Using APES to Write Short Answ er Responses

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Using APES to Write Short Answ er Responses

Using APES to Write Short Answ er Responses

STAAR Short Answer Response The short answer response is an analytical paragraph. It is

STAAR Short Answer Response The short answer response is an analytical paragraph. It is an idea in response to a question. The idea represents the quality and depth of thinking and understanding of reading. A successful short answer response goes beyond a literal reading of the text.

In writing your short answer response: “Stay in the story. ” Write in present

In writing your short answer response: “Stay in the story. ” Write in present tense. Do not waste space restating the question. Answer the question, but do not “echo” the question. You do not need to include author and title, but include some indicator (character name, etc. ). Think beyond the literal reading of the text. Choosing strong text evidence is crucial. You need text evidence in your response, but you do not need text evidence for each idea. Handwriting matters – the graders are only human!

APES Answer Prove Explain Sum it Up

APES Answer Prove Explain Sum it Up

What is APES? 0 APES is an acronym that will help you remember the

What is APES? 0 APES is an acronym that will help you remember the steps to writing a solid Short Answer Response on the STAAR test and in the classroom. 0 Think of APES as a checklist that you can use whenever you are answering a question based on a reading from class.

A is for… Answer the question.

A is for… Answer the question.

A is for… 0 According to the rubric for the Short Answer Responses, if

A is for… 0 According to the rubric for the Short Answer Responses, if you do not answer the question, you will earn an automatic score of zero out of a possible four. 0 For example, if the question asks why Scrooge is miserly and you answer that he loves money then you have not answered the question. This is an automatic grade of zero.

P is for… 0 Proof! 0 You can’t make a statement about a text

P is for… 0 Proof! 0 You can’t make a statement about a text without providing proof to back up your argument. 0 When writing about texts, your proof comes in the form of textual evidence (quotations from the text).

P is for… Prove It! Put in a quotation. Choose the best textual evidence

P is for… Prove It! Put in a quotation. Choose the best textual evidence (quotation) to support your answer. Use TLQ format to embed your quotation in your sentence.

P is for… Prove It! 0 One of the key goals when you embed

P is for… Prove It! 0 One of the key goals when you embed a quotation is to use ONLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PART of the quotation as a piece of your own sentence. 0 “Helios threatens to take the sun to ‘light the dead men in the Underworld’ if Zeus does not punish Odysseus’ men for slaughtering his ‘peaceful kine. ’”

P is for… Prove It! Put in a quotation. 0 Remember that your quotation

P is for… Prove It! Put in a quotation. 0 Remember that your quotation MUST relate to your answer. 0 You can’t chose a quotation that has NOTHING to do with what you are writing about. 0 0 Keep this in mind: your QUOTATION is your PROOF about your ANSWER to the question.

P is for… Prove It! 0 Begin a sentence that has an embedded quotation

P is for… Prove It! 0 Begin a sentence that has an embedded quotation with your words first. Then, smoothly incorporate the textual evidence (quotation) into your sentence. (TLQ format) 0 Avoid using phrases in your sentence such as “he says” or “states” or “she says. ” This is boring for your reader and shouts “I AM NOW ABOUT TO QUOTE SOMETHING FROM THE TEXT!” It is not sophisticated writing. 0 Make sure your verbs are in present tense. 0 When necessary, change all first person pronouns (I, me, us, we) to third person pronouns (him, he, they) by using brackets.

Examples: While spending Christmas at Finches Landing, Francis enrages Scout by claiming Atticus is

Examples: While spending Christmas at Finches Landing, Francis enrages Scout by claiming Atticus is “ruining the family” (87). Furthermore, when Jem and Scout are walking home from the pageant, they hear a man “running toward [them] with no child’s steps” (264).

Let’s look at some examples using questions from John Steinbeck’s novella , The Pearl.

Let’s look at some examples using questions from John Steinbeck’s novella , The Pearl. How does Kino feel about the prospect of Coyotito being able to attend school? A – Answer the question (this is an inference, a conclusion, an idea – beyond the literal) Kino feels a strong sense of pride at the thought of Coyotito being able to attend school.

A is for … P is for… How does Kino feel about the prospect

A is for … P is for… How does Kino feel about the prospect of Coyotito being able to attend school? Kino feels a strong sense of pride at the thought of Coyotito being able to attend school. When Kino and Juana are sitting in their home after Kino finds the pearl, Kino’s “face shone with prophecy” as he tells everyone how his son will “read and open the books” and “make numbers, and these things will make [them] free because…he will know and through him [they] will know. ”

A is for … P is for… Starting in chapter four, why does Juana

A is for … P is for… Starting in chapter four, why does Juana believe that the pearl is evil? Juana believes that the pearl is evil because it has brought danger to her family. For example, after Kino is attacked outside his hut after failing to sell the pearl, Juana implores Kino to “crush it between two stones” or “throw it back in the sea where it belongs” before the pearl “destroys [them]. ”

P is for… Juana believes that the pearl is evil because it has brought

P is for… Juana believes that the pearl is evil because it has brought danger to her family. For example, after Kino is attacked outside his hut after failing to sell the pearl, Juana implores Kino to “crush it between two stones” or “throw it back in the sea where it belongs” before the pearl “destroys [them]. ” Why is the pronoun them in brackets?

E is for … EXPLAIN 0 In a sentence or two, you will explain

E is for … EXPLAIN 0 In a sentence or two, you will explain how your quotation relates to your answer. 0 Remember that the textual evidence must always relate to your answer, the first line in your response.

E is for… Kino feels a strong sense of pride at the thought of

E is for… Kino feels a strong sense of pride at the thought of Coyotito being able to attend school. When Kino and Juana are sitting in their home after Kino finds the pearl, Kino’s “face shone with prophecy” as he tells everyone how his son will “read and open the books” and “make numbers, and these things will make [them] free because…he will know and through him [they] will know. ” In spite of Coyotito’s young age, Kino believes that his son has the potential to liberate his people from ignorance and oppression if he is able to attend school.

E is for… Juana believes that the pearl is evil because it has brought

E is for… Juana believes that the pearl is evil because it has brought danger to her family. For example, after Kino is attacked outside his hut after failing to sell the pearl, Juana implores Kino to “crush it between two stones” or “throw it back in the sea where it belongs” before the pearl “destroys [them]. ” Juana’s wealth is not associated with material goods or money. For this reason, Juana does not care about the money the pearl may bring since she credits the hazardous and possibly deadly situation for her family to the pearl.

S is for… Special Closing Statement Sum It Up 0 This is the last

S is for… Special Closing Statement Sum It Up 0 This is the last one or two sentences of your answer. 0 Wrap up your thoughts and claims that you made in your answer. 0 Your goal with the S part of APES is to wrap up all of your ideas into a nice little package of coherent thought.

S is for… WATCH OUT for these closing statement traps: 0 Do not use

S is for… WATCH OUT for these closing statement traps: 0 Do not use “In conclusion…” 0 Do not repeat word-forword what you have already said. 0 Don’t bring up a new idea that you haven’t already addressed.

How does Kino feel about the prospect of Coyotito being able to attend school?

How does Kino feel about the prospect of Coyotito being able to attend school? A P E S Kino feels a strong sense of pride at the thought of Coyotito being able to attend school. When Kino and Juana are sitting in their home after Kino finds the pearl, Kino’s “face shone with prophecy” as he tells everyone how his son will “read and open the books” and “make numbers, and these things will make [them] free because…he will know and through him [they] will know. ” In spite of Coyotito’s young age, Kino believes that his son has the potential to liberate his people from ignorance and oppression if he is able to attend school. For these reasons, Kino places a significant amount of hope reliance on the pearl to offer Coyotito a chance at a better life, and through Coyotito a better life for all of them.

Starting in chapter four, why does Juana believe that the pearl is evil? A

Starting in chapter four, why does Juana believe that the pearl is evil? A P E S Juana believes that the pearl is evil because it has brought danger to her family. For example, after Kino is attacked outside his hut after failing to sell the pearl, Juana implores Kino to “crush it between two stones” or “throw it back in the sea where it belongs” before the pearl “destroys [them]. ” Juana’s wealth is not associated with material goods or money. For this reason, Juana does not care about the money the pearl may bring because she credits the hazardous and possibly deadly situation for her family to the pearl. Despite the life improvements the pearl may bring for her family, particularly Coyotito, Juana is not wiling to risk the life of her family for possible wealth.

TIPS for using APES 0 Stay on topic! 0 Where do you find your

TIPS for using APES 0 Stay on topic! 0 Where do you find your topic? 0 Look to your answer to the question. 0 Everything should relate back to this.

TIPS for using APES 0 “Yes” and “No” answers are not acceptable. Do not

TIPS for using APES 0 “Yes” and “No” answers are not acceptable. Do not start any of your answers with “yes” or “no. ” 0 Remember that you are starting your response with an answer to the question.

TIPS for using APES 0 Avoid first person pronouns (I, me, we, us…). 0

TIPS for using APES 0 Avoid first person pronouns (I, me, we, us…). 0 The questions are not asking about you. The question is about the text. 0 Stay text focused.

TIPS for using APES 0 Answer the question. 0 Provide proof (textual evidence). 0

TIPS for using APES 0 Answer the question. 0 Provide proof (textual evidence). 0 Explain your proof in relation to your answer. 0 Sum it all up.