Grade 9 Cumulative Assessments Preparation and Tips

Exams Honestly folks, with a little preparation they really won’t be that hard… honestly!!

General Preparation - Review all notes - Re-read chapters - Pay attention to review week - Get a good night sleep - Eat a good breakfast - Read over all questions before beginning - Watch / Plan your time - Review all answers before passing in work

Tips: Read over the entire exam at the beginning. Decide where YOU will begin. Watch your time! Use resources to your advantage. (Dictionary, thesaurus, cheat sheet) If you finish early, take a short break, then check over your work one final time. Place your exam face down, place your atlas on top of it, and relax (read, head down, etc.). You cannot disturb others!

English You’ll be reading / viewing and writing / representing. Focal points to consider when preparing for exam include... 5-paragraph essay writing (structure, transitions) Response Writing (3 R Method) (so many different ways!) Short story analysis Character Study Article Analysis (details in your answer!) Traits of ‘quality’ Writing (The Six Traits) The Writing Process Elements of Fiction (plot, setting, theme, etc.) Graphic Representations Independent Reading, Reading Assignments, and Novel Studies Oral Speaking / Presentation Skills Spot /Quick Writes Review ‘Skills’ scribbler – Common Literary Devices, transitional devices, etc.

Social Studies Units of study included: - Physical Setting (40/147) Text Chapters = 1, 2 Themes of Geography Absolute / Relative location Mapping - Atlantic Canada Place Names Physical Landforms - Economics (28/147) Text Chapters = 10, 11, Define Economics Define terms... opportunity cost, scarcity, substitution effect, hidden market, etc. Entrepreneur Fair/ Characteristics of entrepreneurs Sectors of our Economy - Culture (13/147) Text Chapters = 5, 6, 8 Define Culture Elements / Features of Culture 9 Universals of Culture Agents of Socialization Why do we work?

Social Studies - Technology (22/147) Text Chapters = 13, 14, 15 Define Technology Timeline of Technology Revolutions of Technology Effect of technology on resource industries of Atlantic Canada - Interdependence (35/147) Text Chapters = 17, 18 Define Interdependence Concept of globalization and global citizen U.N. Agencies and NGO’s 6 themes of Interdependence Concept of Sustainabilty Current Events / Why is it News? World mindedness - ‘Making a difference’ Recall the current events/ global problems/issues, videos (The Story of Stuff, An Inconvenient Truth), Earth clocks, worldmapper.org, discussions, articles etc.

Timeline  Monday, May 13, Tuesday, May 14 – NGO assignment Due: PWPT – ed by Tuesday, May 21st  Monday, May 21, Tuesday, May 22 – Technology assignment Due: Format optional – Wednesday, May 29th  Monday, May 27, Tuesday, May 28 – Graphic Representation of GR 9 SST Due: completed In-class during these 2 classes * The Difference Project – Due: on or before Thursday, May 30th  Monday, June 3, Tuesday, June 4, Wed., June 5 – Review !!  Week of June 10 – 14 th – Grade Nine Trip  Week of June 17 – 21 st – Exams (English, Science, SST, Math) Approaching year-end… OMIT this task!!

* This year’s cumulative assessment (exam) is an open book assessment. You will be permitted to use any work from the term, any assignment work, and the Grade 9 Textbook. (You would be wise to look over the HMWK page for the entire year to review what we have covered.)

Exam question... Question: Relate the story of Easter Island and The Dr. Seuss story The Lorax to our Grade 9 Social Studies curriculum. (Basically, I am asking you to make connections and links from our year in SST to Easter Island (real-life context) and The Lorax (fictional context.) Tips/Approach: -RESEARCH The Lorax and Easter Island (There are lots of sites about both of these, watch movies, etc. - Use SST VOCABULARY to demonstrate understanding (Terms/concepts such as sustainability, interdependence, globalization, global issues we examined, economics, culture, technology, politics, human rights, social justice, The story of Stuff, Revolution, population, pace of change, etc…) The following question will appear on your cumulative assessment. It is a long answer question worth 20 points. You should research and prepare in advance!

Some suggested starting points… Lessons from Easter Island - The Lorax –Official Trailer - The Lorax – Audio/Read Aloud The Lorax – Text version et_group_file.phtml?gid=28479&fid= et_group_file.phtml?gid=28479&fid=869149