Test Taking Strategies
What should you do before answering ANY questions?
Possible responses:
READ the text!
Read the directions
Possible answers:
charge iPads
get a good night's sleep
talk through the nerves with a trusted friend/adult
What is theme?
***Bonus 100 pts if you can give an example of one!
Theme= the message or the lesson in a text- can be applied to almost anyone's life
What are some text features that can help you figure out what an article is about?
Titles, images, captions, subheadings, etc.
True or false: answers that need to be typed don't need text evidence.
BIG FAT FALSE- even if they don't specifically ask, supporting with text evidence is a must!
What should you do if you are "stuck?"
Possible Responses:
slash the trash
try your best guess
bookmark and come back (unavailable on MCAP!)
Who can you ask for help during MCAP?
No one! This is to show what you have learned this year. As much as your teachers want to help, we can't. You've got this!
What is a metaphor?
***BONUS 100 pts. if you give an example!
example: His smile was sunshine on a dark day.
What is the difference between main idea and central idea of a text?
nothing! These terms are used interchangeably and mean EXACTLY the same thing.
What type of text evidence would you use to support this claim?
*The main character in "Middle School Life" feels that 6th grade is fun.
-Evidence that shows the character is having fun
-Evidence that explains the character's attitude about enjoying 6th grade
-Example from the text of the character having a good time, etc.
What can you do with your body to help you stay physically focused?
Sit up straight in your seat
feet on the floor
try not to fidget around
avoid daydreaming/looking around the room (it won't help on this test)
Zeke is stuck on a tough question. He has re-read the section the question refers to and he has "slashed" the trash. What should his next move be?
Select one and move on- do not "eat up" all of your time on ONE question. It is okay to stop and think, but your time will keep running.
What can you infer about the coach?
"After the game, the coach didn't say anything to the team. He packed up the equipment silently and left without making eye contact."
How would you find the main idea of a text? Be specific!
-summarize what the whole text was about
-look for clues in the FIRST sentences of each paragraph
-look for repeated words/phrases/ideas
-ask: WHY did the author write this?
What is the best way to include specific evidence in your short answer response?
Use quotations and exact words from the text
When you see a word and you are unsure of what it means, what should you do?
Possible answers:
re-read
look for context clues
What can you do if you start feeling anxious or unsure of what to do next?
Take a breath, take a short brain break (30 seconds), re-read the directions
Try anything but DON'T GIVE UP!
How is the speaker in the poem feeling?
I carried the weight of a thousand thoughts,
Each one a stone in my pack.
I smiled at the world and kept moving on,
But my back was beginning to crack.
possible answers:
the speaker is struggling with her feelings, the speaker is struggling emotionally, the speaker is going through something she doesn't want to talk with others about, she is hiding her feelings
There are many ways an informational text can be organized. Give an example of informational text structure AND tell me what its purpose is.
(hint: think of the cut and paste activity we did in class!)
possible answers:
*chronological/sequential- tells the order things happened/will happen
*cause and effect- tells what happened as a result of something else happening
*compare and contrast- tells how two or more things are similar and/or different
*problem and solution- author points out an issue, but also a possible way to solve the problem
*description- the author give lots of details about a specific person, place, thing, or idea
Which answer shows a complete and strong short-answer response?
A. “Because that’s what I think.”
B. “She changed a lot.”
C. “The character changed from shy to confident. At first, she wouldn’t talk to anyone, but later she gave a speech to the class.”
D. “The story was kind of cool.”
C- do not include opinions or over-general responses like B- be specific!
True or false: You can take as much time as you need for MCAP testing.
FALSE- these are timed exams (state requirement)
Give an example of "positive self talk" for taking this test.
-"I can do this!"
-"I've worked hard for this all year."
-"Progress over perfection."
-"Keep going."
What should you pay attention to when determining how a character has changed overtime?
How the character thinks, acts, feels, etc. from one point of the story to the end
What is the main idea of the passage?
"
Lighthouses have been used for hundreds of years to help sailors find their way. Each lighthouse has a unique light pattern or color, so sailors can tell them apart. Modern technology like GPS is now more common, but lighthouses still serve as important backups, especially in bad weather or remote areas."
possible answer: lighthouses help guide sailors and are still used today
Jamal slammed his locker shut and walked quickly down the hallway, his fists clenched and his face red. He didn’t say a word to anyone and avoided looking at his friends as they called out to him.
Write a short answer response to how Jamal is feeling. (Be sure to support your answer with text evidence!)
Possible response: Based on the text, Jamal is feeling angry and upset about something. I know Jamal is feeling this way because his fists were clenched and he ignored his friends. This evidence tells me Jamal was very upset.