Grammarfest: Batch V

Sentence Stucture:

Subordinate and Dependent Clauses: 134 A, 137 A, 552 A, 553 B (no answer sheet), 556 A, 559 A, 562 A, 563 A, 566 A, 571 B

Run-ons: 586 A

Comma Splices (defined on 585): 587 B, 588 checkpoint

Sentence Fragments: 578 A, 579 A, 582 A,

Misplaced Modifiers: 545 A, B (dangling participles)

Verb Tense Shift (or voice): 611 A

Pronoun Shift (person, number, case): 667 checkpoint (1-15)

Updated First Semester Schedule

New Calendar:

Jan 19 and 20 were Exams days, are now normal days of instruction.
Jan 21 and 22 mid winter break
Jan 25 is a normal day of instruction.
Jan 26 and 27 are Exam days.
Jan 28 start of the second semester.

Grammarfest - Batch IV

Pronouns (471-477), (660-685)
473, 474, 476 EX., 662, 664 EX., 666 A,B; 667 checkpoint, 669, 673, 674 EX., 671 A,B, 676 A, 679, 681 EX., 682 Checkpoint, 684 A,B,C Application and Review.

Comparitive and Superlative Modifiers (692-694), (697-698), (838)
694 A, 695 B, Checkpoint A,B, 698 A, 701 A, B, 703 A

READ p. 838 - Comparative and Superlative Forms

Checkpoint for Pronoun-Antecedent and Modifiers (comparative, superlative)

Along with batch III, students exiting Mr. Roark's class after week 3 should have finished the pronoun/antecedent and modifier checkpoint "quiz." Please see Mr. Roark if you have not taken it yet.

Batch III: Reap the Whirlwind

U/M: pronoun and antecedent (see also pronouns page 3)
679 ex., 681 ex., 682 ex., Checkpoint p. 682

U/M: adjectives and adverbs
487 ex., 488 ex. application in literature, 491 a&b, Checkpoint A p. 492 1-10


U/M: verb forms
598 a, 599 b, 600 a, 601 b, 602 a, 603 b, 605 a&b, 611 a, 616 a&b, 618 Checkpoint A, B, C, D, E

Ferris State University Field Trip Deadline

Students must have their permission slips turned into Mr. Smith by tomorrow, Tuesday, October 13th, if they want to attend the Ferris State University field trip.

Article Summaries

The following is a list of articles that need to be summarized according to the format found earlier on the blog. Each summary needs to be at least 150 words and address the 4 major points on the article summary sheet. The website is talbotsbook.com.

File Name Subject
Article1.doc Dates, Deadlines, and Details
Article2.doc Education and More From The Military
Article3.doc Help! Financial Aid
Article4.doc How To Succeed in the College Classroom
Article5.doc The Major Decision
Article6.doc The Roommate Debate
Article7.doc 10 Things We Want You To Know Or Tips For A Successful College Experience
Article8.doc Choice #1
Article9.doc Choice #2
Article10.doc Choice #3

Grammarfest Batch II

Application and Review (of punctuation): p. 754 A, 755 B

U/M: grammar and usage
1. subject/verb agreement 636 ex.; 638 a, b; 639 a,b; 643 a, b; 646 ex.; 648 a, b; 652 a, b.
2. application and review p. 656 a, b, c

Memo to A.C.T. Prep. Parents: Please Sign and Return

Memo
To: Mr. Helenius, Mr. Roark, and Mr. Smith’s A.C.T. /College Prep. Class
From: Mr. Roark
Re: Class Expectations

Your son or daughter was given a hard copy of this. Please sign and return to Mr. Roark.

Dear Parent/Guardian:
Your son or daughter has enrolled in A.C.T./College Prep. Class. Therefore, I am committed to doing everything I can to help him/ her gain admittance into a college, and also providing information that will be helpful in that process. There are some basic expectations of the course:
1. Every student will go on at least one college visit this semester
2. Every student will keep a portfolio of his/her coursework
3. Every student will assume responsibility for his/her work/grade
4. Every student will complete at least 3 practice tests
There are other expectations. Those are laid out in the course syllabus. All of my personal expectations and assignments will be listed on a blog: actpreproarkstyle.blogspot.com. Please peruse it at your convenience. Mr. Helenius, Mr. Smith, the guidance department, and the administration are committed to helping your student reach his/her potential. When information is given, it is vital. Please be in constant communication with your student throughout this process. Financial Aid, Tuition and Room and Board Costs, College majors/minors, Standardized Testing, and even “college life” are all focuses of the class. Please encourage your student to take advantage of the opportunities coming this semester. Those who have in years past have long reaped the rewards of their labor. Good luck this new school year.

I acknowledge that my student, _____________________, has read this memo.
__________________________ (signature of parent)

A.C.T. Test question breakdown

What is exactly tested on the A.C.T. section of the M.M.E.? Here is a breakdown. The following topic are tested, along with the writing assessment.

1. English Test Questions (Percentage Breakdown of A.C.T. section of the MME – WHAT exactly is asked….)

Percentage of test test questions
Usage/Mechanics 53% 40

Punctuation 13 10
(commas, apostrophes, colons, semi-colons, dashes, end punctuation)

Grammar/Usage 16 12
(sub/verb agreement, pronoun/antecedent, adjectives, adverbs, what they modify, verb forms, pronoun forms and cases, comparative & superlative modifiers, idioms)

Sentence Struct. 24 18
(subordinate, dependant clauses, run-on, fused sentences, comma splices, sentence fragments, misplaced modifiers, verb tense shifts or voice shifts, shifts in pronoun person or number

Rhetorical Skills 47% 35

(see page 32 in the ACT RED book that I handed out for info. on this)

Strategy 16 12
Organization 15 11
Style 16 12

Total 100% 75

2. Math Test Questions (Percentage Breakdown of MME – WHAT exactly is asked….)
Content Area Percent of Test Number of Questions
Pre-Algebra 23% 14%
Elementary Algebra 17 10
Intermediate Algebra 15 9
Coordinate Geometry 15 9
Plane Geometry 23 14
Trig. 7 4

Total 100% 60

3. Reading Content Percent of Test Number of Questions
Prose Fiction 25% 10
Humanities 25 10
Social Studies 25 10
Natural Sciences 25 10

Total 100% 40

4. Science Test Questions (Percentage Breakdown of MME – WHAT exactly is asked….)

Content Area Percent of Test Number of Questions
Biology Data Rep. 38% 15
Chemistry Research Summaries 45 18
Earth Space Sci. Conflicting Viewpoints 17 7
Physics

Total 100% 40

Grammarfest Batch One

A.C.T./College Prep.
Mr. Roark
Grammarfest Batch One

The following assignments are due at the conclusion of week one in Mr. Roark’s A.C.T. prep class:
1. Commas-738, A,B; 742, A 1-10,B 6 sentences; 745 A,B (discussion only); 747 ex 1-10.; 750 A 1-10; 751 A 1-10, B
(segment 1)

2. Apostrophes- 778 A,B,C; 759 EX.
3. Colons, semi colons, and dashes- 761 A,B,C; 765 ex.
4. End Punctuation- 735 A,B
5. Check Point 751 A,B (if you haven't already)
6. Application and Review 754 A, 755 B
(segment 2)

Introduction Card

Introduction Card: Please take time to respond to the prompts below.

Name:

Grade:

Extra Curricular Activities:


College Goal(s):

Major/Minor Aspirations:

Vocation/Work Goals:

Favorite author, performer, or friend:

Write one good paragraph explaining the above answer (topic sentence, ample support, clarity, and logic, at least 5 sentences):

Article Summary Sheet for Talbot's Articles

ACT/College Prep.
Mr. Roark
English/Reading Comp.

Article Summary:
A staple of most survey/literature classes is the “article summary.” What we will attempt to do is combine some of your professor’s preferences and explain or interpret how our test relates to you and your experience right now.

Whereabouts: www.talbotsbook.com

Technique:
Each article should be read fully, of course. Then, a 150-200 (consult your notes) word summary should be written. Do not just list exactly what the author listed. Rather:

Give a summary of pertinent points
Interact with the thesis of the article
Ponder the information
Explain why this is pertinent to you
React and Poise to Act (what should you do about it?)

Write in complete sentences. Label your paper properly and use a clean sheet of paper for each submission (no notebook perforations, etc…). Some professors prefer note cards, or maybe he/she will want it sent via email or blog…

College Visit Sheet

College/ A.C.T Prep. Name:
Mr. Roark/Mr. Smith School Visited:
Sparta High School
College Visit

Please answer the following questions during or after your college visit. This worksheet was generated from your article summary sheet entitled Basics of College Planning found in talbotsbook.com

What is the size (population) of the school? Small (less than 2,000), medium (2,000-5,000) or large (over 5,000) or very large (over 12,000).

What is the diversity like on campus? Is it an emphasis?


What type of school is it? Public? Private? Religious ties? Business? Technical?


Is it in an urban, rural, suburban area?

How do most students travel? Can freshmen have cars?

What are some the strongest programs at the school (what do they “hang their hat”on?) Do they have your intended major? Minor?


Do they offer study abroad programs? Is that something you are interested in?


Are there extra things on campus that you are interested in participating in (clubs, fraternities, sororities, athletics, intramurals, drama, band, etc…)? Explain.



What is the cost of tuition? Room and board? Other costs? Would you live on-campus? Off? Total Cost to you?


What is the student to teacher ratio? Guy to girl ratio?

Describe the campus. Rate it 1 to 10. What did you like, dislike?

Describe the atmosphere. Rate it 1 to 10. What did you like, dislike?
(over)
Summarize your visit in one paragraph or more (5-7 sentences). What did you feel good about (like)? What were your questions, concerns? Does this appear to be a school worth considering for you? Why or why not?

A.C.T. Prep. Syllabus

Course Syllabus
Course: College/ACT Prep

Prerequisites:
Students enrolled in College/ACT Prep class should be juniors or seniors in good academic standing who have expressed an interest in attending college to pursue their particular career path, or to earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.

Course Description:
This is a course designed to foster growth in the students’ knowledge and comprehension of college and equip the students with the necessary skills to perform to his/her optimal level on the A.C.T. This class will include 3-5 sample tests in each subject area for the A.C.T. There will be financial aid simulations. There will be college scheduling and financial aid tips.

Course Objectives:
A major part of the class will be the mastery of the fundamental techniques when taking the A.C.T. Students will prepare a portfolio in which they will record their assessments, information and travels related to the class. Also, an objective is to expose the students to the assessments that they will be faced with on test day. Students should also achieve a basic conceptual understanding of the following:

College Curriculum
College Core Curriculum
Majors/Minors
Academic Credit Requirements
Financial Aid
Financial Aid Registration and Paperwork
Differences in Institutions of Higher Education
Scheduling
Planning for Success
Handling the College Load
In-State Tuition
Out-State Tuition
College Essay
Work Study
Scholarship Application
Basic Skills Math Test

Course Expectations:
Students will earn points for the following:
1. Sample Tests
2. Writing Assignments/Portfolio (talbot’s article summaries, 2-4 year plan, writing samples)
3. College Course Exercises (including English, reading, writing, math, science)
4. College Visits/Written and Verbal
Report and Parental Involvement
5. A.C.T Practice Test
Students must pass the basic skills test in math and complete a final draft college essay before exiting the class.

Student must fully complete a college visit information sheet and submit to his/her assigned instructor.

Student Standards
TLW learn the fundamentals of test taking related to the A.C.T
2. TLW accept the responsibility of preparing a portfolio
3. TLW take 3-5 sample tests
TLW learn acronyms and vocabulary related to the financial aid process
TLW learn vocabulary related to the academic requirements of institutions of higher learning
TLW perform duties that are aligned with Sparta High School’s board critical issues
7. TLW choose a school to apply to and follow through with appropriate procedures
8. TLW research majors/minors and how core curriculum relates to both
TLW listen critically to guest speakers in the classroom
TLW watch and read all auxiliary materials detailed by the instructor and complete comprehensive assignments when appropriate.
TLW pass a basic skills test in Math
TLW complete a 2-4 year plan with reflection paper included.
TLW complete cow packet for a mark of “B” and trig. Packet for mark of “A.”
TL must pass all math quizzes with a 90 percent.

Grading Policy: Consult the Sparta High School Handbook

Discipline: S.H.S guidelines (handbook) will be followed in regard to class behavior and also appropriate article content.

Weighted Grade: Consult Instructor assigned to you.

Start Up Costs: Textbooks and Sample Tests

Standards Taught:
Quality Producer – Portfolio
Problem Solver – 2-4 Year Plan
Speaking: Exit Interview
Writing: 4+ timed writings (ACT style)
Reading: 4+ Reading Comprehension tests