It might seem like your on the yellow brick road of state assessment by yourself, but this little blog is a friend to pick up along the way. You already have great instructional practices to prepare students for STAAR 2.0 question types.
Let's talk about these new questions types our students in Grades 3-8 will see.
The state defines these questions types in this way-
Multiselect- Students can select more than one correct answer from a set of possible answers. (Grades 3-8)
Multipart- Students respond to a two-part question where parts A and B are scored separately. In many cases, part B asks the student to give evidence or explain their thinking for their answer to part A. (Grades 3-8)
Hot Text- Student cites evidence by selecting highlighted text in a sentence, paragraph, or extended reading. (Grades 3-5)
What I see in these question types are mental dexterity- students can come up with multiple correct answers and justify them with text evidence. So let's talk about strategies in our toolbox to building these skills in our students.
This was the first strategy that came to mind, and I keep coming back to it's power any time STAAR 2.0 is mentioned. I'm not sure what it says about my cool factor, but it comes up a lot! :)
Nine Square is a conversation you can see. You prompt students to support inferences with carefully chosen details- build up to themes with details and inferences present in the text. You can extend student thinking by challenging them to return to the text and provide an additional detail or inference that supports a given thought.
Click on the resource above. We have a ready-made Nine Square with Jacqueline Woodson's picture book The Other Side. I have all the heart eyes for this text!
I've also adapted this activity to fit an informational text. I will have a post for a ready-to-print informational Nine Square coming in November- be sure to check back!
Conversation Loop
We haven't written about this one before, but it's something that you already know. This is just a matter of being purposeful. Traditionally, an academic conversation sounds something like this...
Teacher: Why does the author use the simile in paragraph 8?
Student: The simile comparing the character to a hot potato shows how unbearable the heat is. This fictitious student answered in a complete sentence! I'm so proud!!
~~Traditional End of Conversation~~
Completing the conversational loop extends the discussion in this way...
Teacher: Wow! Great answer! How do you know that?
Student: The author uses imagery throughout the passage that shows the extreme temperatures like "sizzling" pavement and "drooping" flowers. Give this kid an A already!
Now you've ended the conversation...or could extend it in so many ways. Who has different evidence that supports the author's use of figurative language?
This Conversation Loop can also be used to promote strong written responses. Next week, we'll talk about curly writing strategies to strengthen student responses on short and extended constructed responses.
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