Link to 2009 - 2010 My Reading Facilitator (Grades 9 & 10)
Quick Link for Online Test (timed)
Quick
Link to ZERO HOUR THREAT 
Please scroll down to see the tutorials and activities previously posted.
ACT
Prep Lesson Plans (Revised
6, June, 2013)
Reposted by over 46,500 people as of November 20, 2014!
Week 
 | 
  
Focus 
 | 
  
Students will… 
 | 
  
Notes:  
 | 
 
1 
 | 
  
ACT Reading
  Test Basics 
 | 
  
Watch Top ACT
  Reading Videos and take notes on  
1. reading
  section questions 
3. general
  strategies 
4. what to
  look for when reading 
5. strategic
  guessing 
 | 
  |
2 
 | 
  
General
  Reading Strategies on the ACT 
 | 
  
Take a full – length BOOST lite ACT Test  
 | 
  |
3 
 | 
  
Overview of
  the passage types 
How to read
  the passages:  
General
  Strategies 
How to read
  the passages:  
The Killer Two
  Sweep method 
 | 
  
Watch ACT
  tutorials and take notes 
 | 
  
 
The Killer Two
  Sweep method: 
1st sweep – intelligently “size up” the passage,
  in about 20 to 30 seconds.  
·        
  Quickly
  scan to locate names of characters and a sense of where and when this story
  is taking place. 
2nd sweep – read at a somewhat faster pace than
  normal, to obtain a general understanding of the passage 
·        
  Read
  from start to finish 
·        
  Concentrate
  on central message 
·        
  Draw
  inferences as you read 
 | 
 
4 
 | 
  
 
1: Detail 
2: Deduction  
3: Main Idea 
4: Structure  
5: Word-in-Context  
6: Author’s
  View 
 | 
  
Watch interactive
  ACT tutorials 
Materials
  needed: 
ü  ACT (2012-2013) Preparing
  for the ACT booklet.  Reading
  Section 3 
ü  pencil  
 | 
  
The official
  ACT tests referred to in this PDF are the free ACT on the ACT website; ACT  
1, 2, and 3
  found in all versions of The Real ACT Prep Guide; and ACT 4 and 5 found only
  in  
the 2011
  release of The Real ACT Prep Guide 
 | 
 
5 
 | 
  
Mark Up Prose Passages 
1)
  Emotional content-- (verbs like
  “sighed,” “winced,” or “smirked,” for example, all signal emotional qualities
  and should be marked).  
2)
  Any insight into the relationship
  between characters.  
-Do
  the characters seem to get along?   
  -Are there any implied tensions or disagreements?  
-Is
  a “history” between these characters suggested?  
3)
  Does the passage have a tone or mood,
  such as exhilaration, ominousness, resentment, or anger? 
 | 
  
Passage 1 
 | 
 |
6 
 | 
  
Mark Up Social Science Passages 
1)
  Cause/effect dynamics-- how or why
  does something happen?  Do certain
  results appear from certain conditions?  
2)
  Author’s opinion/overall purpose:
  why is the author telling me these things? What point is the author making
  about this topic? Is the author supportive/critical/neutral?  
3)
  Examples—Why are they there? How
  do they bolster the author’s argument?  
4)
  Comparisons/contrasts 
 | 
  
Passage 2 
b.   
  Longitude 
 | 
 |
7 
 | 
  
Mark Up Humanities Passages 
1)
  Cause/effect dynamics-- how or why
  does something happen?  Do certain
  results appear from certain conditions?  
2)
  Author’s opinion/overall purpose:
  why is the author telling me these things? What point is the author making
  about this topic? Is the author supportive/critical/neutral?  
3)
  Examples—Why are they there? How
  do they bolster the author’s argument?  
4)
  Comparisons/contrasts 
 | 
  
Passage 3 
b.   
  Albany 
 | 
 |
8 
 | 
  
Mark Up Natural Science Passages 
1)
  Cause/effect dynamics-- how or why
  does something happen?  Do certain
  results appear from certain conditions?  
2)
  Author’s opinion/overall purpose:
  why is the author telling me these things? What point is the author making
  about this topic? Is the author supportive/critical/neutral?  
3)
  Examples—Why are they there? How
  do they bolster the author’s argument?  
4)
  Comparisons/contrasts 
 | 
  
Passage 4 
 | 
 |
9 
 | 
  
REAL ACT
  Practice Test 1, untimed 
 | 
  
Take a full practice test with no time constraints, with all study helps - “open book" and take your time with questions, focusing on
  applying strategies.  
chart your progress, assess growth, and set goals for
  the next lesson 
 | 
  
Go over the questions you answered incorrectly so you don't
  get those questions wrong next time.  
Refer to the answers and explanations in the Real ACT Prep
  Guide as you review your incorrect answers. 
 | 
 
10 
 | 
  
REAL ACT
  Practice Test 2,  
timed 
 | 
  
Take a full practice test with time constraints, with all guides “open
  book.”   
See
  College
  Readiness Standards for the Reading ACT (1 – 36).   
Chart your progress, assess growth, and set goals for
  the next lesson 
 | 
  
Thoroughly analyze your strengths and weaknesses using the
  Real ACT Prep Guide.  
Decide what areas you want to work on, keeping in mind how
  much time you have and how often the skill appears 
 | 
 
11 
 | 
  
REAL  ACT Practice Test 3, timed 
 | 
  
Take a full practice test with no open materials and with time limits.    
This will be your BASE score.   
Where do
  you want to be? 
Chart your progress, assess growth, and set goals for
  the next lesson. 
 | 
  
Pick it apart!   
Go over questions you answered incorrectly.   
Use supplemental material to strengthen  your score.        
                       
                       
                       
                       
 | 
 
12 
 | 
  
REAL  ACT Practice Test 4, timed 
 | 
  
Take a full practice test with no open materials and with time limits.   
Chart your progress, assess growth, and set goals for
  the next lesson. 
 | 
  
Pick it apart!   
Go over questions you answered incorrectly.   
Use supplemental materials to strengthen  your score        
                       
                       
                       
                       
 | 
 
13 
 | 
  
REAL  ACT Practice Test 5, timed 
 | 
  
Take a full practice test with no open materials and with time limits.  
Chart your progress, assess growth, and set goals for
  the next lesson. 
 | 
  
Pick it apart!   
Go over questions you answered incorrectly.   
Use supplemental materials  strengthen  your score        
                       
                       
                       
                       
 | 
 
14 
 | 
  
“Personalized”
  ACT 1 
 | 
  
By now, you
  should have a pretty good idea which of the four reading passages is your LEAST
  favorite.  
Create a test
  that is only three passages long; using one passage from each of the three passages
  types you feel the most comfortable with. 
Take a
  practice test with no open materials and with a 30 minute time limit.   
 | 
  
Your goal is
  to get 90% of the questions correct. 
90% of 30 =
  27% 
If you are
  able to successfully answer 30 questions in 30 minutes and get at least 27
  questions correct, your goal in the next session is to take a full reading
  practice test. 
If not, your
  goal is to repeat this strategy until you are able to get 27 correct in 30
  minutes. 
 | 
 
15 
 | 
  
“Personalized”
  ACT 2 
 | 
  
Take a
  practice test with no open materials and with a 30 minute time limit.   
 | 
  
If you are
  able to successfully answer 30 questions in 30 minutes and get at least 27
  questions correct, your goal in the next session is to take a full reading
  practice test. 
If not, your
  goal is to repeat this strategy until you are able to get 27 correct in 30
  minutes. 
 | 
 
16 
 | 
  
“Personalized”
  ACT 3 
 | 
  
Take a
  practice test with no open materials and with a 30 minute time limit.   
 | 
  
If you are
  able to successfully answer 30 questions in 30 minutes and get at least 27
  questions correct, your goal in the next session is to take a full reading
  practice test. 
If not, your
  goal is to repeat this strategy until you are able to get 27 correct in 30
  minutes. 
 | 
 
17 
 | 
  
“Personalized”
  ACT 4 
 | 
  
Take a
  practice test with no open materials and with a 30 minute time limit.   
 | 
  
If you are
  able to successfully answer 30 questions in 30 minutes and get at least 27
  questions correct, your goal in the next session is to take a full reading
  practice test. 
If not, your
  goal is to repeat this strategy until you are able to get 27 correct in 30
  minutes. 
 | 
 
18 
 | 
  
“Personalized”
  ACT 5 
 | 
  
Take a
  practice test with no open materials and with a 30 minute time limit.   
 | 
  
If you are
  able to successfully answer 30 questions in 30 minutes and get at least 27
  questions correct, your goal in the next session is to take a full reading
  practice test. 
If not, your
  goal is to repeat this strategy until you are able to get 27 correct in 30
  minutes. 
 | 
 
19 
 | 
  
Sharpen the
  Saw! 1 
 | 
  
By now, you
  should have a pretty good idea which of the four reading passages is your LEAST
  favorite.  
Create a test
  that is only three passages long; using three passages from your LEAST
  favorite passage type and include one you feel the most comfortable with. 
Take a
  practice test with no open materials and with NO time limit.   
 | 
  
Pick it apart!   
Go over questions you answered incorrectly.   
Use supplemental material to help you sharpen your skills
  in this area. 
 | 
 
20 
 | 
  
Sharpen the
  Saw! 2 
 | 
  
By now, you
  should have a pretty good idea how to attack your LEAST favorite passage
  type.  
Create a test
  that is only three passages long; using three passages from your LEAST
  favorite passage type and include one you feel the most comfortable with. 
Take a
  practice test with no open materials and WITH a time limit.   
 | 
  
Pick it apart!   
Go over questions you answered incorrectly.   
Use supplemental material to help you sharpen your skills
  in this area. 
 | 
 

