SCIENCE – Part 1 Dissecting the ACT

Vocabulary Words Tome Toothsome Noun One of the books in a work of several volumes. Toothsome Adjective Pleasing to the taste.

Sentence Examples Tome Toothsome Eclipse is just one of the tomes in the Twilight series. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the seventh and final tome in Harry Potter. Toothsome Chocolate is always a toothsome treat! I sometimes crave milk and cookies as a toothsome midnight snack.

Agenda Vocabulary– (7 minutes) Discuss the basics of Science – (35 minutes) Practice the scientific method and analyzing science questions - (20 minutes)

Breaking Down Science SCIENCE TEST Time allowed 35 minutes Number of passages 7 Data Representation 3 Research Summary 3 Conflicting Viewpoints 1 Number of questions 40 Data Representation 15 Research Summary 18 Conflicting Viewpoints 7 Scoring 1-36

Breaking Down – SmartPoints Point Value Science 12 Figure Interpretation 11 Pattern Analysis 7 Scientific Method 6 Scientific Reasoning 36 Total 1 Writer’s View

What is on the Science Test? 3 Data Representation passages, each with 5 questions (data) 3 Research Summary passages, each with 6 questions (several experiments) 1 Conflict Viewpoints passage, with 7 questions (two or more with differing passages)

What type of questions will their be on the Science test? Figure Interpretation Find information Pattern Analysis Find trends Scientific Method Plan experiments Scientific Reasoning Make conclusions

What is on the Science Test? You will read 7 Passages about… Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Space Sciences, and Physics Each passage with contain 5-7 questions.

What does the Science exam determine? This portion of the ACT tests how well you can: Understand a description of an experiment Interpret graphs, charts, and other diagrams Apply the scientific method

What does the Science exam NOT test?! The Science exam does NOT test your knowledge of: Biology facts Chemistry facts Physics facts Any other branch of science

Data in ACT Science takes many forms… Diagrams One conflicting viewpoints passage Table Graphs

How to succeed on Date Representation and Research Summary passages: Read the passage taking BRIEF notes as you go. Examine each figure, marking key information Attack the questions, identifying where in the passage you’ll find the answer.

The Scientific Method For the ACT, you can think of the scientific method as having three parts: The Purpose The Method The Results

The Purpose The purpose of an experiment is “the big idea” What are researchers testing? What are they trying to find out? - Applies to Scientific Method & Scientific Reasoning Questions

“how the researchers set up the experiment” The Method The method is “how the researchers set up the experiment” What have they kept constant? What have they changed? -Applies to Scientific Method questions

“what the researchers find out” The Result The results are “what the researchers find out” They are usually presented in the form of a graph or chart. -Applies to Figure Interpretation & Pattern Analysis questions

Practice: Read the passage for experiment 1and fill in the questions below on a scrap sheet of paper: Purpose: Method: Results:

Practice Read the passage for experiment 2 and fill in the questions below: Purpose: Method: Results:

By identifying the elements of the scientific method during practice, you will train yourself to identify them automatically on test day!