Introduction to Short Answer Questions for ELA STAAR

1
Introduction to Short Answer Questions for ELA
STAAR

• Finding a way to place out of the box insights
  appropriately into a prescribed box

2
Short Answer Questions (S.A.Q.)

• Short Answer Questions are an opportunity for
  you, the student, to strut your intellectual
  stuff through the selection of prime text
  evidence and weaving that textual support with
  your own commentary.
• Part A - Like all short answer questions, the
  first step is to answer the question in your
  own words simply and directly.
• Part B - The next important step is to find two
  direct quotes from the text that directly
  support your answer and embed them in your
  own writing.
• Part C - The final, ultimate step is to use
  your own words to explain how the direct
  text quotes support your answer.

3
Short Answer Questions (S.A.Q.)

• When writing S.A.Q.s, you will be asked to use
  two different systems of organization as you
  brainstorm and pre-write. The first
  organizational system is a planning grid to be
  used during brainstorming.

Part C
Part C
Part B Part B
Part B Part B
Part A
Part C
Part C
4
Short Answer Questions (S.A.Q.)

• After completing the planning grid for
  brainstorming, you will then use the prewriting
  organizational system found below
• A) Answer
• B) Best Embedded Text Quotes
• (2 needed)
• C) Commentary (connect the quotes to your
  answer)

5
Short Answer Questions (S.A.Q.)

• You will need to complete both the brainstorming
  and the prewriting process before you place your
  final, polished answer in the ELA STAAR box.

6
Short Answer Questions (S.A.Q.)

• Important Considerations
• Make sure that all of your words fit on the lines
  inside the provided final answer box (no doubling
  lines or writing vertically or horizontally along
  the border of the answer box).
• Both text selections and student commentary need
  to reflect insightfulness. Do not just provide a
  literal, superficial response. Do not merely
  echo or paraphrase text evidence in your
  connecting and concluding commentary.
• When crafting your commentary, do not go beyond
  the concepts contained in the text evidence. If
  you provide new information, you must have
  textual support to defend it.
• Your scores on the S.A.Q.s on the STAAR exam for
  English will factor 33 of your overall EOC score.

7
S.A.Q. Practice - Question

• Lets practice together as a class
• Question In The Most Dangerous Game, what is
  one significant internal change that
  Rainsford experiences due to his stay on Ship
  Trap Island?
• Text
• (From the beginning of the story)
• Dont talk rot, Whitney, said Rainsford.
  Youre a big game hunter, not a
• philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?
• Perhaps the jaguar does, observed Whitney.
• Bah! Theyve no understandingThis hot weather
  is making you soft, Whitney.
• Be a realist. The world is made up of two
  classes the hunters and huntees.
• Luckily, you and I are hunters.
• (During the hunt with Zaroff)
• Then he ran for his life. The hounds raised
  their voices as they hit the fresh
• scent. Rainsford knew now how an animal at bay
  feels.

8
S.A.Q. Practice Planning Grid
C) But after being hunted by Zaroff, Rainsford
directly realizes that the hunted experience a
keen terror.
(Before/After)
B) Rainsford knew now how an animal at bay
feels.
B) Who cares how a jaguar feels?
A) Rainsford learns to empathize with the fear
of hunted animals.
B) Bah! Theyve no under-standing
B) Then he ran for his life.
C) Before arriving at Ship Trap Island,
Rainsford does not believe hunted animals have
any awareness.
9
S.A.Q. Practice Prewriting

• A) In Richard Connells short story The
  Most Dangerous Game, Rainsford experiences a
  significant internal transformation when he
  learns to empathize with the fear of hunted
  animals.
• B) Before arriving at Ship Trap Island,
  Rainsford does not believe hunted animals have
  any awareness, Bah! Theyve no understanding.
  But after being hunted by Zaroff his
  perspective shifts, Rainsford knew now how an
  animal at bay feels.
• C) After his stay on this eerie island,
  Rainsford directly realizes that the hunted do
  indeed experience a keen and comprehending
  terror.

10
S.A.Q. Practice Final Answer








In Richard Connells short story The Most
Dangerous Game, Rainsford experiences a
significant internal transformation when he
learns to empathize with the fear of hunted
animals. Before arriving at Ship Trap Island,
Rainsford does not believe hunted animals have
any awareness, Bah! Theyve no
understanding. But after being hunted by
Zaroff his perspective shifts, Rainsford knew
now how an animal at bay feels. After his stay
on this eerie island, Rainsford directly realizes
thatthe hunted do indeed experience a keen and
comprehending terror.