Syllabus: ACT Prep

Chillicothe High School

Instructor Contact Information
Name: Fallon Forbes
Phone: (660) 646-0700
Website: https://mrsforbeschs.weebly.com/
Email: fforbes@chillicotheschools.org

Course Description
The ACT Prep course will emphasize ACT test-taking strategies, specifically math skills, language skills, reading skills,
science-reasoning skills, and writing skills. Students will study and practice listening and note taking techniques, test
taking strategies, questioning and thinking skills, information retrieval, pre-ACT test practice, memory techniques,
reading in the content areas, and vocabulary development with the central goal to increase both test scores and
composite scores. All ACT tests will be reviewed: English, Math, Reading, Science Reasoning, and Writing.

College Readiness Benchmarks

ACT has identified the minimum score needed on each ACT test to indicate a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher or
about a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher in the corresponding first-year college course.

ACT Test ACT Benchmark Score College Course

English 18 English Composition

Math 22 Algebra

Reading 21 Social Sciences/Humanities

Science 24 Biology
On the ACT Writing Test, ACT’s research to date suggests that examinees with a Writing subscore of 7 or higher possess
sufficient general writing skills to be ready for college-level writing assignments. Cite: ACT, Inc. (2011). The Real ACT Prep
Guide 3rd edition. Iowa City, IA: ACT Publications.

Course Goals
● ACT English Test:
○ Review the six elements of effective writing included in the English Test.
○ Effectively use punctuation, grammar and usage, sentence structure, strategy, organization, and style.
● ACT Reading Test:
○ Enhance reading skills through the understanding of key ideas and details/craft and structure and the
integration of key ideas and details.
○ Use reasoning skills to determine main ideas, locate and interpret significant details, understand
sequences of events, make comparisons, comprehend cause-effect relationships, determine the
meaning of context-dependent words, phrases, and statements, draw generalizations, analyze the
author's or narrator's voice and method.
● ACT Math Test:
○ Use basic operations using whole numbers, decimals, fractions, and integers; place value; square roots
and approximations; the concept of exponents; scientific notation; factors; ratio, proportion, and
percent; linear equations in one variable; absolute value and ordering numbers by value; elementary
counting techniques and simple probability; data collection, representation, and interpretation; and
understanding simple descriptive statistics.
○ Graph the relations between equations, including points, lines, polynomials, circles, and other curves;
graphing inequalities; slope; parallel and perpendicular lines; distance; midpoints; and conics.
 ○ Understand trigonometric relations in right triangles; values and properties of trigonometric functions;
graphing trigonometric functions; modeling using trigonometric functions; use of trigonometric
identities; and solving trigonometric equations.
● ACT Science Reasoning Test:
○ Apply scientific reasoning skills in biology, chemistry, physics, and the Earth/space sciences (for example,
geology, astronomy, and meteorology).
● Writing ACT Test:
○ Use effective essay writing components to demonstrate college-readiness writing skills, including
expressing judgments, focusing on topics, developing ideas, organizing ideas, and using language.
● ACT Vocabulary Development:
○ Demonstrate mastery of comprehensive ACT vocabulary, including the most commonly used words in
passages as well as academic cross curricular vocabulary and content/domain specific vocabulary.
● ACT Strategies:
○ Effectively use ACT strategies, including general strategies, content-specific strategies, plug-in method,
comma sandwich, identical answer choices, shorter is better, made-up values, reasonable interpretation,
and yes/yes/no/no.

Materials
● Writing utensil
● Paper
● One pocket-folder for handouts
● Chromebook and charger
● Earbuds or earphones

Classroom Expectations
● Class will begin and end on time.
● We will value instructional time. We will be engaged learners!
● Everyone in class will be prepared.
● We will respect each other. We will engage in open and respectful communication and collaboration.
● We will have a positive mindset. We will learn from our mistakes.
● We will celebrate each other’s successes. We are a TEAM!
● NOTE: All CHS rules (including the cell phone policy and the food and drink policy) will be observed in my
classroom.

Grading Scale
96-100 A 73-76 C
90-95 A- 70-72 C-
87-89 B+ 67-69 D+
83-86 B 63-66 D
80-82 B- 60-62 D-
77-79 C+ 59-0 F

Emphasis in this course placed on the strategies and skills required for students to achieve the ACT Benchmark scores for
College and Career Readiness in English, Math, Reading, Science Reasoning, and Writing (see College Readiness
Benchmarks above).

Note: Grades in this course reflect the student’s level of achievement of the learning outcomes, which are based on
course goals and student learning objectives that have been aligned to the ACT Prep course. A student’s grade in this
course is not a predictor of the student’s score on the ACT test that is given as a national college admissions examination.
Late Work Policy
When a student has an excused absence (such as illness), he/she will be given two days for each missed day to get
make-up work turned in without it being considered late. A pre-arranged absence (such as a doctor’s appointment) or an
absence due to a school activity requires students to communicate the situation with me prior to the absence; work is
still due on the assigned day. (There may be instances that are unique, and students are encouraged to discuss any
absence with me so that they are able to complete work and receive credit.)

If a student does not turn work in on time, that work will be capped according to CHS’s grading policy. A cap means that
students can earn credit up to the determined percentage (cap).

● Late Homework: Students can earn 80 percent (cap) on late homework until two weeks after the due date.
Homework turned in after two weeks but BEFORE the end of the quarter will result in a 60 percent (cap). After
the quarter ends, all grades are final and no late homework from that quarter will be accepted.
○ Example: If a student turned in a late homework assignment by two weeks after the due date and
earned an 85 percent, that student’s grade would be capped at an 80 percent. If the student earned a 70
percent, the student would earn the 70 percent since the score was below the cap for late assignments
turned in before the end of the two-week grace period. If the assignment was turned in AFTER the
two-week grace period, the student would earn a 60 percent.

● Late Projects/Papers: If a student turns a project or paper in late, that project or paper will be capped at a
certain percentage based on how late the paper or project is. Papers and projects can be turned in until the end
of the quarter. After the quarter ends, all grades are final and no late papers or projects from that quarter will be
accepted.
○ 1 day late=90 percent (cap)
○ 2 days late = 80 percent (cap)
○ 3 days late = 70 percent (cap)
○ 4 or more days late = 60 percent (cap)

○ Example: If a student turned in a paper 1 day late and earned a 95 percent, that student’s grade would
be capped at a 90 percent. If the student earned an 80 percent, the student would earn the 80 percent
since the score is below the cap for a paper that is 1 day late.

Absentees
It is the student’s responsibility to acquire make-up work. Please check with Mrs. Forbes for make-up work.

Academic Dishonesty
Cheating includes attempting to obtain answers from an external source during a quiz or test and copying someone else’s
assignment. Plagiarism is copying from another source without giving proper credit to that source or submitting another
person’s work or ideas as one’s own. It is also plagiarism to copy or cut and paste from the Internet and to present that
information as the student’s personal work.

Neither cheating nor plagiarism will be tolerated under any circumstances. Infractions will result in a referral to the office
and the student’s parent/guardian will be notified. This course is designed to help you improve your ACT scores, not to
test your ability to cheat.

During the ACT test, examinees who are dismissed due to prohibited behavior forfeit their registration for that test date.
There are no options for refunds or appeals in situations involving prohibited behavior.
 Student-Parent Contract: ACT Prep

Parent Name_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Student Name________________________________________________________________________________________________

Relationship to student_________________________________________________________________________________________

Phone contact number(s) (please specify home, work, or cell)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Email Address_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Would you prefer to be contacted through phone or email?

_____Phone _____ Email

Please take this opportunity to tell me anything about your student that you feel is important for me to know—strengths,
weaknesses, outside of school commitments, etc. I strongly believe that a student’s performance is directly affected by the stress in
his or her life, and it is helpful to me to know as much about your student as I can early on in the school year.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please read through the syllabus with your student and then discuss the course. What is your and your student’s expectation for his
or her grade in this class?

_____ A _____ B+ _____ C+

_____ A- _____ B _____ C

_____ B-

By signing below, you verify that you and your student have read through and understand the syllabus.

Parent Signature_______________________________________________________________ Date___________________________

Student Signature_______________________________________________________________ Date__________________________