Questions Related to the SAQs

APUSH New Teacher Training in the Form of a Blog Post

16 min read6 days ago

SAQs, aka short-answer questions, are an important part of the annual APUSH exam. Worth 20% of the total exam score, they are designed to assess students’ ability to analyze historical sources, make connections, and demonstrate understanding concisely. This post addresses the nine questions new APUSH teachers likely have about SAQs. Here are the questions.

I hear that the SAQs are stimulus-based. What does that mean?
Where can I find a bank of high-quality stimulus-based SAQs to put before my students?
What about a bank of high-quality, non-stimulus-based SAQs? Do you know where I can get one?
What’s the best way to teach my students how to respond to the SAQs?
How can I provide constructive feedback to my students on their SAQ responses?
How do I design my own SAQs to ensure they align with the APUSH exam format and rigor?
Do you have a collection of various SAQ prompts and responses? I want to present them to my students and then have them assume the role of a College Board grader. I believe this would be an effective way to teach students how to craft strong SAQ responses.
Do you have any SAQ-related videos?
How do the teachers from various APUSH online teacher communities respond to your post?

Q1.

I hear that the SAQs are stimulus-based. What does that mean?

First, not all SAQs (short answer questions) on the APUSH exam are stimulus-based. The SAQs section typically includes a mix of stimulus-based and non-stimulus-based questions.

That said, stimulus-based SAQs require students to respond to questions prompted by a primary or secondary source, referred to as the “stimulus.”

The stimulus can take many forms, such as:

Excerpts from historical documents (e.g., speeches, letters, legislation)
Images (e.g., political cartoons, photographs, paintings)
Charts or graphs illustrating historical data
Maps depicting historical events or trends

See below for how the SAQs (stimulus-based and non-stimulus-based) looked on the 2024 exam:

SAQ #1:

“The strong nineteenth-century linkage between gender and culture, separating the lives and duties of men and women . . . threw women into the company of other women and created new bonds of sisterhood between them. . . . In terms of sisterhood, the religious movements added substantially to American women’s collective identity. . . . They offered groups of women unprecedented prestige and significance in activities that extended the . . . definitions of their sphere. . . . Numerous women [by] the 1840s . . . shared a . . . preoccupation with the needs and influence of women. . . . Increasingly aware of the importance of what they were doing, many of these women grew frustrated with limitations that seemed artificial. The experience of autonomy [within reform movements] . . . encouraged proponents of women to organize their strength and take the offensive against limiting attitudes and conditions. In so doing, they established the woman’s rights movement.”
— Source: Keith E. Melder, historian, Beginnings of Sisterhood: The American Woman’s Rights Movement, 1800–1850, published in 1977

“By 1840 . . . the [American] Revolution had substituted an egalitarian ideology for the hierarchical concepts of colonial life . . . for men, that is; women were, by tacit consensus, excluded from the new democracy. Indeed . . . women’s political status, while legally unchanged, had deteriorated relative to the advances made by men. . . . [A] result of industrialization was . . . increasing differences in lifestyles between women of different classes. . . . In the urbanized and industrialized Northeast, the life experience of middle-class women was different in almost every respect from that of the lower-class women. But there was one thing [these women] had in common — they were equally . . . isolated from the vital centers of power. . . . Propertied women felt this deprivation more keenly. . . . They were bitterly conscious of a relative lowering of status and a loss of position. This sense of frustration led them to action. [While lower-class women] . . . tended to join men in their struggle for economic advancement, . . . the concerns of middle-class women . . . [dominated] the women’s rights movement.”
— Source: Gerda Lerner, historian, “Changes in the Status of Women in the Age of Jackson,” Midcontinent American Studies Journal, 1969

Using the excerpts, respond to parts a, b, and c.

a. Briefly describe one major difference between Melder’s and Lerner’s interpretations of the origins of the women’s rights movement in the early nineteenth century.

b. Briefly explain how one historical event or development from 1800 to 1848 not directly mentioned in the excerpts could be used to support Melder’s interpretation.

c. Briefly explain how one historical event or development from 1800 to 1848 not directly mentioned in the excerpts could be used to support Lerner’s interpretation.

SAQ #2:

Source: Poster promoting Social Security, a federally funded social insurance program to reduce poverty for people over the age of sixty-five, 1936 Courtesy of Library of Congress #LC-DIG-ppmsca-07216

a. Briefly describe one historical situation in which the image was created.

b. Briefly explain how the image reflected a change in ideas about the role of government from 1877 to 1936.

c. Briefly explain how beliefs about the role of government such as the one reflected by the image continued after 1945.

SAQ #3:

a. Briefly describe one British government policy enacted in colonial North America from 1763 to 1776.

b. Briefly explain one similarity OR difference in how TWO groups in North America responded to a British policy from 1763 to 1783.

c. Briefly explain how one specific historical development contributed to the American colonists’ victory over Great Britain from 1775 to 1783.

SAQ #4:

a. Briefly describe one United States Cold War policy from 1945 to 1991.

b. Briefly explain one similarity OR difference in how TWO groups in the United States responded to a Cold War policy from 1945 to 1991.

c. Briefly explain how one specific historical development after 1980 contributed to the end of the Cold War.

Q2:

Where can I find a bank of high-quality stimulus-based SAQs to put before my students?

Here’s a list of places where you can find high-quality stimulus-based SAQs for your APUSH students:

AP Classroom: This online platform provides a vast array of SAQs meticulously tailored to the APUSH curriculum and designed to gauge student understanding throughout the course. This invaluable resource supports both practice and assessment.
College Board Released Exams: Here, you can access past exam SAQs, sample student responses, and scoring commentary.
Your APUSH Textbook Publisher’s Websites: Many APUSH textbook publisher offers a good number of practice SAQs
Various AI Platforms: AI Platforms like Class Companion and Deep Learning Labs offer a broad range of Short Answer Questions (SAQs). Class Companion’s SAQs come from three sources: those developed by the platform’s team, those submitted by teachers, and those from released exams. The SAQs at Deep Learning Lab are crafted by well-known APUSH teacher and YouTube personality Steve Heimler. Regarding access, Class Companion requires teachers to assign SAQs to students, allowing for controlled integration into the curriculum. In contrast, DeAP Learning Labs allows students to access SAQs directly, promoting independent learning. In both cases, once students submit their responses, they receive instant feedback, facilitating immediate learning and improvement.
Online Teacher Communities: Online teacher communities provide valuable platforms for educators to connect, share resources, and support each other. The College Board’s Online Teacher Community (OTC) is a resource where educators can discuss and find materials tailored to their teaching needs. Additionally, the Facebook APUSH Teacher Community, managed by APUSH teacher Aaron Weatherly, is recognized for its supportive environment. This group allows APUSH teachers to exchange ideas, discuss challenges, and access a network of peers dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of Advanced Placement U.S. History..
AP Summer Institutes: Known for providing an excellent venue for gathering a collection of sample SAQs. Also, for providing new APUSH teachers with a chance to network with other APUSH teachers. Click here for details.
Books to Buy: Here are some of the more highly recommended books that include APUSH SAQs: “5 Steps to a 5: AP U.S. History” by Daniel Murphy — This guide is well-regarded for its comprehensive content review and practice tests, including a variety of SAQs that mimic those found on the APUSH exam; “AP U.S. History Crash Course” by Larry Krieger — Ideal for last-minute studying, this book provides a concise review of essential information alongside targeted practice SAQ; “The Insider’s Complete Guide to AP US History: The Essential Content” by Larry Krieger — Known for its detailed content and helpful SAQs, this book aids students in understanding key concepts and practicing exam-style questions; “Barron’s AP United States History” by Eugene Resnick — Includes detailed content review and practice exams with SAQs that help students prepare for the different components of the APUSH exam; and “AP U.S. History Prep” by Jonathan Chu and Warren Hierl.

Q3:

What about a bank of high-quality, non-stimulus-based SAQs? Do you know where I can find one?

The only bank of high-quality, non-stimulus-based SAQs I’m aware of are the ones I produced 2–3 years ago.

These SAQs have proven exceptionally popular, as evidenced by how many times they’ve been viewed and the positive feedback I’ve received online and via email.

I haven’t completed the Periods 2 and 9 SAQs yet, but I plan to finish them this summer.

Q4:

What’s the best way to teach my students how to respond to the SAQs?

There are several strategies:

CER (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning): This strategy requires students to make a clear statement or argument (Claim), provide specific evidence to support their statement (Evidence), and explain how the evidence logically supports their claim (Reasoning).
ACE (Answer, Cite, Explain): This strategy requires students to answer the question directly, provide evidence to support their answer, and then explain how the evidence supports their answer. It’s a straightforward method that helps students structure their responses clearly and logically.
SPY (Specific, Precise, Yours): This approach involves identifying specific elements in the question, being precise in your response, and making the answer uniquely yours.
IDEA (Identify, Define, Explain, Answer): Identify: Recognize a proper noun or key term crucial for answering the question. Define: Provide a clear definition or context for the proper noun. Explain: Explain how the proper noun relates to the question. Answer: Directly answer the question based on the explanation.
PEE (Point, Evidence, Explain): This method involves making a point or claim, providing evidence to support the point, and then explaining how the evidence substantiates the point. It helps students ensure that each part of their response is well-supported.
TEA (Topic sentence, Evidence, Analyze/Answer): This strategy helps students structure their responses by beginning with a clear argument, supporting it with specific evidence, and concluding with analysis or answering the prompt.
Spill the TEA (Topic Sentence, Evidence, Analysis/Answer): This catchy mnemonic encourages students to set the curve (which means they should use the TEA strategy but write way more than is needed to earn the point).

That said, not all educators advocate for using a specific strategy. APUSH teacher Tom Richey certainly does not teach a formulaic strategy. In Tom’s words, “Yes, there needs to be a clear claim and some clear and specific evidence, but students also need to be able to answer each question as efficiently and directly as possible, and that works best if they’re not feeling locked into a particular strategy. On top of that, not all questions can be answered. This means they typically can’t apply the same formula for a ‘describe’ question versus an ‘explain’ question.”

Early in my APUSH teaching career, I taught a specific strategy for SAQs, which worked well for me and my students. However, over time, I learned that Tom was right. So today, I teach SAQs the way Tom does, encouraging students to answer each question as efficiently and directly as possible without relying on a rigid formula. As a result, I see far better outcomes.

With the above in mind, many new teachers might wonder if there are any common practices that more experienced APUSH teachers agree upon regarding SAQs. The answer is yes, with most experienced APUSH teachers tending to agree upon the below:

To earn all the SAQ points, the students need only to answer each question in 2–4 sentences. Yes, students can earn the SAQ point by writing only one sentence, but most won’t get it done that way. One-sentence responses tend to lack the needed content/clarity, with the ability to produce a content-rich single sentence that will earn the SAQ point being a skill most students typically don’t possess.
Students should label answers A, B, C, rather than writing in paragraph form. This method is not only easier for students to manage without rambling, but it also simplifies the grading of the SAQs for the classroom teacher and for the readers in May.
This is not a mini-essay. A thesis isn’t needed.
College Board wants to award the SAQ points whenever possible, so students should follow the golden rule: “When in doubt, spell it out.” In other words, if they have two sentences, go for three. Three sentences, go for four. Etc. Yet, stop, no matter what, at five sentences. To put it another way, if the student has time, add an additional sentence (aka throw words at the wall). There’s no harm in doing that. No one cares if the response is properly viewed as wordy or redundant, only if what the student writes is what is needed to clear the SAQ point-earning bar. So, any additional words increase a student’s chance of clearing that bar.
No one has yet produced a study that suggests one SAQ teaching strategy is better than another or more popular than another.

If all this leaves the classroom teacher feeling overwhelmed, the best advice is to pick one strategy—whether it’s ACE, Spill the TEA, IDEA, or another—and stick with it. You can always reassess and refine your approach during the summer when there’s less pressure.

Q5:

How can I provide constructive feedback to my students on their SAQ responses?

While this question has traditionally been answered with various feedback strategies, today, there’s a new and more efficient solution: using AI platforms like Companion and Deep Learning Labs. These tools can be particularly advantageous for teachers starting out. Here’s why:

Instant Feedback: Both Class Companion and Deep Learning provide immediate feedback to students, allowing them to understand their mistakes and learn from them immediately. This quick turnaround helps maintain student engagement and promotes continuous improvement.
Consistency: These AI platforms ensure consistent feedback across all student responses. This consistency helps new teachers maintain a standard level of evaluation, which can be challenging to achieve manually, especially when dealing with many students.
Detailed Analysis: Class Companion and Deep Learning can analyze responses in-depth, identifying specific areas where students struggle. This detailed feedback can help new teachers understand common pitfalls and address them more effectively in their teaching.
Efficiency: For new teachers, balancing lesson planning, classroom management, and grading can be overwhelming. Both Class Companion and DeAP Learning Labs can save time by handling the labor-intensive task of grading and providing feedback, allowing teachers to focus on other essential aspects of their role.
Formative Assessment: Both tools are particularly useful for formative assessment.

Q6:

How do I design my own SAQs to ensure they align with the APUSH exam format and rigor?

Designing your own Short Answer Questions to align with the APUSH exam format and rigor is daunting. I therefore suggest this is something you put off for a few years until you feel more confident in your teaching practice.

Q7:

Do you have a collection of various SAQ prompts and responses? I want to present them to my students and have them assume the role of a College Board grader. I believe this would be an effective way to teach students how to craft strong SAQ responses.

Yes, I have what you’re looking for. It’s called APUSH SAQ Point Scoring Activity #1, and it calls on the students to assume that they have been hired by the College Board to “serve as a reader” for an upcoming AP US History Exam and tasked with the following question: “Would you give the SAQ point to any of the answers appearing the read, with each of these answers seeking to respond to a different Gilded Age relating prompt?”

https://ppaccone.medium.com/an-apush-saq-point-activity-552d4cc90b78

Q8:

Do you have any SAQ-related videos?

Here are the best I could find on YouTube, some better than others.

Q9:

How do the teachers from various APUSH online teacher communities respond to your post?

See below for a range of comments on this post from the Facebook APUSH Teacher Community members and the College Board’s APUSH Online Teacher Community.

One issue with ACE that I encountered this year (my first teaching APUSH) was that students couldn’t get themselves out of the English box when they attempted to “Cite” evidence, and thus they often directly quoted the source, though I had instructed them not to do so. They just couldn’t shake the quotation marks that English teachers have (rightfully, in that setting) drilled into their heads.
think we are going back to the basic CER. Claim, Evidence, Reasoning. Answer the question, provide evidence/example and explain how your evidence/example answers the question.
I actually think I am gonna stop with ace and all that too. It’s confusing for them on Q1 and honestly I’m not sure it’s worth it. We shall see….
I am an ACE guy. Keep it robust yet pithy.
After reading SAQs this year I’m thinking about switching to something more like the Tom Richey method mentioned above.
I have them Spill the TEA. I would rather they set the curve, then depend on it. I am guessing that you are like me and students do not have another AP social studies course before mine. I know in some cases students come in with AP writing skills if they start with AP World or AP Human Geography, but that is not the case for my kids.
I like TEA better than ACE, myself. Topic, Evidence, and Analysis/Advance. Mine seem to remember this better and, Yes, the last part allows them to write another sentence or two.
I’ve taken 2 APSI’s for World and U.S. both recommended ACE to answer SAQs.
Have you tried the TEA formula, instead of the ACE formula? I find this easier to explain, because they are used to this terminology (T-Topic Sentence, E-Evidence, and A-Analysis). Heimlers has an SAQ video where he uses this formula. Maybe it will help.
As an AP Reader, we are tasked with awarding the point to the answer present in their response. We are not focused on whether they used ACE, but that they answered the question.
I use IDEA. It makes sense, it is easy to teach, and my students have caught on quickly.
I use CER: Claim Evidence Reason. 2–4 sentences. Very similar to ACE.
We tried ACE and TEA last year and the kids just didn’t get it.
Switching back to CER made their SAQs better.
I teach PEE. Make a Point(claim). Give a piece of Evidence that supports your point. Explain how the evidence proves your point.
Here’s what I tell them to do. 1. Restate and answer the question. 2. Provide evidence to support your answer. 3. Explain how your evidence answers the question. It’s a loop. Close it. The first sentence is the most important because kids miss SAQ questions because they are too busy launching into evidence and never actually answer the question. The first skill is answering the question. The rest is about providing enough info to defend it.
I teach the IDEA formula. It sets the student up for success in earning the point for SAQs. identify the proper noun (be specific). Define the proper noun. Explain how the PN connects to the task. Answer in three solid sentences.
I tell students 3 sentences for A, 3 sentences for B, and 3 sentences for C. They don’t technically need 3 for each but it’s hard for a student to write enough to earn a point in just one sentence.
I didn’t create this, and I honestly forget where I got it to give proper credit, but this is a great rubric. SFI stands for specific factual information. https://drive.google.com/.../0B0BbXYcTsFifU2FH
I’ve attended some of Tom Richey’s workshop and also two different APSI’s. Tom’s stuff is typically spot on. So taking his SAQ writing strategy advice.

Sidenote #1

This post was created with the input and assistance of a team of highly experienced and well-respected APUSH teachers who wish to remain anonymous. This is a collective effort, not the work of one individual.

Sidenote #2:

I am a San Marino High School social studies teacher with 37 years of classroom experience. Over the years, I have taught APUSH, AP Government, and AP Macroeconomics. Additionally, I run a tutoring business focusing on all of the AP social studies courses, including AP Psychology and the newest AP course, AP African American Studies.

I also serve as the Class Companion Teacher Advisor and Community Outreach Manager. This past year, I was a member of the College Board’s AI in AP Social Studies Committee. I founded and help administrate a Facebook group called “AI in AP Social Studies.” Recently, I was featured in a TIME magazine article titled The Creative Ways Teachers Are Using ChatGPT in the Classroom.

In 2015, I was honored with Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation Teacher Innovator Award, recognizing me as one of America's top twenty innovative teachers. I’ve also received several other state and regional Innovative Teacher of the Year awards, and in 2015, I received the California Council of Social Studies Teachers’ “Social Studies Teacher of the Year” Award.

On average, 10,000–15,000 teachers view my Medium posts monthly.