MCAS Open Response

1. MCAS Open Response

2. Ela Composition vs. Open-response questions • Assess writing • A starting point to initiate a student’s own thoughts on the topic • No “correct” answer (but MUST address the topic) • Supported by student’s own experience or ideas • Style and organization important to the score • 2 domains: topic development and conventions • Worth 20 total points • Assesses reading comprehension • Student must answer the question asked • Answers found in reading the passage or can be inferred from information in the passage • Answer supported with details from text • The explanation and support from the text matter MUCH more than style and organization • Writing conventions NOT scored • Worth 16 total points (4 Ors) COMPOSITION OPEN RESPONSE

3. MCAS open response: example • The following reading comprehension example is from the 2008 7th grade MCAS test: • Treasure Island Open Response: • 1- Read the question carefully. • 2- Explain your answer. • 3- Add supporting details. • 4- Double check your work

4. Creating an Answer for the Open Response • Read the question and think about the big picture- what is being asked? • Remember that this is a READING COMPREHENSION evaluation; therefore, the answer must lie within the text • Find supporting details from the text that support your claim, and make sure you can explain HOW they prove your answer. • Remember, there is NOT one right answer- the important thing is to support your answer with examples!!!!

5. Answer #1 The relationship between Bones and Jim is that Bones is demanding. Jim is very nice to Bones. Bones is a good guy but very bossy. Is this a good answer, or could it be better? Does it provide supporting details? What could be added to improve this answer?

6. Answer #2 • “The relationship between Jim and Bones is similar to a father-son relationship. Bones seems to order Jim around a bit, like a father would. Jim acts somewhat like a son in the sense that he’s always doing exactly what Bones tells him to do. They both act like they have a father-son relationship by comforting each other when the Blind Pew comes”

7. Is this a good answer, or could it be better? COULD BE BETTER! Is it accurate? Yes… Is it complete? NO! Does it provide supporting details? No, it does NOT.

8. Answer #3 • “In the excerpt from Treasure Island, Bones and Jim have a very strong relationship. Bones seems like the boss, because he might be older, and he is a captain. Jim acts like his servant, and his bartender. When Captain Bones says, “Quick, Jim! Step to the door and put year head out! Do as yer told boy!” Jim is forced to do what Bones tells him to. • Even though Bones bosses Jim around a lot, I can see how they are friends, too. At the end of the piece, when Jim tells Bones that he is only imagining things, Bones starts laughing at himself and says to Jim, “That’s right, Jim. Ha haaaa! Shart as a handspike, ain’t you, and only a yard long!” it show that they can laugh together, and make fun of themselves like good friends do.

9. Also, to me, Bones seems like Jim’s grandfather. At the end of the story, Bones starts telling Jim about his scar, and how it acts up when something is wrong. This makes me think that Bones is going to start a story about how he went through some other time and his scar started acting up. Jim and Bones have many different aspects of their relationship” Is this a good answer? Yes! Does it provide supporting details? Yes!!! This answer received a top score (4) because it met all of the rubric’s requirements.

10. Let's look at some East student Examples!

11. Treasure Island rubric

12. Now Let's go Over the Multiple choice!