Multiple Choice Monday - 3 Chances

 Here's another fun, easy way to practice multiple choice, whether it be for AP Lit, AP Lang, or just practicing for the state test.

What you will need:

• Multiple choice practice sheets/passages (I just pick up prep books for AP Lit to get the practice questions in the back - the bonus on that is they also provide reasons why an answer is right and why the others are incorrect).
• A way to scan answers (I use ZipGrade)  Zip Grade allows me a scan a test on my phone and get the correct answers quickly.  You can just use it cold, or you can take the time to input your students and give them a code number.  If you do, it will provide tracking data on how well they are doing.  The best part is, you can use it for free if you are just doing a few tests here and there, but if you want to use it more, the cost is just around $6 to $7 a year.  Yes, you read that correctly.  It works on both Android and Apple devices.  No, I am not getting paid to endorse these guys.

OK, so next up I give them their passages (I like giving two passages at a time for my AP Lit students, which is about 25 questions a pop).  I encourage them to mark up their passage sheet with how confident they are in their answers and what may be a close second choice for them.  Then, the fun begins.  They have an answer sheet with two sections on the front and one on the back.   

Once they have filled out the first section, I scan it and tell them the number incorrect.  Because I am devious and enjoy the pain and suffering of my students, I do not tell them which ones they got incorrect.  They then can decide if that grade is good enough, or go back and make changes and bring it up to me to scan for #2, which I will once again tell them how many are incorrect.  If time allows before the end of class (we have a 90 minute period), they can go for scan #3.   I am a jerk, but not a total jerk, so I will take their best of the three. 

Why do this?  For one, it breaks up the monotony of multiple choice practice.  It also gives them a chance to really consider their process of elimination.  They go back and look at the ones they were not sure about and give them extra scrutiny that they otherwise would not have done.

I also printed out the question/answer explanations so that once a student is finished, he or she may check their answers.

If you have alternative ways of practicing your multiple choice, let me know in the comments or shoot me an email!

Want more multiple choice activities?  Try:

• Group Style
• Reverse Process of Elimination
• Speed Training
• Race Horse Style (borrowed from some other extreme teacher out there!)

Two Annotation Practices: Porphyria's Lover and Life Is Sweet at Kumansenu

 Here are two annotation practices you are welcome to make use of in your classroom.  If you would like to share a practice of yours with me, I would be delighted to see it and potentially use it in my class.  Just send it to me in an email.  

The first one is the first poem I use with my AP Lit students when we start our poetry unit (they've gotten other poems, but this officially starts our poetry section.  It is "Porphyria's Lover" by Robert Browning, one of my favorite poems of all time.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14q5wdaJYzZTZvA3f5BKqHqlGGpcbpObfdd_6-fF4e_4/edit?tab=t.0

The directions are on the back and guides them for what to look for.

The other practice is one I am trying with my English II Honors students to step up their game a bit.  It is, for most of them, their first go at real annotation, so I built it up as a big deal.  It is with the short story "Life Is Sweet at Kumansenu" by Abioseh Nicol.  It was fun to see that some of the students got excited and whipped out a pouch full of highlighters or color markers.  

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1krB0CmLVjGv-UaySLzLDNW4ah2LAH6dT3twRAcn1j_g/edit?tab=t.0

We had just finished our archetype notes, which is why I specifically go out of my way to mention that in the directions.  If you have students struggling to discern deeper meaning in texts, then I suggest teaching archetypes.  It is a game changer.

Shameless Plug

Teaching ACES step-by-step

Do you have a solid plan for getting your students to answer the constructed response section of state tests or to just be able to form the basic elements of a short answer question?  If not, consider below:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/XET-Teaching-ACES-for-Constructed-Responses-12163122

ACES provides a formula for students to think about when formatting a constructed response or short answer question. It is the basic structure for organized writing and is often used to set students up for larger works that will require thesis statements and paragraphs. It is also often used on state testing.

The poem "Ozymandias" is used to break down each component in each lesson.

Teaching this basic structure can be time consuming and irritating for both student and teacher. This pack aims to alleviate some of that stress on both by scaffolding the process and having students practice one element at a time, building upon previous lessons until all elements are mastered.  It can be done in a series of four days or less, if needed, but I prefer to teach this one day a week over four weeks.

After going through the example, students get a chance to practice each part ( lesson one is only A, lesson two is A and C, lesson three is A, C, and E, and the final lesson is A, C, E, and S.

The primary text is "Ozymandias" by Shelley and students will practice on each section using passages from "Fire and Ice" by Frost, The Four Loves by C. S. Lewis, Dune by Herbert, and Invisible Man by Ellison.

Each lesson has a student worksheet to let them practice with a small reading passage.

I created this last year for use with my inclusion class and it worked wonders.  It made it where they could grasp what we were asking for and by breaking it down into chunks, they were not overwhelmed.  I have an honors class this semester and will be using it with them as well.