Lesson Plan

Writing Constructed Responses

By Cate Sanazaro

Overview

Utilizing prior knowledge and experience gained from the previous lessons in this unit, students will complete a constructed response question providing top quality answers.

Objective

Students will: 
  1. Create an appropriate constructed response.
  2. Develop an understanding of assessment for constructed response.

Materials

  1. Completed Pie Charts
  2. Completed Calculating Vacation Costs Worksheets (PDF)
  3. Constructed Response Scoring Guide (See assessment in this lesson)

Set Up and Prepare

  1. Supply completed work from Lessons One and Two for each student
  2. Prepare a top quality answer for constructed response questions for modeling
  3. Provide copies of the Constructed Response Scoring Guide

Directions

Step 1: Give students the following assignment:
Utilizing all of the information and work previously completed in Lessons One and Two, provide a complete answer to a constructed response question. Refer to the Constructed Response Scoring Guide to check for completion.

Sample questions:
1) How could a pie chart be used to represent your budgeted vacation? Explain what the slices of your pie represent. Give examples. 

2) Give 3 examples of how you could have improved the budgeting of your trip?  How would you rate the success of your vacation on a scale of 1-5? Explain.

3) How did current gas prices affect the quality of your vacation? Give examples of ways your trip would have changed if gas cost $1.00 per gallon.

Step 2: Allow a full class session to answer questions. Encourage students to write a draft, edit and rewrite for completion. Students should refer to the scoring guide to check progress.

Step 3: Share answers in class and discuss how the answers would score on your grading scale. Allow students to voice opinion on scoring.

Step 4: Model top quality answers.

Supporting All Learners

1. Review the elements of constructed response answers if necessary
2. Assist students in converting information into an acceptable answer

Lesson Extensions

Invite students to create constructed response questions, and engage the class in providing answers.

Home Connection

Completed budgets can be taken home to compare with an actual family vacation.

Assignments

  • Provide a constructed response answer to a question utilizing information from previous lessons
  • Discuss completed answers and evaluate according to the scoring guide

Evaluation

  • How do you feel about the quality of the constructed response answers?
  • Do your students understand what is necessary for a top score?
  • In what other methods could you introduce constructed response questions to your curriculum?

Assess Students

Check for understanding during writing process.  Assess the answers according to the scoring guide. Use the Rubric Maker to create your own.

Sample Rubric for Scoring a Constructed Response Question

3—The response is successful in the following ways:

  • It demonstrates an ability to analyze the stimulus material thoughtfully and in depth
  • It responds appropriately to all parts of the question
  • It demonstrates proficiency with conventions of standard written English

2—The response demonstrates understanding of the topic, but is limited in one or more of the following ways:

  • It may indicate a misreading of the stimulus material or provide superficial analysis
  • It may respond to one or more parts of the question inadequately or not at all
  • It may contain significant writing errors

1—The response is inadequate in one or more of the following ways:

  • It may demonstrate weak understanding of the subject matter or of the writing task
  • It may fail to respond adequately to most part of the question
  • It may be incoherent or severely underdeveloped
  • It may contain significant and persistent writing errors
0—Response is blank, off-topic, totally incorrect, or merely rephrases the question.

  • Subjects:
    Discovery and Learning, Charts and Graphs, Cause and Effect, Compare and Contrast, Expository Writing, Writing Process, Data Analysis, Money, Multiplication and Division, Real-World Math, Class Projects
  • Skills:
    Cause and Effect, Compare and Contrast, Charts and Graphs, Diagrams, Expository Writing
  • Duration:
    2 Class Periods
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