ACT SUCCESS

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EPAS OVERVIEW
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• Format of the Educational Planning Assessment
  System

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The Explore

• Purpose Help 8th graders plan for their high
  school coursework as well as career choices.
• Score Range 1 25
• Testing Window
• September 14-25

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Subject of Questions Time
English 40 30 minutes
Math 30 30 minutes
Reading 30 30 minutes
Science 28 30 minutes
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ACTs College Readiness Benchmarks
College Course or Course Area Test EXPLORE Score PLAN Score ACT Score
English Comp. English 13 15 18
Social Sciences Reading 15 17 21
Algebra Mathematics 17 19 22
Biology Science 20 21 24
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The Plan

• Purpose Helps students measure their academic
  development and make plans for remaining high
  school years and beyond.
• Score Range 1 32
• Testing Window
• September 14-25

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Subject Number of Questions Time Allowed
English  50 30 minutes
Math 40  40 minutes
Reading 25 20 minutes
Science 30 25 minutes
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ACTs College Readiness Benchmarks
College Course or Course Area Test EXPLORE Score PLAN Score ACT Score
English Comp. English 13 15 18
Social Sciences Reading 15 17 21
Algebra Mathematics 17 19 22
Biology Science 20 21 24
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The ACT

• Purpose Assess general educational development
  and their ability to successfully complete
  freshmen level college courses
• Score Range 1 - 36
• Testing Window
• March 9, 2010 - ACT AdministrationMarch 23,
  2010 - ACT Administration Make-up DayMarch 9-23,
  2010 - ACT Administration window for students
  with accommodations

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Test   of Questions Time Allowed Content
English 75 questions 45 minutes Measures standard written English and rhetorical skills.
Mathematics 60 questions 60 minutes Measures mathematical skills students have typically acquired in courses taken up to the beginning of grade 12.
Reading 40 questions 35 minutes Measures reading comprehension.
Science 40 questions 35 minutes Measures the interpretation, analysis, evaluation, reasoning, and problem-solving skills required in the natural sciences.
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ACTs College Readiness Benchmarks
College Course or Course Area Test EXPLORE Score PLAN Score ACT Score
English Comp. English 13 15 18
Social Sciences Reading 15 17 21
Algebra Mathematics 17 19 22
Biology Science 20 21 24
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Structure
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The Math Test

• There are sixty multiple choice questions in
  sixty minutes
• Its the mathematics needed for college
  mathematics courses

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Math Content
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Math Content
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What do the benchmarks mean?
www.act.org

• According to the ACT site,
• a benchmark of 22 on the mathematics
• section means a student has approximately a 50
  chance of earning a B or better and 75 chance of
• earning a C or better in an equivalent college
  course.

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ACTs College Readiness Benchmarks
College Course or Course Area Test EXPLORE Score PLAN Score ACT Score
English Comp. English 13 15 18
Social Sciences Reading 15 17 21
Algebra Mathematics 17 19 22
Biology Science 20 21 24
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StrategiesBefore that, we must say
something very important!

• There is no quick fix
• So, think crock pot, not microwave

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Pacing
Student Strategies

• Questions are arranged in order
• of difficulty

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Answer the easy questions first

• Dont forget to markin the test bookletthe
  questions you skip

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Answer ALL the Questions

• There is no penalty for guessing and no penalty
  for wrong answers! Therefore, guess when all
  else fails and guess consistently!

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Read Each Problem Carefully

• You dont necessarily have to use all the
  information you are given
• There are Cannot be determined
• from the given information
• problems

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Look for clues in the answer choices

• Sometimes just substituting answer choices will
  yield a correct answer
• This strategy is time consuming!

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• NO NEED TO SHOW ALL WORK!

Once youve determined the answer, pick iteven
if youre not finished working it all the way
through.
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• USE FIGURES WISELY!

An arc on an angle doesnt necessarily mean its
congruent to another angle with an arc.
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• NARROW YOUR ANSWERS

• Eliminate obviously wrong answers
• Or
• Eliminate any odd ball answersif three are the
  same and two different, get rid of the two

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• DRAW A PICTURE IF APPROPRIATE

• Your Method

USE WHATEVER METHOD IS FASTEST AND EASIEST FOR
YOU, EVEN IF ITS ONE YOUR TEACHER DIDNT USE
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• TWO PART QUESTIONS
• Be sure to answer both parts
• Caution
• The first answer is likely one of the wrong
  answers given

• Take Practice Tests

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• DONT FORGET
• TAKE YOUR CALCULATOR
• TAKE EXTRA BATTERIES

• Know when how to use the calculator!(Math ONLY)

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• Get a good nights sleep!

• Eat a good breakfast!

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• Take a shower the morning of the test

• Wear a watch

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• Answer 10 problems, then bubble 10. Answer 10
  more problems, then bubble 10 and so on.

• Familiarize yourself use the ACT site

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Modeling
InstructionalStrategies

• How do successful problem solvers work?

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Summative Assessment

• Use ACT items from the ACT site and The Real ACT
  Prep Guide on each unit assessment
• Label the section ACT Style Questions
• Teacher and student monitor progress on each
  question

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Integration

• Integrate more algebra in geometry
• Integrate more science examples while teaching
  probability and statistics
• Science incorporate data interpretation in all
  units

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Openers(Bell Ringers)

• In math its not about the answer to the
  question, rather the process!
• In science, its about real practice on data
  interpretation!

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Bell ringers

• Answer isnt part of discussion
• Focus is on the process only
• This isnt easy for students or teachers
• Question(s) does not always have to fit the
  content
• 10 minutes or less
• Department/school buy in
• Main strategy and used consistently

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Teachers familiarize themselves use the ACT site