How to Answer Constructed
Response or Short Answer
Questions
Writing Practice
Constructed Response or Short Answer
Questions:
• They ask you to apply your knowledge and
understanding in a short written answer.
Difference between a constructed response and short
answer:
• A constructed response will always have a
document to analyze with the question.
• A short answer may or may not have a document to
analyze with the question so they are very similar.
How To Write A Constructed
Response
PLANNING:
• Read the entire question.
• Identify and underline key words in the
question, such as: explain, elaborate,
illustrate.
• Restate the prompt in your own words to be
sure that you understand it.
• List items you should identify in your answer
• List facts & examples to support your answer
R.A.C.E.
•
•
•
•
Reword
Answer
Cite Evidence
Explain
R.A.C.E
WRITING:
• Reword: restate the question and make it
into a statement as a part of the answer
you provide.
• Example:
• Ques - "What color is the sky?"
• Correct written answer - “The color of
the sky is usually blue," or words to
that effect.
R.A.C.E
• ANSWER: show how you arrived at your answer with
general reasons. Usually R & A in R.A.C.E. are in the
same sentence.
Example:
“What color is the sky?”
• REWORD: The color of the sky is usually blue, …
• ANSWER: because of how we see light waves and
the weather conditions.
R.A.C.E
• Cite Evidence/Examples: Use the facts or
examples to support the R & A in R.A.C.E
– At least 3 Evidence or Examples
• EXAMPLE:
– The Sky is usually blue because of how we see light
waves and the weather conditions. According to
scientist, humans see blue sky based on what kinds of
light waves are visualized in the eye, how sunny the
day is and the direction of the sunlight.
R.A.C.E
• EXPLAIN THE ANSWER: Elaborate on the evidence
and examples you cited in C.
• EXAMPLE:
• The Sky is usually blue because of how we see light waves and the
weather conditions. According to scientist, humans see blue sky
based on what kinds of light waves are visualized in the eye, how
sunny the day is and the direction of the sunlight. On a clear,
sunny day, the sun is directly shinning on us. Because the
molecules in the air reflect the scattered blue light waves more than
red or orange when it bounces off the direct sunlight, we see blue.
As the sun sets, the direction of its light goes away from us so the
molecules reflect the red or orange waves of light that we see at
sunsets.
YOUR TURN
• Why was the Roaring 20s called “Roaring”?
• Remember:
• Reword
• Answer
• Cite
• Explain
Learning Objectives
• Identify and explain the Constructed
Response/Short Answer Rubric Criteria
• Practice using the Short Answer Rubric with
given Short Answer.
• Assess individual work using Short Answer
Rubric.
• Peer Review individual work using the Short
Answer Rubric
The Rubric:
4 Point Constructed Response/Short Answer Rubric
• Understanding (R.)- 1
o demonstrates an understanding of the question and/or
document - Your answer shows that you understood the
question and / or the main idea of the reading.
• Accuracy (A.)- 1
o answers all parts of the question accurately using correct,
factual information (number of parts will depend on the
question[s])
• Evidence (C.) - 1
o use specific evidence to back up answer
• Explains (E)- 1
o explains the answer thoroughly and logically - In other
words, provides enough information to back up the
answer in a way that makes sense.
o
Total 4 points (may also be 1/2 points for a total of 2)
Practice Using the Short Answer
Rubric
• Read the following Short Answer Response
• Assess the Short Answer using the Rubric
Criteria
• Give feedback on how to improve using the
words on the criteria
Why was the roaring 20’s called “roaring”?
The “Roaring 20’s” was probably called roaring because the events that
occurred during the decade had a loud, deep and lasting impact on America.
The 20s had a loud roar coming from the a new music revolution called the Jazz
Age, from American’s rebellion against prohibition that led to the growth of
speakeasies and bootleg alcohol, and from the attitude of many American’s to
“eat, drink, and be merry…”. The 20s roar was deep because it brought about a
lot of cultural conflicts that questioned American values and traditions. These
cultural conflicts included issues of evolution v. fundamentalism with the
Scopes Trial; the nativists views against anything not “American” that led to the
growth of the KKK and violent attacks against immigrants and Blacks; and the
issue of traditional “Puritan” values v. the new attitudes of consumerism.
Finally, the 20’s roar was lasting because it brought about significant changes in
the everyday lives of Americans including the mass production of the car, the
wide use of the radio allowing American’s to have similar experiences, and
development of modern conveniences like the washing machine and vacuum
make more leisure time available for American’s to do other things. In all the
20’s roar left a lasting impression.