Transcript Testing Strategies - AP Environmental Science

Testing Strategies
The Test
 Part I: 100 Multiple Choice
90 Minutes
 1.11 questions Per Minute
 Part II: 4 Essay Questions
90 Minutes
Multiple Choice
 What to expect?
- Easier questions to begin
- Harder questions
- Graphs and Data Questions
- interpretation
Scoring
 1 point for correct answers
 0 points for answers left blank
Should you guess?
 YES!
The Essays
 Answer the question you feel most
confident about first.
 Write for 22 minutes and move the
next best question.
 Allot 22 minutes per question.
 If you finish a question early, go back
and work on any that you could add
information.
Essay Tips
1. If the essay is broken into parts (a, b, c,
etc.), answer the essay in parts.
2. YOU MUST WRITE IN COMPLETE
SENTENCES!
Outlines and bullet forms are not read.
3. Write legibly.
4. Any math problem, no matter how simple,
must have WORK and UNITS!
- no matter how stupid you think it is
5. DON’T RESTATE THE QUESTION.
6. If asked for a specific number of
examples, give ONLY that number. They
will not read the extras.
7. Address the question. Your opinion is
irrelevant.
8. DEFINE ALL TERMS. Assume the
graders are dumb. Give examples.
9. Develop your thoughts and elaborate,
but don’t be repetitive or blabber
incessantly.
10. Don’t “word vomit” everything you
know. ANSWER THE QUESTION.
11. TITLE AND LABEL YOUR GRAPHS!
PLOT POINTS. DRAW THE LINES – see if
any particular directions are given. If
there are two lines, make a key.
12. You may add diagrams, charts, or
graphs to AID in your explanation, but
they must be described! These WILL
NOT substitute for the essay.
Experimental Design Questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Generate a hypothesis as a question.
Test ONE variable.
Identify the control and the standards.
Describe how the variable will be tested.
Give a simple but clear description of the experimental
set up.
Describe how the results will be measured.
State what type of results will indicate for your
hypothesis/conclusion.
REMEMBER!
 These essays are designed to make
you draw relationships between
different topics.
 This means you may not “know” the
info right away. Not all the answers
are simply factual.
 Take the time given, think and
process.
The Essays
1 Data Set Question
1 Document Based Question
2 Synthesis Questions
Document Based Questions
 Given a small article to read
 Prompt for some type of
environmental issue
 Respond to the issue (pros/cons)
Math Problems
Set up a conversion table (fence post)
Calculate the 2 year cost of power for a factor that uses 120 GWh
of electricity per month at a rate of 0.05 dollars per KWh
120 GWh
month
24 months
1000 KWh
1 GWh
0.05 $
KWh
Math Problems
Set up a conversion table (fence post)
Calculate the 2 year cost of power for a factor that uses 120 GWh
of electricity per month at a rate of 0.05 dollars per KWh
120 GWh
month
24 months
1000 KWh
1 GWh
0.05 $
KWh
Legal Arsenal
CAA
CWA
SDWA
ESA
RCRA -Resouce Conservation and Recovery Act
CERCLA (Super Fund) -Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation and Liability Act
 FIFRA – Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, Rodenticide
Act
 NEPA - EIS
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Processes: Know theses Back to
Front
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Primary and Secondary Succession
Water Treatment: Primary and Secondary
Nuclear Power Generation/Generation of Electricity
Global Warming/Climate Change
Ozone Degradation (equations)
Photochemical Smog Production
Biomagnification of Methyl Mercury
Nutrient Cycles
Demographic Transition Model
Formation of Acid Rain (equations)
What do I need for a ____ ?
AP SCORE
Correct Multiple
Choice
Correct Free
Response
5
100
3 (75%)
75
4 (100%)
100
2 (50%)
80
3 (75%)
60
4 (100%)
100
1 (25%)
80
2 (50%)
60
3 (75%)
50
4 (100%)
4
3
Two Days Before the AP Test (Sat)
 Review the Study Guides
- at this point you should have gone
through everything thoroughly
Review the Major Themes
Do a practice Math Essay
Get a good night’s sleep – don’t get
sleep deprived
Test Day Eve (the day before)
 Review the stuff you are not as
familiar with
 Review the themes
 Hug a tree and tell the Earth you love
it
 GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP 10:00
p.m.
TEST DAY
 Get up!
 EAT BREAKFAST – your brain needs energy
to work
- some carbs (cereal, toast or bagel)
- some protein (eggs or yogurt)
- a smidge of Caffeine
GET TO SCHOOL ON TIME (7:45) – I will
personally track you down and remove your
spleen with my stapler and affix it to my wall
if you are late
RELAX – do your best that is all I can ask