TAG-IT Reading Strategy

Today I am sharing a strategy for answering those open-ended Reading response question that are all the rage in the "big tests" now (Common Core, PARCC, Smarter Balanced, or TNReady as we're now calling it).  It has a simple acronym to remember: TAG-IT... this started out as just TAG as in "TAG your answer," but I realized I needed to add just a bit more scaffolding for the 4th graders, so TAG-IT was born!

Each year we create an anchor chart together. Then I take a picture, copy 4-to-a-page, and give one to each student to glue in his/her interactive notebook.

T - Turn the question into a statement (such a pet peeve when they start with It means... or She said... In fact, I forbid starting any answer with a pronoun).


A - Answer the question (simple enough)

G - Give evidence from the text (students were getting pretty skilled at citing quotes and evidence from the text, but...)

I - Include, in your own words, why that information is important (they weren't going above & beyond the text or telling WHY they chose that specific piece of information)

T - Take time to re-read your answer to make sure it makes sense (Finally, they spend so much time making sure that they have all the pieces above, that sometimes their writing doesn't flow properly.  This makes them re-read their response and add in crucial transition words, punctuation, etc...)

What do you use for teaching your students how to respond?  I love hearing new ideas!