too.

33. Use the Better Answer Rubric
Minimally
Partially
Completely
Restates question
Simple answer
Detailed evidence
On topic
Draws conclusion
Writes neatly

34. Resources
*Constructed Response Bookmarks : Make these bookmarks on cardstock and have students use each time they write a response. They could attach this to their work and initial. *Six Step Process ( Make as a poster to leave up on MCA day). * Save your own student exemplars and create a collection. Remove names and use next year for your classes.

35. Let’s Practice Read the MCA practice passage.
Now let’s follow the six step process to answer the prompt.

36. Scoring Practice
Work with a partner to look at the writing samples and score against the rubric given by the state. Record your score on each of the samples.

37. Key Questions and How to Answer Them
Terms
Meaning
Framework
Analyze
Separate into its parts
An ordered list framework containing steps
Compare
Examine, noting the similarities and differences
Venn Diagram to show differences of each with likeness in the center
Contrast
Examine, noting the differences only
T- chart to contrast left to right
Define
State a precise meaning
An ordered list
Discuss
Present background information with supporting or descriptive details
T chart with important factors on left, details on right
Describe
Convey an idea
Semantic web, subject in the middle, surrounded by numbered qualities
Evaluate
Place judgment, but support using details
T chart listing pros next to cons

38. Key Questions and How to Answer Them
Term
Meaning
Framework
Explain
Make clear, offer reason
T chart listing facts and supportive details
Give/provide
Offer facts related to topic
T chart using facts and supportive details
Review
Examine major elements again
Outline or list
Use
Do the task in a specific manner
Write
Usually requires a prompt
Outline or List
Source, Better Answers by Ardith Davis Cole

39. Key Concepts Word Wall
Traits (most students below grade 7 struggle with this word)
Contrast *Support
Compare * Figurative language
Qualities *simile
Evidence * metaphor
Sequence
Stanza
Line
Infer
Point of View

40. Ideas for Teaching These Terms
Create a word wall
Read the word wall handout and be ready to play one of these games.

41. Question Jar
Create a question jar and have students pull a question and discuss how they might answer the question. Which framework would they use?
Let’s try it.

42. Compare and Contrast
Historically students have scored low on compare and contrast items. Directly teach this and give them lots of practice.
They could compare skittles to m and ms
Skiing to snowboarding
eighth grade to ninth grade
A venn diagram is a great tool for this response.

43. Social Studies Ideas
Compare and Contrast the war in Iraq to Vietnam. List at least four ways that they
are similar and different.
List four causes of the Great Depression:
Compare two presidents.
Include at least one constructed response question on each test. Model various ways to respond.
Share examples of student work which is exemplary.

44. Science Ideas Compare and contrast the properties of two elements.
List four causes of global warming.
Compare and contrast two kinds of cells.
Include a constructed response question on every test and model exemplary student work.
Explain the differences in two chemical reactions.

45. Science Ideas Compare and contrast two tools used in the lab.
List four things you learned about a famous scientist.
List four ways that an invention has helped civilization. Be sure to use specific examples.

46. English ideas
Compare and contrast the movie version of Romeo and Juliet and the play.
List four reasons why the character made the choices he did. Give specific examples from the text.
Include a constructed response item on each of your tests.

47. Foreign Language
Have students read articles in the target language and answer short answer questions in English.
Compare two pieces of architecture using a venn diagram.

48. Any subject…
Begin the hour by asking students to list four things they remember about…..
Have them number these and read to a partner. The partner gives one point for each answer.

49. Any subject
Ask the students to come up with constructed response questions for the test. Give extra credit for those used.
End classes once a week with an exit ticket. Before they leave, they must respond to the prompt given.
Have students identify key words in your test questions and assignments.
Have students restate the question for all open ended responses.

50. Final Tips
Students should never erase their pre-writing. They can get points for this on the test.
Students may answer in any form and are not given more credit for a formal essay. Teach bulleting, diagrams, charts, and lists as a way to respond.
Many students skipped the constructed response portion of the test. Be sure they know that it is difficult to pass the test without attempting this portion.
The most important thing teachers can do to help students be successful on the MCA is have students read and write in their classroom.

51. Web Resources http://education.state.mn.us/mde/index.html
Using your own laptop or the one provided, take some time to peruse these websites to see which resources you might use.

52. Plan It!
Create a plan for what you will implement in your classroom or your school. Look at the action plan document to help you create this.

53. Work Time Create a question jar
Find practice articles on writingfix.com, the state website or in your curriculum.
Plan to make copies of the constructed response bookmark.
Create your words for your word wall.
Print item sampler for your grade level or writing exemplars to share with students.
Plan how you might share information with parents.

54. A Great Resource

55. Revisit Give One, Get One
Look at the bottom section.
What were you right about and wrong about.

56. Evaluation
Please complete an evaluation and leave face down on your tables.

57. My contact information
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