CRs Got You Down?

I have got a solution for you! While I was grading the latest county mandated test (bleh!), I noticed that my darlings were really struggling with their constructed responses (CRs). Although they have been doing them since 3rd grade, I usually find that 5th graders need a few reminders when completing CRs in the beginning of the school year. However, my reminders did not seem to do the trick this time. You know, the usual "Don't forget to support your thinking with details from the text!" or "Make sure you connect your own thinking to your answer!"


In an effort to help them improve their writing, I stumbled up this site. There are lots of resources for guiding your students through the tedious process of completing CRs. I really liked the revision tools that were tied into the 6+1 writing traits (2 birds, one stone!).


Although I shudder at the idea of giving students a formula, I do believe they need some guidelines to help scaffold them until they are more successful. I will not present these as "rules" for wtiting CRs, but rather suggestions for helping them improve. Hopefully, this and our "Shoot for Three" incentive will get their pencils moving and the wheels turning!


Do you have any lessons or tricks you use to help your students experience more success with CRs? Please share by commenting below!

Shoot for Three!

Having trouble finding a way to get your students to put forth their best effort on written responses? (Let's be realistic, we have to do them and they aren't always the most fun for our little ones...no matter how hard we try.)

Here is how we motivate students at our school to do their best when completing "Brief Constructed Responses" (a.k.a. BCRs): 

We teach the students what every good BCR needs in order to earn all three points that they are worth. Then, whenever someone scores a three on their BCRs, they get to shoot a hoop. If a particular activity has more than one BCR and they score three points on each one, then the student gets to take that many shots. For example, if one of my kiddos get two threes on their test, they shoot twice. Whether they make the basket or not, they get to add a sticker to the sticker chart. If they make the basket, I give them an extra treat, like a piece of candy or a pencil...whatever I have on hand. 

The poster above the basket and sticker charts says:

"Shoot for Three

We shoot for 3 points when writing our BCRs!

What am I thinking? What have a read?

What's in the text? What's in my head?

Put them together and you will see...

Thoughtful readers earn a 3!"

I am not sure where the poem came from, so I can't take credit for it. However, I loved this idea when I came to my school, so I am sharing it with all of you! Enjoy!