Just Add WATER (Simple Strategy for TDA, DBQ, Constructed Response...)

Response to Reading, Text Dependent Analysis, Constructed Response, Document Based Questions...Writing about reading comes in many names. This strategy - complete with notes, notes page, explanations, a sample paragraph, and a strategy assessment chart - will provide students with a scaffold for writing quality responses.
Engaging students in the act of writing about what they read can be challenging. This sometimes occurs when students are not engaged in the reading, but it more often happens when students have something to say and no way to clearly express it.
What students really need to do is add some WATER to their writing. WATER is a simple acronym for students to remember that will assist them with writing about their reading. This easy-to-implement device serves as a reminder for students about the components needed for a solid response to literature.
The strategy works with paragraph and essay writing.