Coming tomorrow… To the junior class of Simeon Career Academy…

The PSAE

Prairie State Academic Exam Wednesday, April 23 A full-length ACT exam English Mathematics Reading Science Writing

Prairie State Academic Exam Thursday, April 24 Illinois State Board of Education sections –ISBE Science –WorkKeys Math –WorkKeys Reading for Information

DAY 1 ~ The ACT English Mathematics Reading Comprehension Science Reasoning Writing

Overall Strategies You must must answer every question. TheThe Two-Pass System You must must go through every section twice. POEPOE You must must use Process of Elimination.

Process of Elimination (POE) Always look for WRONG answers first; they’re easier to find!Always look for WRONG answers first; they’re easier to find! Physically CROSS OFF wrong answers—you’re taking control of your test.Physically CROSS OFF wrong answers—you’re taking control of your test. When you eliminate at least two answers, you are in…When you eliminate at least two answers, you are in…

…the HAPPY PLACE!

When you’re in the Happy Place… You’ve got a 50/50 shot of getting the answer right.You’ve got a 50/50 shot of getting the answer right. You’ve increased your chances of getting a right answer by 100%.You’ve increased your chances of getting a right answer by 100%. If you get half of them correct, you’re already at your college entrance minimum of an 18 on the ACT.If you get half of them correct, you’re already at your college entrance minimum of an 18 on the ACT.

Overall Strategies Bubble in by the page, not one–by-one. Take control of your test. –Familiarity –Comfort –Confidence –Performance

Coach Chick’s 6 P’s Proper Preparation & PracticePreventsPoorPerformance!

ACT English: The Rules 1. ACT hates –ING 2. Go Short! 3. The Thumb Rule 4. Exaggerate the Pause 5. Be Active, Not Passive!

ACT English: The Rules 6. OMIT the underlined portion 7. Look Left! 8. The One-‘S’ Rule 9. STOP / GO and 1

Go Short! ACT hates wordy, superfluous language.

Go Short! Always start with the shortest answer choice. If it works, keep it. If not, move to the next shortest answer choice and so on.

Go Short! The English test is rife with redundancies, irrelevancies, and just plain stupid stuff. Eliminate it and move on!

OMIT the underlined portion OMIT is because it is correct more than 50% of the time it is an option. ♥

3 and 1: Which of these is different? A. B. C. D.

ACT Math 60 questions, 60 minutes – 1 minute per question Now, Later, Much Later What can I answer in the first 10 minutes?

ACT Math Use the TWO-PASS system --In the first 10 minutes, find 15 easy problems you know that you can do. Avoid long story problems and complicated diagrams. --On your second pass, recognize that you now have 50 minutes to handle some of the more difficult problems.

ACT Math Attack Plan Think of it this way: You are handling the math section your way, doing the problems you want to do, when you want to do them.

ACT Math Attack Plan Always answer the question that’s being asked, nothing else. Don’t rush to bubble in an answer just because one of the answers looks right. It may be a distracter. Story problems are not difficult because of mathematics, but because of the enticing wrong answers. These are distracters and are only there to confuse you.

ACT Reading Comprehension It ain’t about reading… It’s about scoring points!

ACT Reading 40 questions 35 minutes 4 passages 10 questions per passage per 8.5 minutes

ACT Reading Find your own strategy.Find your own strategy. Read only what you have to.Read only what you have to. Now, Later, LAST.Now, Later, LAST. Use POE.Use POE. Watch your time.Watch your time.

ACT SCIENCE

ACT Science The most important thing to know about the ACT Science Section:  It does not test your knowledge of science.  It tests your ability to deal with science.

ACT Science 40 questions, 35 minutes = OUCH! 3 Data Representation3 Data Representation passages 3 Research Summary3 Research Summary passages 1 Conflicting Viewpoints1 Conflicting Viewpoints passage

ACT Science Find questions that point. Spend your time interpreting charts and graphs, not reading BORING material. Paraphrase questions and use POE.

ACT Science Do not be afraid of the “scary” pictures—they are only there to frighten you into giving up!

ACT Science 3 Data Representations ~ interpret charts 3 Research Summaries understand design of experiments 3 Research Summaries ~ understand design of experiments 1 Conflicting Viewpoints resolve disputes between competing theories 1 Conflicting Viewpoints ~ resolve disputes between competing theories

Data Representation These are the “Charts and Graphs” passages. Don’t be afraid!Don’t be afraid! Do these first! They are often the easiest.Do these first! They are often the easiest.

Data Representation 3 passages, 15 questions3 passages, 15 questions Allow yourself five minutes per passage.Allow yourself five minutes per passage.

Research Summaries 3 passages, 18 questions3 passages, 18 questions Once again, you get only 5 minutes per passage.Once again, you get only 5 minutes per passage.

Conflicting Viewpoints 1 passage 7 questions Two opposing views of a scientific topic. ♀♂♀♂

ACT Science Summary Interpreting charts, graphs, and tables is key to success.Interpreting charts, graphs, and tables is key to success. NO FEAR!NO FEAR! Stay focused.Stay focused. Watch your time.Watch your time.

ACT Writing 30 minutes30 minutes 1 essay prompt1 essay prompt Requirement is to create one persuasive or expository essay in response to the promptRequirement is to create one persuasive or expository essay in response to the prompt

If you need to write a persuasive essay, pick ONE side and support it!

If you need to write an EXPOSITORY essay, keep your focus on the topic and EXPLAIN it completely!

ACT Writing Spend 5 minutes using a pre-writing strategy to organize your thoughtsSpend 5 minutes using a pre-writing strategy to organize your thoughts Begin with a strong thesisBegin with a strong thesis Use paragraphing and transitions to keep essay togetherUse paragraphing and transitions to keep essay together REMEMBER! It’s a rough draft!REMEMBER! It’s a rough draft!

Day 2 – PSAE ISBE ScienceISBE Science WorkKeys MathWorkKeys Math WorkKeys Reading for InformationWorkKeys Reading for Information

ISBE Science 45 multiple- choice questions 40 minutes 75% of the questions come from Illinois State Goal 12 Check for sample science items

Day 2 ~ WorkKeys Mathematics 33 questions33 questions 45 minutes45 minutes Five levels of difficulty—Five levels of difficulty— 3 to 7 CalculatorsCalculators Formula SheetFormula Sheet Reading for Information 33 questions33 questions 45 minutes45 minutes Five levels of difficulty—Five levels of difficulty— 3 to 7

For both WorkKeys sections… You must answer the questions in order. Each level has a hard ceiling… If you answer too many questions incorrectly for any level, you will be unable to achieve higher than that level’s score…

For both WorkKeys sections… FOR EXAMPLE: Say in LEVEL 4, you answer only 2 out of 5 questions correctly, and then answer every question correctly for LEVELS 5 through 7, your score will still be at LEVEL 4!

Throughout the entire ACT and PSAE exams Most of all, remember to…

RTFQ!

RTFQ If you fail to RTFQ carefully, you will fall for traps that ACT has set for you.

Take command of your test!!! ACT

Get to the Happy Place!

And have a sense of humor!

You can do it, Juniors!

Thank you!