TAKS
Practice
I.
From TEA
Released
TAKS
tests,
previous year from TEA. Students can take the
tests online with results.
Revised
TAKS Information
Booklet
from TEA with Study guide, Objectives students
have to achieve, and samples questions for each
objective.
Personalized
TAKS Study
Guide-
An additional resources developed by TEA for
each student who did not pass the TAKS. Each
guide has been created based on the TAKS results
of an individual student. Provides links to
educator-approved websites that will help you
with your studying.
II.
From HISD Online
Resources
(If
you access from home, the user name is
houstonisd & the password is
comets.)
Petersons
Test
Prep-
From Thomson Gale- HISD Online Resources. Scroll
down to Testing & Education Reference Center
at the bottom of the page. Many tests of all
kinds, including TAKS Exit test prep, (SAT, ACT,
TASP, GED, GRE, TAKS Reading, and Math for 4th
and 8th Grades, basic English & math
skills).
Based on the official tests, the site generates
many tests for students to
practice.
Test
Prep
E-Books
to read online or printout, also available from
Peterson link above
III.
From
University of Texas in
Austin
TRACK
for the
TAKS-
Free from UT- helps prepare for the 11th grade
TAKS tests_Social Studies, Science, Math,
includes diagnostic tests and supplemental
learning materials in the subject areas tested
on the exit-level. Click on "Log In" and follow
the prompts to download necessary plugins.
Create your own account.
IV.
From
Alief ISD
TAKS
Practice-
for TAKS Exit Test for 11th grade with
Notes and Activities for each of the five
objectives.
V.
From
Houston Public Library
Learning
Express
Library-
(Login with your HPL Power Card number to enter
this site).
Provides test preparation materials and
interactive practice exams (SAT, ACT, TASP, GED,
GRE TAKS Reading, and Math for 4th and 8th
Grades, basic English & math skills) as well
as a Job and Career Center. Based on official
tests, the practice exams will help you improve
your scores on academic, civil service,
military, and professional licensing and
certification exams, Civil Service, Law
Enforcement, EMS, Real Estate, Military, etc.)
VI.
From
Textbook Publishers &
Others
Online
TAKS Practice for Social
Studies
for grades 8, 10 & 11 from
Glencoe. Click on a grade
level to find a full practice test as well as
quizzes based on each TAKS
objective.
Online
TAKS Practice-
Social Studies-This web site is provided by
Pearson Prentice Hall.
Select the textbook you want to review. Choose a
test to take.
Language
of Literature Test
Practice-
from McDougal Littell, for
grade 6-11 in reading and English language arts
Exit level
Brainchild
Online
Assessment.
Only one free test in math and reading for each
grade from 3rd to Exit level with analysis,
explaination for incorrect answers. Must
subscribe for more tests.
Assessment-
Resources to help students practice skills
required on various assessments, K-12
levels.
Meeting
Standardized Test Goals in Other
States
AchievementInfo.com: Grades
4,6,8,10-
Review materials from the MA Comprehensive
Assessment System
(MCAS) tests.
California
Standards Tests Released Questions: Grades
2-11-
To boost reading skills, this site also provides
a searchable K-12 book list.
Pennsylvania
System of School Assessment Practice Tests:
Grade 3-11-
Check out the writing prompts that require
strong composition skills.
Sudyzone: Test
Prep: Grade
PreK-12-
Prepare for NY state tests & the
Regends exams with lessons, practice activities,
teacher resources, and tutorial.
Tennessee
Comprehensive Assessment Program Item
Samplers: Grades
3-8-
Science, language arts, and social studies
questions are included in these
samples.
Interactive
Test Practice for K-8
Assessment:
K-12-
Help students practice skills for annual
assessments.
Mathematics
TestQuest and Test Prep: Grade
1-6-
Improve critical thinking skills with lessons,
Shockwave tutorials, and
brainteasers.
MathSlice
Mock Tests: Grades
3-5- Study number concepts, fractions,
measurement, geometry, and
statistics.
ReviseWise:
Grades K-6-
Offers academic support as kids
prepare
Subject
Area Interactive
Lessonss:
PreK-12- Integrate technology into your
curriculum with resources that address specific
objective. Click on links for
students
VA
Standards of Learnin: Grades
3,5,8-
Complete interactive quizzes as they practice
answering science, math, and technology
questions.
SAT
& ACT Practice
I.
Online
Resources Subscriptions From HISD
& Houston Public
Library
**Petersons
Test
Prep-
From Thomson Gale HISD Online subscription. The
Testing & Education
Center is at the bottom of the page.
All kinds of tests, and college, scholarship
& career search. There are also Test Prep
e-books to read or printout. (If you access from
home, ask your librarian for the password and
username.)
**Learning
Express
Library-
(Login with your HPL Power Card number) to enter
this site.
Provides test preparation materials and
interactive practice exams (SAT, ACT, TASP, GED,
GRE TAKS Reading, and Math for 4th and 8th
Grades, basic English & math skills) as well
as a Job and Career Center. Based on official
tests, the practice exams will help you improve
your scores on academic, civil service,
military, and professional licensing and
certification exams, Civil
Service,
Law Enforcement, EMS, Real Estate, Military,
etc.)
II.
Free
Internet Resources
***College
for Texans Test Prep:
TOPCAT
(TX
Online Preparation for College Admissions
Tests.) SAT, ACT, GRE, Vocab.
**
CollegeBoard.com-
Information about PSAT, SAT, AP, CLEP to prepare
for the new
SAT(beginning
in March, 20005). Practice taking this test and
find out your result scores, ability and
explanation for all answers.
*College
PowerPrep.
provides a complete SAT and ACT preparation
course - all online and all FREE! Each week
you'll be provided you with new learning module
s from our SAT and ACT. You'll need to register
and download free software. Visit the Lab, then
open the "Classroom"
**Number2.com-
Free SAT, ACT, GRE Prep. Online test preparation
courses are totally free! By creating an account
you can access a customized course that includes
tutorials, practice sessions that dynamically
adapt to each student's ability
level.
*
Pink
Monkey Study
Guide.
Study guides for all subjects and SAT & GRE
exam guides with samples for
practice
*SparkNotes:Test
Prep-
Study guide and practice tests for the New SAT,
ACT, AP, SAT Subject tests. Read the book online
for free.
*Test
Prep Review-
Your Source for Free Practice Tests of all
kinds. Provides results with correct
answers.
ACT
Test Prep.
A 79 page book written about the ACT test and
one sample
test
providing explanations of both correct and
incorrect answers are given with correct
answers, and a sample topic for an essay
with
4
different essays written about this
topic
from
poor to excellent samples and
comments.
Barrons
Free Practice
Test.
4
sections with 5 questions in
each.
College
Board AP Information
College
Board SAT Question of the
Day.
4Tests.com-
provider of free, online practice
exams
Free
English Tests for ESL/EFL, TOEFL, TOEIC, SAT,
GRE, AGAT
and
ESL exercises in 3 levels.
Kaplan
Testing
Service.
Must
fill out the request form for Sat and ACT
online.
Presentation
Dynamics Resource Center for the
SAT
Princeton
Review.
Offers only one sample each for SAT/ACT tests.
Must register.
SAT
Math Trial Area
SAT
Math Practice Test
Syvum
Test Prep
Tescaliber-
Free practice tests, must register.
SAT VOCABULARY-
Links to help
you study for the Verbal part of the
SAT
SAT
Vocabulary Preparation
100
Most Common SAT
Words
(activities)
518
SAT Vocab-
SAT word list, flash card, memory
game.
Vocabulary
Word List for SAT
Vocabulary
University
Vocabulary
Word Games
WordCommand
Word of the
Day.
TOEFL
Practice
4Test.com-
Samples of
TOEFL,
SAT, Pre-SAT, AP, ACT, GED, college and graduate
exams.
Free
TOEFL
Practice-
Online
TOEFL
Practice-
Sample
Tests-
TOEFL
-
*TOEFL
Practice
-
TOEFL
Practice
Questions-
TOEFL
Practice
Quiz-
TOEFL
Structure and Written Expression /Grammar
Tests.
Test
Taking Strategies
These helpful
tips are for teachers, parents and
students.
Improving
Your Test-Taking Skills
Test-Taking
Strategies
Effective
Study & Test Taking Strategies for Kids
with Learning
Difficulties
by SchwabLearning.org at
http://www.schwablearning.org/articles.aspx?r=878
Books
Petersons
Test Prep Books
-
FREE from HISD Online Subscription. Many
E-Books available to read or printout. (If you
access the site from home, ask your school
librarian for the username and
password.
More
Books to Purchase:
Barrons
Test Prep Books & online
courses
and TAKS
math and language art exit
exams.
College
Board Test Prep
Books
& online courses.
Kaplan
Test Prep Books
Princeton
Review
Books-
All kinds of test.
Test
Masters
E-Store-
Books for various tests and classes in Sugar
land.
Guide
for College Entrance/SAT
Essay
Sample
Essays
Read
the following application essays. See if you can
figure out the essay's strengths and weaknesses.
Click the menus below to view critiques of the
essay as you go along.
Sample
1.
Sample
2.
Sample
3.
Sample
4
with unedited and edited versions and
critics.
Sample
College Essay Questions
Generally,
there are three types of questions: The "you,"
the "why us," and the "creative." Here are tips
and actual sample questions for each type. Don't
assume that the questions are currently being
used by a college (most colleges adjust
questions annually).
The
"You" Question
Many
colleges ask for an essay that boils down to,
"Tell us about yourself." The school just wants
to know you better and see how you'll introduce
yourself. For example:
- "Please
complete a one-page personal statement and
submit it with your application." (James Madison
University)
- "How
would you describe yourself as a human being?
What quality do you like best in yourself and
what do you like least? What quality would you
most like to see flourish and which would you
like to see wither?" (Bates College)
- "Describe
any interesting experience you have had during
your college admission search."
- "Creative
people state that taking risks often promotes
important discoveries in their lives or their
work. Discuss a risk that has led to a
significant change (positive or nagative) in
your personal or intellectual
life."
- "Describe
the most challeging obstacle you have had to
overcome. Discuss its impact and tell what you
have learned from the experience."
- "To
learn to think is to learn to question. Discuss
a matter you once thought you knew "for sure"
that you since have learned to question."
Your
Approach
This
direct question offers a chance to reveal your
personality, insight, and commitment. The danger
is that it's open-ended, so you need to focus.
Find just one or two things that will reveal
your best qualities, and avoid the urge to spill
everything.
The
"Why Us" Question
Some
schools ask for an essay about your choice of a
school or career. They're looking for
information about your goals, and about how
serious your commitment is to this particular
school. For example:
- "Why
is UVM a good college choice for you?"
(University of Vermont)
- "Please
tell us about your career goals and any plans
you may have for graduate study." (Westfield
State College)
- "Tell
us about yourself, your reasons forapplying to
USF and your reasons for seeking a college
education."
- "Describe
your selecting UH and your personal and
professional goals, plans for after
college."
- "We
would like to know what experiences have led you
to select your professional field and
objective."
- "Please
relate your interest in studying at George Town
Uni. To your future goals."
Your
Approach
The
focus is provided: Why did you choose this
school or path. This should be pretty clear to
you, since you probably went through some kind
of selection process. Make sure you know your
subject well. For example, if you say you want
to attend Smith College to major in dance, the
school will be able to tell how carefully you've
chosen (Smith doesn't have a dance major).
3.
The "Creative" Question
Some
colleges evaluate you through your choice of
some tangential item: A national issue, a famous
person, what you would put in a time capsule, a
photograph. Here the school is looking at your
creativity and the breadth of your knowledge and
education. For example:
- "Do
you believe there's a generation gap? Describe
the differences between your generation and
others." (Denison University)
- "Indicate
a person who has had a significant influence on
you, and describe that influence." (Common
Application)
- "Discuss
some issue of personal, local, national or
international concern and its important to you."
(Common application)
- "In
your opinion, what is the greatest chanllenge
that your generation will face? What ideas do
you have in dealing with this
issue."
- "What
is the value and importance of community service
in our society and tell us what it means to
you."
- "Who
do you feel has serve as the strongest
Afro-American role model in this century and
why?"
- "John
Keats said "Even a proverb is no proverb to you
Til your life has illustrates it" Please tell us
about an experience in your own life which
illustrated a proverb, maxim, or quote that has
special meaning to you" (Duke
U.)
- "You
have just completed a 300-page autobiography.
Please submit page 217." (U.of
Pennsylvinia)
- "For
some prognosticators, the end of the world was
insight by the year 1000. How do you forsee your
world of 2020?"
Your
approach
Again,
you have something to react to, a way to show
yourself and write about your real views. Just
don't forget the importance of writing an
informed essay. For example, don't write about a
fantasy lunch with a famous writer and get the
titles of her novels wrong. Also, when thinking
about how creative to get, use common sense.
Being creative to the point of wacky is a risk
you may not want to take.
Three
Steps to a Great College
Essay
You,
in 500 words or less
The
college application essay is a chance to explain
yourself, to open your personality, charm,
talents, vision, and spirit to the admission
committee. It's a chance to show you can think
about things and that you can write clearly
about your thoughts. Don't let the chance
disappear. Stand up straight and believe in
yourself!
The
Essay Writing Process
OK,
boot up your computer and let's get to it. To
write a college essay, use the exact same
three-step process you'd use to write an essay
for class: first prewrite, then draft, and
finally, edit. This process will help you
identify a focus for your essay, and gather the
details you'll need to support
it.
1.
Prewriting
To
begin, you must first collect and organize
potential ideas for your essay's focus. Since
all essay questions are attempts to learn about
you, begin with YOU.
- Brainstorm
Set
a timer for 15 minutes and make a list of your
strengths and outstanding characteristics. Focus
on strengths of personality, not things you've
done. For example, you are responsible (not an
"Eagle Scout") or committed (not "played
basketball"). If you keep drifting toward events
rather than characteristics, make a second list
of the things you've done, places you've been,
accomplishments you're proud of; use them for
the activities section of your application.
- Discover
Your Strengths
Do
a little research about yourself: ask parents,
friends, and teachers what your strengths are.
- Create
a "Self-Outline"
Now,
next to each trait, list five or six pieces of
evidence from your life -- things you've been or
done -- that prove your point.
- Find
Patterns and Connections
Look
for patterns in the material you've
brainstormed. Group similar ideas and events
together. For example, does your passion for
numbers show up in your performance in the state
math competition and your summer job at the
computer store? Was basketball about sports or
about friendships? When else have you stuck with
the hard work to be with people who matter to
you?
2.
Drafting
Now
it's time to get down to the actual writing.
Write your essay in three basic parts:
introduction, body, and
conclusion.
- The
introduction gives your reader an idea of
your essay's content. It can shrink when you
need to be concise. One vivid sentence might do:
"The favorite science project was a complete
failure."
- The
body presents the evidence that supports
your main idea. Use narration and incident to
show rather than tell.
- The
conclusion can be brief as well, a few
sentences to nail down the meaning of the events
and incidents you've described.
An
application essay doesn't need to read like an
essay about The Bluest Eye or the Congress of
Vienna, but thinking in terms of these three
traditional parts is a good way to organize your
main points.
Three
basic essay styles you should
consider
- Standard
Essay
Take
two or three points from your self-outline, give
a paragraph to each, and make sure you provide
plenty of evidence. Choose things not apparent
from the rest of your application or "light up"
some of the activities and experiences listed
there.
- Less-Is-More
Essay
In
this format, you focus on a single interesting
point about yourself. It works well for brief
essays of a paragraph or half a page.
- Narrative
Essay
A
narrative essay tells a short and vivid story.
Omit the introduction, write one or two
narrative paragraphs that grab and engage the
reader's attention, then explain what this
little tale reveals about you.
3.
Editing
When
you have a good final draft, it's time to make
final improvements to your draft, find and
correct any errors, and get someone else to give
you feedback. Remember, you are your best
editor. No one can speak for you; your own words
and ideas are your best bet.
- Let
It Cool
Take
a break from your work and come back to it in a
few days. Does your main idea come across
clearly? Do you prove your points with specific
details? Is your essay easy to read aloud?
- Feedback
Time
Have
someone you like and trust (but someone likely
to tell you the truth) read your essay. Ask them
to tell you what they think you're trying to
convey. Did they get it right?
- Edit
Down
Your
language should be simple, direct, and clear.
This is a personal essay, not a term paper. Make
every word count (e.g., if you wrote "in society
today," consider changing that to "now").
- Proofread
Two More Times
Careless
spelling or grammatical errors, awkward
language, or fuzzy logic will make your essay
memorable -- in a bad way.
College
Essay Writing Tips
Write
an Effective Application
Essay
A
great application essay will present a vivid,
personal, and compelling view of you to the
admission staff. It will round out the rest of
your application and help you stand out from the
other applicants. The essay is one of the only
parts of your application over which you have
complete control, so take the time to do a good
job on it. Check out these tips before you
begin.
DOs
- Keep
Your Focus Narrow and Personal
- Your
essay must prove a single point or thesis. The
reader must be able to find your main idea and
follow it from beginning to end. Try having
someone read just your introduction to see what
he or she thinks your essay is
about.
- Essays
that try to be too comprehensive end up sounding
watered-down. Remember, it's not about telling
the committee what you've done -- they can pick
that up from your list of activities -- instead,
it's about showing them who you are.
Prove
It
Develop
your main idea with vivid and specific facts,
events, quotations, examples, and reasons.
There's a big difference between simply stating
a point of view and letting an idea unfold in
the details:
- Okay:
"I like to be surrounded by people with a
variety of backgrounds and interests"
- Better:
"During that night, I sang the theme song from
Casablanca with a baseball coach who thinks he's
Bogie, discussed Marxism with a little old lady,
and heard more than I ever wanted to know about
some woman's gall bladder operation."
Be
Specific
Avoid
clichéd, generic, and predictable writing
by using vivid and specific
details.
- Okay:
"I want to help people. I have gotten so much
out of life through the love and guidance of my
family, I feel that many individuals have not
been as fortunate; therefore, I would like to
expand the lives of others."
- Better:
"My Mom and Dad stood on plenty of sidelines
'til their shoes filled with water or their
fingers turned white or somebody's golden
retriever signed his name on their coats in mud.
I think that kind of commitment is what I'd like
to bring to working with fourth-graders."
DON'Ts
- Don't
Tell Them What You Think They Want to
Hear
Most
admission officers read plenty of essays about
the charms of their university, the evils of
terrorism, and the personal commitment involved
in being a doctor. Bring something new to the
table, not just what you think they want to
hear.
- Don't
Write a Resumé
Don't
include information that is found elsewhere in
the application. Your essay will end up sounding
like an autobiography, travelogue, or laundry
list. Yawn.
"During
my junior year, I played first singles on the
tennis team, served on the student council,
maintained a B+ average, traveled to France, and
worked at a cheese factory."
- Don't
Use 50 Words When Five Will Do
Eliminate
unnecessary words.
Okay:
"Over the years it has been pointed out to me by
my parents, friends, and teachers -- and I have
even noticed this about myself, as well -- that
I am not the neatest person in the world."
Better:
"I'm a slob."
- Don't
Forget to Proofread
Typos
and spelling or grammatical errors can be
interpreted as carelessness or just bad writing.
Don't rely on your computer's spell check. It
can miss spelling errors like the ones
below.
Choosing
a College Essay Topic
What
You Write About Says Something About
You
Underlying
all essay questions is choice. The essay
question may be direct and ask you to choose
something about yourself to discuss, or it may
be indirect and require you to write about
something such as an event, book, or
quotation.
Why
Your Choice of Essay Matters
The
college regards your choices as a way to
evaluate your preferences, values, mental
processes, creativity, sense of humor, and depth
of knowledge. Your writing reflects your power
of persuasion, organizational abilities, style,
and mastery of standard written
English.
Here
is what colleges look for:
§
Your Preferences
Your
essay topic reveals your
preferences.
Your
essay topic reveals your preferences. Are you an
arts person or a hard-facts science type?
Certainly, there is a difference between the
person who'd like to talk about the cold war
with Machiavelli and someone who'd like to get
painting tips from Jackson Pollock.
§
Your Values
Choice
also reflects values. The person who drives a
beat-up, rusty, 1971 Volkswagen is making a
statement about how she wants to spend her money
and what she cares about. We say, "That dress
isn't me" or "I'm not a cat person." In
choosing, you indicate what matters to you and
how you perceive yourself.
§
Your Thought Process
Choosing
shows how you think. Are you whimsical, a person
who chooses on impulse? Or are you methodical,
careful, a person who gathers background
information before choosing? Questions about you
and about career and college reflect these
choosing patterns, and even a question about a
national issue can show your particular thinking
style, level of intelligence, and insight.
Think
About Topics
The
topic you select for your essay can also reveal
much about who you are. Yale's application
instructs: "In the past, candidates have used
this space in great variety of ways.... There is
no 'correct' way to respond to this essay
request...." No answer is wrong, but sloppy,
general, insincere, or tasteless responses can
hurt your cause.
Some
of the best essays, the memorable and unusual
ones, are about very similar, just more focused,
topics. Essays about your family, football team,
trip to France, parents' divorce, or twin can be
effective as long as they're focused and
specific: a single Christmas Eve church service,
a meal of boiled tongue in Grenoble, dipping ice
cream on a summer job.
Recipe
for a Draft
How
to Kick-Start Your College
Essay
Sometimes
the hardest part of writing a college admission
essay is just getting started. Here's a quick
exercise to get pen to paper (or keyboard to
computer).
§
Step 1: Think about
yourself
What
are your strengths and weaknesses? What are your
best qualities? Are you a plugger? An
intellectual? A creative type? Curious?
Passionate? Determined?
§
Step 2: Choose a positive quality you'd
like to convey to the admission
committee
Don't
pick an event or something you've done.
President of the Nuclear Awareness Club is not a
personal quality. Focus on a quality of your
mind or of your character. Complete this
sentence: "I am a very _________ person."
§
Step 3: Tell a story
Set
a timer for 20 minutes. Pretend you're taking an
exam at high school and the question is, "Tell a
story about an experience or time when you
showed you were a very _________ person." Use
the characteristic you identified in Step 2.
Write or type non-stop for 20 minutes; force
yourself to keep telling the story and what it
reveals until the timer goes DING.
You're
Done
Okay.
That's it. You've got a rough draft for your
college application essay. Look at the college
application forms and see what questions they
ask. No matter what the questions are, you've
already identified the important characteristic
you want to convey to each
college.
This
article is based on information found in The
College Application Essay, by Sarah Myers
McGinty.
