Two Step Challenge

In this challenge, students analyze multi-part prompts to identify the difference between STATE tasks and EXPLAIN tasks—and determine which part of the prompt actually carries the score. Students label each task within a prompt, then identify the thinking demand that requires deeper reasoning and explanation. This activity builds students’ ability to avoid common “two-step traps,” sharpen prompt decoding skills, and focus their responses on the portion of the task that determines performance on assessments.