RESEARCH V

MONARCH HIGH SCHOOL

TERM ONE - PERIOD FOUR

Educator:  Mrs. Beahan                   Planning Hours:  9:15 to 11:00

Phone:  754-322-1400, x3142       www.monarchknights.com

Email:  Barbara.beahan@browardschools.com

Textbooks

SAT Advantage

ACT Advantage

Required Materials

• Folder with pockets for notes and handouts
• Two blue or black pens (every day!)
• Lined paper
• Planning Agenda
• Dictionary and thesaurus to use at home
  • Appropriate books and materials must be with you every day
  • Failure to be prepared for class will result in a detention.
• Cube-size Kleenex

Classroom Procedures

• You will be marked "Tardy" if you are not in your seat when the late bell rings.  All tardy students will be issued a detention.
• Detentions are to be served the day following the infractdion.  Failure to do so will result in a referral for possible suspension.
• Lessons will begin promptly each day.  You are expected to be in your seat and ready to learn when the bell rings.
• Take your assigned seat each day.  Roll will be taken by recording vacant seats.  Students who are not in their appropriate seats will be marked "absent."
• The class period is ninety minutes long.  Teaching and learning will continue for that entire period.  You will be dismissed by the teacher when the bell rings.  You are expected to maintain the decorum of a student during the entire period.  Inappropriate classroom behavior will not be tolerated, as it is disruptive to the learning of others.
• Avoid chewing gyum or eating candy, combing your hair, applying make-up, reading or writing for another class, and littering.  These infractions require a detention.
• Restrooms should be used before class.  Please do not ask to leave during the class period.
• You may never leave the room w/o a pass, which will be granted only in emergency situations.

Attendance

• Students are expected to come to class every day - on time.
• If you must be absent, make sure this is excused immediately.
• It is the responsibility of the student to obtain assignments missed due to absence. Check website for information.
• All work not made up within two days of return will receive a zero.

Course Philosophy

The purpose of this course is not to replace traditional classroom instruction, but rather, to develop test-taking strategies which build on the core reading and writing skills that are taught daily.  This course familiarizes students with the SAT/ACT Critical Reading and Writing sections and shows them strategies they can use to maximize their scores.  Students will learn systematic methods and alternative approaches that complement their traditional instruction.  In essence, the strategies presented in this course are the bridge betwen the standard curriculum and the SAT/ACT.

It is expected that students will

•  Know the content of the tests
  • Understanding the content that appears on the test is essential.  Critical Reading and Writing sections of the SAT/ACT test a variety of skills, all within the conttext of reading and writing. Without a doubt, the better the students can perform in these content areas, the higher their scores will be on the SAT.
• Know the test
  • Familiarity with the test format leads to confidence on test day.  When students understand the format and structure of the test, they know what to expect and can concentrate on demonstrating their skills.
• Know the Strategies
  • To maximize their scores on the SAT/ACT, students need to have flexible and systematic strategies.  Step-by-step methods will show students how to approach each qauestions type in an efficient, focused manner. Alternative strategies show students how to usse everything they know to do their best - even on questions where they are stumped.

Students will

• increase effec tive use of vocabulary in reading and writing
• develop more fully their writing skills
• participate fully in class work and homework assignments

Strategy Instruction

• Step-by-step strategies
• Exercisses
• Sidebar:  hints and tips
• Guided and independent practice

Test Practice

• Apply strategies to questions under test-like conditions
• Review questions and answers
  • Note:  Emphasis on the "why" of each answer

Sample Tests

• These offer an opportunity to practice strategies in a simulated test situation

Evaluation

       Criteria for grades is as follows:

                  Tests                30%

                  Writing             30%

                  Quizzes            20%

                  Class Work       10%

                  Home Work      10%

     Academic dishonesty of any kind will result in a grade of zero.

Assignments

A detailed outline of daily lessons is included below.  Be sure to access this info if you are absent.

Much of your success in this course will depend on development of strong reading habits.  You will be given the opportunity to choose a novel and then follow guidelines for specific study of this novel.

You will be given detailed directions with specific dates for completion of your Novel Explication.

DAILY LESSON PLANS

Note:  All students are expected to

-         select a novel for their reading pleasure by the eighth day of the course.

o       1st quarter:  Wednesday, August 29

o       2nd quarter:  Thursday, November 8

o       3rd Quarter:  Friday, February 1

o       4th Quarter:  Wednesday, April 16

Day 1     Introduction

                        Syllabus

                        Get Acquainted

                        College Goals

Day 2    Welcome:  p. 4-5

              Registration

              Unit I:  Critical Reading and Writing Sections - p. 6-14

              ReKap – Unit I -  p. 15

Day 3    Vocabulary:  Lesson One

              Unit II: Sentence Completion - p. 20-28

Day 4   Guided Practice for Sentence Completion - p. 29-31

              ReKap -  Unit II - p. 32

              Sentence Completion Practice Exercises

Day 5     Vocabulary Quiz:   Lesson One

              Unit III:  Reading Comprehension I – p. 36-41

Day 6     Guided Practice – p. 42-46

              ReKap –  Unit III - p. 47

              Reading Comprehension Practice Exercises

Day 7    Practice Test

              Sentence Completion (25 minutes)

              Reading Comprehension (25 minutes)

                        Review of each of these

Day 8    Vocabulary Units Two and Three

              Novel Choices Approved

              Reading Day

Day 9     Unit 4:  Reading Comprehension II – p. 52-58

Day 10  Vocabulary Quiz – Units Two and Three

              Guided Practice – p. 59-63

              Critical Reading Practice Exercises

              ReKap Unit 4 – p. 64

Day 11  Unit V:  Finding and Correcting Errors – p. 68-74

Day 12   Vocabulary:  Unit Four

               Journal #1 due

   Reading Log Due

Day 13   Guided Practice – p. 75-79

               ReKap – Unit V -  p. 80

Day 14  Unit 6:  Writing the Essay – p. 84-90

              Vocabulary Quiz Four

Day 15   Guided Practice – p. 91-95

               ReKap – Unit VI - p. 96

Day 16   Critical Reading Test Practice (25 minutes) – p. 99-104

                        Review answers

Day 17   Vocabulary:  Unit Five

               Journal #1 due

   Reading Log Due                  

                        Reading day

Day 18   Vocab Quiz: Unit Five

Writing Test Practice, Part A (25 minutes) – p. 105-108

                                                Review Part A

                        Practice, Part B (35 minutes) – p. 109-117

Day 19   Review Writing Test, Practice B

              Score Writing Test

Note:  This completes the SAT Advantage.  We will switch now to ACT Advantage.

Day 20   Unit I:  English Practice Test One A – p 7-18 (45 minutes)

               Review Test SA

Day 21   Journal #2 due

              Progress Assignment #1 due

  Reading Log Due

              Vocabulary: Unit Six

Day 22   Reading Practice Test One B – p. 29-31 (35 minutes)

               Review Test B

               ReKap p. 33

Day 23    Vocabulary Quiz:  Unit Six

               Essay Practice (25 minutes)

   Writing the College Application Essay

Day 24   Landscape of the Test

                        Strategy Instruction – p. 34-35

                        Reading Test Practice (9 minutes) – p. 41-43

                        Continue w/ Reading Test (9 minutes) - p. 44-45 

                                    Review

Day 25   Unit II:  Reading I

               Lesson A

                        Strategy Instruction – p. 52-55

                        Guided Practice – p. 56-63

                        Review Answers

Day 26    Journal #2 due

               Reading Log Due

               Vocabulary Unit Seven

               Reading Day

Day 27    Lesson B

                        Examining Question Stems – p. 67-71

                        Guided Practice – p. 72-75

                        Shared Practice – p. 76-80

                        Review Answers

                        ReKap – Unit II -  p. 83

Day 28   Vocabulary Quiz Seven

               Essay Practice (25 minutes)

               Writing the College Application Essay

Day 29   Lesson C

                        Answering the Questions – p. 83-87

                        Test Practice

                                    Reading Test (18 minutes) – p. 92

                                                Review

                                    ReKap –  Unit II - p. 97

Day 30   Unit III:  Reading II

               Lesson A – Detail Questions

                        Strategy Instruction – p. 102-105

                        Guided Practice – p. 106-109

                        Shared Practice – p. 110-113

                                                Review

Day 31   Journal #3 due

  Reading Log Due

              Progress Assignment #2 due

              Vocab Unit Eight

              Reading Day

Day 32   Lesson B:  Function Questions

                        Strategy Instruction – p. 118-121

                        Guided Practice – p. 122-125

                        Shared Practice – p. 126-130

                                    Review Answer

Day 33   Vocabulary Unit Eight Quiz

               Essay Practice ( 25 minutes)

               Writing the College Application Essay

Day 34   Lesson C:  Vocabulary in Context Questions – p. 133-137

                        Test Practice Unit 3

                                    Reading Test (18 minutes)

                                                Review Answers

Day 35   Unit IV:  Reading III

              Lesson A: Narrow-Inference Questions

                        Strategy Instruction – p. 152-155

                        Guided Practice – p. 156-159

                        Shared Practice – p. 160-165

                                    Review Answers

Day 36   Creative Assignment Due

              Reading Log due

               Vocabulary:  Unit  Nine

               Reading Day

Day 37   Lesson B:  Broad Inference Questions

                        Strategy Instruction – p. 168-171

                        Guided Practice – p. 172-175

                        Shared Practice – p. 176-183

                                    Review Answers

Day 38   Lesson C:  Writier’s View Questions

                        Strategy Instruction – p. 184-187

                        Test Practice – p. 192-197

                                    Review Answers

              Vocabulary Quiz Nine

Day 3      Practice Test – Sections 1 and 3

Day 40  Practice Test - Section 5

                                    Review Student Answers

Day 41   PSAT Given

              Vocabulary Ten

              Final Project Due

  Final Reading Log Due

Day 42   Unit V

               Lesson A:  Three Steps to English Success

                        Strategy Instruction – p. 202-205

                        Guided Practice – p. 207-209

                        Shared Practice – p. 210-214

                                    Review Answers

Day 43   Lesson B:  Grammar Questions

                        Strategy Instruction – p. 218-221

                        Guided Practice – p. 222-225

                        Shared Practice – p. 226-230

                                    Review Answers

Vocabulary Quiz Ten

Day 44   Lesson C:  Style Questions

                        Strategy Instruction- p. 234-235

                        Test Practice

                                    English Test (18 minutes)

                                                Review Answers

Day 45   Unit VI

               Lesson A:  Sentence-Sense Questions

                        Strategy Instruction – p. 250-253

               Lesson B:  Punctuation Questions

                        Strategy Instruction – p. 266-269

               Lesson C:  Writing Strategy and Organization Questions p  282-285

                        Test Practice (18 minutes)

                                    Review Student Answers

Day 46   Examination Day

                        English Practice Test 2 – p. 305 -317

                        Reading Practice Test 2 – p. 326-333

                        Vocabulary Unit 1-10

               Novel Explication Assignments

                                    Five Weekly Journals

                                    Daily Logs, submitted weekly

                                    Two Progress Assignments

                                    One Creative Assignment                     

                                    One Final Assignment

All of these are based on a novel of the student’s choosing, pending teacher approval.