How to Answer English MCAS Open Response Questions

1. Test Anxiety? Lower stress by learning How to Answer English MCAS Open Response Questions

2. Q. What are Open Response questions? A.The Literature and Language portion of the MCAS exam contains four Open Response questions which ask you to write a response to a piece of literature. These questions often begin with background information on the literature. Then there is a reading (poem, short story, section of a novel, non-fiction article, or excerpt from a play) that will be the basis for your answer. Finally there is a prompt or question which asks you to write about an element of the text you just read, using direct evidence from the reading. You are given space in your answer booklet (usually one page) in which to write your answer. A typical Open Response answer is one well-developed paragraph in length.

3. Q.How are open response questions scored? • A. Each Open Response will earn a score from zero to four. • Every open response has slightly different scoring criteria depending on the prompt or questions, but generally each piece of writing is evaluated on how much the paragraph- • is a complete, clear, and accurate response • includes relevant and specific textual evidence, including direct quotations and/or paraphrases • shows understanding and insight into the reading and prompt See a Sample Open Response Rubric!

4. Now, let’s look at an MCAS Open Response question from the 2005 exam…

5. Poet Theodore Roethke describes a night spent on a train through a remote section of the United States. Read the poem “Night Journey” to learn what emotional effect the sights and sounds have on him. Answer the questions as follow. Night Journey Now as the train bears west,Its rhythm rocks the earth,And from my Pullman berth*I stare into the night While others take their rest.Bridges of iron lace,A suddenness of trees,A lap of mountain mistAll cross my line of sight, Then a bleak wasted place,And a lake below my knees.Full on my neck I feelThe straining at a curve;My muscles move with steel, I wake in every nerve.I watch a beacon swingFrom dark to blazing bright;We thunder through ravinesAnd gullies washed with light. Beyond the mountain passMist deepens on the pane;We rush into a rainThat rattles double glass.Wheels shake the roadbed stone, The pistons jerk and shove,I stay up half the nightTo see the land I love. —Theodore Roethke * Pullman berth — a sleeping compartment on a train Question: Explain how the poem builds to its concluding line. Use relevant and specific information from the poem to support your answer.

6. So what do I do first? Get your gears going by simply reading the background information, poem (or other piece of literature), and prompt carefully. As you do this, don’t worry if you don’t understand every word, just try to get the general idea of the passage. If you haven’t done this yet, go back to the previous slide

7. Now what? With pencil in hand, read the prompt again, highlighting key words. What would you highlight in the sample prompt? Question: Explain how the poem builds to its concluding line. Use relevant and specific information from the poem to support your answer.

8. You should have highlighted something like: Question:Explain how the poem builds to its concluding line. Use relevant and specific information from the poem to support your answer.

9. You should have highlighted something like: “explain” tells the style of writing: You will need to explain step by step, in chronological order Question:Explain how the poem builds to its concluding line. Use relevant and specific information from the poem to support your answer. “builds to its conclusion” indicates the task you need to accomplish and the evidence you need to collect: details that help build to the last line “relevant and specific information” reminds that you need to have well selected evidence, including quotes, from the poem to support your ideas

10. After breaking down the prompt, read the poem again, thinking about key terms from the prompt and marking areas that are directly connected with the assignment. In this case, you are looking for details that show how the poem builds to its concluding line: “To see the land I love”

11. Poet Theodore Roethke describes a night spent on a train through a remote section of the United States. Read the poem “Night Journey” to learn what emotional effect the sights and sounds have on him. Answer the questions as follow. Night Journey Now as the train bears west,Its rhythm rocks the earth,And from my Pullman berth*I stare into the night While others take their rest.Bridges of iron lace,A suddenness of trees,A lap of mountain mistAll cross my line of sight, Then a bleak wasted place,And a lake below my knees.Full on my neck I feelThe straining at a curve;My muscles move with steel, * Pullman berth — a sleeping compartment on a train I wake in every nerve.I watch a beacon swingFrom dark to blazing bright;We thunder through ravinesAnd gullies washed with light. Beyond the mountain passMist deepens on the pane;We rush into a rainThat rattles double glass.Wheels shake the roadbed stone, The pistons jerk and shove,I stay up half the nightTo see the land I love. —Theodore Roethke All of the highlighted areas connect with how the narrator stays up most of the night while others sleep, admiring the land he loves. Question: Explain how the poem builds to its concluding line. Use relevant and specific information from the poem to support your answer.

12. Now, after some deep thinking, you’re ready to write your response… First, write a strong topic sentence (like a thesis statement) that contains the title of the reading, key words from the prompt, and the main point of your answer. Reminder of the prompt: Question:Explain how the poem builds to its concluding line. Use relevant and specific information from the poem to support your answer. Example topic sentence: In the poem “Night Journey” Theodore Roethke uses vivid description to build momentum, inevitably leading to the concluding line stating how much he loves the land.

13. Now that you have a strong first sentence, it’s time to write the rest of your paragraph. • Each open response paragraph should contain the following elements: • A strong topic sentence that clearly establishes the main point of your answer. • Transition to your first piece of evidence • Evidence (the best is a direct quote) from the text that supports your topic sentence. • Discussion of the first piece of evidence and transition to the next. • A second piece of evidence that supports the topic sentence. • Discussion of that evidence and transition to your third and final evidence. • A final piece of evidence that supports the topic sentence • Discussion of the evidence and your concluding idea. • If you include all of this, your paragraph will be at least eight sentences long!

14. After you’ve worked hard writing a well organized, detailed response, take a moment to relax! Now, you have a few final things to do to make sure you get the best score possible: 1. Re-read the prompt. Did you stay on task only writing in response to what the prompt asks? Did you successfully answer all aspects of the assignment? If the answer to one of these questions is “no,” go back and revise your answer. 2. Proof read your answer to make sure your writing is clear and that it makes sense. Although this section of the test is not scored for spelling and grammar, the better your writing is, the more clear your ideas will get across to the scorer. 3. Be critical of your handwriting. Clarify any places that may not be readable…

15. If the scorer is unable to read your handwriting, you’re probably not going to do so well! I don’t even know what I’m saying!

16. Let’s see how a response would be scored… 2 3 4 Click a number to see the scoring rubric!

17. Score 4 Click a number to see an essay that earned that score 3 2 1 0

18. Remember, with open responses, there’s not just one right answer! Just relax, read closely, think deeply, and use these steps to do the best job you can.

21. S A M P L E R U B R I C Score 4 3 2 1 0 Go Back