Reminders for Benchmark and STAAR Testing

English I

Ms.Shires

Pre

OER reminders: APE

Answer-

Proof/ Text Evidence

Explanation/Elaboration

Prompt: What makes this house attractive to a burglar?

**ANSWER should be general enough to encompass the text evidence
without repeating it AND should have the OER question as the sentence
starter. Example: The house is attractive to a thief because of all the
valuables inside.
**The TEXT EVIDENCE/PROOF should DIRECTLY and SPECIFICALLY
support the answer AND be introduced properly using properly
punctuated quotes. Example: According to the text, upstairs there is a
closet full of furs and a lockbox that holds jewels and the dining room has
china, silver and cut glass, not to mention the stash of famous paintings
and a coin collection in the den.
**The {ELABORATION/EXPLANATION} should give further support and tie
the answer to the text evidence. Note, you can use information from the text
to do this, just make sure to paraphrase. DO NOT repeat your direct answer.
Example: {This house is a thiefs perfect target! And the fact that its left
unlocked all day makes it all the more appealing.}

For a CROSSOVER OER/ PAIRED SELECTIONS OER you MUST have text
evidence/proof from BOTH SELECTIONS (so that means you will have an
additional sentence/s). Make sure that you identify each selection and its
proof in the OER.

READ ALL directions completely.

Read EVERY question completely.
Read every ANSWER CHOICE completely and slowly.
USE THE DICTIONARY!!!!!!!!!!
DO NOT over think the answers, do not read into a question or do the
but if thisthen that Remember that a strong gut feeling is
usually right.
DO NOT change a multiple choice answer unless you are positive you
were wrong with the first answer.

Reminders for Benchmark and STAAR Testing

English I

Ms.Shires

Pre

If you are unsure of an answer, flag it (mark to review), and move on;
something may come to you as you continue the test. DO NOT FORGET
to go back and answer it before you turn in your test.

ESSAY:
Your ESSAY is a longer OER.

STAAR Expository : 1750 character with spaces count

HINTS: Respond to the prompt!! (Off topic scores a 0)
Remember to write in 3rd person (refer to someone else in your
examples!)- NO I, ME, MY (a narrative scores a 1). If you absolutely
have to use I remember that you are taking a risk. Do NOT make it
narrative!
Use specific word choice and replace repeated words with synonyms
Use detailed/descriptive examples to support your thesis (Show me,
dont tell me!)
Conclude by flipping your thesis - NEVER write, In
conclusion!! Dont restate your thesis. Do not end your essay with a
fact or question. You can leave the reader with a thought.
Remember NOT to write a 5 paragraph essay, stick to 4.
Make sure you have a HOOK, a strong THESIS STATEMENT (what
your essay will address, but do not write In this essay I will..),
You need 2 STRONG EXAMPLES (EVIDENCE) 2 body paragraphsTO PROVE YOUR THESIS, fully explained and detailed. Make sure
that you have a good transition sentence from body paragraph 1 to
body paragraph 2 (usually at the beginning of para 2). Your first body
paragraph needs to have a connection to your second body paragraph.
You also need a CONCLUSION PARAGRAPH. Remember NOT to
repeat your thesis verbatim in your conclusion. Do not identify it as
the conclusion.

Youve

Reminders for Benchmark and STAAR Testing

English I

Ms.Shires

Pre

got this!!!