SAT Preparation Writing Section: The Essay

Today’s Agenda minutes: Review SAT essay scoring rubric, strategies, and sample essays minutes: Review SAT essay scoring rubric, strategies, and sample essays. 25 minutes: Write the essay. 25 minutes: Write the essay minutes: Swap essay with a partner and score them according to the rubric minutes: Swap essay with a partner and score them according to the rubric.

Why do we have to write an essay? According to the official website of the people that make the SAT, the essay measures your ability to: According to the official website of the people that make the SAT, the essay measures your ability to: –Develop a point of view on an issue presented in an excerpt –Support your point of view using reasoning and examples from your reading, studies, experience, or observations –Follow the conventions of standard written English

How is the essay scored? The essay will be scored by trained high school and college teachers. The essay will be scored by trained high school and college teachers. Two teachers will read and score your essay. Two teachers will read and score your essay. The highest score each teacher can give you is a 6, so the top combined score you can receive is a 12. The highest score each teacher can give you is a 6, so the top combined score you can receive is a 12.

What do I have to do to get a 6? According to an essay that scores a 6 demonstrates clear and consistent mastery, although it may have a few minor errors. According to an essay that scores a 6 demonstrates clear and consistent mastery, although it may have a few minor errors.

A typical “6” essay A typical “6” essay… A typical “6” essay… –Effectively and insightfully develops a point of view on the issue and demonstrates outstanding critical thinking, using clearly appropriate examples, reasons, and other evidence to support its position –Is well organized and clearly focused, demonstrating clear coherence and smooth progression of ideas –Exhibits skillful use of language, using a varied, accurate, and apt vocabulary –Demonstrates meaningful variety in sentence structure –Is free of most errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics

Time Management Here is how I would budget my time while writing the essay: Here is how I would budget my time while writing the essay: –3-5 minutes: Brainstorm as many examples as you can from your reading, studies, experience, or observations. Then pick the example you think would make the best essay. –15-20 minutes: Write the essay. Shoot for at least 3 solid paragraphs. –2-5 minutes: Reread the essay; clean up errors.

Tips from the College Board According to these are things you can do to boost your SAT essay score: According to these are things you can do to boost your SAT essay score: –Read the entire assignment. –Don’t oversimplify. –There’s nothing wrong with “I.”

A Sample Essay Prompt Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below. Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below. Many persons believe that to move up the ladder of success and achievement, they must forget the past, repress it, and relinquish it. But others have just the opposite view. They see old memories as a chance to reckon with the past and integrate past and present. Many persons believe that to move up the ladder of success and achievement, they must forget the past, repress it, and relinquish it. But others have just the opposite view. They see old memories as a chance to reckon with the past and integrate past and present. —Adapted from Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, I've Known Rivers: Lives of Loss and Liberation —Adapted from Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, I've Known Rivers: Lives of Loss and Liberation

A Sample Essay Prompt Assignment: Do memories hinder or help people in their effort to learn from the past and succeed in the present? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations. Assignment: Do memories hinder or help people in their effort to learn from the past and succeed in the present? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

Student Work Let’s check out a few actual student essays which earned scores of a 6. Let’s check out a few actual student essays which earned scores of a 6. Let’s discuss what in particular made these solid essays, and consider how we could apply this to our own writing. Let’s discuss what in particular made these solid essays, and consider how we could apply this to our own writing.

The Essay Now it is time to write your own version of this essay. Now it is time to write your own version of this essay. You have 25 minutes. You have 25 minutes. Shoot for a 6! Shoot for a 6!

Scoring Now, exchange essays with a partner, and give his/her essay a score on the 6 point scale. Now, exchange essays with a partner, and give his/her essay a score on the 6 point scale. Give them feedback in the praise- suggestion-praise format. Give them feedback in the praise- suggestion-praise format.

Tonight’s Homework Take 25 minutes and use today’s strategies to write an essay in response to the essay topic on the board. Take 25 minutes and use today’s strategies to write an essay in response to the essay topic on the board.