How to Answer Constructed Response Questions Staff Development Thursday, Sept. 16

CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE ASSESSMENT Questions are designed to be open-ended, short-answer questions. Intended to measure higher-level cognitive skills as well as content knowledge Use a range of primary and secondary resources and authentic real-world examples such as timelines, maps, graphs, cartoons, charts, and short readings Graded utilizing a rubric

Constructed Response Prompts Ask you to apply your knowledge and understanding in a short written answer. Require the students to determine exactly what is being asked (first). Then, they construct a response that includes the answers to all parts of the prompt.

As you see, these are “short answer questions” and are not meant to be answered as an essay. Identify the parts of the question asked, then make sure that your response answers each of the four parts. No answer at all gets 0 points! Answering 1 part of the question correctly counts as 1 point, 2 parts = 2 points, and so on.

Suggested Process to Teach Students Carefully read the prompt. If the prompt refers to a text, read the text carefully, then, reread the prompt. Create a detailed checklist of all items included in the prompt. Write a response that includes all items in the checklist. As you read your response, check the items off on the checklist as you come across them to ensure all required elements of the response have been included.

TIPS… Use the verbiage of the prompt to form the topic sentence of your response. Make sure you include all parts of the question in your answer. Remember, you get a point for each part you answer correctly! Make sure you EXPLAIN each item with a concrete detail—something specific!

Let’s look at some examples: PROMPT A: What are two characteristics of mammals? Give two examples of mammals. Checklist should include: Characteristic of a mammal #1 Characteristic of a mammal #2 Example of a mammal #1 Example of a mammal #2

CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE FOR PROMPT A Two characteristics of mammals are they are warm-blooded (1 point) and give birth to their young (2 points). Two examples of mammals are humans (3 points) and bears (4 points).

Checklist should include: Another example: PROMPT B: Name two kinds of overhead serves in volleyball. Explain the benefits of using each one. Checklist should include: Type of overhead serve #1 Benefit of using overhead serve #1 Type of overhead serve #2 Benefit of using overhead serve #2

CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE FOR PROMPT B Answer: Two kinds of overhead serves are the top spin (1 point) and the floater (2 points). Top spin would be used for speed projection (3 points) and the floater for height (4 points). Answer: One kind of overhead serves is the top spin (1 point) which is used for speed projection (2 points). Another type is the floater (3 points) which is used for height (4 points).

Another example: The sky is low THE sky is low, the clouds are mean, A travelling flake of snow Across a barn or through a rut Debates if it will go. A narrow wind complains all day How some one treated him; Nature, like us, is sometimes caught Without her diadem. Emily Dickinson PROMPT C: How does the word "person" give you a clue as to the meaning of personification? Why do you think a writer would want to use personification in a poem? List two examples of personification found in the poem at left.

Checklist should include: “Person”Personification? Why a writer would use personification? Example of personification from poem #1 Example of personification from poem #2 PROMPT C: How does the word "person" give you a clue as to the meaning of personification? Why do you think a writer would want to use personification in a poem? List two examples of personification found in the poem at left.

Constructed Response For Prompt C The word “person” lets me know that personification means that some object in the poem has qualities or actions like a person (1 point). A poet might use personification to help the reader feel a relationship to the object personified (2 points). “The clouds are mean” (3 points) and “narrow wind complains” (4 points) are both examples of personification from the poem.

Now you try one alone: PROMPT D: Identify your greatest areas of strength and weakness as a teacher. Explain how each of these came to be true. YOU WILL NOT BE ASKED TO SHARE THIS WITH ANYONE!!! This is just an opportunity for self-reflection.

Did you include these items in your checklist? Greatest strength EVALUATE AND SCORE YOUR OWN RESPONSE: Did you include these items in your checklist? Greatest strength How this became a strength My greatest weakness How this became a weakness Since this Constructed Response is worth 4 points, because it should include 4 elements. Give your response a score now.

REMEMBER…. For any constructed response you ask students to write, you should have a rubric that you create to score them. This rubric should basically be structured around the checklist and whether any elements of the response are missing.

ALSO REMEMBER… You will also need to have a list of acceptable answers for any fact-based prompts. For instance, if the prompt asked the student to identify any southeastern states in the United States and explain how they got their nicknames. You would need to identify which states are acceptable answers. Obviously, if a student listed California as a southeastern state, this portion of their response would get no credit because it is not a southeastern state.

THIS YEAR… Tennessee will be field-testing a constructed response assessment in November. 3rd grade will include Reading/L.A. (30 min.) and Math (25 min.). 7th grade will include Reading/L.A. (40 min.), Math (35 min.), and Science (35 min.). Social Studies will be assessed through Reading/L.A. in both grade levels.

State Expectations Per the in-service we attended this Summer led by those who were conveying state expectations of upcoming Constructed Response tests: On standardized tests, these short written answers are scored as 0,1,2,3, or 4 points. A full 4 point response answers all 4 parts of the question, usually two, two-part questions. BUT…All constructed responses that we give our students to practice don’t HAVE to be 4 parts!!!

NOW YOU WRITE ONE!!! On the handout you are given, fill in the names of you and your partner(s). Together, write a constructed response prompt that assesses a standard that you have taught recently, are teaching, or will teach soon. Also create a checklist that identifies each element that a complete response should include (according to the prompt you’ve written). Once you and your partner have completed this, leave it in the middle of your table.