WoW #5 The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don’t. -Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Quick Write #3: Life in Color Describe what life would be like without color. What would you miss most? (NOTE: You can talk about more than one thing that you’d miss, just make sure you explain why.)

Answering Constructed Response Questions by Using Quotes Effectively

First Step in Answering a Constructed Response Question…. ANSWER the question by making a CLAIM.

Second Step in Answering a Constructed Response Question…. Find EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT to support your claim.

Third Step in Answering a Constructed Response Question…. EXPLAIN how the evidence you found supports your answer or your CLAIM

Read the question and the claims on the next few slides. Today, we are going to practice Step 1: Answer the question by making a claim. Read the question and the claims on the next few slides.

Explain how the rules in Jonas’s community encourage interdependence. Question: Explain how the rules in Jonas’s community encourage interdependence. Read the question carefully and circle key words in the question.

Then, make a claim. We need a claim that addresses how the RULES ENCOURAGE INTERDEPENDENCE. IS THIS A GOOD CLAIM? Many of the rules in Jonas’s community seemed unfair to me. Nope, not a good claim. We did not ask whether or not the rules were unfair.

How about this one? Remember the question is asking how the rules encourage interdependence. Jonas liked some of the rules in his community, but he did not always follow every single rule. Again, no. We are not interested in whether he liked or followed the rules.

Try another one. The rules in Jonas’s community existed to encourage conformity. They wanted everyone in the community to be the same. This is tricky because it does mention what the RULES try to ENCOURAGE, but the question asks about INTERDEPENDENCE, not conformity. So…. NO! Not a good claim.

One More Some of the rules in Jonas’s community existed so that citizens would be forced to depend on each other. This claim says that the RULES forced the citizens to “depend on each other.” This is the definition of interdependence. So… YES!!! This claim directly addresses the question. Finally….

Let’s try again with another question. Question: What effect do Clarisse’s questions have on Montag? Read the question and circle key words.

Then, make a claim. We need a claim that addresses how Clarisse’s question affect Montag. Is this a good claim? It is ironic that Clarisse is considered anti-social, when she is really the most social person in the book so far. No…This claim does not even mention Montag.

Let’s try another claim Clarisse’s questions cause Montag to examine his own life and question the world around him. Let’s see. It mentions Clarisse and her questions, and it directly says that she caused him to question his own life. Yes, this claim definitely answers the question.

But, we are not finished. Here is another claim. Clarisse is the exact opposite of Mildred in many ways. The statement is certainly true, but it does not mention Montag at all. Our claim must address the relationship between Montag and Clarisse. So… No again, not a good claim.

How does this claim sound? Montag and Clarisse share an immediate connection, and their conversations change Montag’s view of the world. The relationship between Montag and Clarisse is mentioned. Her questions are not mentioned, but their conversation (which consists mainly of her questions) is mentioned. Yay! Another good claim!

Now you try. Here is a constructed response question for The Giver. At the end of Chapter 8, the Chief Elder says that Jonas has been selected for his assignment because of certain personal characteristics that make him special. What character traits do you think will make Jonas special or somehow different from his groupmates? Use specific examples to support your answer.

Here is a constructed response question for Fahrenheit 451. Read paragraph that begins, “He saw himself in her eyes…” (page 5). In what ways does Montag identify or connect with Clarisse and not his own wife. Why do you think the author says that Clarisse’s face glows with the light of a candle and not an electric light?

Exit Ticket The Giver: Read the following constructed response question and write a claim which directly answers the question. Why is Jonas puzzled by the rules he was given for training? Fahrenheit 451: Read the following constructed response question and write a claim which directly answers the question. Why does Montag go to Faber for help? Why might Faber be able to help him?