Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute’s College Placement Test Preparation
Course Summary
Day
Reading
Sentence Skills
Arithmetic
General CPT information
CPT Arithmetic overview PPT
Practice CPT Arithmetic
Important CPT Review Websites
Math Autobiography
Algebra
Day 1 General CPT information
CPT Reading overview PPT
Practice CPT Reading
Important CPT Review Websites
General CPT information
CPT Sentence Skills overview PPT
Practice CPT Sentence Skills
Important CPT Review Websites
General CPT information
CPT Algebra overview PPT
Practice CPT Algebra
Important CPT Review Websites
12 Powerful Words
Day 2 Dictionary
Critical Reading Series
Parts of speech overview
Making subjects and verbs agree
Place value awareness
Cardinal Numbers
Rounding Review
Integers
Day 3
KWL reading strategy and chart
Critical Reading Series
Sequence of tenses
Sentence fragments
Number sense and vocabulary
Clues for solving word problems
Whole Numbers
Simplifying Expressions
Number Properties
Day 4
Topic and main idea
Critical Reading Series
Sentence clarity PPT
Fractions (add, subtract, multiply,
and divide)
Exponents, square roots, and
absolute value
Order of Operations
Day 5
Support details
Critical Reading Series
Parallel structure
Gerunds
Decimals
Equations
Inequalities
Day 6
Summarizing
Critical Reading Series
Independent/dependent clauses
Fractions, decimals, and percentages
Evaluating expressions
Day 7
Inference, purpose, and tone
Critical Reading Series
Commas
Appositives
Ratio, Proportions, and Percentages
Multiplying polynomials and
factoring
Day 8
Review all reading skills topics
Critical Reading Series
Review all sentence skills topics
Review all arithmetic topics
Algebraic and Complex Fractions
Solving Linear Equations
Day 9
Practice online/paper CPT Test
Critical Reading Series
Practice online/paper CPT Test
Practice online/paper CPT Test
Rational and Irrational Numbers
Radicals
Practice online/paper CPT Test
Final Assessment
TABE testing
Final Assessment
TABE testing
Final Assessment
TABE testing
Final Assessment
TABE testing
Day
10
Sample Reading/Sentence Skills Lesson:
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Reading PowerPoint Presentation and Sentence Skills PowerPoint Presentation
Introduce 12 Powerful Words - trace, analyze, infer, evaluate, formulate, describe, support, explain, summarize, compare, contrast, predict
(handout)
o Have students work with a partner or small group. Ask the pairs/groups to write down what they think the meanings are for each of
the words. Have each pair/group share and discuss their responses.
o Give students the 12 Powerful Words handout and discuss the meanings, where they’ve heard the words, and the importance of
understanding what these words mean.
o Ask students to study the 12 Powerful Words. (Follow-up with a quiz next class session.)
Introduce students to the Critical Reading Series books. Students may check these books out to work on lessons at home. They need to
complete 1 – 3 lessons per day for homework.
Give students the Sentence Skills packets. Go over OWL - Parts of Speech. Discuss what a subject and verb are, how to mark subject and
predicate, and how to locate prepositional phrases. Go over OWL - Making Subjects and Verbs agree. Ask students to carefully reread Parts
of Speech Overview and Making Subjects and Verbs Agree for homework.
Give out Subjects and Verbs Key Points and Practice Worksheets (homework)
Sample Algebra Lesson:
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Introduce algebra by explaining the following terms: numerical expressions, algebraic expressions, variables, and operations)
Introduce integers by drawing a number line on the board. Discuss what an integer is (a positive or negative whole number). Ask students
what they know already about negative numbers. Using Integer Clouds handout, have students brainstorm about different ways to say
negative one (these go in the – cloud) and positive one (these go in the + cloud). Students may use verbal names, written word names,
symbols, and standard numerals (negative, minus, take away, drop, -1, positive, 1, add, plus, more, etc). Next, have them list ways that
positive numbers are used with negative numbers in the real world (temperature, below sea level, altitude, locating points on a coordinate
plane, direction, games, etc.) Discuss examples in class. Give them the following two examples of where negative integers are used in
workplace situations: a freezer repairman uses negative numbers when dealing with temperatures below zero, and a football referee uses
negative numbers to back up the ball.
Explain how a minus sign can be used in two ways (subtracting and negative direction).
Teach how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide integers using Positive & Negative Numbers handout. For homework, have student make
note cards listing the rules for each of the operations (homework).
Have students work in pairs or individually to complete Integer Operations handout. Go over answers in class.