1. One last push for tomorrow!
Find your timed writing from yesterday and take the sample essay that goes with it. Not here yesterday: look for the essay prompt in the stacks with your name on it! Still read sample essays.
Read your essay, read the samples, rubric and commentary and score yourself.
Look at the green AP exam folder I gave you; look at each type of question and write down questions you want me to answer. Do all this efficiently and quickly.
While you do this, I will hand back three things: a prose essay you did a long time ago, last week’s last timed writing and your m/c selection from the other day.
I need sample essays and AP test folders back!

2. Gone Friday? See me for Monday’s homework
Friday is a reading day; bring all your books back that you don’t need.

3. Multiple Choice Types of questions
5 passages-60 minutes-about a minute a question
If you can eliminate an answer, take an educated guess. YOU WILL NOT GET PENALIZED for wrong answers!
40% of your final score
You will do this first

4. Multiple Choice
I would NOT read the whole passage. Go to the questions FIRST! I would do the questions that refer to line numbers first so you can get a feel for what the tone of the passage is. Read lines before and after lines referenced.
If time is running out, answer those questions that require little work for you.
Know which kind of questions are your strongest. Do those first. Do the type of passage that is easiest to attack: prose or poetry.
Underline, circle, annotate: interact with the text.
Any questions?

5. Essays Three essays 2 hours About 40 minutes for each essay
You should allot time for reading and understanding the prompt and essays, some time for planning and prewriting and time to write and finish the essay.
This is 60% of your score.
Do the one that will be hardest first? What will be your plan?

6. Question 1—Poetry Selection
Compare/Contrast---
Organize point-by-point just to be sure that you cover BOTH poems. Try to get in at least 2 ideas! Address both similarities and differences, but you don’t have to do so equally. (compare, contrast, compare AND contrast…it’s asking for both)
What is it? What is it doing? WHY is it important? The “so what” is the most important thing in ALL essays. Be insightful, but avoid the B.S. If the rhyme scheme gives the poem a melodic feel, why is THAT important (don’t say so the reader can relate to it!)
KNOW your techniques. Look for patterns; don’t hyper focus on any one thing. TP-CASTT
Modern/Contemporary poems don’t seem to use traditional techniques: consider point of view, imagery, structure (look at 2011 version)
Cover the WHOLE poem, start to finish. The ending is usually the most important
Use good textual evidence ALWAYS!
Questions?

7. Question 2-Prose Selection
Look for patterns! Interesting, suspicious, deal with it!
Don’t hyper-focus on ONE simile/metaphor/etc.; make sure to KNOW the techniques. Prose looks at other things than poetry: selection of detail, use of dialogue, setting, etc.
The text MUST support your analysis
For both poetry and prose, USE GOOD textual support
“SO WHAT?”
Analyzing prose is just like analyzing poetry. Consider the WHOLE selection. Pay attention to subtleties (watch for IRONY!)
Questions.

8. Question 3---Open Response
Book titles are UNDERLINED!!!!!!!
Open with a STRONG thesis. Don’t waste time on a bad intro
Don’t waste time on summary or giving background info that doesn’t offer any ideas that answer the prompt
CEW! Claim, evidence, warrant! Give SPECIFIC examples from the text! The better your examples and the analysis that goes with it, the better your paper.
KNOW THE CHARACTERS’ NAMES! HASSAN ISN’T AMIR! JANIE is her name. Makes you look VERY BAD!
I like that many are using the conclusion for final insightful thoughts
No need to bring the reader into the analysis (unless it makes sense to); also historical context may not be important. Not a rhetorical analysis.
Don’t let yourself get repetitive: don’t keep repeating the same thing in a different way.
Answer the prompt. How do the examples from the book you are choosing show the overall meaning of the work as a whole! What is the meaning of the book? How does the book show this? So what?

9. General writing reminders
Good strong thesis
No need to repeat prompt in intro (in fact, readers don’t like this), BUT if it keeps you focused, do it.
Clear indentation from paragraph to paragraph
Good clear topic sentences with LOTS of textual evidence: be specific not vague; show that you understand the subtleties of whatever you are writing about.
Use conclusion for last insightful thoughts NOT to repeat your thesis or summarize your essay. It’s your last shot to up your score.
Answer the “so what?” (just thought I would get that in one more time!)

10. Final thoughts
I have seen lots of growth this year! No matter how you do on that test, you should still be proud of all you have accomplished this year!
You are as ready as you are going to be. Tonight think of your testing strategy. Get a good night’s rest and eat something tomorrow.
I would bring a watch b/c you may not get time warnings.
Bring both a pen and pencil.
Final metaphor (start at 3:18 about a minute and then go to 7:50 to end)