MCAS+Personal+Plans+of+Attack

media type="youtube" key="l-gQLqv9f4o" height="315" width="560" align="center"

In the upcoming week you will be taking the ELA MCAS. In class we have discussed what you might be able to expect based on what previous years of MCAS contained - genres of reading, types of questions, how many selections, how many questions, the types of multiple choice questions, and how to use the open response rubric to your advantage. In theory you are ready!

Each student in our class is an individual person. Your experiences with tests in the past, your personal skills, and your own unique will help you do well on this test. As unique as you each are, and as we have discussed in class, you each need your own plan that helps you to know how you will approach taking this test.

It can be easier to carry out a plan if you can visualize yourself taking the test. Your assignment this week is to create not only create your MCAS Personal Plan of Attack but to also create a comic strip that shows you using that plan.

Directions:
 * 1) Create a your plan of attack for the MCAS that you've started in class. (Here are some questions to get you started: Will you start at the beginning and work straight through? Will you read the questions before reading the text selections? Will you use open space to brainstorm what you want to say in the open response? Will you code the questions? Will you high light the answers when you find them? How will you check your work? Will you take a break? If so, when? What will you do when you get tired? What will you do if you don't know the meaning of a word?)
 * 2) Select one of the web sites below. Use it to create your comic.
 * 3) Get creative with your comic and use it to show how you will use your plan.
 * 4) Be sure that you use correct spelling and grammar in your comic; it's part of your score.
 * 5) Save the comic and post it to the bottom of this page. Be sure to put your name above it so that you get credit for your work!

We will print out your comics so that you have your plan to refer back to the day of the MCAS. We will do this in class on the day it is due. You can't have it on your desk while you work but you can look at it before you start.

__**This assignment is due: Thursday, March 21, 2013 **__ The following are websites you can use to create your comic. Click the icon to visit the site. Remember: do not create a user name and password. It should not be necessary.

How to save and post your work:
 * 1) Click print but don't actually print - this is to get your comic strip to appear on the screen.
 * 2) Make sure your screen looks the way you want it to look and that nothing is in the way.
 * 3) Press the Print Screen button.
 * 4) <span style="color: #af0eaf; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 160%;">Open paint.
 * 5) <span style="color: #af0eaf; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 160%;">Edit - paste.
 * 6) <span style="color: #af0eaf; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 160%;">Then use the crop tool to select what you want to appear in your comic.
 * 7) <span style="color: #af0eaf; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 160%;">Edit (or right click) cut.
 * 8) <span style="color: #af0eaf; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 160%;">Go to file, open. Do not save the old work.
 * 9) <span style="color: #af0eaf; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 160%;">Paste into the new file.
 * 10) <span style="color: #af0eaf; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 160%;">Adjust the white background.
 * 11) <span style="color: #af0eaf; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 160%;">Save as a jpeg or png file.
 * 12) <span style="color: #af0eaf; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 160%;">Now you are ready to post to the wiki.
 * 13) <span style="color: #af0eaf; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.5;">At the upper, right corner of this page you will see the edit button. Click it.
 * 14) <span style="color: #af0eaf; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.5;">Scroll down the page until you get to the double line. Click just above that.
 * 15) <span style="color: #af0eaf; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.5;">Look at the tool bar at the top of your screen. Click the file button.
 * 16) <span style="color: #af0eaf; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.5;">Choose your saved comic strip and it should post to the wiki.
 * 17) <span style="color: #af0eaf; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.5;">If it looks the way you want it to then click save. If it doesn't then click cancel.

Example of a comic:







Olivia's MCAS attack comic strip

Emilie Hoffmann

szymon

Ryley

Ashley

Sedona Lexi's comic of MCAS plan of attack

Julia



Things To Do To Be Prepared For MCAS:

At Home:
 * Make sure you have any materials you want to bring to school in your backpack and ready to go
 * Study (try looking up past MCAS sessions)
 * Go to bed on-time or a little early
 * Eat a good breakfast before school starts
 * Get to school on-time or early
 * Pack your snack - a healthy one
 * Dress comfortably for the weather

At School The Morning Of:
 * Eat breakfast if you eat at school
 * Make sure your materials are ready: hand-held pencil sharpener if you want one, eraser, a book or your writer's notebook with your name on it ready for if you finish early, snack in the snack bin
 * Focus on being calm
 * Clear off your desk
 * Use the bathroom and get a drink
 * Make sure you've taken anything out of your backpack that you need
 * Take care of your morning responsibilities
 * Review your MCAS personal plan of attack

During MCAS:
 * Use your personal plan of attack
 * Read everything on every page that you are supposed to do
 * Work carefully and take your time
 * Fill in bubbles completely, stay in the lines, and make dark marks
 * Erase completely
 * Reread often, find answers in text, have evidence to support your answers
 * Plan, brainstorm, and think a lot about questions
 * It does not matter how long you take