Exam Prep Tip #5

How to write an excellent Short Answer:

1. Read the question
2. Re-read the question and annotate for details so you ANSWER THE PROMPT
3. Write a rough thesis (Turn the question into a statement)
4. Create an idea web or short outline
5. Write the essay. A short essay should be 15-25 sentences
6. Reread your essay; make edits as needed

Tip: Use quotes from other sections of the exam to add credibility to your assertion and to add support variety (i.e. paraphrase, direct quote)

There is no need for a Works Cited, but use MLA citation format for in-text citation. You can cite the author (no page # needed).

Exam Prep Tip #4

As you know, we studied many, many poems during our poetry unit. You will only need to review THREE (3) for the exam. You should go back and reread, look at annotations, and reflect on discussion notes for:
- The Weary Blues by Langston Hughes
- Success is Counted Sweetest by Emily Dickinson
- To Helen by Edgar Allen Poe

Exam Prep Tip #3

You got your portfolio of writing back today; take a look through your Q3 and Q4 essays, and maybe add in your reflections from The Namesake if you haven't already, and think about the topics or themes YOU highlighted. Which quotes did you use from the novels in your writings? Why are they significant?

Now is the time to dig back into the books as well. Which quotes did you highlight in the text? Why are those passages significant? What do they say about the major characters/plot/theme of the work?

Exam Prep Tip #2

Get out a sheet of paper and begin brainstorming major themes for the year. Obviously we talked about "What does it mean to be American" and you've come up with some great answers in your multigenre projects, but what else specifically did we talk about?

Some ideas:
racism and oppression
social class boundaries
gender limitations and opportunities
immigration and assimilation

Exam Prep Tip #1

First, you'll want to collect up all your materials from second semester.

We've read three books:
1. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
2. The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
3. Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko

We've studied poetry:
Columbia Anthology of Poetry - BUT... most (if not all poems) can be found online

We've taken Vocabulary quizzes

We've written essays
1. Poetry
2. Gatsby
3. Namesake
4. Ceremony