HOW TO ANSWER THE SHORT ANSWER FOR A SINGLE SELECTION

1
HOW TO ANSWER THE SHORT ANSWER FOR A SINGLE
SELECTION

• STAAR OPEN ENDED RESPONSE
• SINGLE SELECTION

2
Components of the Open-Ended Response
Clear, reasonable idea about various aspects of
the text
Relevant text evidence that supports the idea
analysis
quotation
3
The Open-Ended Response . . .

• Is scored on content
• Unless the frequency and/or
• severity of writing convention
• errors causes clarity problems.

Write clearly and neatly. Your final answer must
be written in the box provided.
4
0Insufficient

• This response is too vague to understand.
• Or
• This response fails to give any textual evidence.
  (Quote)
• Or
• This response makes an interpretation not found
  in the text.
• Or
• This response is just a plot summary

5
Partially Sufficient1

• This response only gives an answer.
• Or
• This response only gives textual evidence and
  fails to explain how the quotation answers the
  question.
• Or
• There is no clear connection between the answer
  and the evidence.

6
Sufficient 2

• This response answers the question and gives
  appropriate evidence (Quote)
• The connection between the answer and the
  evidence (quotation) is clear.

7
Exemplary 3

• Everything a 2 has, PLUS
• Particularly insightful answer
• Embedded quotations
• Clear explanation as to how the quotations prove
  the answer

8
Sample Answer Sheet
9
Now YOU BE THE JUDGE.

• Well take a look at responses from real students
  who took the 9th grade STAAR Benchmark last year.
• Their responses were scored by official
  graders.
• Lets see if we can score these on our ownGet
  your score cards ready!

10
Literary Selection single excerpt from the play
of the novel Anne of Green Gables

• In the excerpt from Anne of Green Gables, do you
  think the stage directions enhance your
  understanding of the scene? Explain your answer
  and support it with evidence from the selection.

11
How do I answer this? With A.C.E., thats how!

• To answer the question completely you must
  include 3 things
• Answer Write your response in a clear complete
  sentence in the box provided.
• Citation Write a direct quotation from the story
  that proves your response is correct.
• Explanation Write an explanation about how the
  citation (quotation from the text) proves your
  response is correct.

12
Stage directions from the dramatic adaptation of
the novel Anne of Green Gables

• 1 Avonlea Station. A small figure, a child
  sits on a battered suitcase. The child wears a
  too-large overcoat and a cap covering its head.
  We can see only the childs back as the lights
  come up. The child wraps the coat more tightly
  around itself and turns toward us for the first
  time She is a girl, a simple tattered dress
  under her coat. The stationmaster comes to pick
  up a mailbag and notices the girl.

13

• What grade (1-3) should this short answer get?
• The stage directions definitely help to
  get an image of the scene in the play. In a short
  story or novel, authors use words to describe the
  setting that the characters are in which helps to
  paint a visual image in the readers mind.
  Descriptions like a small figure, a child, sits
  on a battered suitcase and directions as to who
  a character is turned talking to like to Anne
  help the reader see what is happening, just like
  descriptions in a novel or short story. The
  reader can see the play being acted out in their
  minds which helps them to understand the scenes
  better and connect with the characters just by
  reading.

14
Heres the ACE Answer, Citation, Explanation
red is the answer, green is the citation
(quotation), and blue is the explanation about
how the quotation proves that answer is true.

• The stage directions definitely help to get
  an image of the scene in the play. In a short
  story or novel, authors use words to describe the
  setting that the characters are in which helps to
  paint a visual image in the readers mind.
  Descriptions like a small figure, a child, sits
  on a battered suitcase and directions as to who
  a character is turned talking to like to Anne
  help the reader see what is happening, just like
  descriptions in a novel or short story. The
  reader can see the play being acted out in their
  minds which helps them to understand the scenes
  better and connect with the characters just by
  reading.

15
Score Point 3 -Exemplary

• The student offers the thoughtful idea that stage
  directions enhance a readers images of the scene
  in the play. Specific synopsis and direct
  quotations are combined to strongly support the
  idea, making this an exemplary response. The idea
  is perceptive and text evidence is specific and
  well chosen.

16

• The next response
• In Anne of Green Gables I believe the
  stage directions enhance the understanding of the
  scene. Some evidence to prove it is all of the
  first paragraph. It enhances the understanding of
  the scene by introducing the main character,
  setting the scene, and setting the mood. Without
  the stage directions its all confusing. Some
  more text evidence is all of paragraph 8. It
  enhances the scene by introducing a man who is to
  adopt Anne and what his character is like. In
  conclusion I believe the stage directions enhance
  the scene because without them its very
  confusing.

17
Score Point 1- Partially Sufficient

• The student presents a reasonable idea and
  supports it with quotations of relevant text,
  making this a sufficient response.

18
Now can you see why it got a 1?

• In Anne of Green Gables I believe the
  stage directions enhance the understanding of the
  scene. Some evidence to prove it is all of the
  first paragraph. It enhances the understanding of
  the scene by introducing the main character,
  setting the scene, and setting the mood. Without
  the stage directions its all confusing. Some
  more text evidence is all of paragraph 8. It
  enhances the scene by introducing a man who is to
  adopt Anne and what his character is like. In
  conclusion I believe the stage directions enhance
  the scene because without them its very
  confusing.

19

• Heres the next response
• The stage directions help a lot because the
  reader can create more realistic pictures in
  their head about what is going on. When Anne
  clutches her bag. She is terrified, shows Anne
  is scared without Anne having to say it.

20
What did you think this deserves?
The stage directions help a lot because the
reader can create more realistic pictures in
their head about what is going on. When Anne
clutches her bag. She is terrified, shows Anne
is scared without Anne having to say it.
21
Score Point- 2-Sufficient

• In this response, the student writes in first
  person.
• There is no direct text evidence only summary.
  If the writer had quoted from the stage
  directions, their response would have been scored
  higher if the connection between the text
  evidence and answer was closely linked.

22

• Heres the next response
• It lets me know that shes waiting for something
  or someone and that she might be unfortunate.

23
Score Point 0- Insufficient

• This student offers an idea (that shes waiting
  for something or someone ) that only summarizes
  part of the stage directions the response does
  not address whether stage directions enhance the
  play. There is no quotation to be used as
  evidence either.

24
Where do I begin with a short answer?

• Prewriting
• 1. Look at the question
• 2. Figure out the I say. Answer the question
  in your own words.
• Figure out the It says. Quote the text to
  support your answer and explain the connection.
• Then turn that prewriting into a well-constructed
  10 line paragraph.

25
ARE YOU READY FOR THE STAAR NOW?

• OF COURSE YOU ARE!
• YOURE BRILLIANT AND ROUND ROCK IS GOING TO
  CONQUER!