Do Now: When answering an FRQ, what gives you the most difficulty and why? Provide an example.

Aim: How can we do our best on the FRQs?

APHG Terminology Analyze: determine their component parts; examine their nature and relationship [usually answers the question "why?"] Assess/Evaluate: judge the value or character of something; appraise; evaluate the positive points and the negative ones; give an opinion regarding the value of; discuss the advantages and disadvantages of. Compare: examine for the purpose of noting similarities and differences.

APHG Terminology 4. Contrast: examine in order to show dissimilarities or points of difference. 5. Describe: give an account of; tell about; give a word picture of. 6. Discuss: talk over; write about; consider or examine by argument or from various points of view; debate; present the different sides of.

APHG Terminology 7. Explain: make clear or plain; make clear the causes or reasons for; make known in detail; tell the meaning of. If you are asked to explain something, make sure to read carefully as to what you will be explaining and how many or what specifically you are asked to address. Do not try to read between the lines of the question. ONLY ANSWER WHAT YOU ARE SPECIFICALLY BEING ASKED TO ANSWER! To earn a “5” elaborating is KEY!

Other prompting terms/words: Define: If you are asked for a definition, make sure you specifically define the term or concept. Choose either/or: You don’t have to pick both! Pay attention to how many examples the question is looking for if a specific number is noted! Key Features or factors: Discuss TWO or THREE ideas in detail. Look for a specific number of examples that the question is asking for. List: No elaboration needed. Identify: Point out and you will then most likely have to discuss.

FRQ Activity Discuss the questions with your group. Create a quick outline together for each question. Use the outline to guide you in writing your own answer for each question.   While grading students must: Underline any portion of their response where they gained credit. Circle any portion of their response where they lost credit. Leave feedback as to why they gained or lost credit.

FRQ Activity: While grading you must: Pull up the scoring guidelines for your question. While grading you must: Underline any portion of the response where credit is gained. Circle any portion of the response where credit is lost. Leave feedback as to why they gained or lost credit. 1. 2003 Q 1 2. 2005 Q 2 3. 2006 Q 1 4. 2008 Q 2 5. 2010 Q 3 6. 2011 Q 2 7. 2013 Q2

Skills Addressed on Free Response Questions Definitions/terminology/content knowledge – description using basic terminology is needed, but depth and applied examples must be used. Connections – making intricate geographic connections to real-world situations. Critical Thinking – taking difficult concepts, explaining these concepts and then pulling information, which is not necessarily in the question, and developing it. Critical thinking questions are those where students should string together information they have learned from 3, 4, 5 or even more chapters from their APHG text.

Summary of main FRQ writing tips… You should try to avoid writing “dump” essays where you “dump” or empty your brain of everything you can think of on to the paper. Remember to try and integrate geographic themes in your response. For example, using a point from several different units of study in your answer. PLEASE answer the question in the same format that it is written. For example, if the question has three parts which are labeled A, B and C, you need to answer in the same format. You can sometimes “explain” in a sentence or two. You should not belabor a point. Please be direct and use evidence to support your argument. However, try to use Geo “vocabulary” wherever it is relevant.

Summary of main FRQ writing tips Please do not rewrite the question in your response and make sure you answer what the question asks! Please, NO THESIS statements, introductions or conclusions. DO NOT use bullets in your answers.

Miscellaneous FRQ Tips … Answer the question you think is the easiest first than go on to the next easiest, etc... This way, you leave the hardest one for the end when you have more time to answer. It does not matter if the questions are in order when you write them in their answer booklet.

Key WORDS/PHRASES to understand the meaning of with regard to answering FRQ’s