Extended Written Response

Extended Written Response

To prepare students for comparing and contrasting two passages or pieces, begin with one text. Ask students questions that require pulling information from more than one place in the text. Work with students on developing sentences that cite evidence that can be explained or elaborated.

General Stems

Explain how . . .

Explain why . . .

Explain why the author uses . . .

4th Grade

READING STANDARDS LITERATURE

Key Ideas

1. Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

2. Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.

3. Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).

4th GRADE -- READING STANDARDS FOR INFORMATIONAL TEXT

Key Ideas and Details

1. Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

2. Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.

3. Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.

5th Grade -- READING STANDARDS LITERATURE

Key Ideas and Details

1. Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

2. Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.

3. Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).

5th Grade -- READING STANDARDS FOR INFORMATIONAL TEXT

Key Ideas and Details

1. Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

2. Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.

3. Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.

GRADE 6 -- READING STANDARDS FOR LITERATURE

Key Ideas and Details

1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

3. Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.

Grade 6 -- READING STANDARDS: INFORMATIONAL TEXT

Key Ideas and Details

1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

2. Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

3. Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text (e.g., through examples or anecdotes).

Key Strategies for Teaching Extended Written Response Questions

(1)Analyzing and restating questions (at least one intensive lesson, at least 30 minutes)

(2)Analyzing and identifying theme (at least two intensive lessons, at least 30 minutes each)

Your entire purpose for the lesson will be to read as many texts (length, your choice) as possible and generate possible themes. Themes are more than topics. Themes are truths that can apply to other stories.

(3)Summarizing (at least two intensive lessons, at least 30 minutes each) – You may begin with oral practice, but you’ll want to record ideas, and model how to write a strong summary of a story and at least one article. Students should be asked to write at least two complete summaries, which may not be part of the 30-minute lesson.

(4)Analyzing theme and summarizing – Students need practice in identifying a story’s theme, as well as choosing supporting details for a summary that supports the theme or main idea (grades 4 and 5) or central idea (grade 6). Some teachers start by asking students to retell a story, generating as many details as possible, then narrow the list (eliminating details) to generate a summary that supports the theme or main (central) idea.

(5)Practicing answering questions about characters, settings, ideas, or concepts – Answers should require inferencing or be found in more than one place in a text – You’ll want to teach students how to “map” answers.

(1)Preview question. (2) Read text (together or guided). (3) Brainstorm (map) answer. (4) Model at least one. (Students should be writing with you.) (5) Practice “mapping” answers to additional questions. (6) Have students practice writing entire answers from a class-generated “map.” You’ll probably want to time students. (7) Have students read passages and answer questions independently.

(6)Give students a “map” of an answer for a passage they’ve never read (at least 3 before we meet again). You’re teaching a skill . . . .

(7)Give students sample answers to score. “Make it a 4.”

(8)Work with students to create a rubric for a specific passage/question. Then have students write answers.

Magic Spinach

Once in a village in China there lived an old blind lady and her son. The old lady was a good person and had worked to help her family and the people of her village when she was able. The son had pledged to take care of his mother, so he did not marry and lived instead in his mother’s house. In summer he took her out walking in the cool night air, and in winter he warmed her bed before she got in. Everyone knew that he was a remarkable boy.

Then one spring a flood came and covered the village farms with water. Nothing would grow anymore, and the son had to walk far to find wild grasses for them to eat. The people of the village worked hard and tried to help each other find food.

One day while he was cutting grasses, it began to rain, so he took shelter in a nearby cave. When he sat down, he felt tender, fresh leaves under him. He saw that it was spinach and he began to cut it. No sooner had he cut the last of the leaves than new leaves sprang up. He cut these, too, and that night he carried a basketful of fresh spinach home to his mother.

The next day he returned to the cave, and it was the same as before. No matter how much spinach he cut, more grew it its place.

On the third day the son returned to the cave once again. This time he uprooted the spinach. I’ll plant it in the village so that everyone might have spinach, he thought.

As he pulled up the last plant, he saw something glinting in the ground. It was a small, perfectly smooth, perfectly round stone. He took it home with him and put it in the rice jar, where he was saving a handful of rice for his mother’s birthday. The next day when he opened the jar, it was full of rice. He took some of it out, but the jar quickly filled up again. When he poured out all the rice, he was overjoyed to find that once again the jar filled itself up to the very top.

The son picked up the jar and went out to share the rice with the poor families in the village. Soon everyone knew about the magic stone.

When the son returned home, he met his landlord at the door. The landlord asked him for some rice, and the son gave it. Then the landlord asked for the stone. “No, I will give you anything but the stone,” the son said, holding it tightly in his hand.

“I don’t want anything else—only the stone,” the landlord said. And he kicked the son in the stomach, snatched the stone, and stuck it in his mouth to keep it safe. Then the landlord ran home, but on the way he slipped and swallowed the stone.

Suddenly he felt very thirsty and drank all the water in the house, but he was still thirsty. There was no one to bring him more water, so the landlord ran outside and started drinking the floodwaters from the ground. He drank and drank, until he drank up all the water.

Then he turned into a toad. When his transformation was complete, the toad coughed and the magic stone appeared. The son, on his way to cut grasses, found the stone by the side of the road.

Extended Response

“Magic Spinach”

A common theme or central message in literature is that good behavior is rewarded, while bad behavior is punished. After reading “Magic Spinach,” explain how this theme is developed through the behavior of the characters in this story.

Extended Written Response

“Magic Spinach”

Scoring Rubric Name ______Class ______

Points
Possible / Points
Earned / Scale
4=30-24 3=23–17 2=16-8 1=7-1 0=0
2 / In “Magic Spinach”, the theme that good behavior is rewarded, while bad behavior is punished, . . .
2 / is developed through the mother, the son, the people of the village, and the landlord. (Answers may vary.)
2 / The old lady was a good person who had helped people and her family when she was able.
2 / She was rewarded with a good son who lived with her and took care of her.
2 / He took her walking in the cool air of summer, and he warmed her bed in winter.
1 / He also worked to get food for them to eat.
2 / Because the son is good to his mother and is a hard worker, he is rewarded when he finds the spinach that keeps on growing.
2 / He also cares about the people in the village, so he plans to plant some of the spinach in the village so everyone can have some.
1 / At the end of the story, the good son is rewarded again when he finds the stone, and the reader is led to believe that he will help everyone some more because he is a good person.
2 / The people of the village were good and tried to help each other.
1 / They were rewarded with spinach after the son found the stone.
2 / The landlord behaves in evil ways.
2 / When he hears about the stone, he tries to get it from the son. The landlord attacks him by kicking him in the stomach and grabbing the stone.
2 / The landlord’s bad behavior is punished.
2 / He puts the stone in his mouth, and then he swallows it.
1 / He is punished more when he gets really thirsty and drinks up all the water in the house.
2 / Then he gets the worst punishment when he turns into a toad.
Total Score

Scaffolding -- Extended Written Response Practice

“Magic Spinach” (response to be completed on separate sheet)

Scoring Rubric Name ______Class ______

Points
Possible / Points
Earned / Scale
4=30-24 3=23–17 2=16-8 1=7-1 0=0
2 / Restatement
2 / Restatement and “map” of answer
2 / The old lady
2 / She was rewarded
2 / The son
1 / He also
2 / The son is rewarded
2 / He also cares about the people
1 / At the end of the story, the good son is rewarded again
2 / The people of the village were
1 / They were rewarded
2 / The landlord
2 / When he hears about the stone,
2 / The landlord’s bad behavior
2 / He puts
1 / He is punished more when
2 / Then he gets the worst punishment
+1 BONUS / Summary
Total Score

The Boston Marathon

Each year for over 100 years, runners have gathered outside of Boston Massachusetts. Each year for over 100 years, they toe the starting line. They hear the starting gun, jump into motion, and race to the finish line. It is not an easy race. The finish line is in downtown Boston, more than 26 miles away.

This yearly event is known as the Boston Marathon. Runners from around the world compete in the race. The Boston Marathon has become a huge sporting event. Many runners feel it is the most prestigious race of the year. To them, the race is second only to the Olympics.

The first “marathon” took place in ancient Greece. In 490 B.C., the Greeks won a battle at a town called Marathon. A Greek soldier carried the news to Athens. He ran all the way—about 25 miles.

In 1896, the modern Olympics were established. The organizers chose to honor the ancient “marathon.” They added a marathon race to the Olympics. The course was 25 miles long. In 1908, the distance was changed to 26 miles, 385 yards—the course length for all modern marathons.

The first Boston Marathon took place on April 19, 1897. Fifteen runners lined up in a small town near Boston. They ran 25 miles into the city. Most of the course was dirt roads. There was no prize money, and few people came to watch.

This humble event was the start of a great tradition. Today, the Boston Marathon is the oldest annual marathon. It has been called “the Super Bowl of the foot racing.” Nearly 40,000 men and women ran the race in 1996. About two million people lined the roads to watch. Now the roads of the course are paved. Marathon winners earned substantial prize money, fame, and glory.

In the early years of the Boston Marathon, running was not a popular sport. Few runners took part in the race. Most people thought the runners were odd. Running all those miles was a difficult, exhausting challenge.

In the 1960s, people views about running started to change. Doctors began to prove that running can promote good health. People soon realized that running has many perks. It is great exercise, it is free and it requires little equipment. It can be done just about anytime, anywhere, and just about anyone can run.

More and more people began to jog and run. Suddenly, running was a popular pastime. Some people ran just a few miles a week. Others began to run 50 miles or more per week. Still others began to wonder if they too could run in a marathon. More and more people signed up to run the Boston race.

By the 1970s, thousands entered the Boston Marathon each year. They came from every state and almost every country. In fact, too many people wanted to enter the race. The course could not hold them all, so the organizers made a rule. Runners now had to qualify. They had to prove they could run the distance in a set time.

Extended Response

“The Boston Marathon”

The Boston Marathon is now considered by most runners as the ultimate race. People’s perceptions of running as a sport have changed dramatically since the first Boston Marathon. As a result, the first Boston Marathon in 1897 and the 100th Marathon in 1996 were very different.

1. Explain how people’s perceptions of running as a sport changed from 1897 to 1996.
2. Compare the two races, giving specific examples of differences between 1897 and 1996.

Extended Written Response

“Boston Marathon”

Scoring Rubric Name ______Class ______

Points
Possible / Points
Earned / Scale
4=30-24 3=23–17 2=16-8 1=7-1 0=0
3 / A.People’s perceptions of running as a sport changed greatly from 1897 to 1996.
2 / In 1897, there were few runners, and most people thought the runners were odd.
2 / Running all those miles seemed to be a difficult, exhausting challenge.
3 / By 1996, doctors had begun to prove that running can promote good health, so people came to see that running is good exercise.
1 / By 1996, people also came to realize that running also has other advantages.
3 / It is free, requires little equipment, and can be done just about anywhere.
1 / Another important benefit is that almost anyone can do it.
3 / B. The 1897 and the 1996 Boston Marathons were very different, and several specific examples were cited.
3 / In 1897, 15 runners participated, but in 1996, nearly 40,000 people ran the race.
3 / In 1897, the roads the runners ran were dirt, but in 1996, the race was important enough to be run on paved roads.
3 / In 1897, there was no prize money. In 1996, the winners won prize money, praise, and glory.
3 / In 1897, very few people watched. Those who watched made fun of the runners. In 1996, two million people watched.
Total Score

Scaffolding -- Extended Written Response Practice

“Boston Marathon” (response to be completed on separate sheet)

Scoring Rubric Name ______Class ______

Points
Possible / Points
Earned / Scale
4=30-24 3=23–17 2=16-8 1=7-1 0=0
3 / A.Restatement
2 / In 1897, there were
2 / Running all those miles
3 / By 1996, doctors had
1 / By 1996, people also came to realize
3 / Running is
1 / Another important benefit
3 / B.Restatement
3 / In 1897, . In 1996
3 / In 1897, the roads . . . . In 1996,
3 / In 1897, there was . . . . In 1996,
3 / In 1897, very few . . . . In 1996,
Total Score

Go for the Gold