Embedded Files
Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass. - Anton Chekhov
WOW! Congratulations to my Advanced Placement Literature students!
WOW! Congratulations to my Advanced Placement Literature students!
Nearly 90 (88.5) percent passing! Most with 4's and 5's!
Nearly 90 (88.5) percent passing! Most with 4's and 5's!
- NOTE: Though scores fluctuate from year to year, the passing rate for my AP LIT courses has been as high as 95.3 percent (21-22) passing.
Also, CONGRATS to my 10th graders!
Also, CONGRATS to my 10th graders!
Dreyfoos School of the Arts 10th graders earned a 94% for their READING TEST scores! That is higher than SUNCOAST or any other school in the county!
Dreyfoos School of the Arts 10th graders earned a 94% for their READING TEST scores! That is higher than SUNCOAST or any other school in the county!
Click here for current SAT Dates and Deadlines.
Feel free to review these collected SAT "hints and tips" to help you prepare for the SAT, PSAT, etc. I hope that the readings, video, materials, and suggestions noted below prove useful for you.
Feel free to review these collected SAT "hints and tips" to help you prepare for the SAT, PSAT, etc. I hope that the readings, video, materials, and suggestions noted below prove useful for you.
Are you ready for the SAT?
Are you ready for the SAT?
*MANY assignments in this class are designed for THINK * SHARE * PAIR (collaborative) groups. So, ATTENDING CLASS is PARAMOUNT and can/will likely affect the grade! PLEASE review the "Attendance, Participation, and In-Class Assignments" and the "Classroom Expectations & Managing Personal Needs" sections noted at the bottom of the page.
Check back regularly for updates to this page.
Advanced lessons on the SAT, PSAT, etc. will be a focus of this course. The subject areas that will be covered include, but are not limited to, literature, history/social studies, the humanities, and science.
This page is to provide the "basic" key ideas, testing information and testing dates, directions for the SAT, SAT preparation suggestions and information, etc.
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Planning for college? Check out COLLEGE ADMISSIONS and CAREER PLANNING at https://www.khanacademy.org/college-careers-more/college-admissions
Paying for college? https://www.khanacademy.org/college-careers-more/personal-finance/pf-paying-for-college
Do you know
Do you know
Text Structure Questions?
Text Structure Questions?
SAMPLE QUESTION
The following text is from Maggie Pogue Johnson’s 1910 poem “Poet of Our Race.” In this poem, the speaker is addressing Paul Laurence Dunbar
Thou, with stroke of mighty pen,
Hast told of joy and mirth,
And read the hearts and souls of men
As cradled from their birth.
The language of the flowers,
Thou hast read them all,
And e’en the little brook
Responded to thy call.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
A. To praise a certain writer for being especially perceptive regarding people and nature
B.To establish that a certain writer has read extensively about a variety of topics
C. To call attention to a certain writer’s careful and elaborately detailed writing process
D. To recount fond memories of an afternoon spent in nature with a certain writer
Do you know
Do you know
Words in Context Questions?
Words in Context Questions?
SAMPLE QUESTION
Some questions will ask you to select the most logical and precise word or phrase in a given context.
In recommending Bao Phi’s collection Sông I Sing, a librarian noted that pieces by the spoken-word poet don’t lose their ______ nature when printed: the language has the same pleasant musical quality on the page as it does when performed by Phi.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A. jarring
B. scholarly
C. melodic
D. personal
Do you know
Do you know
“Part-to-Whole Relationships” Questions?
“Part-to-Whole Relationships” Questions?
SAMPLE QUESTION
The following text is from Herman Melville’s 1854 novel The Lightning-rod Man.
The stranger still stood in the exact middle of the cottage, where he had first planted himself. His singularity impelled a closer scrutiny. A lean, gloomy figure. Hair dark and lank, mattedly streaked over his brow. His sunken pitfalls of eyes were ringed by indigo halos, and played with an innocuous sort of lightning: the gleam without the bolt. The whole man was dripping. He stood in a puddle on the bare oak floor: his strange walking-stick vertically resting at his side.
Which choice best states the function of the underlined sentence in the overall structure of the text?
A. It sets up the character description presented in the sentences that follow.
B. It establishes a contrast with the description in the previous sentence.
C. It elaborates on the previous sentence’s description of the character.
D. It introduces the setting that is described in the sentences that follow.
Do you know
Do you know
Rhetorical Synthesis Questions?
Rhetorical Synthesis Questions?
SAMPLE QUESTION
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
The novel David Copperfield by Charles Dickens focuses on the adventures of its title character, David Copperfield.
David Copperfield is considered a bildungsroman.
In a bildungsroman, the main character grows, learns, and changes from experience.
The novel Tom Jones by Henry Fielding focuses on the adventures of its title character, Tom Jones.
Tom Jones is considered a picaresque novel.
In a picaresque novel, the main character has many experiences but stays fundamentally the same.
The student wants to emphasize a similarity between the two novels. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
A. David Copperfield and Tom Jones are both considered picaresque novels.
B. Both David Copperfield and Tom Jones focus on the adventures of their title characters.
C. David Copperfield was written by Charles Dickens; Tom Jones was written by Henry Fielding.
D. In David Copperfield, unlike in Tom Jones, the main character grows, learns, and changes from experience.
SAMPLE QUESTION
Text 1
What factors influence the abundance of species in a given ecological community? Some theorists have argued that historical diversity is a major driver of how diverse an ecological community eventually becomes: differences in community diversity across otherwise similar habitats, in this view, are strongly affected by the number of species living in those habitats at earlier times.
Cross-Text Questions?
Cross-Text Questions?
Text 2
In 2010, a group of researchers including biologist Carla Cáceres created artificial pools in a New York forest. They stocked some pools with a diverse mix of zooplankton species and others with a single zooplankton species and allowed the pool communities to develop naturally thereafter. Over the course of four years, Cáceres and colleagues periodically measured the species diversity of the pools, finding—contrary to their expectations—that by the end of the study there was little to no difference in the pools’ species diversity.
Consider the views of the "theorists" from one text or the “colleagues" from another text?
Test your knowledge with the SAT Suite Question of the Day at https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/practice/student-question-bank
NOTE: The secret to reading comprehension is to slow down. Take your time. Read and make notes as you go. Also, if there are questions or a prompt to answer, read them over so you know what to look for. Again, there is no substitute for annotating and note-taking as you read.
My "General" Plan for Teaching the SAT READING AND WRITING
My "General" Plan for Teaching the SAT READING AND WRITING
As noted earlier, a strong focus of the course is to assist students to best demonstrate reading and writing skills that match those needed on the SAT (and in life).
The College Board is partnering with KHAN. As such, the KHAN ACADEMY SAT COURSE will be integrated as a requirement in the 11th / Junior course(s). The KHAN ACADEMY SAT COURSE will be integrated as an extra credit option (10 points per assigned skill, if achieving MASTERY) in the 12th / Senior grade course(s).
Khan Academy’s SAT Reading and Writing course is organized into four main domains (matching the Digital SAT's structure):
Information and Ideas
Craft and Structure
Expression of Ideas
Standard English Conventions
It covers a total of 41 skills across three difficulty levels (Foundations, Medium, and Advanced).
Click here for Ehrilch's Tentative One-Year Plan for the teaching the SAT
Click here for Ehrilch's Tentative One-Year Plan for the teaching the SAT
This is the plan that I tend to follow for those in the 11th grade. Some of the following is also, often, followed for those in the 12th grade.
The single best preparation students can undertake for the digital SAT Suite Reading and Writing section is engaging in wide and/or deep reading and in writing routinely for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Wide reading involves reading a great variety of texts on differing subjects, while deep reading involves reading intensively about a single subject.
Quarter I
Quarter I
Bluebook Digital Testing application to practice for the PSAT and the SAT
https://bluebook.collegeboard.org/students
Practice Test 1 on the Bluebook™ app. This is crucial for a baseline.
Introduction to the Digital SAT
Introduction to KHAN ACADEMY
To reach the total of 41 skills, Khan Academy presents the first four domains (Information and Ideas, Craft and Structure, Expression of Ideas, and Standard English Conventions) across three distinct levels of difficulty:
Foundations: Introductory-level practice to build core concepts.
Medium: Practice that matches the typical difficulty of the SAT.
Advanced: High-level practice targeting the most difficult questions on the test.
How do you do well on the READING section of the SAT? Read!!! Improve reading speed and comprehension by reading books and articles.
Princeton Review - 11 questions
Introduction to Content Domains
Introduction to Question Types: Purpose, Dual Text, Main Idea, Claims, Parts-to-a-Whole, Structure Questions, Conclusions
Complete Khan Academy: Course challenge for SAT (generally, 30 questions • 30 - 45 minutes) / KHAN: Unit 1, Lesson 1 “About the SAT"
Discussion of ADAPTIVE TESTING used for the SAT
Introduction of the use of, but not limited to, MEMBEAN for VOCABULARY
Discuss and begin MEMBEAN (45 minutes per week; 15m X 3 sessions)
HANDOUT - 1000 SAT WORDS
Domain 1: Information and Ideas
RW Information and Ideas (Comprehension and Analysis): Foundations
For questions in the Information and Ideas content domain, students must use comprehension, analysis, and reasoning skills and knowledge as well as what’s stated and implied in texts (including in any accompanying informational graphics) to locate, interpret, evaluate, and integrate information and ideas.
Words in Context
Vocabulary
Students will be assigned a Twelve "12" Weekly Word List to memorize. Quizzes, lessons, and assignments will follow.
Skills - Command of textual evidence: FOUNDATIONS
Purpose
Main Idea
Claims
Drawing Conclusions
KHAN (FOUNDATIONS) - Command of Textual Evidence
Textual Evidence (Foundations)
Students will determine the textual evidence (e.g., a fact, detail, or example from a text) that best supports a specified claim or point.
KHAN SKILLS, under FOUNDATIONS (100 for MASTERY; 70 for PROFICIENT; 60 for ATTEMPTED or FAMILIAR; 0 for NO, PARTIAL, or INCOMPLETE ATTEMPT)
Command of Evidence (managed Chromebook): Textual Evidence Sample
Literary Textual Evidence
KHAN (FOUNDATIONS) - Command of quantitative evidence: FOUNDATIONS
Quantitative Evidence (FOUNDATIONS) vs. Qualitative
Quantitative Evidence (FOUNDATIONS) vs. Qualitative
Students will determine the quantitative evidence (i.e., data from an informational graphic) that best supports a specified claim or point.
KHAN SKILLS, under FOUNDATIONS (100 for MASTERY; 70 for PROFICIENT; 60 for ATTEMPTED or FAMILIAR; 0 for NO, PARTIAL, or INCOMPLETE ATTEMPT)
Making Inferences (FOUNDATIONS)
Students will draw reasonable inferences based on explicit and/or implicit information and ideas in a text.
KHAN SKILLS, under FOUNDATIONS (100 for MASTERY; 70 for PROFICIENT; 60 for ATTEMPTED or FAMILIAR; 0 for NO, PARTIAL, or INCOMPLETE ATTEMPT)
😃 Bridge the Gap: In "Inference" questions, the answer must be a direct logical step from the text. If you have to tell a "story" to make the answer true, it’s wrong.
Logic (Induction, Deduction, Abduction)
Rhetorical synthesis
KHAN (FOUNDATIONS) - Inferences: FOUNDATIONS
KHAN SKILLS, under FOUNDATIONS (100 for MASTERY; 70 for PROFICIENT; 60 for ATTEMPTED or FAMILIAR; 0 for NO, PARTIAL, or INCOMPLETE ATTEMPT)
KHAN (FOUNDATIONS) - Central ideas and details: FOUNDATIONS
KHAN SKILLS, under FOUNDATIONS (100 for MASTERY; 70 for PROFICIENT; 60 for ATTEMPTED or FAMILIAR; 0 for NO, PARTIAL, or INCOMPLETE ATTEMPT)
Types of Questions
Structure Questions
Dual Text Questions
Parts-to-a-whole Questions
Process of Elimination (POE)
Identifying the Central or Main Ideas and Details (Foundations)
Identifying the Central or Main Ideas and Details (Foundations)
Quickly and accurately determining the central idea, theme, or argument of a passage, as well as locating and interpreting supporting details.
Command of evidence: textual (literary) — Worked example
Command of evidence: textual (scientific) — Worked example
Central ideas and details: Main Ideas and Paragraphs
Scientific Textual Evidence
Domain 2: Craft and Structure
RW Foundations: Craft and Structure
RW Foundations: Craft and Structure
Craft and Structure (Rhetorical Analysis)
For questions in the Craft and Structure content domain, students must use comprehension, vocabulary, analysis, synthesis, and reasoning skills and knowledge to use and determine the meaning of high-utility academic words and phrases in context, evaluate texts rhetorically, and make supportable connections between multiple topically related texts.
Words in Context:
Using surrounding information to correctly determine the precise meaning of high-utility academic words and phrases as they are used in a passage.
Focus on, but not limited to, VOCABULARY
Jargon
Words in Context: Foundations
Definition: Connotation and Denotation
Domain 3: Expression of Ideas
Domain 4: Standard English Conventions
Review Unit 4: Foundations: Expressions of Ideas + Standard English Conventions
RW Foundations: Expression of Ideas
For questions in the Expression of Ideas content domain, students must use revision skills and knowledge to improve the effectiveness of written expression in accordance with specified rhetorical goals.
Transitioning Between Ideas: Foundations
Understanding the logical relationship between ideas and choosing the most appropriate transition word or phrase (e.g., however, therefore, for example).
😃 Identify the "Pivot" Word: Look for contrast transitions like however, nevertheless, or conversely. These words usually signal the author’s main point or a shift in the argument.
Rhetorical synthesis: Foundations
Students will use revision skills and knowledge to improve the effectiveness of written expression in accordance with specified rhetorical goals.
Review Unit 4: Foundations: Expressions of Ideas + Standard English Conventions
Form, Structure, and Sense (Grammar): Foundations
Students will edit text to conform to conventional usage (e.g., agreement, verb tense/aspect).
Sentence Structure:
Applying rules for standard English sentence formation, including correctly using clauses and checking for run-on sentences or sentence fragments.
Usage and Punctuation:
Mastering the correct use of commas, periods, semicolons, colons, and dashes to connect or separate clauses and ideas.
Subject-verb agreement
Pronoun-antecedent agreement
Verb forms
Subject-modifier placement
Plural and possessive nouns
Grammar practice (misc.)
Boundaries: Foundations
Students will edit text to ensure that sentences are conventionally complete.
Boundaries (sentence structure; clauses, phrases)
Focus on, but not limited to, TONE and STYLE
Standard English Conventions (Grammar and Punctuation)
For questions in the Standard English Conventions content domain, students must use editing skills and knowledge to make text conform to core conventions of Standard English sentence structure, usage, and punctuation.
😃 Grammar questions (punctuation, verb tense) are usually faster to solve.
Practice Test 2 on the Bluebook™ app.
Quarter II
Quarter II
Practice Test 3 on the Bluebook™ app.
Domain 1: Information and Ideas, PII
RW Information and Ideas (Comprehension and Analysis): Medium
For questions in the Information and Ideas content domain, students must use comprehension, analysis, and reasoning skills and knowledge as well as what’s stated and implied in texts (including in any accompanying informational graphics) to locate, interpret, evaluate, and integrate information and ideas.
Words in Context
Vocabulary
Students will be assigned a Twelve "12" Weekly Word List to memorize. Quizzes, lessons, and assignments will follow.
Skills - Command of textual evidence: MEDIUM
Purpose
Main Idea
Claims
Drawing Conclusions
KHAN (MEDIUM) - Command of Textual Evidence
KHAN SKILLS, under MEDIUM (100 for MASTERY; 70 for PROFICIENT; 60 for ATTEMPTED or FAMILIAR; 0 for NO, PARTIAL, or INCOMPLETE ATTEMPT)
KHAN (MEDIUM) - Command of Quantitative evidence: MEDIUM
KHAN SKILLS, under MEDIUM (100 for MASTERY; 70 for PROFICIENT; 60 for ATTEMPTED or FAMILIAR; 0 for NO, PARTIAL, or INCOMPLETE ATTEMPT)
KHAN (MEDIUM) - Inferences: MEDIUM
KHAN SKILLS, under MEDIUM (100 for MASTERY; 70 for PROFICIENT; 60 for ATTEMPTED or FAMILIAR; 0 for NO, PARTIAL, or INCOMPLETE ATTEMPT)
KHAN (MEDIUM) - Central ideas and details: MEDIUM
KHAN SKILLS, under MEDIUM (100 for MASTERY; 70 for PROFICIENT; 60 for ATTEMPTED or FAMILIAR; 0 for NO, PARTIAL, or INCOMPLETE ATTEMPT)
Domain 2: Craft and Structure
KHAN SKILLS, under MEDIUM (100 for MASTERY; 70 for PROFICIENT; 60 for ATTEMPTED or FAMILIAR; 0 for NO, PARTIAL, or INCOMPLETE ATTEMPT)
Domain 3: Expression of Ideas
KHAN SKILLS, under MEDIUM (100 for MASTERY; 70 for PROFICIENT; 60 for ATTEMPTED or FAMILIAR; 0 for NO, PARTIAL, or INCOMPLETE ATTEMPT)
Domain 4: Standard English Conventions
RW Medium: Information and Ideas
RW Medium: Information and Ideas
Textual Evidence: Medium
Identifying the specific textual evidence that best supports a claim or an answer to a previous question. This also involves interpreting data in accompanying tables, graphs, or charts (quantitative evidence).
Review Unit 5: Medium: Information and Ideas
RW Medium: Craft and structure
RW Medium: Craft and structure
Words in Context: Medium
Using surrounding information to correctly determine the precise meaning of high-utility academic words and phrases as they are used in a passage.
Review Unit 6: Medium: Craft and Structure
Text Structure and Purpose: Medium
Analyzing how the author organizes the text and identifying the author's primary goal, purpose, or perspective.
Cross-Text Connections: Medium
Students will draw reasonable connections between two texts on related topics.
😃When comparing two short texts, find the specific point of disagreement immediately. Usually, they agree on the "topic" but disagree on the "interpretation.
RW Medium: Expression of ideas + Standard English conventions
RW Medium: Expression of ideas + Standard English conventions
Transitions: Medium
Understanding the logical relationship between ideas and choosing the most appropriate transition word or phrase (e.g., however, therefore, for example).
😃 Identify the "Pivot" Word: Look for contrast transitions like however, nevertheless, or conversely. These words usually signal the author’s main point or a shift in the argument.
Rhetorical synthesis: Medium
Students will use revision skills and knowledge to improve the effectiveness of written expression in accordance with specified rhetorical goals.
Review Unit 7: Medium: Expression of Ideas + Standard English Conventions
Form, Structure, and Sense (Grammar): Medium
Students will edit text to conform to conventional usage (e.g., agreement, verb tense/aspect).
Sentence Structure:
Applying rules for standard English sentence formation, including correctly using clauses and checking for run-on sentences or sentence fragments.
Usage and Punctuation:
Mastering the correct use of commas, periods, semicolons, colons, and dashes to connect or separate clauses and ideas.
Boundaries: Medium
Students will edit text to ensure that sentences are conventionally complete.
Boundaries (sentence structure; clauses, phrases)
Practice Test 4 on the Bluebook™ app.
Quarter III
Quarter III
Practice Test 5 on the Bluebook™ app.
Domain 1: Information and Ideas, PIII
RW Information and Ideas (Comprehension and Analysis): Advanced
For questions in the Information and Ideas content domain, students must use comprehension, analysis, and reasoning skills and knowledge as well as what’s stated and implied in texts (including in any accompanying informational graphics) to locate, interpret, evaluate, and integrate information and ideas.
Words in Context
Vocabulary
Students will be assigned a Twelve "12" Weekly Word List to memorize. Quizzes, lessons, and assignments will follow.
Skills - Command of textual evidence: ADVANCED
Purpose
Main Idea
Claims
Drawing Conclusions
KHAN (ADVANCED) - Command of Textual Evidence
KHAN SKILLS, under ADVANCED (100 for MASTERY; 70 for PROFICIENT; 60 for ATTEMPTED or FAMILIAR; 0 for NO, PARTIAL, or INCOMPLETE ATTEMPT)
KHAN (ADVANCED) - Command of quantitative evidence: foundations
KHAN SKILLS, under ADVANCED (100 for MASTERY; 70 for PROFICIENT; 60 for ATTEMPTED or FAMILIAR; 0 for NO, PARTIAL, or INCOMPLETE ATTEMPT)
KHAN (ADVANCED) - Inferences: ADVANCED
KHAN SKILLS, under ADVANCED (100 for MASTERY; 70 for PROFICIENT; 60 for ATTEMPTED or FAMILIAR; 0 for NO, PARTIAL, or INCOMPLETE ATTEMPT)
KHAN (ADVANCED) - Central ideas and details: ADVANCED
KHAN SKILLS, under ADVANCED (100 for MASTERY; 70 for PROFICIENT; 60 for ATTEMPTED or FAMILIAR; 0 for NO, PARTIAL, or INCOMPLETE ATTEMPT)
Domain 2: Craft and Structure
KHAN SKILLS, under ADVANCED (100 for MASTERY; 70 for PROFICIENT; 60 for ATTEMPTED or FAMILIAR; 0 for NO, PARTIAL, or INCOMPLETE ATTEMPT)
Domain 3: Expression of Ideas
KHAN SKILLS, under ADVANCED (100 for MASTERY; 70 for PROFICIENT; 60 for ATTEMPTED or FAMILIAR; 0 for NO, PARTIAL, or INCOMPLETE ATTEMPT)
Domain 4: Standard English Conventions
KHAN SKILLS, under ADVANCED (100 for MASTERY; 70 for PROFICIENT; 60 for ATTEMPTED or FAMILIAR; 0 for NO, PARTIAL, or INCOMPLETE ATTEMPT)
Practice Test 6 on the Bluebook™ app.
Review Unit 8: Advanced: Information and Ideas
RW Advanced: Information and ideas
RW Advanced: Information and ideas
Textual Evidence: Advanced
Identifying the specific textual evidence that best supports a claim or an answer to a previous question. This also involves interpreting data in accompanying tables, graphs, or charts (quantitative evidence).
Quantitative Evidence: Advanced
Students will determine the quantitative evidence (i.e., data from an informational graphic) that best supports a specified claim or point.
Central Ideas and Details: Advanced
Making Inferences : Advanced
Students will draw reasonable inferences based on explicit and/or implicit information and ideas in a text.
Review Unit 9: Advanced: Craft and Structure
RW Advanced: Craft and structure
RW Advanced: Craft and structure
Words in Context: Advanced
Using surrounding information to correctly determine the precise meaning of high-utility academic words and phrases as they are used in a passage.
Text Structure and Purpose: Advanced
Analyzing how the author organizes the text and identifying the author's primary goal, purpose, or perspective.
Cross-Text Connections: Advanced
Students will draw reasonable connections between two texts on related topics.
😃When comparing two short texts, find the specific point of disagreement immediately. Usually, they agree on the "topic" but disagree on the "interpretation.
RW Advanced: Expression of Ideas
RW Advanced: Expression of Ideas
For questions in the Expression of Ideas content domain, students must use revision skills and knowledge to improve the effectiveness of written expression in accordance with specified rhetorical goals.
Transitions: Advanced
Understanding the logical relationship between ideas and choosing the most appropriate transition word or phrase (e.g., however, therefore, for example).
😃 Identify the "Pivot" Word: Look for contrast transitions like however, nevertheless, or conversely. These words usually signal the author’s main point or a shift in the argument.
Rhetorical synthesis: Transitions: Advanced
Students will use revision skills and knowledge to improve the effectiveness of written expression in accordance with specified rhetorical goals.
Review Unit 10: Advanced: Expression ond Ideas + Standard English Conventions
Review Unit 11: Grammar Practice
Form, Structure, and Sense (Grammar): Transitions: Advanced
Students will edit text to conform to conventional usage (e.g., agreement, verb tense/aspect).
Boundaries: Advanced
Students will edit text to ensure that sentences are conventionally complete.
Boundaries (sentence structure; clauses, phrases)
SAT QUESTIONS practice
RW SAT Grammar Practice
RW SAT Grammar Practice
Practice: subject-verb agreement
Practice: pronoun-antecedent agreement
Practice: plurals and possessives
Practice: verb forms
Practice: subject-modifier placement
Practice: linking clauses
Practice: supplements
Practice: punctuation
What is ADAPTIVE TESTING?
What is ADAPTIVE TESTING?
The Digital SAT uses adaptive testing, meaning the difficulty of the second module depends on your performance on the first.
Understand how this works to manage your expectations.
NOTE: Use the MARK FOR REVIEW tool to add a little flag next to questions that you might want to RETURN to on a second pass at the test.
What do SAT questions look like?
What do SAT questions look like?
In 1968, US Congressman John Conyers introduced a bill to establish a national holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The bill didn’t make it to a vote, but Conyers was determined. He teamed up with Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman to be elected to Congress, and they resubmitted the bill every session for the next fifteen years. _____ in 1983, the bill passed.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A. Instead,
B. Likewise,
C. Finally,
D. Additionally,
This is an EASY question. SAT questions are a mix of EASY, MEDIUM, and HARD questions.
NOTE: Mini- and full-length SAT exams may be provided throughout the course.
Every single reading passage question has only one, single correct answer.
So, they use LATITUDE (increasing levels of difficulty) wording like this to trick you:
The author would most likely agree with which of the following statements?
The first paragraph primarily serves to:
In line 20, '"dark'"most nearly means:
Bluebook Digital Testing?
Bluebook Digital Testing?
Download the Bluebook Digital Testing application to practice for the PSAT and the SAT.
Bluebook is an application that makes test day easier, quicker, and more secure.
Structure of the Digital SAT
Structure of the Digital SAT
(2 hours and 14 minutes)
(2 hours and 14 minutes)
Reading and Writing section - Two (2) modules, each 27 questions in 32 minutes (64 minutes total)
Questions are all MULTIPLE-CHOICE
Two questions in each module are experimental (not scored)
Math section follows after a ten (10)-minute break
Math section is two (2) modules, each 22 questions in 35 minutes (70 minutes total)
What does the SAT cover?
What does the SAT cover?
The SAT covers a variety of questions and subjects, including:
Information and ideas (est. 26% of the test)
Craft and structure (est. 28% of the test)
Expression of ideas (est. 20% of the test)
Standard English conventions (est. 26% of the test)
Questions will include, but are not limited to:
reading comprehension,
command of textual evidence,
making inferences,
grammar analysis,
literary terms and concepts,
sentence structure analysis,
fiction and nonfiction analysis,
cross text / content comparison questions (compare ideas, tone, etc. in TEXT 1 to TEXT 2),
use of transitional devices,
quantitative evaluations,
words in context / vocabulary,
purpose and text structure, etc.
Did you know that regular reading can build your comprehension and speed?
Review Greek and Latin roots to improve your vocabulary, too.
A strong VOCABULARY is important for the SAT, PSAT, etc.
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Highly recommend that you make FLASHCARDS of the VOCABULARY words often found on the exam. Such lists are online (though will also be provided in class).
Sites and software, like MEMBEAN, will also prove invaluable to you for the SAT.
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Scoring the Digital SAT?
Scoring the Digital SAT?
The Reading and Writing section is scored up to an 800.
The Math section is scored up to an 800.
The sum of the two sections can range up to a 1600.
NOTE: Some questions are WEIGHTED heavier than others. SO, your score is based not only on what you get right but also on the difficulty of the questions.
How long is the SAT? < Click the arrow at the right to find out more >
How long is the SAT? < Click the arrow at the right to find out more >
You have 64 minutes to complete the Reading and Writing section and 70 minutes to complete the Math section for a total of 2 hours and 14 minutes.
Doors, generally, open at 7:45 a.m., and testing starts between 8:15 and 8:45 a.m.
Doors close at 8 a.m., so make sure you are on time!
Most* people finish the exam by noon.
*Accommodations (I.e., extra time, etc.) can be arranged, by you, with the College Board (review their website).
Careful of answers that are
Too specific (answer focuses on a minute or small detail in the passage)
Too broad (answer focuses on a universe, rather than a… room)
Uses reversed relationships (right words but not in the right order)
You should spend no more than one minute per multiple choice question. In others words, "It should take a minute to win it."
You should spend no more than one minute per multiple choice question. In others words, "It should take a minute to win it."
Any longer would be using too much time. It would be, likely, best to skip the question and come back to the question later.
NOTE: MAKE SURE YOU COME BACK TO THE QUESTION. Mark the question. Circle the question. Fold down the page in the text booklet. Make the skipped question easy to find.
Though you do not lose ANY points for NOT answering a question, you can NOT GAIN any points if you do not, at least, try.
Even a best GUESS is better than NO answer at all.
How many sections are on the SAT?
How many sections are on the SAT?
Be aware of your time.
There are two modules for each part of the test (two for Reading and Writing, and two for Math).
You can toggle back and forth between questions within a module, but once you’ve submitted that module, you can’t go back to it.
What should you bring to the exam?
What should you bring to the exam?
Your fully charged testing device with the Bluebook™ application installed and exam setup completed.
Your up-to-date admission ticket from the Bluebook app. Bringing a printed ticket is preferred, and you can access the ticket after completing exam setup (available starting 5 days before the test).
Acceptable photo ID. This must be a physical document.
Pencils or pens for scratch work.
Your College Board username and password.
An acceptable calculator for use on the Math section.
Epinephrine auto-injectors (like EpiPens) are permitted.
Are there free resources to practice the SAT, PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, or PSAT 8/9?
Are there free resources to practice the SAT, PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, or PSAT 8/9?
Find your "free" practice resources at https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/practice and via KHAN Academy, as well as on YOUTUBE.
Study with Khan Academy®
"Read more about how to use the free lessons and quizzes on Khan Academy to review important skills and improve challenge areas."
NOTE: Mr. Ehrlich assigns the KHAN ACADEMY SAT COURSE to all of his 11th and 12th grade classes. The College Board is Partnering with KHAN.
SAT HINT
Watch for "Extreme" Language
Words like never, always, entirely, or unique are huge red flags. Avoid them.
The SAT prefers moderate, defensible claims (e.g., often, tends to, some).
Test designers often put in words that you would NOT likely recognize. People then see a word like "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" and think "I have no idea what that is. SO, must be the answer."
It is NOT likely the answer. More likely a DISTRACTION from the answer.
For the passages… try one or more of the following
Skim the passage and then read the questions
Read the questions first and then mark the passage
Read the passage in detail and then answer questions
No one method is the best. You pick the best method for you!!!
NOTE: Be careful of making careless mistakes.
What are some test-taking strategies?
What are some test-taking strategies?
I am confident that you know that their questions have multiple answer choices. Only ONE answer, though, is going to be the right answer. Your job is to figure out which one it is. Or, at the least, make the BEST guess at which one it is.
Generally, one or two of the answers are just wrong or incorrect. You should be able to get rid of those easily.
The answers that remain may SEEM to be correct, or are CLOSE to being correct; but, they are not correct. Usually, there is some clue in the answer that may reveal the answer is not AS GOOD as others.
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Have trouble figuring it out? Then, remember to look for DRAW (yes, I made this name up but it is based on real test-taking techniques).
Look for the D or distractor answers. Often the College Board likes to throw in answers that are there to throw you off. Some fancy word like "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" so you say, "That is it!" It is rarely to never it.
Look for the R or right answer. There is only ONE right answer.
Look for the A or alternate answers. There are the answers that seem right but are not.
Look for the W or wrong answers. These are answers that are just plain wrong.
Get rid of the WRONG answers. Get rid of DISTRACTOR answers. Make your best educated from what remains whenever you get stuck.
I found this website may be useful to you when considering MULTIPLE CHOICE STRATEGIES: http://www.aplithelp.com/avoiding-multiple-choice-mania/ .
In addition to classroom activities with Mr. Ehrlich, try using KHAN ACADEMY or the College Board SAT Suite to practice for the SAT, psat, etc. EXAMs:
https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/
New sites are appearing all the time. My personal favorites are literarydevices.net and americanrhetoric.com . Check them out!
Check out this site for terms and explanations of terms: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSEuljLye7NTirILYGH19NVTtQh8O1wK-
SAT STRATEGIES and HINTS
SAT STRATEGIES and HINTS
Skim the questions in the Reading and the Writing and Language Tests prior to reading each of the passages in order to get a sense of what issues will be important.
Skim the questions in the Reading and the Writing and Language Tests prior to reading each of the passages in order to get a sense of what issues will be important.
Before reading the answer choices for each multiple-choice question, try to come up with the right answer on your own. Then read the possible answers to find the one closest to your own.
Pace yourself by keeping track of the time using either a clock or a watch that’s on your desk. Each section of the test has its own time limit.
Before reading the answer choices for each multiple-choice question, try to come up with the right answer on your own. Then, read the possible answers to find the one closest to your own.
Always read all the answer choices. You don’t want a hasty decision to cause you to select the wrong answer to a question.
Don’t dwell on questions that stump you.
Remember that there is no penalty for guessing, so you should answer all questions before time is up.
Eliminating even one answer choice substantially increases your odds of choosing correctly.
You may finish some sections before time runs out. Review carefully.
You don’t want to second guess yourself and change answers just to change them.
Remember that a question you answer easily is worth as much as a question that you struggle with or take a lot of time on.
Review Mistakes: Understand why you missed questions (content gap, time, comprehension) to target your study.
Read Widely: Improve reading speed and comprehension by reading books and articles.
Get Sleep: Avoid cramming the night before; rest is crucial.
Flag difficult questions and return later.
Answer Every Question: There's no penalty for guessing, so eliminate and guess if unsure.
Keep an eye on the clock but don't panic.
Read Actively: Annotate passages, focus on question clues, and look for evidence in the text.
Read the question and, then, read the answers. Then, select the answer the matches with the question.
The DSAT is "stage-adaptive." Your performance on the first module determines if you get a harder or easier second module. You must aim for the harder second module to unlock the highest possible scores.
Don't get bogged down. If a question takes more than one minute to figure out, flag it and move on. Use the digital flagging tool to come back later.
Instead of looking for the right answer, look for three wrong ones. It is often easier to spot a "flaw" in an option than it is to confirm a "perfect" answer.
Every question carries the same weight. Don't sacrifice three easy questions because you spent five minutes fighting one hard one.
Grammar questions (punctuation, verb tense) are usually faster to solve.
On the digital interface, use the strikethrough feature to physically eliminate wrong answers. It reduces the "mental clutter" as you narrow down your choices.
Literature Context: In fiction passages, focus heavily on the character’s perspective or emotional shift. The SAT often asks how a character feels about a specific change.
Literature Context: In fiction passages, the SAT often asks how a character feels about a specific change
Paired Passages Strategy: When comparing two short texts, find the specific point of disagreement immediately. Usually, they agree on the "topic" but disagree on the "interpretation.
More SAT HINTS
More SAT HINTS
Email your SAT suggestions, lesson or skill requests, etc. to richard.ehrlich@palmbeachschools.org
Some questions will be easier.
Some questions will be harder.
Many questions will count the same either way.
Some questions will be counted heavier than others.
So, do the easy questions first. Two or three correct answers is better than than one correct answer!
Mastering Comprehension
Identify the "Pivot" Word: Look for contrast transitions like however, nevertheless, or conversely. These words usually signal the author’s main point or a shift in the argument.
The "Goldilocks" Principle: The correct answer is never too broad and never too narrow. If an answer choice mentions a detail that is true but isn't the main focus, it's a trap.
Watch for "Extreme" Language: Words like never, always, entirely, or unique are huge red flags. The SAT prefers moderate, defensible claims (e.g., often, tends to, some).
Context Over Definition: For "Words in Context" (vocabulary) questions, don't pick the word based on its dictionary definition. Pick the one that fits the specific scenario of the sentence
Logic & Inference Hacks
The "Notes-to-Goal" Strategy: For questions that provide a list of bulleted notes, ignore the notes initially. Read the goal (e.g., "The student wants to emphasize the contrast between...") and find the only answer choice that actually does that.
Bridge the Gap: In "Inference" questions, the answer must be a direct logical step from the text. If you have to tell a "story" to make the answer true, it’s wrong.
Check the Last Sentence First: For "Main Purpose" questions, the final sentence often contains the "so what?"—the author's concluding thought or the reason they wrote the piece.
Focus on Function: Don't just ask "What does this sentence say?" ask "Why did the author put it here?" (To challenge a claim? To provide an example? To introduce a new subject?).
Test-Day Tactics
Flag the Poetry: Poetry questions can be time-sinks because of the metaphorical language. If you don't "get" the poem in 30 seconds, flag it and move on to the more literal science or history passages.
Letter of the Day: If you have 30 seconds left and 3 questions remaining, don't try to solve them. Pick one letter (e.g., "B") and bubble it for all of them.
Avoid "No Change" Overuse: In grammar sections, "No Change" (or the original version) is correct only about 20–25% of the time. If you’ve picked it four times in a row, re-check your work.
The "Plugin" Check: For grammar and vocabulary, always read the full sentence with your chosen answer plugged in to ensure it flows logically and grammatically.
Monitor the Timer: In the DSAT, you have roughly 71 seconds per question. If you see you've spent 2 minutes on one short text, you are "borrowing" time from easier questions later.
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