STUDENT GUIDE
How to Pay for College Using Overlooked Strategies
How do the authors use specific techniques (language, structural, etc.) to emphasize what they see as the most overlooked strategies for financing college?
View this lesson at ThinkCERCA
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Table of Contents
Skills Focus
Read and Check
Analyze / Engage with the Text
Summarize
Develop / Build Your Argument
Draft and Review / Create your CERCA
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Extension Activities
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SKILLS FOCUS
Build Your Vocabulary: �Map a Word — Grants �
Synonym (similar or like word)
Antonym (opposite word)
Picture of Vocabulary Word
Vocabulary Word and Definition
Part of Speech
Root Word or Origin
Sentence Using Vocabulary Word
Instructions: Analyzing key vocabulary words will help you better understand the texts you are reading. Word mapping can also help the words "stick" in your memory. Complete the map below with the vocabulary word provided in the title. Use a dictionary if necessary. Fill as many boxes as you can.
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SKILLS FOCUS
Cornell Notes: The Impact of an Author’s Choices: Words and Images
Why do authors choose certain words and images? | Authors choose certain words and images because… |
What are some words that authors use to emphasize information? | Some words that authors use to emphasize information are… |
What is a repetition of words? | A repetition of words is… |
Instructions: Take notes on the Direct Instruction lesson using the organizer below. Then summarize and reflect on the next page.
Complete the Direct Instruction lesson online at learn.thinkcerca.com
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SKILLS FOCUS
Cornell Notes: The Impact of an Author's Choices: Words and Images
Summarize and Reflect
In your own words and in complete sentences, write a 3–4 sentence summary of this Direct Instruction lesson. An accurate summary will cover the lesson's central ideas and include important details to support those ideas.
Record your summary here:
OVERVIEW AND CONNECT
Find Your Purpose for Learning
Instructions: When you have finished reading the Overview for this lesson, answer the following questions in the space below:
What more would you like to learn about how financial aid and how it can help ease college costs? What would you like to know about the programs and options available to you if you’re interested in applying to college?
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Read the Overview provided at learn.thinkcerca.com
OVERVIEW AND CONNECT
Share Your Personal Connection
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Complete the Connect section for this selection at learn.thinkcerca.com
Instructions:�
READ
Share Your Reflections
Instructions: During or after you have finished reading, find the questions in the text marked Pause and Reflect. These questions may help you understand the text, or they may help you connect the text to yourself, to other texts, or to the world around you.
Use the space on the left below to answer the reflection questions. Then discuss your answers, noting how they were similar or different.
Record “Pause and Reflect” answers here:
Record discussion reflections here:
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Refer to the Pause and Reflect questions within the Read section of the lesson at learn.thinkcerca.com.
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CHECK
Test Prep Strategy: Prediction
One way to prepare for assessments is to practice looking for the answers in the text before looking at the answer choices. Use prediction strategies as an opportunity to read a text more carefully.
Read each multiple choice question. In your own words, record your prediction of the correct response in the chart below.
Question on ThinkCERCA | What is the question asking you to do? |
Example: Which of the following statements best explains how the passage is structured? | Look for details on the order of ideas in the passage, like order of importance, or cause and effect. |
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Refer to the multiple choice questions for this lesson at learn.thinkcerca.com.
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ANALYZE / ENGAGE WITH THE TEXT
Highlight and Annotate
In this step, you will analyze the text closely, then discuss your findings to begin developing reasoning for your argument.
Return to learn.thinkcerca.com to complete Analyze / Engage with the Text.
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SUMMARIZE
Write a Summary
Summaries help you process your thinking about a text and are often a great way to start off an argumentative or informational essay. A good summary shows you have knowledge about a topic.
Practicing summarizing also helps you prepare for the main idea questions posed on many standardized assessments. In addition, summarizing is a helpful skill for working with others, such as when you need to confirm your understanding of what someone else has said. That's a useful skill for all parts of life.
Return to learn.thinkcerca.com to complete Summarize.
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DEVELOP / BUILD YOUR ARGUMENT
Share your Argument Builder
When you’ve completed the argument building step, share your results with others, and listen to how they responded to the same question. Ask questions, and give feedback to help strengthen your partners’ reasons and evidence.
How do the authors use specific techniques (language, structural, etc.) to emphasize what they see as the most overlooked strategies for financing college? | |
Share Your Argument | Listen and Record Others |
1. | |
2. | |
3. | |
Complete Develop / Build Your Argument to begin building your argument at learn.thinkcerca.com
DRAFT AND REVIEW / CREATE YOUR CERCA
Peer Editing Activity
Complete your Draft at learn.thinkcerca.com
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DRAFT AND REVIEW / CREATE YOUR CERCA
Reflect on Your Writing
Before you submit your final CERCA, write a brief reflection describing your experience.
An area for growth for me on this piece or in my writing in general is…
The strongest areas of this piece of writing are…
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Through self-assessment and/or peer editing, I learned…
Extension Activities
The following activities can be used as extensions to this lesson.
OPTIONAL EXTENSION : ACTIVITY
Think, Pair, Plan (Your Future)
17
What are three things that this article makes you think about?
Instructions: Open the lesson for your assigned reading.�
What are two questions you have about the ideas and information in this article that you want to know more about?
What is one idea you have about how you could incorporate the ideas and information from this article into your own life?
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OPTIONAL EXTENSION : INQUIRY TO RESEARCH
Ask Questions of the Texts
As you engage with texts in any subject, you can actively ask questions about the author’s purpose, intended audience, and occasion to understand the message. The table below provides examples.
Approaches | Example |
Questions about the author | Is the author an authority on this topic? What was the author’s motivation in writing this piece? |
Questions about the audience, purpose, and occasion of the text | Why was this article written? Why was it published at this time? |
Questions about civics, economics, geography, and history | Consider your plans for offsetting college expenses. How can financial aid ease college costs? |
Questions about concepts and ideas | Which financial aid programs are available? |
Questions about self and community reflections | How can you learn more about the programs and options available to you if you’re interested in applying to college? |
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OPTIONAL EXTENSION : INQUIRY TO RESEARCH
Ask Questions of the Texts (continued)
Use the table below to record questions about the text you read.
Approaches | Questions |
Questions about the author | |
Questions about the audience, purpose, and occasion of the text | |
Questions about civics, economics, geography, and history | |
Questions about concepts and ideas | |
Self and Community Reflections | |
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