Reading Assessment #1

Day 1  Read the poem ” The Thief” by Abraham Cowley and answer  questions 1-12

Objectives: Students will perform within time restraints and answer in-depth questions about the text.

Aim: How do we take a challenging exam within the time restraint? What kinds of text-based questions  does the exam pose? How do we respond to questions based on a poem?

Agenda

1. Read the poem and answer questions 1-12 in 20 minutes.
2. Discuss the challenges students experience during the assessment.
3. Disucuss the text-based questions, in particular, questions based on the poem for the assessment.

Learning Sequence:

1. What’s subject of the poem?
2. What does the speaker complain about?
3. What’s the primary dilemma confraintg the speaker?
4. What does the speaker question?
5. What’s metonymy?
6. How does the speaker portray the “omnipresence” of te subject?
7. Why is the allusion “Midas” used?
8. What does “ubiquity” mean? adulation? guerdon? fealty?
9. Which line in the poem shows the stronges admonition of the speaker?
10. Give one example of irony tht the poet uses in the poem.
11. What are the characteristics of the poet’s style? the use of a central conceit to develop the poem’s theme? irregular lines of predominatly aimbic thythm? thetorical questions? religious diction?
12. What’s the tone of the poem revealed?

Quick Write: After today’s assessment, how would you , from now on, read differently?

Homework: Review the new vocalulary and concepts learned today in class. Reread the passage to see if you can dig out new  meanings from the text.

Reading Assessment

Day 2: Read the prose ( an excerpt from Tracks” by Louise Erdrich) and answer questions 13-24 in the  packet

Objectives: Students will answer 11 Multiple-Choice questions based on the reading within 15 minutes.

Aim: What are some of the challenges we face when taking an AP English Exam? How is the female character, Fleur, portrayed in the passage?

Material: A sample AP English exam

Agenda

1. Take the reading assessment.
2. Go over the answer
3. Share the experiences of taking the assessment.
4. Discuss text-based questions ( multiple-choice questions).

Learning Sequence:

1. How is the setting described?
2. Who is the narrator?
3. What does the “oppressive heat” seem to cause as revealed in the passage?
4. What does the author reveal about Fleur?
5. How does the author reveal Lily’s changing fortunes and attitude ?
6. What does “choked with burrs” mean?
7. What is the central image the author wants to convey about Fleur?
8. How does the author use characters’  names to create irony?
9. What is the literary device  of “synesthesia”?
10. How can we infer that violence will occur off the scene after the game is over?
11. What’s the author’s main style?

Quick Write: What did you learn today from today’s assessment? What are some of the specific challenges for you?

Homework: Review the new vocabulary and concepts discussed in today’s lesson.

Day 3 ( “After The Last Practice” by Grinell)

Objectives: Students will read a poem and answer 15 TBQ in 15 minutes. Students will also identify literary devices that they are familiar with and the question stems in the multiple-choice questions.

Aim: What are some of the literary devices you are not familiar with as shown in the TBQ? What are some of the question stems you recognize?

Materials: A sample AP Exam

Agenda

1. Read the poem and answer the multiple choice questions.
2. Check the answers.
3. Share the  unfamiliar literary devices students have identified or any other questions.
4. Share the common questions stems students have recognized.
5. Quick Write

Learning Sequence:

A. In pairs, students will discuss and share their understanding of the assigned questions from the following-

1. What’s the main focus of the poem?
2. What’s the tone of the poem?
3. Which lines in the 1st two stanzas help reinforce the sensory nature?
4. What is the most common feeling displayed by the players before the contest?
5. What are  lines 44-45 ” Jesus, someone said…” primary intended for?
6. How are the memories described as shown in lines 46-61?
7. What do the diction and imagery in stanzas 12 and 13 ( lines 67-78) suggest?
8. What does the Boy Scout -warrior dichotomy mentioned in lines 87-88 reinforce?
9. How would describe the mood portrayed in the last three stanzas?
10. How is simile used in the poem?
11. What is the nature of the teammates’ adolescent athletic experience?
12. How does the author convey the diminishing significance of the individuals and their exploits on the football field?
13. What are some of the stylistic traits of the poem?

B. In class, pairs share the responses.

Quick Write: What new deceives or vocabulary have you learned today from the assessment? How might they help you do better with the reading in the future?

Homework: Review the new vocabulary learned today. Take a reading test from the packet you have received today published by the College Board. Assess your understanding by using hte answer key provided.