Extended+Response+Sentence+Stems

==**The document below is a little dated; however, there are sentence stems towards the bottom of the page that might be useful if you are running low on ideas/motivation. This is also available in a Word Document if you would like.**==



Coach’s corner November 5th, 2007 Written by: Karen Vitale

Writing Extended Responses This week I went to the ISBE website and studied the 3rd & 4th grade ISAT Rubric for Extended Response Writing. I combined the Original State Rubric with the State’s Student Friendly Rubric. You can print and use this rubric if you like; it is attached to this newsletter.

The other document I have worked on and attached is an updated Extended Response Graphic Organizer. 3rd and 4th grade teachers please review this new graphic organizer and let me know what you like and don’t like. Let’s work together to create an effective and easy to use tool for our students.

One change was the text reference section. Several teachers were tired of the canned, “In the text it says….” So I included other examples, but also added that this section is mainly for Key Ideas and Support from the text. Students may use words from the text but a higher level skill would be to draw conclusions and identify and state key ideas from the text.

The reconnection is not specifically stated in the rubric, but I have been told it is crucial to the extended response. Students can eliminate our canned statement, “This is related because…” if their interpretations (inferences) are so closely related to the text, that by reading their supportive details, the reader should be able to know how the interpretation/ connection/ inference relates to the text references. We need to explain why our interpretation/inferences/connections are related to the key ideas immediately after we state them.

I have also attached extended response question stems to help you put OC prompts in ISAT Format. I found this on Rockford Public Schools website. Reference: http://webs.rps205.com/curriculum/title1/reading_coach_resources.html

Writing Workshop Writing workshop at East is very strong this year. Our students are all writing and enjoying the process. Our future ISAT scores depend on our teachers at East providing a solid foundation. They have noticed throughout the years that students are coming to us with less writing experiences and they are working extremely hard to provide that foundation for Kellar Central. Thank you Kellar East! ISAT Writing vs. Writing for Fun Mr. Turner is also excited about the increased writing experiences we are giving to our students. He told me he believes getting students to enjoy the writing process is equally as important as giving our students the tools they will need to successfully complete the writing required by ISAT. Let’s work on balancing our writing experiences together.

Fun Writing Prompts The Daily Spark: Writing warm-up activities by Spark Publishing.

The And Challenge: Write a short story and do not use the word and.

Storytime: Write a bedtime story for a small child. Try to make the story interesting, but also soothing.

Serene, Scary, Suspenseful? Change the sentence below six times to create different moods. Choose your favorite mood setting sentence and write a paragraph for that mood.

Henry walked quietly and listened to the sounds of nature in the woods.

• Reader demonstrates an accurate understanding of important information in the text by focusing on the key ideas presented explicitly and implicitly.

• I explain the main ideas and important information from the text.

• Reader uses information from the text to interpret significant concepts or make connections to other situations or contexts logically through analysis, evaluation, inference, or comparison/contrast.

• I connect my own ideas or experiences to the author’s ideas.

• Reader uses relevant and accurate references; most are specific and fully supported.

• I use examples and important details to support my answer.

• Reader integrates interpretation of the text with text-based support (balanced).

• I balance the author’s ideas with my own ideas.

Topic Sentence: answer the question without adding any details, you may even be able to rewrite the question into a statement. Key ideas and support from the text

Identify or draw conclusions to state key ideas from the text. Support conclusions/key ideas with text references.

You may use the author’s words straight from the text; just give credit to the author or text. This lets the reader know where this information came from.

Ex. The author wrote…. In the text it stated ….. Your interpretation with supportive details

• Be sure that your interpretation or connection is relevant (makes sense) to the topic sentence and answers the prompt/question. • Support your interpretation/connection with details to explain and support. • Reconnect back to the text after each interpretation if needed.

Conclusion: moral or summary statement of what you learned

Extended Response Question Stems Promotes Higher Level Thinking. Gathered by Karen Ruffner from old ISAT materials. Rockford IL http://webs.rps205.com/curriculum/title1/reading_coach_resources.html

These are sample question stems that have been used for the ISAT passages over the years. They could be adapted for any reading format (read aloud, shared, guided, and independent) and could be responded to orally or in written form. All of them would be followed by: “Use information from the story and what you know to explain your answer.”

1. Would a person like __best be described as__ or not? Explain why.

2. had a problem. How did he/she solve that problem and why did that solution work?

3. _made decisions in this passage. Which decision was best?

4. The characters in this story made decisions. Which do you think was the most difficult?

5. How does __show__ throughout his/her life?

6. How do __and__ depend on each other?

7. How are ___and__ __alike and different?

8. How and why does__ _ __change throughout the story?

9. How did__ _change _’s life?

10. What parts of _’s personality and life choices led to his/her success?

11. Based on this article, would ___be good for the future or not?

12. What are some ways__ and people are alike?

13. Based on this story, will __treat him/her any differently now?

14. How and why do__ __’s feelings change during the story?

15. How does the author show that__ _ __is__ ___?

16. Why is__ __remembered as being__ __?

17. Explain why and how people’s feelings about__ ___change in the passage.

18. Explain why__ _ did ___.

19. What lesson did__ _learn?

20. How have(has) _been ?

21. How does _know _?

22. Do you think this is a realistic picture of how ?

23. Why is __a good title for this story?

24. In life and in this story, sometimes bad things lead to good. Use specific information from the story to show how this is true.

25. Do you think__ is a good __?

26. What did__ ___mean when he/she said,“___”?

27. If ___moved into your neighborhood, would you like it?

28. Why does__ __feel that it is so important to__ _?