Standardized Tests

More and more states are moving toward standardized tests as a way to show that students have the skills necessary to graduate from high school. Some states, including New Jersey, have or are experimenting with having standardized assessments in other areas: science, social studies, the arts, etc. Identify the pros AND cons of having these tests as a graduation requirement.

Reading Difficulties and Strategies

What specific aspects of the READING parts of the HSPA give you the MOST trouble? (i.e. the open-ended responses and correctly answering the multiple-choice questions about the narrative story or the persuasive article) Why?

What strategies have you used successfully in order to make sure the finished product you submit is the best it can be? Share one or more of those strategies in order to help classmates improve their own READING scores on the test

Writing Difficulties and Strategies

What specific aspects of the WRITING parts of the HSPA give you the MOST trouble? (i.e. writing the persuasive essay; the picture prompt) Why?

What strategies have you used successfully in order to make sure the finished product you submit is the best it can be? Share one or more of those strategies in order to help classmates improve their own WRITING scores on the test.

The River as Sanctuary

It seems that whenever Huck and Jim are on the river, they feel a sense of freedom and peace. Whenever they go ashore, they must face the conflicts and headaches that our complex civilization naturally brings about. Where is your "sanctuary"? In what way(s) do you escape from the conflicts and headaches that daily life brings you? What gives you that sense of freedom and peace that the river provides for Jim and Huck? Be sure to give SPECIFIC examples and edit your work in order to earn full credit.

Lies, Lies, Lies

In Huck Finn, Huck tells many lies; some would say he does so in order to survive. Where do you draw the line with lies? Are some lies morally or ethically acceptable? Be sure to give SPECIFIC examples and edit your work in order to earn full credit.

Superstitions

Jim, Tom, Huck, the townspeople, and others in the story of Huck Finn rely on superstitions. In modern day, some people equate superstitions with religious fervor and fanaticism while others rely on superstitions more as a way to calm themselves or as a tradition in a sense. Discuss some aspect of superstitious behavior either historically or currently, generally or personally. Be sure to give SPECIFIC examples and edit your work in order to earn full credit.

END OF BOOK ASSESSMENT

Please be sure to take your time on each of the following THREE blogs as they are worth 10 points each and require SPECIFIC evidence to support them. They should be several sentences long and should show evidence of good writing skills (i.e. grammar and mechanics). GOOD LUCK!! :-)