DBQ's

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DBQ's
By Suzie

Jess,
Thanks for taking the time to ask. I am a teacher in New York State and we are preparing for a new social studies test. It requires our fifth grade students to answer what is called a Document Based Question
(DBQ). The students read up to five different documents and then answer an essay type question. They are required to answer the question using as much information from the documents as possible. The documents range from a historical picture to a newspaper article. Each document is supposed to have short response questions after it that help the students develop their answer to the

essay. (scaffolding). If any other NY teachers can add something to my explanation - please do.
A CRQ is really a series of three short response questions. The students are asked to look at a document and respond. The first question is called a "here" question. The answer is clearly in the document. The next question is "hidden". It requires the student to infer - basing their answer on the information in the document. The last question is a "head" question which requires the student to pull from their background knowledge.
I am a fourth grade teacher but feel very nervous about this test because it is given in the fall of fifth grade. 30% of the test pertains to third grade with 70% pertaining to fourth. No stress!
I hope I explained it so you can understand. Thanks for your inquisitiveness.