ACT Prep & College Writing Class Notes -- Week 6 (Sept. 26)

Greetings!

We worked hard today and covered a lot of material.  I started with a short video about random reasons that colleges might not accept an application.  Knowing some of these dynamics can help students be proactive in avoiding the random whims related to the human element and the strategic inclinations of college development.  Some tips that we derived from this video included being memorable in a good way, expressing knowledge of and enthusiasm for the college, and finding advocates connected to the college of choice.  By the way, the videos by Brooke Hanson of SupertutorTV are really helpful, so I've included a link to her YouTube channel.

During the ACT Prep portion of today's class we continued to review for the Math portion of the test.  We reviewed basic strategies to be used for this test:  ballparking, POE (process of elimination), Plugging In, and Plugging in the Answers (PITA).  For each Math test question, students should follow the same Basic Approach:  1) Know the question; 2) Let the answers help; and 3) Break the problem into bite-sized pieces.  A challenge with a number of test questions is two-fold:  geometry questions combine algebraic reasoning, and many questions have so much information that they become word problems.

Our College Essays topic this week included an introduction to the ACT Essay Test.  This test is structured differently than the SAT, but both of the tests are designed with the types of writing required in college in mind.  Rather than analyzing and evaluating the persuasive writing of a passage, students are given a topic that elicits multiple perspectives.  They are to develop their own perspective and then compare it with 3 other perspectives.  In the course of their writing, they are to support their viewpoints with details, logical arguments, and persuasive elements.  A basic outline for this essay would look like this:

I.  Introduction -- state the idea presented in the passage and give your perspective as a thesis statement

II.  Explain your perspective and back it up with  details, logical arguments, and persuasive elements

III.  Compare your perspective with the perspective that you mostly agree with.  Unpack that perspective to explain its strengths and weaknesses.

IV.   Compare your perspective with the perspective that you kind of agree with.  Unpack that perspective to explain its strengths and weaknesses.

V.   Compare your perspective with the perspective that you mostly disagree with.  Unpack that perspective to explain its strengths and weaknesses.

VI,  Conclusion -- Summarize the main points of the body and reassert your perspective.

This type of writing can be really challenging, so lots of practice is important.  The students have a take-home ACT test for next week, and we will continue to brainstorm and talk through multiple tests.

Assignments for Next Week

-- Read through Chapter 12 - Plane Geometry

     -- Be an active reader and flag any math or strategy topics that are causing you trouble.

-- Read through the "Fun Facts" on p. 156 - 159

-- Review the formulas on p. 160 - 161

-- Complete the Geometry Drill on p. 163 and correct it.

-- Read the Summary on p. 164 - 165

-- Take the first ACT Essay Take Home Test

-- NOTE:  A couple of students mentioned that they were missing some homework.  If that is the case for any of you, please check past Class Note emails or blog entries for attachments or links.

Links for This Week

Class Notes

5 Random Reasons Why Colleges Might Reject You

Brooke Hanson & SupertutorTV

ACT Take Home Test #1

Have a great weekend!

Blessings,

Mrs. Prichard