SAT/ACT PREP SYLLABUS FOR 2010-2011
English
INSTRUCTOR :
Mrs. Frankie Casey (fcasey@greermiddlecollege.org)
PURPOSE OF COURSE: This class is recommended for college-bound juniors planning to take
the SAT. Almost all undergraduate colleges and universities require that prospective students
take either the ACT or the SAT; most students take both. Taking this course will prepare
students for each of the question types found on the SAT. We will analyze each of the test
question areas and give special consideration to verbal refreshers and techniques aimed at
relieving test-taking anxiety. Topics include sentence completions and reading comprehension
for the reading section, grammar and essay writing for the writing section.
COURSE OUTLINE:
Week One (1/11)
Snow week
Week Two(1/18)- No school Monday
Sign up for College Day Fridays!
1/20- Word Square due- Homework #1
- SAT Practice #1
-CR Skill #1- Vocabulary-in-Context
- Read “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift
-Practice CR Skills #1
Week Three(1/25)
-1/25 – Quiz #1 Vocabulary
-Vocabulary List/Squares #2- Due 1/27 (Homework #2)
-CR Skill #1- Vocabulary-in-Context
-CR Skill #2- Logic-based and Sentence Completion Skills
1/27-CR Skill handout – due Friday (Homework #3)
-Practice for SAT Test #2
Week Four(2/1)
2/1-Take SAT Practice #2 (1/31)
2/3-Vocabulary and CR Skills #1 & 2 Quiz
2/3-Vocabulary List/Squares #3- Due 2/8 (Homework #4)
-Passage-based Reading Skill #1: Types and Approaches
-PBR Handout – Due 2/8 (Homework #5)
Week Five (2/8)
-2/8- Quiz #3 Vocabulary #3 and PBR Skill #1
- PBR Skill #2- Literal Comprehension and Paired Passages
2/10- Practice handouts – due 2/11 (Homework #6)
2/11- Review answers for Practice handouts
-Vocabulary List/Squares #4- Due 2/15 (Homework #7)
Week Six (2/15)
- 2/15- Scrabble Tourney
-2/17- Quiz #4 Vocabulary and PBR Skills #2
Week Seven (2/22)
2/22-Take SAT Practice #3
2/24-Writing Focus: The Essay #1- Action Verbs
- Vocabulary List/Squares #5 (Homework #8)
-Practice writing skill/vocab
Week Eight (3/1)
3/1- Quiz #5 Vocabulary and Action Verbs #1
-Writing Focus: The Essay #2- Abstract and Concrete Language
-Vocabulary List/Squares #6 (Homework #9)
3/3- Writing handout/homework (Homework #10)
Week Nine (3/8)
3/8- Quiz #6 Vocabulary and Abstract/Concrete Language
-Writing Focus: Sample Essays
3/10-Write a practice essay
-Grade each other’s essay per rubric
-Vocabulary List/Squares #7 (Homework #11)
Week Ten (3/15)
3/15-Writing Focus: Sentence errors
-Dangling Participles and Participle Phrases
3/17 Quiz-Vocabulary List/Squares #7
Scrabble Tourney!
March 21-27 Spring Break!!!
Week Eleven (3/29)
3/29-Review Sentence errors/Practice questions
-Review Vocabulary
3/31- Quiz #8 Vocabulary(mix of old words) and Sentence Errors
-Practice for next SAT test
Week Twelve (4/5)
4/5-Take SAT Practice #4
4/7-Writing Focus: Improving Sentences
-Parallelism
-Vocabulary List/Squares #8 (Homework #12)
-Practice Writing Focus
Week Thirteen (4/12)
4/12- Quiz #9 Vocabulary and Improving Sentences
-Writing Focus: Avoiding Wordiness
4/14-Practice Writing Focus
-Vocabulary List/Squares #9 (Homework #13)
Week Fourteen (4/19)
4/19- Quiz #10 Vocabulary and Avoiding Wordiness
-Writing Focus: Adding descriptive words
-Vocabulary: Roots
Week Fifteen (4/26)
4/26- Quiz #11- Vocabulary roots and descriptive words
-Writing Focus: Subjects and Verbs/Agreement
4/28-Vocabulary Focus: Prefixes
-Grammar handouts/prefix practice
Week Sixteen (5/3)
5/3 Quiz #12- Prefixes and Subjects/Verbs
-Writing Focus: Fragments/Run-ons
5/5-Vocabulary Focus: Suffixes
-Grammar Practice! (Homework #14)
Week Seventeen (5/10)
5/10 Quiz #13- Suffixes and Run-ons/Fragments
-Writing Focus: Punctuation
5/12-Define words in context/practice
-Pop-quiz on punctuation and vocab (Homework #15)
Week Eighteen (5/18)
Review all writing skills, reading skills, vocabulary, roots
Scrabble Tourney
Week Nineteen (5/23) -Final Exam: Full SAT Verbal Test
Note: This course outline reflects the tentative schedule to be followed. The outline may change to suit
the needs of the students.
Grades:
Vocabulary Squares 10 @ 10 points = 100
Quizzes
12 @ 10 points = 120
Homework
15 @ 10 points = 150
College Day
1 @ 30 points = 30
SAT Tests
4 @ 25 points = 100
Final Exam
1 @ 100 points= 100
Exam Grade Breakdown:
A (93-100) ---------- +5% improvement
B (86-92) ------------ +3-5% improvement
C (80-85) ------------ +0-2% improvement
Total Semester Points = 600 (You must earn at least 480 points to receive a master grade)