Better Test Performance:

Looking Good and Sounding Smart

Game Show What Is My Question?

And the answer is …

in the morning

under the bed

Hawaii

under the ground

when it rains

Are you tired of brief, vague answers?

Have you grown weary of guessing the questions?

You’re ready for THE BETTER ANSWER SOLUTION!

IntroducingTHE BETTER

ANSWER SANDWICH!

copyright 2009 by Ardith Davis Cole

Goal of this lesson

to learn enough about the Better Answer Protocol to use it with students

1. Develop an introduction. (Make a claim.)

• Restate the question.

• Develop a gist (general) answer.

2. Build a body of details (evidence).

3. Draw a conclusion (including warrants).

Question for Today’s Closure

BETTER ANSWERS

1. Develop an introduction.

• Restate the question.

• Develop a gist answer.

2. Build a body of details.

3. Draw a conclusion.

Using the Better Answer Protocol, respond to the following prompt.

Explain how the Better Answer Protocol is a mini argument.

Understanding the Prompt

A prompt is any written, graphic, or spoken message that encourages the speaker to act.

Understanding what the prompt is asking is key to a good response.

Prompts are everywhere!

On school tests:

On the job:

In emails:

In newspapers and magazines:

At home:

Types of Prompts:

Text-based prompts

Responses crafted by different writers often do not vary much in content.

As soon as students see the words “use details from the story,” they have very little freedom to express their own personal ideas.

What’s in a prompt?

• Background information

“Birds’ babies hatch from eggs. Birds have wings, but not all adult birds fly. They live all over the world, even in Antarctica.”

• Petitions

“Explain how birds protect themselves.”

• Questions

“What is migration?”

Responders can overlook petitions

We’re used to being prompted with questions.

Petitions end with a period.

Direct students with “Respond to all the prompts.”

Connection between questions and petitions

“Did you make your bed yet?”

“Go make your bed!”

A Definition

Petitions are the terms that tell us to explain, compare, describe, or discuss topics.

More than half the constructed-response tasks on state assessments now include petitions.

Turn the petition inside out

Explain how Little Red Riding Hood knew the wolf was not her grandmother.

How did Little Red Riding Hood know the wolf was not her grandmother?

The Petition Framework

• Take pieces of core content to the Petition Framework.

• Discuss the best match.

• Develop a petition.

Student examples: Tell what started the war. Describe the food they ate. List what they used to fight. Compare how things were different before and after the war.

The Better Answer Protocol

1. Develop an introduction. (Make a claim.)

• Restate the question.

• Develop a gist (general) answer.

2. Build a body of details (evidence).

3. Draw a conclusion (warrants).

One way to sound smarter and look better is to read and analyze tons of responses to test questions. Find mentor text.

Another way to look smart

Follow the lead of the prompt!

The response should make sense even without reading the prompt.

Better Answer protocol leads students toward stand-alone, meaningful responses.

And the answer is...

Would Molly make a good scientist?

1. I think Molly would make a good scientist because she is curious and likes science. She has demonstrated this in several ways.

Gist statement is only a clue to the entire answer and does not include details.

Begin by restating the prompt

How did Little Red Riding Hood know the character in the bed was not her grandmother?

Little Red Riding Hood knew the character in the bed was not her grandmother because...

Add gist answer to restatement.

restatement + gist = main idea of response

How did the Big Bad Wolf fool Little Red Riding Hood?

poor gist answer: The Big Bad Wolf fooled Little Red Riding Hood by hiding in grandmother’s bed and covering himself up with blankets.

acceptable gist answer: The Big Bad Wolf fooled Little Red Riding Hood by being very clever. (How was he clever?)

Quantitative gists

Practice

Create gist responses with your partner.

Begin with a restatement and add a gist.

Remember to include no details.

Develop a gist

Why was the beanstalk giant angry with Jack?

The beanstalk giant was angry with Jack because

Develop a gist

Explain how building more bike paths might help the environment.

Building more bike paths might help the environment by

Develop a gist

If you could get your mom anything for her birthday, what would you get her? Give reasons for your answer.

If I could get my mom anything for her birthday, I would get her

Add the gist to our text-based prompt

How did Little Red Riding Hood know the character in the bed was not her grandmother?

Little Red Riding Hood knew the character in the bed was not her grandmother because that character did not look or sound like her grandmother.

Build a body of details (evidence)

The introduction is your guide.

Write the conclusion

• Restate the restatement

• or write warrants

• Add a touch of voice.

A circular closing

Restate the restatement.

Start with “That is how/when/where/why/what…”

“That is how Little Red Riding Hood knew the character in bed was not her grandmother.”

Add warrant

Drive home the point more forcefully.

Explain why or how the evidence supports the claim.

• Extend a definition.

• Refer to a law or rule.

• “As a rule,...”

Add a touch of voice.

• Make connections.

• Use humor.

Conclusion with warrant:

As a rule, it is wise to pay attention to the dangers that strangers pose to small children. Little Red Riding Hood paid attention and realized the character in bed was not her grandmother--and it’s a good thing she did!

Time to practice

“The City Mouse and the Country Mouse”

Select a prompt and use Better Answer Protocol to respond. Share response with your partner.

Closure

BETTER ANSWERS

1. Develop an introduction.

• Restate the question.

• Develop a gist answer.

2. Build a body of details.

3. Draw a conclusion.

Using the Better Answer Protocol, respond to the following prompt.

Explain how the Better Answer Protocol is a mini argument.

Business

For our next session, please bring samples of student work from this semester. These should be samples of work that makes you wonder—because it is really good, really off-target, really puzzling, really different, really challenging, etc.

If possible, also bring in the assignment sheet

More Business

• Research consent forms

• Mentor Lesson Sign ups

• Write to Learn opportunity

• Door Prizes!!

Final Business

Feedback forms

Next Session: Jan 20, 1:00-3:00