In the Home Stretch

We are finally nearing the Home Stretch! You have been working so hard on your papers and you are ready to turn them in.  I have been so impressed with much of the work that I have been seeing as I read the rough drafts.  Please use the Final Draft assignment in Google Classroom to turn in your final draft.  These are due today, Wednesday, May 27, by 3:30 pm.

I have been reading your biography essays and sending you comments and feedback through email.  I also have been enjoying reading your writing on these essays.  You have shown me that you know your characters.

Today we will be spending some time practicing for the language arts EOG that is next Tuesday, June 2.  We will do some work in class and then you will have a practice assignment for homework.

Click this link to go to the released EOG test from last year:

EOG Practice

Start on page 20 with the short story "A Poetic City." (Page numbers are on the bottom of the test page.) Answer questions 32-48 on looseleaf paper. Just write the letter choice.

Do not just guess or write random answers. Use the skills you've learned in class to pick the best answer. See Ms. Motta when you are finished so you can review the answers.

EOG Test Taking Tips:
1. Look for what the question is asking you: meaning, tone, explanation, analysis, emphasis, connection, impact, etc.

2. Look for the connotation of the words in the questions (positive/negative). Determine whether your answer will most likely have a positive or negative connotation.

3. Look at the connotation of the words in the answers. If you don't know a word's meaning, remember that words with positive connotations usually have soft sounds, while words with negative connotations have hard sounds. (That's not always 100% true, but if you're in a bind, try it.)
Look at the different parts of the word. What do you know about the word based on its prefix, suffix, or root? Does it sound like other words you know?

4. Eliminate distractor words (words or phrases that are exactly the same at the beginning of your answer choices.)
Ex: If these were your answer choices, you'd cross through "They are" and just look at the main answer word.
A. They are happy.
B. They are sad.
C. They are stinky.
D. They are bad.

5. Look for words that stand out to you in the passage and indicate their connotations.

6. Find evidence from the text that might support your answer.

7. Eliminate answer choices that don't match the connotation of the question.

These tips may help you on the EOG, especially if you have problems with reading stamina and have a hard time with the long passages.