How to Formulate Answers to Test Questions

1. How to Formulate Answers to Test Questions Focus: Short Answer and Extended Response Questions

2. STEP 1:Read the question all the way to the end. • Some questions have mini stories before they ask the question. The narrator often uses figurative language to describe Yia-Yia’s movements. Select four examples from the list below and explain the meaning of each. • Some questions have mini stories or lists to refer to before answering the question • “...she dances like a ribbon, like a smooth, sun-glinting, wind-tossed ribbon.” • “...she twirled and whirled on her way to school... .” • “...her feet barely touched the ground.” • “She high-stepped her way from the kitchen to the laundry room... .” • “Her arms glide like the wings of a swan.” •“Her dark, silver-streaked hair comes alive like a moonless night lit by shimmering silver stars.” • “And it curls in the air like the smoke rising from a village bonfire.” Grade 7 Spring 2006 OAA

3. STEP 1:Read the question all the way to the end. • Some ask a question or state something then give special directions to follow. Under the Articles of Confederation, the United States national government was weaker than each of the state governments. In your Answer Document, identify one weakness of the national government and explain why this weakness was a problem for the nation. (2 points) Grade 8 Social Studies Spring 2009 OAA

4. STEP 1:Read the question all the way to the end. • Other questions ask you to do more than one thing. Jasmine wants to rent a bike while she is on vacation. The rental fee is $8.00 plus an additional $2.50 for every hour the bike is rented. In your Answer Document, construct a table to show the total cost of renting a bike for 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 hours. Then, write an expression that Jasmine can use to find the total cost of renting a bike for any number of hours. Grade 7 Math Spring 2005 OAA

5. STEP 2:Circle the question or questions and number them. 1 In your Answer Document, name two forces that acted on the blocks as they slid down the ramps. (4 points) Describe or show how each force you listed affected the motion of the block. Grade 8 Science Spring 2009 OAA

6. Under the Articles of Confederation, the United States national government was weaker than each of the state governments. In your Answer Document, identify one weakness of the national government and explain why this weakness was a problem for the nation. (2 points) Grade 8 Social Studies Spring 2009 OAA 1 2 STEP 2:Circle the question or questions and number them.

7. STEP 2:Circle the question or questions and number them. Jasmine wants to rent a bike while she is on vacation. The rental fee is $8.00 plus an additional $2.50 for every hour the bike is rented. In your Answer Document, construct a table to show the total cost of renting a bike for 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 hours. Then, write an expression that Jasmine can use to find the total cost of renting a bike for any number of hours. Grade 7 Math Spring 2005 OAA 1

8. In your Answer Document, name two forces that acted on the blocks as they slid down the ramps. (4 points) Describe or show how each force you listed affected the motion of the block. Grade 8 Science Spring 2009 OAA 1 STEP 3:Underline the words that tell you what to do.

9. Under the Articles of Confederation, the United States national government was weaker than each of the state governments. In your Answer Document, identify one weakness of the national government and explain why this weakness was a problem for the nation. (2 points) Grade 8 Social Studies Spring 2009 OAA 1 2 STEP 3:Underline the words that tell you what to do.

10. STEP 3:Underline the words that tell you what to do. Jasmine wants to rent a bike while she is on vacation. The rental fee is $8.00 plus an additional $2.50 for every hour the bike is rented. In your Answer Document, construct a table to show the total cost of renting a bike for 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 hours. Then, write an expression that Jasmine can use to find the total cost of renting a bike for any number of hours. Grade 7 Math Spring 2005 OAA 1

11. STEP 4:Squiggle the special directions. • Special directions let you know what to include in your answer and usually come after the question. • Not all questions have special directions. 1 In your Answer Document, name two forces that acted on the blocks as they slid down the ramps. (4 points) Describe or show how each force you listed affected the motion of the block. Grade 8 Science Spring 2009 OAA

12. STEP 4:Squiggle the special directions. Jasmine wants to rent a bike while she is on vacation. The rental fee is $8.00 plus an additional $2.50 for every hour the bike is rented. In your Answer Document, construct a table to show the total cost of renting a bike for 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 hours. Then, write an expression that Jasmine can use to find the total cost of renting a bike for any number of hours. Grade 7 Math Spring 2005 OAA 1 • Special directions let you know what to include in your answer and usually come after the question. • Not all questions have special directions.

13. In your Answer Document, name two forces that acted on the blocks as they slid down the ramps. (4 points) Describe or show how each force you listed affected the motion of the block. Grade 8 Science Spring 2009 OAA 1 STEP 5:What important information do you need? Thinking process: •Which two forces acted on the blocks? •How did force “A” affect the motion of the block? I need to explain that. • How did force “B” affect the motion of the block? I need to explain that, too.

14. Under the Articles of Confederation, the United States national government was weaker than each of the state governments. In your Answer Document, identify one weakness of the national government and explain why this weakness was a problem for the nation. (2 points) Grade 8 Social Studies Spring 2009 OAA 1 2 STEP 5:What important information do you need? Thinking process: •What do I know about national government? •What is something that is weak about national government? •How is this weakness a problem for that nation? • I need to explain my reasoning for that answer.

15. Jasmine wants to rent a bike while she is on vacation. The rental fee is $8.00 plus an additional $2.50 for every hour the bike is rented. In your Answer Document, construct a table to show the total cost of renting a bike for 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 hours. Then, write an expression that Jasmine can use to find the total cost of renting a bike for any number of hours. Grade 7 Math Spring 2005 OAA 1 STEP 5:What important information do you need? Thinking process: •What do information do I need to figure out to make the table? •I know I need five rows- since it’s asking for five hours and two columns- since I need the price for each row. •What math am I going to use to solve this problem?

16. In your Answer Document, name two forces that acted on the blocks as they slid down the ramps. (4 points) Describe or show how each force you listed affected the motion of the block. Grade 8 Science Spring 2009 OAA 1 STEP 6:Restate the question as you begin to write. The two forces that acted on the blocks are __(force “A”)__ and __(force “B”)__. __(force “A”)__ affected the motion of the block because_________________. __(force “B”)__ affected the motion of the block because_________________.

17. Under the Articles of Confederation, the United States national government was weaker than each of the state governments. In your Answer Document, identify one weakness of the national government and explain why this weakness was a problem for the nation. (2 points) Grade 8 Social Studies Spring 2009 OAA 1 2 STEP 6:Restate the question as you begin to write. One weakness of the national government is _____ because ______. OR ______ is a weakness of the national government because ________.

18. Jasmine wants to rent a bike while she is on vacation. The rental fee is $8.00 plus an additional $2.50 for every hour the bike is rented. In your Answer Document, construct a table to show the total cost of renting a bike for 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 hours. Then, write an expression that Jasmine can use to find the total cost of renting a bike for any number of hours. Grade 7 Math Spring 2005 OAA 1 STEP 6:Restate the question as you begin to write. The total cost of renting a bike

19. The Steps Step 1: Read the question all the way through. Step 2: Circle the question or questions. Step 3:Underline the words that tell you what to do. Step 4: Squiggle the special directions. Step 5: What important information do you need? Step 6: Restate the question as you begin to write.

20. Activities to Practice the Steps Allow students to become comfortable with the process. • Practice restating the question. Taken from previous OAAs

21. Activities to Practice the Steps • Introduce and discuss question terminology Compare Explain Describe Define List Give examples Taken from previous Ohio Graduation Tests

22. Activities to Practice the Steps • Have students use question terminology to make their own questions. Using a topic you are currently learning about in class, write a question using the term DISCUSS. Taken from previous OAAs

23. Activities to Practice the Steps • Students need to locate action words in the question and verbalize what the question is asking them to do. Describe Grandma Lena in the story. • Teacher Model Students’ Thinking Process: • Describe means to give details about someone or something. • Grandma Lena is what kind of person? What does she do in the story? • Go back in the story and read only about Grandma Lena. Read around the words “Grandma Lena”.

24. Integrating into the Classroom Where do you see these techniques fitting into your teaching? How do you think students will respond to these steps? Where do you see difficulties for you as the teacher? Where do you think students will have difficulties?