Things Good Readers Do and Know
Parts of Speech
Figurative Language
Poetry
Open Response
100

What does a Good Reader do before beginning an MCAS passage?

The Title, Blurb, and preview the questions.

100
What part of speech is a person, place, idea or thing?
A noun.
100
What is a form of figurative language that compares two things and does not use the words "like" or "as" EXAMPLE: Love is a beautiful rose.
Metaphor
100
Just like prose is chunked in paragraphs, poems are chunked into these
stanzas
100
What should the first sentence (topic sentence) of your open response should do?
It should restate the question.
200

How can you take notes on MCAS while reading a passage?

Keep track of a quick summary on your paper.  Use paragraph numbers to help you keep track.

200
What describes the noun? (Example: The FUZZY, BLUE blanket was on the couch.)
adjectives
200
What is a form of figurative language that directly compares two things by using the words "like" or "as"? EXAMPLE: Her eyes sparkle like diamonds.
Similes
200

Instead of paragraph #s, what do you reference in poems with your evidence?

Line #s

200

How many claims. examples should you include in your open response?

At least three examples.

300
What story elements make up plot?
Conflict, Rising Action, Climax and Falling Action
300
What is the verb in the following sentence: The child thought about her dog all day.
thought (to think)
300
What is a form of figurative language that gives human traits to objects, animals or ideas? EXAMPLE: The rain danced on the roof all night long.
Personification
300
What is the name of the musical beat to a poem?
rhythm
300

Name a pre-writing activity that will help you organize your thoughts before you begin writing your open response.

Creating a graphic organizer, such as CER

400
Name the four reasons why an author writes something (author's purpose):
1. to entertain 2. to express feelings 3. to inform 4. to persuade
400
Use a pronoun in place of the capitalized nouns: ANGELICA and RUBEN swept the entire classroom.
They
400
What is obvious and intentional exaggeration? EXAMPLE: I am so hungry I could eat a horse.
hyperbole
400
What is the name of the poetry device which begins two or more consecutive words with the same letter and sound? EXAMPLE: Two terrible tigers tortured two tiny turtles.
alliteration
400
Restate the following MCAS open response prompt: Based on the article, describe how roller coasters have changed over time. Support your answer with important details from the article.
Roller coasters have changed over time.
500
How does a good reader double-check their MCAS test?
Good readers reread each story, reread each multiple choice and make sure they picked the best answer, and reread the open response question and their response to make sure they have done their absolute best on the entire test!!!!
500
What is the adverb in the following sentence: Jamari quickly waled home through the neighborhood.
quickly
500
What do you call a word that imitates (sounds like) the sound it represents? EXAMPLE: buzz, bang, crackle, pop
onomatopoeia
500
Matching the final sound in two or more words is called? Example: rose, hose, doze, toes
rhyme
500

It is important that your open response has a good balance of your own words and direct quotes from the text. Remember the whole point is for you to explain HOW your evidence proves your answer. What sentence starters can you use to create this balance?

In paragraph ______ it states "_____________________." This shows _________________________________.

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