PREPARATION IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS ON THE PSSA

Grades 6-8PART 1

JENNIFER BLUMInstructional Supervisor

Our Purpose

To make you comfortable and confident

when taking the PSSA. We will prepare you to achieve the best possible

results on the Reading PSSA.

“KISS Method”

• Provide two or three examples.

• Provide two or three similarities or differences to provide support

• Explain why

• Offer information to support your response

• Prompts (8th & 11th Grade) will require you to respond to the following• Voice• Tone• Theme of a Passage

To verify underline each example in the passage in your response

Know Your Reading Vocabulary

• Passage• Similarities• Difference• Details• Explain• Response

Open-Ended Item Reading Test Taking Tips

• Read the questions prior to the passage

• Read the ENTIRE passage prior to answering the questions

• All questions will have more than one prompt

• Use details in your response

Open-Ended ItemExample

Using details from both passages, describe two similarities and one difference between the artprojects.

We’re Making AYP in 2013!

• READING TEST TAKING STRATEGIES– Reading a Passage– Labeling Paragraphs

• SAMPLE PROBLEM

Strategy #1Reading a Passage

[Relax, strategy is just a fancy word for “a plan”.]

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?You will be asked to read a “passage”. This is a short story or a short part of a longer story.

WHAT DO I DO NEXT?You are going to be asked questions about the passage. Youshould look over the questions first then read the passage in search of the answers.

WHEN DO I DO IT?You have about an hour to read the questions, search for the answers and respond. You have plenty of time to finish. Don’tforget that the questions come after the passage.

Most of the passages will have a clear beginning, middle, and end.

You will see the following patterns:

THE BEGINNINGAnswers about when and where the story takes place are oftenfound at the beginning.

THE MIDDLEAnswers about a problem in the story are usually found in the middle.

THE ENDAnswers about how the problem was resolved are normally

found at the end.

Knowing where to look will save you time!

Strategy #2Labeling Paragraphs

When you finish reading a paragraph, ask yourself, “What did I just read?”

Then write a few descriptive words next to the paragraph. These paragraph labels will help to guide you back to important parts of the passage when you answer a question.

Here’s how you do it.

1. After you read each paragraph, write two or three words that describe what the paragraph is about.

2. When you have finished reading, use your paragraph labels to help you figure out the main idea of the passage. Ask yourself,

• “What?” What is the passage about?

• “So What?” What’s the author's point about this topic? What is he or she trying to tell me?

3. Based on your labels write a sentence what the passage is about.

There is still time…

• Study Island Math & Reading Challenge

• PSSA Math & Reading Prep Videos

• RAMP- Elementary Students

• School Spirit Week

• Being ON-PACE with Math and English courses

Working together we will Make AYP!

STUDY ISLAND•Go to: http://studyisland.com•Complete each lesson•Earn a Blue Ribbon

PREPARATION IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS ON THE PSSA

GRADES 6-8 PART 2

JENNIFER BLUMInstructional Supervisor

We’re Making AYP in 2013!

• READING TEST TAKING STRATEGIES– Titles & Special Print– Maps & Pictures– Finding the Main Idea– Context Clues– Reading between the Lines– Facts vs. Opinion– Process of Elimination– Filling in the Bubbles

• SAMPLE PROBLEM

Strategy #3Titles & Special Print

Strategy #4Maps & Pictures

Strategy #5Finding the Main Idea

Strategy #6Context Clues

Strategy #7Reading between the Lines

Strategy #8Fact vs. Opinion

Strategy #9Process of Elimination

Strategy #10Filling in the Bubbles

There is still time…

• Study Island Math & Reading Challenge

• PSSA Math & Reading Prep Videos

• RAMP- Elementary Students

• School Spirit Week

• Being ON-PACE with Math and English courses

Working together we will Make AYP!

STUDY ISLAND•Go to: http://studyisland.com•Complete each lesson•Earn a Blue Ribbon