1. DO NOW (SAQ Prep): What are the different elements of the AP US Exam?
How many short answer questions (SAQ’s) are on the AP US Exam?
How many total points are the SAQ’s worth?
Do you have any questions about the SAQ?

2. AIM: How can I effectively answer the NEW Short Answer Questions on the AP US History Exam?
JOCZ VIDEO

3. What is the SAQ? With stimuli
Visual Stimuli: Painting, cartoon, graph, table, map, etc.
Text Stimuli: Opposing Perspectives
Primary
Secondary

4. What is the SAQ?
2. Without stimuli

5. THE SAQ on the exam… 4 questions – 50 minutes (12.5 minutes each)
Each {usually} have 3 components
Each question is worth 1 point
If there are only 2 questions then, one question is more in depth and worth 2 points

6. Grading Scale: Points for Each SAQ
3 = 100
2 = 80
1 = 65
0 = 55

7. How to Write the SAQ
Directly answer the question. Be painfully EXPLICIT (BE SPECIFIC and EXACT)
Use the phraseology of the question (but do not rewrite or repeat the question).
Include specific historical terms/events/people in each section of each SAQ.
Limit your response to each section to 2-4 content rich sentences.
STAY IN THE BOX!
If you’d like: Bullet each part and put a blank line in between each
– Your Response

8. How NOT to Write the SAQ Do NOT write a short essay
Do NOT write a paragraph** (A lot easier to just label)
Do NOT write a thesis statement
Do NOT write sentences in bullet points
Do NOT write in sentence fragments
Do NOT just name drop
Do NOT say “I believe” or “they probably believed”
Do NOT quote from nor parenthetically cite the excerpt(s) provided

9. How Not to write SAQ
If you are surprised and excited by how obvious and easy the answer is, that probably means you are not giving enough detail or depth.
Remember: If it could go on a 2nd grade bulletin board, it’s not enough!!

10. How to ace the saq ACE it A - Answer C – Cite E – Expand
A = Answer. You directly answer the question by identifying your claim.
C = Cite You briefly define/describe your claim.
E = Expand. You connect your claim through historical context.

11. “ACE IT” example
Prompt (i.e. Part A): Briefly explain ONE important political development of the sectional conflict over slavery during the 1850’s.
ANSWER: The Kansas Nebraska Act in 1854 was another attempt to settle the sectional conflict over slavery during the 1850’s.
CITE: The act split the Nebraska Territory into two new territories, Nebraska and Kansas, and allowed each territory to determine free state or slave state through popular sovereignty.
EXPAND: Although the Kansas Nebraska Act attempted to settle the conflict over slavery through a more democratic means, it consequently allowed slavery to expand beyond the Missouri Compromise line of 36’30 and was considered a political victory for “slave power.”

12. Lets take a look at Examples
You’ll grade these examples on your own…
We’ll go over as a class, which is a score of 3, 2, and 1.
When you look at each example, UNDERLINE 2 positives and 2 negatives…then write your agreed upon score with your partner at the bottom of the page…

13. SAQ #3 (12 minutes)
When you’re done, complete the “Ratifying the Constitution” worksheet…