1. Answering Constructed Response Questions:
Preparing your students for Georgia’s new assessment

2. Some of the reasons kids do poorly on CRQ’s…
Many students don’t answer the question.
Some responses are very shallow and need more details.
Some students get off topic.
Spelling and handwriting may impact 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.

3. Constructed Response Questions (CRQ)
Constructed response questions are assessment items that ask students to apply knowledge, skills, and critical thinking abilities to real-world, standards-driven performance tasks. Constructed response questions are so named because there is often more than one way to correctly answer the question, and they require students to “construct” or develop their own answers without the benefit of any suggestions or choices.
(Tests That Teach by Karen Tankersley)
As participants call out their responses to “What are constructed response questions, presenter will highlight the words in Tankersly’s definition.

4. Academic Vocabulary Traits Qualities Evidence Sequence Stanza Line
Infer
Point of View
Support
Simile
Metaphor
Figurative language
Students also have trouble with these academic vocabulary words when used in prompts. Tier 2 or Tier 3?

5. Strategies for Answering CRQ
RACE

6. RACE steps for answering CRQ
Reword/restate the question
Provide an Answer
Cite using evidence from text
Explain how the evidence supports your answer
CREATE A FLOW MAP OF
THESE STEPS

7. A Text-Based Example Prompt: (after reading “Little Red Riding Hood”)
knew
How did Little Red Riding Hood know the character in the bed was not her grandmother?
Little Red Riding Hood knew the character in the bed was not her grandmother because . . .
Not “She knew…. (avoid pronouns)
Use specific nouns, proper nouns

8. A Boost into the Right Answer
USE TRANSITIONS
A Boost into the Right Answer
• Little Red Riding Hood was not afraid of the wolf because . . .
• The wolf ran to Grandmother’s house to . . .
• Father got rid of the wolf by . . .
• Little Red Riding Hood was afraid when . . .
• Little Red Riding Hood would not have been bothered by the wolf if . . .
• Little Red Riding Hood did not leave Grandmother’s house until . . .
Handout: transition words for each part of RACE

9. Mark all restated words:
Return to the prompt and mark the words used.
Prompt: I
What do you do in the evening
when you get home from school?
Restatement:
In the evening when I get home from school I

10. Reword the question/Restate
Why were the three bears so upset when they got home?

11. Practice First!
Practice this first step by asking students questions and have them respond orally by restating the question: Example: What did you do last night?
Students should always answer in complete sentences. (written and verbally)
Give students an opportunity to create their own questions and have partners answer them by restating.

12. Provide an Answer Clarify Answers why? Generalize- not details
Makes you want to ask “What do you mean?”
or “Where’s your evidence?”
The three bears were upset when they got home because someone had been in their house.
Oral prompts- have them respond thumbs up for a broad answer. Thumbs down for a detailed answer.

13. Cite using evidence from text
The first thing they noticed was that someone had eaten their porridge. The next thing the bears noticed was someone had been sitting in their chairs. Finally, the three bears found the culprit, a little girl sleeping in their bed!
Notice the transition words. Minimum of 3 examples

14. CITING (EVIDENCE) Use specific evidence from text, not prior knowledge
Remember transition words
YOUR TURN…..
Model the one-sided multi-flow with the example.
Refer to handout for transition words.
Add the evidence in your group of three examples (on chart)
Have participants share.

15. Explain how the evidence supports your answer
As a result, the three bears were furious with the little girl that came into their home without asking!

16. EXPLAIN (conclude) Refer to the question again
Don’t construct a new ending to the story
Restate with a touch of your own voice
YOUR TURN…..
Complete group of 4 constructed response on chart paper- post around the room with sentence strip.
Have each group present their finished product. Be creative with your presentation! Make it fun. Create a newscast, a dance, a song, etc.

17. RACE Checklist Name__________________________ Date__________
Minimally Partially Completely
Restates question
_____ _____ _____
Develops a broad _____ _____ _____
Answer
Cites using details _____ _____ _____
Draws conclusion _____ _____ _____
Stays on topic _____ _____ _____
Writes neatly _____ _____ _____
Uses proper
Conventions _____ _____ _____
Score your own product that you just completed.
Handout: checklist

18. How are constructed response questions scored?
Holistic rubrics
South Carolina- 3 point rubric
Montana- 4 point rubric
Indiana- 2 point rubric
New York- 2 point rubric
North Carolina- 2 point rubric
Georgia-?????

19. How do you score?
Select one person at your table to read the fable and the prompt.
Read the student response.
Score using your rubric. Discuss the feedback you would give this student.
Be prepared to share.
Handouts: Fable, student response, rubrics

20. Excellent Resources for CRQ…
onse.htm
Tests that Teach, by Karen Tankersley
Better Answers, by Ardith Cole