ACT Prep & College Essay Writing Class Notes -- Week 13 (April 29)

Greetings!

We had a good class today.  We've gotten to the end of our chapters on the various aspects of the English, Math, Reading, Science, and Writing tests.  

As we near the end of the semester, many of the approaches, and steps, and strategies that we cover are repeats of those from other tests.  For all of the tests, we use the answer choices themselves to answer the question.  We rely heavily on process of elimination and our personal order of difficulty.  

The last test, with the exception of the essay portion, is the Science Test.  It's a 35 minute test with 45 questions.  There are three sections of this test:  Charts & Graphs, Experiments, and Fighting Scientists.  This week we worked through Chapter 22:  The Basic Approach to learn 3 steps for working through the Charts & Graphs section.

• Step 1:  Work the Figures (charts, tables, graphs)
• Step 2:  Work the Answers
• Step 3:  Work the Questions

Today we walked through the last section of the Science test, "the Fighting Scientists."  The Science test has one section in which the perspectives of 2 or more scientists are presented, and students will answer questions about each of the perspectives and will compare and contrast the perspectives.  Here are the steps for the Fighting Scientists passages:

• Step 1:  Preview & map the questions
• Step 2:  Do one step at a time
• Step 3:  Do the other side
• Step 4:  Compare & Contrast

For our final 2 weeks of class, we'll take time in class doing practice tests.  For next week, May 6, Students should come to class ready to take a test from their books, and I suggested that they choose the test that they think they will have the hardest time taking.  For May 13, I suggest they come prepared to take a test that will be the easiest for them to take.  

We did not talk about the College Application essays. Next week we will do some peer reviews of our essays.  (Note:  Note everyone has both essays in, so that would should get done.)

Assignments for Next Week

-- Read Chapter 23 -- Fighting Scientists

-- Fighting Scientists Drills 1, 2, and 3

     -- Note:  Drill 1 was done in class

-- Finish College Application #1 and College Application #2

We're nearing the end of the school year, so I hope you can all find the energy to stay engaged in school until we're done.

Blessings,

Mrs. Prichard

Tamera M. Prichard

Writing Instructor at CHAT

Writing 1, Writing 2, Writing 3

ACT Prep, British Literature