Answering Short Answer Responses (SARs)

1. Answering Short Answer Responses (SARs) You cannot win the game if you don’t know the rules!

2. Answering Short Answer Responses (SARs) SARs are short answer questions that require specific types of information. These questions appear on the STAAR (State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness) required for high school credit for this course. Learning to answer SARs accurately and completely will result in a higher score on these test questions. You cannot win the game if you don’t know the rules!

3. Answering Short Answer Responses (SARs) To pare something is to reduceorremovebyorasbycutting; diminish or lessen. Use the PAER strategy to reduce your answer to its essential elements. Be careful not to pare down too much. A complete answer is still required.

4. Answering Short Answer Responses (SARs) P = Words from the Prompt. Begin by selecting key words from the prompt to include in the first sentence. This allows the reader (grader) to know you understand the prompt, and reminds them of the question you are trying to answer. It also focuses your mind on what the prompt is asking.

5. Answering Short Answer Responses (SARs) P = Words from the Prompt. Examples: What methods does the author use to characterize Ender as intelligent? Does Colonel Graff truly care about Ender? Why is this novel considered a book of redemption?

6. Answering Short Answer Responses (SARs) P = Words from the Prompt. Examples: What methods does the authoruseto characterize Ender as intelligent? The author, Orson Scott Card, uses _________, __________, and ___________ tocharacterize Ender as an intelligent child.

7. Answering Short Answer Responses (SARs) P = Words from the Prompt. Examples: Does Colonel Graff truly care about Ender? In the novel, Colonel Graff shows that he truly cares about Ender when he _________________.

8. Answering Short Answer Responses (SARs) P = Words from the Prompt. Examples: Why is this novel considered a book of redemption? Ender’s Game is considered a book of redemption because ____________________.

9. Answering Short Answer Responses (SARs) A= Answer the question. Continue the first sentence with your answer. Make sure that your answer actually ANSWERS what the prompt is asking. Make sure to write in complete sentences.

10. Answering Short Answer Responses (SARs) A = Answer the question. What methods does the author use to characterize Ender as intelligent? The author, Orson Scott Card, uses Ender’s actions to characterize Ender as an intelligent child.

11. Answering Short Answer Responses (SARs) E= Evidence. The second (and possibly third) sentences should provide evidencethat supports your answer. This evidencecan be paraphrased, quoted directly, or summarized. When possible, include a citation. Simply stating evidenceis not enough!

12. Answering Short Answer Responses (SARs) E= EVIDENCE. This answer provides the evidence, but is an incomplete answer. The author, Orson Scott Card, uses Ender’s actions to characterize him as an intelligent child. At the age of six, Ender breaks into the school’s security system to send messages from God, and then designs his own security system to protect his desk from others. (Card 52)

13. Answering Short Answer Responses (SARs) R= Relate the Evidence. Simply stating evidence is not enough! Relate the evidence by explaining how the textual evidence supports your answer. Always relate your evidence back to the prompt!

14. Answering Short Answer Responses (SARs) RE= RELATE the Evidence to the Answer. The author, Orson Scott Card, uses Ender’s actions to characterize him as an intelligent child. At the age of six, Ender breaks into the school’s security system to send messages from God, and then designs his own security system to protect his desk from others. Ender is intelligent enough to realize that the school’s “safeguards…were obviously inadequate” (Card 52), and can find work-arounds to bypass their security.

15. Answering Short Answer Responses (SARs) Use the PAER strategy to earn the highest scores on your SARs. Battle School Activity: With your group, answer the two Ender’s Game SARs. These are due at the end of class today.

16. Answering Short Answer Responses (SARs) P –PROMPT A—ANSWER E—EVIDENCE R—RELATE