6th, 7th, and 8th GRADE CRCT REVIEW FOR READING 2010-2011 READING SKILLS AND VOCABULARY ACQUISISTION-weighted

15% on CRCT How do you determine meanings of unknown words when reading? Here are some of the most common ways: Context Clues There is a good research base for concluding that students can use meaning or context clues to help identify words and that instruction can help improve their use of such clues (Johnson & Baumann, 1984).

Semantic or Meaning Clues. There are general semantic clues. For example, when reading a story about cats, good readers develop the expectation that it will contain words associated with cats, such as tail, purr, and whiskers. Sentence context clues are more specific. In the sentence "My cat likes to _____," given the sentence context and what most of us know about cats, words like play, jump, and scratch seem reasonable. Syntactic or Word Order Clues. In the previous example, the order of the words in the sentence indicates that the missing word must be a verb. Other parts of speech, such as adjectives (nice, brown) or nouns (man, fence), make no sense or don't result in what sounds like a real sentence. Picture Clues. Illustrations can often help with the identification of a word. In the example, if a picture of a cat leaping through the air accompanies the text, jump seems a very good possibility.

Word Structure Clues There are many groups of letters that occur frequently in words. These are generally perceived by more mature readers as clusters of letters. Among these letter groups are prefixes (un-, re-, in-), suffixes (-ful, -ness, -est), and inflectional endings (-ed, -ing, -es). Common prefixes, suffixes, and inflectional endings should be pointed out to students. Being able to associate sounds with a cluster of letters, leads to more rapid, efficient word identification. WORDS, WORDS, WORDS Etymologies-etymology-Pronunciation: (et"u-mol'u-j), n., pl. -gies. /1. the derivation of a word. /2. an account of the history Base word-is the main word or root word-the base word of disappear is appear. Prefixes (before) replay Suffixes (after) played; playful Compound-2 words put together: campground, dogwood Antonyms-opposite Ugly:pretty Synonyms-same-pretty: attractive Denotation-dictionary meaning of the word Connotation-implied meaning of the word-words can have positive or negative connotations-boney and slender, both mean a person is thin, but they imply different things about the person. Homonyms-words that are spelled alike and sound alike, but have different meanings. I like to shoot pool. We went swimming in the pool. Homophone-different spellings and meanings, but sound the same-to, too, two Idiom-is a phrase or expression that has a meaning different from what the words usually suggest. whole kit and caboodle means the entire collection. Analogy-a comparison of similar objects to help clarify on of the objects. Example journals are like photo albums. (They both share personal details or tell a story about a persons life.)

Latin Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes Latin was the language spoken by the ancient Romans. As the Romans conquered most of Europe, the Latin language spread throughout the region. Over time, the Latin spoken in different areas developed into separate languages, including Italian, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. These languages are considered sisters, as they all descended from Latin, their mother language. Many Latin words came into English directly, though, too. Monks from Rome brought religious vocabulary as well as Christianity to England beginning in the 6th century. From the Middle Ages onward many scientific, scholarly, and legal terms were borrowed from Latin. During the 17th and 18th centuries, dictionary writers and grammarians generally felt that English was an imperfect language whereas Latin was perfect. In order to improve the language, they deliberately made up a lot of English words from Latin words. For example, fraternity, from Latin fraternitas, was thought to be better than the native English word brotherhood. Many English words and word parts can be traced back to Latin and Greek. The following table lists some common Latin roots.
Latin root -dict-duc-gress-ject-pel-pend-port-scrib-, -script-tract-vertBasic meaning to say to lead, bring, take to walk to throw to drive to hang to carry to write to pull, drag, draw to turn Example words contradict, dictate, diction, edict, predict deduce, produce, reduce digress, progress, transgress eject, inject, interject, project, reject, subject compel, dispel, impel, repel append, depend, impend, pendant, pendulum comport, deport, export, import, report, support describe, description, prescribe, prescription, subscribe, subscription, transcribe, transcription attract, contract, detract, extract, protract, retract, traction convert, divert, invert, revert

From the example words in the above table, it is easy to see how roots combine with prefixes to form new words. For example, the root -tract-, meaning to pull, can combine with a number of prefixes, including de- and re-. Detract means literally to pull away (de-, away, off) and retract means literally to pull back (re-, again, back). The following table gives a list of Latin prefixes and their basic meanings.

Latin prefix Basic meaning codedisinternontogether away, off; generally indicates reversal or removal in English not, not any between, among not

Example words coauthor, coedit, coheir deactivate, debone, defrost, decompress, deplane disbelief, discomfort, discredit, disrepair, disrespect international, interfaith, intertwine, intercellular, interject nonessential, nonmetallic, nonresident, nonviolence, nonskid, nonstop

postpreresubtrans-

after before again; back, backward under across, beyond, through

postdate, postwar, postnasal, postnatal preconceive, preexist, premeditate, predispose, prepossess, prepay rearrange, rebuild, recall, remake, rerun, rewrite submarine, subsoil, subway, subhuman, substandard transatlantic, transpolar

Words and word roots may also combine with suffixes. Here are examples of some important English suffixes that come from Latin:

Latin suffix -able, -ible -ation -fy, -ify -ment -ty, -ity

Basic meaning

Example words

forms adjectives and means capable or worthy of likable, flexible forms nouns from verbs forms verbs and means to make or cause to become forms nouns from verbs forms nouns from adjectives creation, civilization, automation, speculation, information purify, acidify, humidify entertainment, amazement, statement, banishment subtlety, certainty, cruelty, frailty, loyalty, royalty; eccentricity, electricity, peculiarity, similarity, technicality

Greek Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes The following table lists some common Greek roots.

Greek root -anthrop-chron-dem-morph-path-

Basic meaning human time people form feeling, suffering

Example words misanthrope, philanthropy, anthropomorphic anachronism, chronic, chronicle, synchronize, chronometer democracy, demography, demagogue, endemic, pandemic amorphous, metamorphic, morphology empathy, sympathy, apathy, apathetic, psychopathic pediatrician, pedagogue philanthropy, philharmonic, philosophy polyphonic, cacophony, phonetics

-pedo-, -ped- child, children -philo-, -phil-phonhaving a strong affinity or love for sound

The following table gives a list of Greek prefixes and their basic meanings.

Greek prefix a-, an-

Basic meaning without

Example words achromatic, amoral, atypical, anaerobic

anti-, antautobio-, bigeohypermicromononeopanthermo-, therm-

opposite; opposing self, same life, living organism Earth; geography excessive, excessively small one, single, alone new, recent all heat

anticrime, antipollution, antacid autobiography, automatic, autopilot biology, biophysics, biotechnology, biopsy geography, geomagnetism, geophysics, geopolitics hyperactive, hypercritical, hypersensitive microcosm, micronucleus, microscope monochrome, monosyllable, monoxide neonatal, neophyte, neoconservatism, neofascism, neodymium panorama, panchromatic, pandemic, pantheism thermal, thermometer, thermostat

Words and word roots may also combine with suffixes. Here are examples of some important English suffixes that come from Greek:

Greek suffix Basic meaning -ism -ist forms nouns and means the act, state, or theory of

Example words criticism, optimism, capitalism

forms agent nouns from verbs ending in -ize or nouns ending in -ism and is conformist, copyist, cyclist used like -er forms verbs from nouns and adjectives something written or drawn, a record something written or drawn; an instrument for writing, drawing, or recording speech, discourse; to speak discourse, expression; science, theory, study measuring device; measure formalize, jeopardize, legalize, modernize, emphasize, hospitalize, industrialize, computerize cardiogram, telegram monograph, phonograph, seismograph monologue, dialogue, travelogue phraseology, biology, dermatology spectrometer, geometry, kilometer, parameter, perimeter

-ize -gram -graph -logue, -log -logy -meter, -metry -oid -phile -phobe, -phobia -phone

forms adjectives and nouns and means like, resembling or shape, form humanoid, spheroid, trapezoid one that loves or has a strong affinity for; loving one that fears a specified thing; an intense fear of a specified thing sound; device that receives or emits sound; speaker of a language audiophile, Francophile agoraphobe, agoraphobia, xenophobe, xenophobia homophone, geophone, telephone, Francophone

WORDS THAT ARE CONFUSED THE MOST OFTEN BY STUDENTS AT KRMS

To, too, two Their, there, theyre Were, where, were, wear Its, its Whose, whos 4

Your, youre No, know Want, wont Principal, principle Affect, effect Bare,bear Cents, sense Weather, whether
LITERACY COMPREHENSION-WEIGHTED 40% on CRCT

TYPES OF LITERATURE All literature falls into two categories: fiction (not true) and non-fiction (true stories). All stories have essential elements: character (people/animals), setting (place and time), and theme (the big message, like love, revenge, survival) plot (exposition, conflict, complications, climax, and resolution) Fiction: 1. Short story 2. Drama-play-written in dialogue form 3. Fable-animal characters-teaches lesson 4. Myth-usually tells where something came from or how it began-origin of strawberries; how the moon got into the sky 5. Legend-was based in truth, but everything got very exaggerated/hyperbole-Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox 6. Fairy Tale-fanciful characters like witches and trolls, princes, etc. 7. Folk Tales-told primarily for entertainment and use humans or animals with human like qualities 8. Science Fiction- A literary or cinematic genre in which fantasy, typically based on speculative scientific discoveries or developments, environmental changes, space travel, or life on other planets, forms part of the plot or background. 9. Romance-love stories; broken hearts-Romeo and Juliet 10. Allegory- A story which represents an idea or belief. An allegory can be religious or political. The most famous example of an allegorical work in English literature is John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress... Nonfiction 1. Biography-a true story about a person 2. Autobiography-when a person writes his/her own life story 3. Essay-is a short piece of nonfiction that deals with one subject 4. Research paper 5. Report-short research paper 6. Newspaper (watch out for biased writing)

Plot: A story has a beginning, a middle, and an end, or to put it differently, an introduction, conflict, tension, or some kind of rising action, a key moment that is a turning point or climax, and a resolution or dnouement (the point at which elements are tied together for some conclusion). The plot is simply the arrangement of events in the story or the structure of the action. The action in a plot is usually progressive because one force acts upon the other. The plot of the story is the pattern of events in a story, or how the story is worked out. The plot in The Wizard of Oz is that Dorothy tries to find her way home. A subplot, like a plot, also contains a series of related actions, often revolving around the other characters in the story. A subplot also contains a climax and often connects to the main plot in some way. The Scarecrow wanted a brain, so he decides to join Dorothy on her way to see the wizard, hoping that he will be granted his request as well. The turning point of a story is its climax. The climax occurs in The Wizard of Oz, when Dorothy kills the witch and she returns to the wizard for her reward and discovers that he is a fraud. Point of View: A critical issue in any story is point of view. The importance of point of view may be easily overlooked, but the choice of the narrator influences the total structure of the story. The reader knows only as much as the person acting or narrator because everything is seen through his eyes. If one character acts as the narrator, the point of view is said to be limited to that character. A character who tells his or her own story will only know what goes on inside his or her own head. The observer who is a participant in the story is less directly

and emotionally involved. With the omniscient point of view, the author acts as an all-knowing narrator, free to comment on the action; thus, all the thoughts and experiences of every character could become a part of the story. The author may choose to use an objective point of view in which case actions and conversations are presented objectively without authorial comment. Point of view also dictates distance. Anything written in first person ("I") will seem immediate and personal; the reader will almost feel himself or herself a part of the action. An author must decide what point of view best suits his or her material and purpose. The third-person or dramatic point of view involves a narrator who is a detached observer. He or she generally makes no judgments; the narrator relates the story as though he or she were watching the events and telling us about them. This type of narrator usually becomes aware of the event and action along with the reader and is probably more objective than the first-person narrator. In the totally omniscient point of view the narrator is god-like, knowing everything about the characters and their pasts, presents, and futures. The perspective is not limited to one character; the narrator gets into the consciousness of all. The omniscient narrator often intrudes with comments, judgments, and opinion. On nearly every reading passage the CRCT folks ask the authors purpose (why they wrote it), but look how many ways they phrase it: Is the authors purpose to ---- tell a story, persuade the reader, describe a setting, give information, receive instruction, be educated, be entertained, obtain guidance, describe, explain, tell a funny story, list some facts, debate, argue, compare, analyze, to show how, to explain, to compare, to inform, to give directions , analyze, stimulate thought) Another thing that I have noticed is that the writers of the CRCT purposely try and see if you read discriminately. They might word a question like: Which statement does the author use to support the main idea of the paragraph? OR Which statement does not support the paragraphbe careful! Could you distinguish a passage as being an example of fiction, fantasy, biography, fable, myth, tall tale, fiction, non-fiction, essay or drama? Youll have to do this on the test! What is the theme of the text? The theme of a fable is its moral. The theme of a parable is its teaching. The theme of a piece of fiction is its view about life and how people behave. Here are some ways to uncover the theme in a story: Check out the title. Sometimes it tells you a lot about the theme. Notice repeating patterns and symbols. Sometimes these lead you to the theme. What allusions are made throughout the story? What are the details and particulars in the story? What greater meaning may they have? Sometimes they even ask you to pick another name for a text after you have read it. What do you think about that? Remember that theme, plot, and structure are inseparable, all helping to inform and reflect back on each other. Also, be aware that a theme we determine from a story never completely explains the story. It is simply one of the elements that make up the whole. Common Themes in Literature 1. Person vs. Person Person vs. Person is when, in a novel, there is a conflict of two forms of like beings. An example is the hero's conflicts with the central villain of a work, which may play a large role in the plot and contribute to the development of both characters. There are usually several confrontations between them before some kind of duel, like a sword fight, within the story's climax. Example In the Wizard of Oz- Dorothy was certainly up against other humans as she battled the woman who tried to take her dog, a witch and the wizard. 2. Person vs. Nature/Environment Person vs. Nature/Environment is the theme in literature that places a character against forces of nature. Many disaster films focus on this theme, which is predominant within many survival stories. It is also strong in stories about struggling for survival in remote locales, such as the novel Hatchet. Example- In the Wizard of Oz- Dorothy survived a tornado in one of the opening scenes. The captain and the whale in Moby Dick. 3. Person vs. Himself Person vs. Himself is the theme in literature that places a character against his own will, his own confusion, or his own fears. Person vs. Himself can also be where a character tries to find out who they are or comes to a realization or a change in character. Although

the struggle is internal, the character can be influenced by external forces. The struggle of the human being to come to a decision is the basis of Man vs. Himself. Examples include Jack London's short story "To Build a Fire" or the novel Grendel on the character taken from the epic Beowulf. More recently, there have been movies about Man vs. Himself such as the Academy Award winning movie, A Beautiful Mind. Example-Malcolm in Malcolm X had to come to grips with his stereotypes. 4. Person vs. Society Person vs. Society is a theme in fiction in which a main character's, or group of main characters', main source of conflict is social traditions or concepts. In this sense, the two parties are: a) the protagonist(s); b) the society in which the protagonist(s) are part of. Society itself is often looked at as a single character, just as an opposing party would be looked at in a Man vs. Man conflict. An example in literature would be Wuthering Heights by Emily Bront. . Example: In Inherit the Wind-a character in the play goes against his society because he tries to teach the theory of Evolution in his high school class. This results in a much publicized trial, with many town members alienating him. Sometimes they ask you to compare and contrast two different passages on the CRCT and pick out similar themes. Could you do it? Character: Just as plot reveals theme, characters reveal plot as theme. Character can be developed through dialogue and through action. Characterization can also be developed through the character's thoughts and by authorial comment. Characterization presents human beings--their thoughts, attitudes, prejudices, and mental states--all of the aspects that make up a person. The character must be consistent to be believable. On the CRCT sometimes they ask you to analyze a characters traits (personality), emotions (feelings) and give supporting evidence. Could you predict what a character in a story might do next? Could you support that interpretation or judgment citing examples of how the character had been developed throughout the story?? Atmosphere and Setting: Authors strive to create a particular mood or feeling in us by establishing a certain atmosphere. This not only develops action and theme, but also informs us of the time, season, and environment, and gives the story the quality of a "real" experience. A setting can also be symbolic. For example, light and dark can symbolize knowledge and ignorance respectively or youth and age. Technique and Style: Style is that special quality that makes a writer's work unmistakably his or her own. Just as the theme is very personal to each author, so are the style, tone, and the use of rhetorical devices such as symbolism and figurative language. The tone of a work reflects both the author's attitude toward the subject and his or her attitude toward the reader. An author's style is his or her particular characteristic way of writing; and it involves all of the elements of writing, such as sentence structure, diction, tone, and the use of figurative language. The author may write very long involved sentences or very short clipped sentences; he or she may use a lot of description or none at all; statements may be vague and general or very precise. One characteristic of an author's style is the extent to which he or she uses or doesn't use figurative language and symbolism. Different authors use dialogue in different ways to reveal something about characters or to advance action. Dialogue can become an integral part of the action, plot, theme, and characterization. Dialogue also plays an important part in creating the atmosphere and mood. The order or sequence in which action and events occur can be chronological, or the author can deliberately move us to events of another place and time. These flashbacks often reveal special insights into characters by giving the reader additional information about a particular character and his or her motivations. The flashback can be an organizational device in that it rearranges time and causes us to focus our attention on a particular aspect of plot or character. Another technique authors use is suspense. Often the author will provide a hint about events that are to come (foreshadowing). This tends to build up tension and suspense. Foreshadowing can be so subtle that at times we must read the story a second time to appreciate the skillful use of this technique. Foreshadowing links various elements within a story and is therefore an important unifying device.

An author's style is the unique way in which he or she or she says what he has to say through the use of various techniques and the skillful use of the various elements of fiction. POETRY is a very compact form of literature; here are some of its distinctive features:

Form-the way the poem looks on the printed page; poetry is written in lines, which may or may not be sentences. These lines are often grouped into stanzas. Haiku: A haiku is a Japanese poem with seventeen syllables. It is split into three lines. The first line has five syllables. The second has seven .The third has five. through the fingerprints on my windowcloudless blue sky. Sonnet- A fourteen line poem; has a fixed pattern of meter and rhythm. William Shakespeare is known for his love sonnets. Narrative Poem tells a story of a person or subject. An epic poem describes the doing of heroes in battle between human beings. Other epics are poems of history or people's origins. An epic poem is one of the oldest surviving narrative poems. The Iliad and The Odyssey are two of the best western epic poems of all times. These two poems were written during 700 B.C. They were written from the Greek poet, Homer. (Not Homer Simpson!) Free Verse: A fluid form of poetry which conforms to no set rules Lyric poetry refers to either poetry that has the form and musical quality of a song, or a usually short poem that expresses personal feelings, which may or may not be set to music.

Sound-this gives poetry its musical quality Rhyme-it is neat to be sweet Rhyme Scheme- At the edge of each line, a letter is given that corresponds to the rhyming sound of the line's final word. The
pattern of letters, as you follow them down the edge of the page, is called the rhyme scheme of the poem. Internal Rhyme- is rhyming within a line. Example: I awoke to black flak. Rhythm-the beat Meter- In most poems, the lines are written according to patterns of rhythm. The recurrence of a similar stress pattern in some or all lines of a poem. Repetition-phrases are often repeated in poetry Alliteration-repetition of sounds-six, slick, slimy, seals Onomatopoeia-words that sound like what they are-the bang of the gun, sent us on the run. The drip, drip, drip of the faucet drove us to the closet. (I also made use of rhyme and alliteration here.) Imagery-words and phrases used that appeal to the five senses (seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, smelling) Figurative Language Simile- You are like a mule. A comparison between two things using the word like. Metaphor-You are a rock. A comparison between two things that does not use the word like. Personification-an animal or object that has human like qualities. The fog sneaked up on the little boy. Okay fog cant sneakI gave it a human like quality-thats personification. Dont be surprised if they ask you to read a stanza of a poem and ask you what is personified in this poem? The horse screamed at us when we brought it some apples. A horse cant really scream-thats personification. It just makes your writing more expressive when you use these conventions. Hyperbole-uses exaggeration for a special, often humorous effect. Its a million degrees on the thermometer and I still cant go swimming. Allusion- A reference to an idea, place, person or text (or part of a text) existing outside the literary work. Irony- The use of words to express something different from and often opposite to their literal meaning. Incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs: A woman came home to find her husband in the kitchen, shaking frantically with what looked like a wire running from his waist towards the electric kettle. Intending to jolt him away from the deadly current, she whacked him with a handy plank of wood by the back door, breaking his arm in two places. Till that moment he had been happily listening to his Walkman. Ambiguity: A word or expression which has more than one meaning. Ambiguity is not necessarily negative in literary criticism. Paradox: A paradox is a proposition that is or appears to be contradictory but expresses some measure of truth. Theme: is the message or purpose Symbolism: often in writing the author wants the reader to associate more than one meaning with certain elements in a poem or story. Example in literature the evil characters are often represented by wearing dark colors; the innocent characters are in light colors.

By the way, all good writing contains the elements listed above. Its just very common in poetry! 8

INFORMATION AND MEDIA LITERACY-Weighted 45% 0n CRCT PARAGRAPHS, ORGANIZATION AND THE AUTHORS PURPOSE Why do we write? There is always one of the following purposes behind an authors pen for the audience who is reading: Writing that gives information, directions, describes-expository genre Writing that tells a story-narrative genre Writing that persuades, argues, debates or tries to convince-persuasive genre How does an author organize his/her writing? Well that depends on the main idea and the intent or purpose of the writing. Organizing your writing just means how you arrange it on the paper, but the way you arrange it needs to match the purpose. There are several ways to do this: Chronological order (by time) The rodeo has developed in three major stages. Rodeos began in the Old West as contests of skill among cowboys during cattle roundups. By 1920 rodeos had become a popular spectator sport for the general public. Today rodeos combine traditional western events with a circus like atmosphere and the marketing techniques of big business.

Cause and effect (events described as a reason and a result, motive and reaction, stimulus and response) My brother is a natural student; I am a natural non-student. Women have a long way to go before they have genuinely equal opportunity and recognition, but they have gone some of the distance since my mother finished high school. Foreign small cars may have virtues, but if we compare them carefully to their American counterparts, we'll choose the American.

Comparison and contrast (measuring things against one another to show similarities and differences) My father is a public high-school teacher. He and the other teachers face a growing number of problems that seem to have no solutions. Having observed my father's behavior for several years, I have concluded that high-school teachers are suffering from a disorder formerly associated with war veterans-shell shock. Besides teaching five or six classes a day, teachers are also expected to sponsor clubs, coach athletic teams, raise money, head committees, chaperone dances, arrange parades, light bonfires, publish newspapers, and sell pictures. In my father's work, paper work means more than just grading papers. It also means filling out a never-ending stream of forms that insure racial equality in the classroom, that provide free lunches to the needy, that reassure administrators that everything is in its place, and that even request more forms to be filled out. Discipline has also taken on a new meaning in public schools. Today, discipline means searching for drugs, putting out fires, disarming students, and breaking up gang fights. Faced with these daily problems and demands, it is no wonder that teachers like my father are becoming less like educators and more like soldiers suffering from combat fatigue.

Posing and answering a question (question and answer) Why is there a higher rate of cancer among financially disadvantaged people? One possible explanation for these statistics on cancer can be found in the high levels of stress associated with poverty. Studies have found that stress can dampen the immune system, the body's first line of defense against cancer, and experiments with animals have shown that a stressful environment can enhance the growth of a variety of tumors. The link between poverty, stress, and cancer mortality in humans has not been proven, but studies have shown a link between stress and other illnesses.

If you read a paragraph on the CRCT, would you be able to determine how it is organized? You need to be able to do this. Could you name the parts of a paragraph (introduction, body, closing)? Could you pick out the topic sentence (main idea) or find the clincher sentence (closing idea)? Could you evaluate and determine relevant details or arguments? Could you determine and evaluate whether details were extraneous? You need to be able to do this. Could you identify point-of-view (thats means whose perspective)? Could you demonstrate your knowledge of research by analyzing primary and secondary sources used to support writing? Could you tell if it was written in first person or third person?

REFERENCE MATERIALS When we do reports, research, or other types of technical writing, we can use many texts as resources. Here are some of the most commonly used.

Almanac-that resource book that tells you all sorts of interesting information-it can provide lists, tell you when to plant your crops, how much rain fell in a certain area-all sorts of statistics about different regions of the U.S. or the world. Atlas-collections of maps Encyclopedia (book, CD, Web site) with articles on almost every topic Periodicals-any type of magazine, newspaper Dictionary-most reliable source for learning the meaning of words. Also-syllable divisions, spelling, pronunciations, etymology (history of word). When using a dictionary it is very helpful if you use the key words at the top of each page (boat boy), so you want waste your time looking at every single word to find the one you really want. Internet-computer based resource Thesaurus-like a dictionary, but it gives you lots of synonyms, so you dont keep using the same old words over and over. Magazines-also known as periodicals could have fiction or non-fiction articles Newspaper-another type of periodical-it is considered a primary source

When we are writing reports, we must be careful not to plagiarize another persons work. If you plagiarize, that means you steal someones words and pretend that you spoke or wrote the words yourself. For that reason, you cite the work (give the true writer/speaker credit) in your bibliography. EVALUATING SOURCES When you write a report or a research paper you have to consider several things. 1. 2. 3. Is it a primary source (firsthand account-diaries, journals, letters, interviews, museums, and surveys-person reporting actually there) or a secondary source (visiting a web site, TV documentary, biography)? Is it fact or opinion? When you use resources you must realize that everyone has an opinion. Some opinions are objective and some are not. Therefore, you have to determine if there is bias. Bias means a person can only think one way and does not see both sides of the argument. Like you might say a teacher took sides for a particular student because she was biased. Stereotyping is another thing to look for in sources. Stereotyping is a generalization that is usually negative. All Jewish people are wealthy and have large noses, is an example of a stereotype.) Often writers (this could be TV as well) try to persuade their readers or viewers. They often use a technique known as jump on the bandwagon. (Youre not cool if you dont wear FUBU or Everyone drinks Coke.) Commercials are notorious for using big athletes or famous people to promote or endorse their products. This is a technique known as testimonial. (Michael Jordon, Shack ONeil to name a couple.) In 'card-stacking', deliberate action is taken to bias an argument, with opposing evidence being buried or discredited, whilst the case for one's own position is exaggerated at every opportunity. Thus the testimonial/prestige identification of supporters is used, but not that of opponents. Example: A politician just happens to be in town when a new school is opening - so they just drop in, hi-jacking the press for their own means. Be a smart consumer and reader-watch out for propaganda!

4.

RESEARCH STEPS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Choose a topic Think of some questions to answer about your topic Choose resource books or sources Skim resources to make sure they are what you need to write an effective paper Take notes (make sure to paraphrase as much as possible; you must give credit (cite) if you quote someone directly or use their idea so you will not be guilty of plagiarizing. You give people credit for borrowing their words in the bibliography of your research paper.) Organize notes Write paper (involves pre-write or outline, rough draft; feedback and edits, final draft, proof-read) footnote- A note placed at the bottom of a page of a book or manuscript that comments on or cites a reference for a designated part of the text.

PARTS OF A BOOK (what you find there) Copyright page-date the book was last published-usually the second page Table of Contents-chapters and topics

10

Index-back of the book-where you go to find if something is even mentioned in the book Glossary-explains special words used in book Appendix-extra stuff like maps, graphs, tables-back of book Preface/foreword/introduction page-near the beginning of book-tells why book was written and/or to whom it is dedicated Bibliography-lists books, articles, and other sources that the author used while writing book As a review-Text Structures

Narrative Fiction or Non-Fiction Text Structure Compare/Contrast Cause/Effect Description Sequence

Vocabulary Use of Context Clues to determine meaning: definition, restatement, example Use of dictionary or glossary to determine meaning Synonyms Antonyms Homographs Homophones Figurative Language such as: similes, metaphors, and idioms. Elements of Narrative Characters (and their relationship to each other) Setting where & when Plot initiating event, problem & resolution Theme / Authors purpose / Morale Point of View Omniscient, 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Person Narrator Draw Conclusions Supporting Details

Expository Non-fiction Text Structure Compare/Contrast Cause/Effect Description Sequence Text Organizers Headings Topic Sentences Summary Sentence Graphic features such as graphs, maps, etc. Vocabulary Use of Context Clues to determine meaning: definition, restatement, example Use of dictionary or glossary to determine meaning

Technical Non-fiction Text Structure Compare/Contrast Cause/Effect Description Sequence Text Organizers Headings Topic Sentences Summary Sentence Graphic features such as graphs, maps, etc. Vocabulary Use of Context Clues to determine meaning: definition, restatement, example Use of dictionary or glossary to determine meaning

Persuasive Fiction or Non-fiction Text Structure Compare/Contrast Cause/Effect Description Sequence Text Organizers Headings Topic Sentences Summary Sentence Vocabulary Use of Context Clues to determine meaning: definition, restatement, example Use of dictionary or glossary to determine meaning Synonyms Antonyms Homographs Homophones Figurative Language such as: similes, metaphors, and idioms. Elements of Expository: Problem / Solution Bias Fact / Opinion Proposition/Support Grades 5 & 8 only one side of the argument 11th both sides

Elements of Expository: Topic Sentence Body Summary Sentence Illustrations Graphics Headings & Subheadings Facts / Opinions

Draw Conclusions Main Idea/ Supporting Details

Draw Conclusions Supporting Details

Draw Conclusions Main Idea/ Supporting Details

The two descriptors I am having difficulty finding examples of are

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1. Apply information from a variety of consumer, workplace, and public documents such as job applications to explain a situation or
decision and to solve a problem (Examples: contracts, product information, instructional materials, warranties, tax forms, identity forms, licenses, insurance forms, employee notices, work manuals, bank documents, loan documents, communication and travel brochures.) 2. Interpret and evaluate the various ways in which visual image makers communicate information and affect impressions and opinions. Types of visual images or graphic aides one could find in texts: tables, line graphs, bar graphs, symbol graphs, Venn diagrams, spider maps, H-Maps, timelines Ways questions might be worded on CRCT: What best summarizes.. What can you infer? What is ambiguous about. What is gained in the text by introducing subtleties such as -----What is the authors purpose or motivation for writing this text? What is the figurative meaning of What is the main conflict in the story? What is the most probable reason What is the significance of. What is the tone of the passage? Or What kind of tone does the author use in the passage? Where do you find the paradox in this passage? Which lines in this passage contain an analogy? Which sentence best describes the climax of the story? Which statement is an opinion? Which word could be substituted for ____________ Why should you validate your resources? TEST TAKING STRATEGIES 1. Relax-easy for me to say, right? 2. You will not know nor should you know everything-so calm down! 3. Read the question before you read the text to guide your reading. 4. Look for key words. 5. Read every answer carefully, before you make your decision. 6. If you dont know something, skip it and come back. 7. You should get a good nights sleep the day before 8. You should eat breakfast 9. You are bright, smart students-let it show-lets blow them away-KRMS!! Dont stress! Do your best, On the CRCT test!

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