Fact
Sheet on DBQ’s and the NYS Social Studies Test
for 5th & 8th
Grades
Note: This test is designed to measure the students’
understanding of the content, concepts and skills covered in the K-8 social
studies. Specific strategies and test-sophistication skills will help prepare
students for this 2-day state test. This packet of information is designed to
help teachers prepare their students. We hope you may use this information in
concert with other strategies in reading and writing workshop to help support
students in getting ready for this test.
Basic
Information:
There are two booklets for this test. Each of the two sessions requires 90
minutes of testing time. IEP’s and test modifications will impact on these
testing conditions.
Booklet 1
Multiple Choice
(35 items)
Several short-answer, constructed response questions
Booklet 2
Two (2) Document-based questions
Definition
of Document-Based Questions (DBQ)
Document-based
questions are designed to enable students to work like historians, analyzing and
synthesizing information from a variety of sources and media. Students are
evaluated on their ability to interpret such factors as purpose, source, bias,
date and place of origin, tone, etc.
The
essay does not necessarily require that a student be familiar with the event or
topic that is being presented. Students must include background and supporting
evidence in writing the essay. To receive a satisfactory score in document-based
essays, students must use their own words. They must also consider the evidence
presented in more than half of the individual documents, as well as establish
the connections and relationships among them.
(Adapted
from The College Board)
Web
Resources for DBQ’s and Assessments
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/elintsocst.html
This is the NYS
Department of Education website for Social Studies assessments. Includes testing
updates, sample tests and a manual for teachers and administrators.
http://www.nycenet.edu/teachlearn/socialstudeis/index.html
This is the NYC
Department of Education website for Social Studies. Includes valuable links to
curriculum resources, standards and additional professional development.
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/pub/pubss.html
publications.
Contains new pre-K -6 guides and sample 5th grade Social Studies
test.
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/dbq/ssindex.html
Course developed
by NYS on the use of document-based questions.
http://www.kn.pcbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listdocumentspa.html
Primary source
materials and document-based questions.
http://www.gilderlehrman.org/
Offers a growing
variety of resources, mostly Primary documents and paintings that focus on
American History.
http://eagle.slte.msn.com/teacher
Site offers lesson plans on how to use editorial cartoons as a teaching tool in
Social Science and English at all levels.
http://www.oswego.org/testprep/ss5.cfm
Great resource for preparing for the 5th grade Social Studies test.
http://www.dcboces.org/teachers/grade5socstassess/dbqpage/dbqpage.html
Resources to prepare for document-based questions.