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A Document Based Question
(DBQ) is a free response essay question which requires students to read, analyze and sort anywhere from four to sixteen expository documents and functional texts charts, tables and images.
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Once analyzed the documents are used as evidence to support a grade-level appropriate expositoryargumentative essay in response to a question such as,

Step One Hook Activity (engaging the students/activating prior knowledge)
Step Two Background Essay (obtaining new knowledge/vocabulary)
Step Three The Analytical Question (examining the question)
Step Four Pre-bucketing (forming a hypothesis)
Step Five Document Analysis (examining individual documents)
Step Six Bucketing – Gross Analysis (grouping the documents)
Step Seven Thrash-out (clarifying evidence and argument)
Step Eight Synthesis (creating a powerful thesis and organizing the essay)

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Questions
Interaction with Cognitively Complex
Text
Student Discourse
Differentiated Instruction

Gradual Release Process
Evidence of Critical Thought
Student Portfolios
(One Essay Per Nine Weeks)
Increased Content Knowledge

DA Instructional Element
3. Lesson Planning and Delivery b. Essential Questions
4. Higher Order Questioning and Discourse a. Questioning strategies and techniques promote higher order thinking b. Teacher uses, models, scaffolds, and elicits higher order thinking c. Students demonstrate higher order thinking
5. Student Engagement a. Teacher actively engages students through a variety of learning strategies b. Students interact and participate in the learning process
6. Rigorous Tasks a. High level Cognitive Complexity is evident
Assessments a. Data is received in a timely manner to inform instruction b. Criteria for judging quality work is established and shared with students
7. Differentiated Instruction a. Instructional delivery is student specific b. Small group and center activities are planned to meet varied needs c. Teachers scaffolds on-grade level instruction to meet the needs of all students

Types of Literary Text
Fiction
• Short Stories
• Poetry
• Historical fiction DBQs
• Fables make these
• Folk tales, tall tales types of texts
• Legends accessible and
• Myths relevant to
• Fantasy students
• Drama
• Excerpts from longer works
Nonfiction
• Biographical & autobiographical sketches
• Diaries, memoirs, journals & letters
• Essays (personal and classical narratives)
• Critiques
Types of Informational Text
Primary Sources/Nonfiction
• Historical documents (e.g., Bill of Rights)
• Essays (e.g., informational, persuasive, analytical, historical scientific)
• Letters, journals, diaries
Secondary Sources/Nonfiction
• Magazine articles
• Newspaper articles
• Editorials
• Encyclopedia articles
Functional Materials
• Consumer documents (e.g., warranties, manuals, contracts, applications)
• How-to articles
• Brochures, flyers
• Schedules
• Web pages

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• Based on Florida’s Grade
9-12 American History standards
•Civil War and
Reconstruction through
Present
•Questions based on historical documents will be included
•Multiple choice only, multiple forms to be given
•Entirely computer based, except for students with pertinent IEPs or 504 plans