NextHW

= Homework for Tuesday, July 2nd (Due Wednesday, July 3rd) = There are three parts to this assignment. There are NINE OPTIONS below; you PICK THREE depending upon what you would like to practice. Option 1: Critical Reading, pp. 549-552 Option 2: Critical Reading, pp. 576-580 Option 3: Critical Reading, pp. 587-592 Option 4: Math, pp. 609-613 Option 5: Math, pp. 650-655 Option 6: Math, pp. 667-671 Option 7: Writing Skills, pp. 553-555 AND 614-616 Option 8: Writing Skills, pp. 676-678 AND 738-740 Option 9: Writing Skills, p. 774-779 PICK THREE OF THE OPTIONS ABOVE.

WHEN YOU CHOOSE A CR OPTION: WHEN YOU CHOOSE A MATH OPTION: WHEN YOU CHOOSE A WS OPTION: For Improving Sentences items (1-11 on 25-minute sections, all 14 on 10-minute sections): For Error Identification items (12-29 on 25-minute sections): For Improving Paragraph items (30-35 on 25-minute sections):
 * For the Sentence Completion items do what you have been doing:
 * **Underline the give aways** [and circle the transitions, if you are feeling ambitious!].
 * **Write in your own words** for blanks.
 * **Cross through words** when you use Process of Elimination [usually mostly on 2-blank questions].
 * **List unfamiliar words** you want to know more about.
 * For the Passage-Based Items
 * **Index** the passage. [It is not necessary to Index the Passage on the short passages (p. 538).]
 * As you are reading, identify the 10%-15% of the passage that you think is "important." **Underline the important words** that reveal the subject matter of the passage, and **circle transitional elements**.
 * **Cross through** **the specific words or phrases that make the wrong answer choices wrong.** [These tend to be words that either contradict evidence within the passage or address ideas not mentioned in the passage.]
 * **Write your answer** to the left of the question number.
 * ** Circle ** or otherwise indicate ** items ** you know you wish ** to discuss ** in your small groups or ask about in class.
 * **List unfamiliar words** appearing in the questions, answers, and passages you want to know more about.
 * You must do something logical on every problem. EVERY PROBLEM. If you leave one problem completely blank, you will not be paid. If all you can do is the one step, that is fine, but **you have to do at least one step**. The Master Strategies can help you determine a first step, so consider doing one or more of the following:
 * Substituting your own numbers in for variables or unknown quantities,
 * Working backwards from the answer choices,
 * Drawing figures or adding elements to (writing on) charts, graphs, and figures that you are given.
 * Show all of your work.
 * **Circle** or otherwise indicate **items** you know you wish **to discuss** in your small groups or ask about in class.
 * ** Answer the item. ** [If the original sentence is correct, ** write ** A to the left of the item number; if the original sentence must be changed to be grammatically and stylistically sound, ** write ** B, C, D, or, E, to reflect the option that results in a sound sentence.]
 * ** Name the errors. ** __ BARE MINIMUM: __ If the original sentence is correct and you answered A, do nothing. If the original sentence is flawed and you answered B, C, D, or E, ** write the name of the error in the original sentence ** (abbreviations are fine) by using one of the names on page 66 of the Student Handbook. Descriptions and examples of nearly all of these errors appear within the Student Handbook [pp 67-87]. __ HIGH ACHIEVERS: __ Do the bare minimum PLUS write the names of as many errors as you can for all four wrong answers on every item. Try to name as many as you can.
 * ** Circle ** or otherwise indicate ** items ** you know you wish ** to discuss ** in your small groups or ask about in class.
 * **Answer the item.** [If the sentence contains an error, select the underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If there is no error, select E.]
 * For items with errors, **fix the error.** [Above the underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct, write a possible correction.]
 * For items with errors, **draw an arrow** from the error to another word or phrase in the sentence that established a pattern that the underlined portion originally violated. You should be able to do this for at least 85% of the items with errors.
 * **Name the errors.** Write the name of the error near the item. Use the list on page 66 of the Student Handbook and the Handbook discussion of the error types to name as many as you possibly can. DO NOT BE AFRAID to make mistakes. You WILL make mistakes. Trying regardless of fear is fundamental to achievement.
 * ** Circle ** or otherwise indicate ** items ** you know you wish ** to discuss ** in your small groups or ask about in class.
 * **Answer the item.**
 * ** Circle ** or otherwise indicate ** items ** you know you wish ** to discuss ** in your small groups or ask about in class.

__**Part 3:**__ [The following instructions are lengthy, but reading and understanding them will take far less time than skipping them and doing too much homework].

Each of the 125 answer choices on the 25 items on pp. 407-408 and 429-431 produces a sentence. One hundred of these sentences have an error while 25 are correct. Do not address the 25 correct sentences in Part 3.

One hundred sentences have errors, but some of the sentences with errors do not have any commas. Do not address any of these sentences, either.

So, you are only to address the sentences **with errors** that **have commas**.

Of these sentences, consider whether the error in the sentence is associated with the appearance of the commas.

Today in class we also addressed some of the common errors associated with the appearance of commas. Label each answer choices if the answer choice would create any of the following errors associated with commas:
 * Write "SF" beside a Sentence Fragment [Student Handbook, p. 67].
 * Write "SV" beside a Subject/Verb Agreement error [SH, pp. 68-69].
 * Write "CS" beside a Comma Splice [SH, p. 77].
 * Write "MM" beside instances of Misplaced Modification [SH, p. 83].

I predict that you will label only about 20-30 answer choices with one of the four labels above.

Your completed homework will look like the following examples:


 * You must do something logical on every problem. EVERY PROBLEM. If you leave one problem completely blank, you will not be paid. If all you can do is the one step, that is fine, but you have to do at least one step. The Master Strategies can help you determine a first step, so consider doing one or more of the following:
 * Substituting your own numbers in for variables or unknown quantities,
 * Working backwards from the answer choices,
 * Drawing figures or adding elements to (writing on) charts, graphs, and figures that you are given.

Of course, engage in a little Vocab Fun Time every day. Make new cards for new words as you are learning the old ones so you are always learning something new.
 * Please show all of your work. Think about it like a lawyer will: If it didn't get down on paper, it didn't happen.
 * Part 2: ** Work on the following pages in the Big Blue Book: pp. 407-412. Attempt each item, writing your answer (A, B, C, D, or E) to the left of each item. ADDITIONALLY, on each item rate your confidence on a scale of 1 to 5 based upon the following descriptions:
 * 1) This is basically a guess. I could eliminate perhaps one or two of the answer choices, but from the remaining, I just picked what sounded right.
 * 2) I had it down to two answer choices. I picked the one that sounded right, but I concede that it could be the other answer.
 * 3) I feel pretty good about my answer to the point that I could describe why the answer I picked was better than the others.
 * 4) I am almost positive about my answer, and I could describe specifically why the answer I picked what better than the others.
 * 5) I know I got this question right because I can name the grammatical error(s) that are being tested in this item and describe exactly how the error(s) are occurring in this item.

Have a great weekend!
=Homework for Thursday, June 13th (Due Monday, June 17th)= Every time you practice in the Big Blue Book, do the following:
 * Indicate your answer (A, B, C, D, or E) to the left of each item.
 * Circle items to discuss. [These are items you feel less than 85%-90% certain about while you are doing them. These are not simply items you missed.]

There are two parts to this homework assignment:

Part 1 - Critical Reading: Work on the following pages in the Big Blue Book: pp. 487-490
 * For the sentence completion items (p.487) do what you have been doing:
 * Underline the give aways [and circle the transitions, if you are feeling ambitious!].
 * Write in your own words for blanks.
 * Cross through words when you use Process of Elimination [usually mostly on 2-blank questions].
 * List unfamiliar words you want to know more about.
 * For the Passage-Based items (pp. 488-490), do the following:
 * Index the passage.
 * Underline the the 10%-15% of the passage that you think is "important" as you are reading.
 * Circle transitional elements.
 * Cross through the specific words or phrases that make the wrong answer choices wrong.
 * List unfamiliar words you want to know more about.
 * Write a very, very, very short summary at the end of reading each passage (since this is a two-passage section).

Part 2 - Intro to Math: Work on the following pages in the Big Blue Book. pp. 396-401 and pp. 413-418.
 * You must do something logical on every problem. EVERY PROBLEM. If you leave one problem completely blank, you will not be paid. If all you can do is the one step, that is fine, but you have to do at least one step.
 * Please show all of your work. Think about it like a lawyer will: If it didn't get down on paper, it didn't happen.

Again, every time you practice in the Big Blue Book, do the following:
 * Indicate your answer (A, B, C, D, or E) to the left of each item.
 * Circle items to discuss. [These are items you feel less than 85%-90% certain about while you are doing them. These are not simply items you missed.]

Finally, remember to engage in a little Vocab Fun Time multiple times every day. = = =Homework for Wednesday, June 12th (Due Thursday, June 13th) =

There are two parts to tonight's assignment: (1) Engage in "Vocab Fun Time" at least twice out of class. __Bring your physical note cards OR your BrainScape device to class EVERY DAY__. (2) You will be working on the following pages in the Big Blue Book: 394-395, 426-428, and 475-480.
 * For the Sentence Completion items (p. 475) do what you have been doing:
 * __Underline the give aways__ [and circle the transitions, if you are feeling ambitious!].
 * __Write in your own words__ for blanks.
 * __Cross through words__ when you use Process of Elimination [usually mostly on 2-blank questions].
 * __List unfamiliar words__ you want to know more about.
 * For the one-passage Passage-Based Questions (pp. 426-428 and 476-480), do the following:
 * __Index__ the passage. [It is not necessary to Index the Passage on the short passages (p. 476).]
 * As you are reading, identify the 10%-15% of the passage that you think is "important." __Underline the important words__ that reveal the subject matter of the passage, and __circle transitional elements__.
 * __Cross through__ the __specific words__ or phrases that make the wrong answer choices wrong. [These tend to be words that either contradict evidence within the passage or address ideas not mentioned in the passage.]
 * Indicate your answer by __writing the letter to the left of the question number__.
 * __Circle question numbers__ for the questions that you are certain you would like to know more about. [Identifying these items about which you are less than 85%-90% sure should aid your focus during your small-group discussion tomorrow.]
 * __List unfamiliar words__ appearing in the questions, answers, and passages you want to know more about.
 * For the two-passage Passage-Based Questions (pp. 394-395), do everything for the one-passage PBQs, and also
 * At the end of reading each passage, __write a very, very, very short summary__ of each passage.

Read smart!


 * Generate predictions about what the author will say.
 * Early in the reading, think: What do I already know about the subject?
 * Decide to “look out for” what’s important or relevant.
 * Evaluate what you’re hearing and your own understanding of it.
 * Do you get WHAT the author is saying at each point in the passage? [What's THIS mean?]
 * Do you see WHY the author is saying what appears at each point in the passage? [Why is THIS in the passage?]
 * Check your predictions to see if they’re correct.